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Hi Everyone!
I hope everyone is well since the last entry.
Noosa Heads was to be a much deserved relaxing few days before the onslaught of the Fraser Island trip! Noosa was a quiet place with few jobs and bars but was set on the edge of a National Park and next to the beach so it was a nice relaxing place although we did squeeze in one night out with Pierre (Canadian guy) and 2 Sweedish girls (Ellen and Christina) and it was Ellen's 21st so it seemed as good as time as any to have a few drinks!
From here we left to Rainbow Beach which is where we were due to start our Fraser Island trip. We met for the briefing at 4pm in which we wre to find our group for the next 3days. It was pretty exciting! We were paired with 5 people from Galway, Ireland (Paul, Damian, Michael (Duccy) and 4 girls who all went to uni together in Leeds (Mel, Sarah, Jenny, Rachel). It was a great group as we had a good mix of boys and girls plus the Irish?English uni banter. I was the oldest in the group at 24 with the youngest being 21 (we were pretty pleased with the people we were being paired with. We were issued with maps, given the safety videos on the Dingoe's, shark and jellyfish and instructed on the do's and donts.
Basically we had to be up at 7am the following morning to load our 4x4 Jeep in which we had to load all of camping equipment such as sleeping bags, tents, food, bags etc onto the roof. Ten out of the 11 people were eligible to drive and we wre all keen to do so. We left the hostel loaded up with food and bodies - 3people across the bench seat at the front and the remaing 8 sat on 2 benches in the back. We left to catch the ferry! Oh, and one more thing was the booze we brought - out of the 6 groups ours was the largest alcohol order and it took up quite a bit of the jeep - what do u expect with 5 Irish and Tom and myself in company??
Fraser Island is similar size to the Isle of Wight and is the largest SAND island in the world which we were to fully understand by the end of the trip! We were cautioned on swimming in the sea due to sharks (which we saw) and jelly fish plus the ultra strong current. Dingo's were there to roam around and we all came within a few feet of one at some point over the trip.
With being a sand island the Four Wheel drive gears were used the whole time while on the Island. The main road was the beach up the right-hand-side of the island which was flatter sand as when the tired had been it it had caused this - we couldnt drive past around 5pm on each day otherwise there would be no road - just sea - how crazy was this and we didnt want to get lost!! We could make inroad into the island which were by means of steep slopes, bumpy off road tracks and steep terrains. Drinking a can of beer was to prove a difficult task - especially as I choose a seat right at the back of the jeep!
On the first day we visited Lake McKenzie which is a fresh water lake in the centre of the Island, After lunch, cold meat sandwiches we relaxed around here all afternoon as it had been an early start. We set up cam with another group just off the beach but still close enough to wash in the shallow sea and wash our dishes. It was weird but the girls went staright to preparing and making dinner while the guys went staright into unloading the roof of the van and setting up the tents - no one said anything, just got on with it and everyone pulled their weight. We had steak and potatos with biscuits for pudding!
Come 6.30pm it was dark and everyone was fed so there was nothing to do other than sit around, chat and make an inroad into the drink supply - we certainly didnt mess about and after a group game of 'Ring of Fire' we had a 40 man beach party on our hands! The only sour part of the night was me cutting the bottom of my right foot open on a bramble whilst going to the toilet - it was a really sore cut and I'm still struggling to walk on it 3days on.
The next day we woke and packed up the van ready for another day of exploring. The group we stayed with were fined $250 for leaving there food out for the Dingoe's!! The ranger patrolled the island checking on these type of things. That day we continued trekking around the island visiting the Champagne Pools, different Creeks, the Shipwreck and Indian heads (which was one thing I couldnt see due to not being able to walk!)
That night we set up camp slighty closer to the beach with 5 of the other vans. After a cracking chicken stir-fry and the camp was set up we had another party based around our camp! That night when we were sleeping there was a massive storm and I awoke with the top cover of the tent being held down by a couple of pegs and a wet face and sleeping bag! After packing up camp and visiting a few more sites we headed for the ferry back to the mainland.
Overall it was a fantastic 3 days and some good friends were made. There was sand everywhere and I mean everywhere. In my wallet, shoes, pockets, drink, food etc etc. We were all in desperate need of a shower and shower gel and after this Tom and I had a 14hour coach trip to look forward to, to Airlie Beach where we leave tomorrow on our Whitsundays trip - again with 10 other people but this time on a boat which again is 2nights and 3days (we had to go for a stinger suit fitting this morning for whenever we head into the sea off the boat! Very sexy!!)
A nice relaxing day is in order today which we are doing so. The washing machine is on the go as I'm typing and the sand is almost all gone!!
Other than the cut on my foot, which I have been using antiseptic cream for and plasters I'm am very well and looking forward to the last 2weeks in Aus (10th June to Auckland)
All the best to everyone
Dave
P.S All 150 cans of beer were drank and we only returned with 2 goons (boxes) of wine! Oh, and a few tired and sore heads!
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Mike Wilde
non-member comment
Frank the Tank
How do fella, I see you and tom have been doing your best Frank the Tank impressions!