Noosa Canoe Safari

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18/1/09 = The start of the Noosa Canoe Safari

Had to get up at 7 to set off for canoe trip. Suprised to find that Canadian girl sharing a room with had brought a guy back...cringed, put head down, then scuttled about getting ready; the joys of sharing a room! Got showered,. got things, then went to have worst breakfast ever = bread, jam and banana. No butter. Poor Hat just had plain bread. Not really excited for trip, more anxious, because raining when woke up and some people cancelled trip = not good. Raining...in Australia...in summertime....with an outdoor, 3 day canoe trip booked...typical. Got in bus at 8 and drove off to pay park fees ($60 + sleeping bag $10) with 2 cars behind us = rest of group = all guys. Great! (being sarcastic). Stopped at shop before getting onto boat, but didn't sell alochol, so thats us not drinking; probably a good thing. Started to get excited for trip and hungry. Ended up buying some kind of sausage roll. Don't like sausage rolls at best of times, but this one = pure disgusting! Know sausage = mixture of rubbish normally anyway, but there was nothing normal about this meat (if that's what it even was!) Ate as much as could force down, then me and Deb threw rest of ours away. Strangeo Hat ended up buying a second one....yukk!

Loaded things onto boat and went off across to set off point where canoes were stored. Unloaded boat here and boatman gave us a talk about canoe trip and where to go. Couldn't believe was a self guided tour, especially when just read in brochure that river = full of sharks, not crocs, but sharks. Not happy. Listened to talk (where he re-iterated point about sharks), quickly went to toilet (last one for a while), then loaded up canoes. Felt v.anxious when saw little tin canoes get dragged round corner. Found self re-playing words "sharks are common in Noosa River". Oh no! Everyone else (4 Canadian guys and 2 English guys) sharing canoe as a pair; we in a 3, so some of guys took some of our things for us. Crammed most of other things in then had the job of getting into boat = v.funny! Nearly capsised before even out of docking area. Jumped in bum first, then set off for 1and half hour paddle, following Canadians. I was at front of canoe, Hat in middle and Deb at back. Loved paddling along; view was amazing and great exercise for arms. Had wanted to do an extra loop down jungle river, but missed it. Turned out to be a good thing in end. After 30mins paddling, arms were aching and totally bored. Couldn't wait to get to first stop = campsite for night.

Finally arrived at site at midday = Harrys Hut. Was so happy to see dry land, but v.unhappy when realised had to step out of canoe into water in oder to get canoe out. Could hear Mums voice "well Natalie, sharks can attack in knee deep water you know"...thanks for that Mum! Put a toe in, then swiftly jumped out and made a run for it. Got into most shallow part of water could find (below knee) and unloaded canoe, then half carried/half dragged it out of water and onto rack. Only thing that calmed me down was knowing that were having food straight away, although had I thought it through more thoroughly, would not have got excited for lunch = beans on bread! Was worst lunch ever, even though had bought heinz beans. Only made worse by fact that had to wash up using river water, without any washing up liquid. Not even allowed to put dishes in water because of pollution, so had to go and scoop up water in a different pan. Using the word 'water', but not normal water, more like iodine. Tribal Travel lady had told us to get washed in this stuff too....don't think so love! She was right about animals though. Turkey Lurkeys wondering around everywhere and straight into food if left it for more than 10secs; just like pigeons.

Didn't have much to do after dinner, other than put up tent, but should have set aside several hours for that job. Usually like putting tents up and not too bad at it, but this tent was a joke. Poles didn't slide through it, but just clipped onto it every so often. Had 2 top sheets?!...and none of them fit the tent properly. Tried to push pegs into ground, but just ended up popping out again because ground too soft (but like hammer game when have to hit crocs that pop up) . The finished results was a sight for sore eyes...could have given leaning tower of piza a run for it's money; was completely wonky and only half clipped to ground....good luck girls! Nothing left to do then, so chatted to guys for a while, then had a rest in tent for a while = snooze. When 5:30 came, decided better get up and cook dinner before got dark. Hat and Deb had packet risotto, I made another huge pasta dinner. Didn't eat it all, but definitely full by end. Really glad had bought some fanta as a treat, went down v.well. Not so glad about decision not to bring chocolate, really fancied some. Was at this point that Canadian spotted some kind of huge lizard/baby alligator slither across camp and into forest. Great! Staying in most unsturdy tent ever with cros sliding about around us. Washed up in dirty river water again (v.cautious this time) and then English guys came to cook. They had definitely left it too late. Was light while they were cooking, but had to eat and wash up in dark = not good. Had to use torches everywhere because got so dark.

Spent a good half an hour chatting about crocs, sharks, spiders and snakes. Dawned on us all then that if any of us did get bitten by anything, we were miles away from civilisation and none of us had a phone. Oh no! Played some card games to lighten mood and chatted about less gloom/death related subjects. Full of insects though and even though covered in spray, still getting bitten everywhere. Poor Hat was having heart attacks and literally jumped out of her seat and onto table when a really big thing landed on her. V.funny. Couldn't laugh at her too much though, found myslef doing floor checks with big torch every 10mins....just to chck for crocs.alligators.

Started to rain at 9pm, so all headed for bed. Went to toilet first = definitely a group thing. Was pitch black and really not an enjoyable walk. Didn't know whether to look forward or look at ground, but could hardly see anything anyway. Toilet was a long drop (didn't look down) and only one small sink to share and brush teeth in. No hair wash here! Scuttled back to tent and tried to get comfy for bed = impossible. Ground = rock hard and only a yoga mat to sleep on. Shut eyes and Hat gassed us all out with her killer mosquito spray. Never mind mosquitoes...nearly killed us. Had to lay flat with cover over face for at least 5mins after spray. Actually feel sorry for mosquitoes with that stuff! Tried to get to sleep after that, but 10mins in and all body parts were numb. No way of getting comfy and really don't like all animal noises outside....going to be a long 3 days 😞


19/1/09 = Hard paddling, but Amazing Sand dunes!

Wosrt nights sleep ever. Never been as uncomfy in whole life. Sleep was a constant mix of changing sides:
1) Lay on right side for 30mins = arm ache and hip bruised
2) Lay on back for 30mins = back arched and pain beyond belief
3) Lay on left side = arm ache, another hip bruise
Repeated this procedure for whole night, waking up before each change over. A yoga mat is not a matress! All of this not helped by heavy rain, animal noises and fact that really needed tiolet. Didn't want to walk 100m in pitch black on my own, but at 4am, could wriggle about no longer and had to get up. Was still pitch black and really didn't want to walk, but equally didn't want to 'go in the bush'....for girls, this is asking for a bite on the bum. Couldn't find the big torch, so had to take the little lantern and off I went. Within 5ft, discovered that all lantern did was light me up; provided no light at all for path ahead. Couldn't decide whether to walk loudly or not. Walk loudly = scare animals away....or walk loudly = attract animals with invite of free dinner? Went for a mixture of both, which didn't look or feel good. Wa absolutely terrified all way and walk back was even worse. Could definitely hear something rustling in bushes next to me and sounded like it was following me. Was like a scene from Blair Witch Project. My face was lit up by lantern and kept spinning round on spot to check for things around me. In end, got too scared and had to run back to tent. Unzipped it and dived in. Never been so happy to see a yoga mat...love you yoga mat! Closed eyes and tried to get some more sleep. Wish could have closed ears to all animal noises too.

Deb woke up first, but was so tired that carried on snoozing. Hat got up not long after and started shouting about alligator being back, so I got up too. He was just sat there. Big guy, but definitely some breed of lizard, not an alligator. Sat down to have breakfast (jam on bread) and saw another 2 of them; all just laying still and chilling out. Cool. Had breakfast, then got packed up for busy day ahead = lot of canoeing and a big 12k walk. Had to pack trainers, suncream and all cooking gear, then us girls got off first at 9:30. Was lot hotter today and had to layer up with cream. Like yesterday, enjoyed canoeing for first 30mins, but then soon got bored. Had to play games just to pass time and take our mind off it. Decided forfeit of losing = foot in water; good job I didn't lose any games. Finally got to campsite 3 just after 11. Clambered out in usual way and dragged canoe out. Wasn't long before all others arrived and made group decision to eat before starting 12k walk. Made our 4l packet soup. Definitely not best meal ever eaten, but sure not worst either. Took alot of willpower to decline offer of a chocolate museli bar from guys - really fancied chocolate, but managed to say no.

Had 5 mins to chill, then set off on 12k walk to sand dunes. Don't know what expected of walk, but wasn't what we got. Didn't realise that all path there would be sand. Sand + trainers = smell. Sand +trainers + traveller + no wahshing machine = v.bad smell. Wish you were here Mummy. Was a v.v.v long walk and took lot longer than your average 6k walk because was uphill and hard to walk in sand. Was also v.hot and sweaty. Hard work, but really enjoyed it and felt good to be doing some exercise. Deb enjoyed it too, but Hat hated it...she's not really a fan of the walking...bless her! Were all v.pleased when could see the dunes. Took trainers off and stepping out onto them was amazing. Know I've said it before, but got to say it again; have never seen anything like it. Masses and masses of sand hills, surrounded by forest and completely in the middle of nowhere. Sand was utterly undisturbed and there was no-one else around. Walking out onto them actually felt quite magical. Had a group shot to confirm we had made it, then headed off to explore. Could see the sea in the distance, so I decided to walk towards it. Was like a scene from a movie where the character gets completely lost and stranded in the desert. Seemed to be walking for ages and never getting any closer to end. Was amazing when got there though. Had a huge tree stump sticking out of ground that seemed to be like some kind of marker for reaching end. View was awesome. Stayed a while just awe struck, then started trekking back. Even amazed by footprints in sand which looked cool.

Saw Deb on way back and went to check out other views. Was an amazing view over masses and masses of forestry and all looked quite breathtaking. Looked for a while, then walked back to find others. Was hard walking because sand so hot and some parts of it really deep; deep enough that most of leg up to thigh sunk when stepped in it. Totally de-hydrated when got back to others. Had quick drink, trainers back on, then set off on 6k walk back to campsite 3. Walk back was loty easier than walk there and only took 50mins. Enjoyed it again, apart from sand and sharp bushes. Saw lots of baby lizards and gheko's too; glad didn't see any snakes. As soon as got back, filled water up and had big drink, then collapsed on jetty. Was nice to put feet in water, although I was carerful to only put mine in for a few seconds at a time...curse you river sharks! Was a mistake to lay down, because didn't want to get back up again and definitley didn't want to paddle 1 and half hours to get back to camp. Trudged canoe into water, threw things in and set off on painful journey back home again. Tried playing games to take mind off of torture, but none of us could even be bothered to speak. Ended up counting strokes and setting targets. Was just like being at gym again and had set number had to do before allowed a rest...apart from after gym, would defo have a nice shower and probably some chocolate!

Got back to camp just before 5:30 and again so happy to see land. Crawled out of canoe and straight on with dinner again. Pasta again. I didn't mind at all, but Hat not so keen. Had huge portions too; needed to re-stock fuel for body....and because greedy! Went back to dreaming about chocolate then....can't wait to get back to land and eat chocolate 😊 Washed plates (well, rubbed dirty, orange, river water around them) then chilled by river for a while. Was nice to sit and just watch calmness of water. Hat and Deb came over too. Had little chat, then chilled in tent for a while. Darkness came and all got round table to chat again. All feeling bit tired and didn't last long before headed off to bed. Did dreaded toilet walk for teeth brush, then Hat went off to bed and me and Deb stayed up bit longer. Need to be absolutely shattered to sleep on that bed! Got to 9:15 and we got tired too. Made one last visit to toilet (no way getting up in night again) then were really boring and went to bed. Still most uncomfy thing ever, but managed to fall asleep despite pain and noise of guys still awake. Did laugh out loud when Lion King theme tune came on Debs' ipod though and all guys started re-playing movie and quoting lines. Ha!

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Photos

The ladies do tents
Admittedly, not v.well...but we did do it oursleves.

Turkey Lurkey
Got to guard the food from this guy. He's the quickest gobbler in the west!

Washing up
Not of the usual variety because it involves:
1) River water
2) Hands, no cloth
3) Dirt, no sink
4) Pure darkness
5) Most importantly for me...no dishwasher...unbelievable.

Guannas
Watch out for these...if the turkeys don't get you, then these will!

Guannas love tents.
Keep it zipped!

Here we go
2nd day push off.

Just like the Yellow Brick road
...except white and made of sand.

Walk to the dunes
Little did we know what the walk would involve.

Wow, amazing
Again, one of those things that I've never seen anything like it before.

Brilliant view
Had to walk for ages to get to that pole. Just like a desert...looked so close, yet so far away.