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Published: February 6th 2006
Lake Birrabeen
Cue Arty Shot!Hello everyone!!!
At the moment I am sitting in an internet cafe in Cairns, and would you believe it, Sarah isn't with me!!! You see, we had a huge argument and we're no longer travelling together....... well actually that didn't happen and all is infact good! The real deal is she's in Melbourne 'job hunting' and I stayed up here to go diving, which kinda made sense as Sarah is fishophobic(?), if that is a real word!!
So when I last wrote this I was in Hervey Bay about to go and do my Fraser Island safari, so me guesses I should start from there. So enjoy reading/skimming and I hope you enjoy our adventures!!
Fraser Island Boring stuff first, if you didn't know, Fraser Island is the biggest sand island in the world! Anyways, oh my god! Fraser Island!! Potentially the best three days of my travels so far without a doubt!! Am getting excited now just thinking about it!! The Fraser Island safari, for those who don't know, goes along these lines - you get put in a group, you get given a 4wd/tent and cooking equipment/food and then you get dumped on
Fraser Posse
Us doing our sexy poses! Fraser Island, and oh the fun you can have!! Me, Sarah and Cathy got put with 7 other people and we all got on amazingly, which was ace!! Whilst on the island during the day we did the usual things like swim in the many lakes there, like the crystal clear Lake McKensie and green coloured Lake Wabby (in which fish bite you!), float down Elli creek, look at the rainforest, spot tiger sharks and other marine life at Indian Head! Once it approached night we had to work with all the tide times and set up camp, make dinner and then generally get drunk! Well what else are you gonna do on a sand island! Highlights included the israeli game, 'photo time', 5 o'clock toilet call and the mince incident! But more or less the experience was what made it! Having to fend for yourself was really an eye opener and driving in a 4wd was also an interesting time! Nightimes were also pretty amsuing! There was the constant threat of dingoes which meant you had to go to the toilet in groups, and yes you did have to go in the sand! The dogs also liked to circle
our tents at nightimes too which was exciting! Then there was the whole sleeping in a tent trauma! Turns out they get bloody hot, who'd have thought! Can't really describe how great it is, so I'll sum it up in the words of one of my fellow Fraser buddies Sophia, 'it f**king rules!'
Airlie Beach/Whitsundays After leaving Fraser Island we got back to Hervey Bay and went straight to Airlie Beach on the nightbus! As you can imagine after two days of not sleeping due to the fact I was in a boiling hot tent, on sand, then getting a nightbus, my first day in Airlie was relatively chilled! We explored a bit, did a bit of shopping but spent most of the day by the lagoon there! Then that night we had an early one in preparation of our whitsundays tour which started the next day!
Sailing around the Whitsundays Islands was another memorable time of my trip so far! Firstly the boat we got was amazing. You hear horror stories about people getting really awful overcorwded boats, but ours was ace! Generally our time on the Whitsundays involved sailing around in gorgeous weather,
Sarah's Mum!
She's a real man eater! stopping for a dive/snorkel somewhere and then sailing more! They also decided to feed us loads, which was all good fun! We also went to Whitehaven Beach which is the supposed most beautiful beach in the world. And oh my god it is!! Words or pictures couldn't do it justice, you'll just have to go! Then once it was nightime we all chilled out, had a few drinks, or a few too many, and watched the stars. The people on board were ace too and I got on really well with 2 English girls, Caroline and Clare. Generally the Whitsundays was a relatively chilled affair but it was also probably the nicest place I've been on my trip so far!
Once back on dry land I decided to check out a shark museum with Caroline and Clare and my god it was the most random place I've been so far. Frozen great white shark anyone? No, i thought not. Then that night we had a big boat reunion and we went for muchos drinks! Was a bit of a drunken one but it was all good!
Magnetic Island After our big night out we had
Barbie Car!
See what I mean! to be up early to catch our bus to Townsville! As you can imagine it wasn't the best bus journey as the three of us were wearing our hangover hats! Nevermind! After arriving in Townsville we then caught a ferry to Magnetic Island, where we spent 2 nights! Our time there was very chilled and it let us recharge a bit, mostly because there was nothing to do there! The island has a really small population and as it isn't peak season there's hardly anyone about! Our first day there we had a mini explore and spent lots of the time in the hostel pool, then on day 2 we rented a 'car'. Just look at the photo, Barbie car or what!! With our new found wheels we explored the island and did a bit of beach hopping. However, energetically we went for a bit of a walk - 'The Forts Walk', where we spotted wild koalas, explored WW2 relics and got to the highest point of the island to take in the views! Was slightly reminiscent of the Thai trek, though there weren't enough death oppurtunites!
Mission Beach After leaving Magnetic Island and returning to
Rainforest!
Pre python attack photo! Townsville, we then caught a bus to Mission Beach! We were there only for one night, and that was for the purpose of doing our skydive! Which also coincided with my birthday! And oh my god it was amazing and surprisingly unscary! I was all very manly about it, and Sarah wasn't even too freaked! The freefall was one of the most bizarre experiences ever, but I loved it! You all have to do one! But don't worry, i bought a DVD so i can bore you all with it when I get back! You'll love it! Post skydive we then hung around Mission Beach before getting a bus to Cairns.
Cairns Once in Cairns we then had my big birthday night out! The three of us, as well as quite a few other people we've met along the east coast all hit the Cairns scene! Was a really good night, very drunken, but then you're only 22 once! The next day Sarah then bid me a fond farewell as she got a flight to Melbourne, with a monster hangover! Haha! Which then left me with Cathy! That day in Cairns we got up at 3pm,
Random Drunk Photo!
Notice mine, Natalie and Roxie's sober look! error! Then we did some exploring, well, attempted! Turns out its wet season so it just rains all the time, though today is fine randomly! That night was a quiet one as we nursed hangovers! However, the next day was Australia Day, which meant another big night out! That day generally involved more exploring and covering from rain! Then the night largely involved carnage! A big group of us went out, Me, Cathy, 4 girls from my Whitsundays tour (Roxie, Natalie, Vicky and Jen - whose names I couldn't get right all night! Error!), a couple of girls we just keep on bumping in to (Clare and Jess), then whilst out we just kept on seeing people from places along our travels! Was a wicked night, with many amusing tales not fit for the blog, but the next day, my god! I had the worse hangover in the world! And I was starting my dive course! That first day doing pool/theory training was one of the most traumatic ever! Then that night I still went out as Jess and Clare were leaving to go home the next day! Hair of the dog and all! The second day was far better
Random Drunk Photo 2!
Birthday celebrations led to muchos drinks! and I even passed my final exam, get me! That night Cathy and I just went to the cinema (Brokeback Mountain - How good!), but we had an early one as I had to be up at 5 to get picked up to get my boat to the outer reef where I could become a certified diver!
Great Barrier Reef Firstly, I just wanna say how much I love boats and really wanna get my own! Got another very swanky boat and I got a private cabin! Loves it! Anyways, the three days were ace and I am now a certified diver! There were some cool people on board, muchos food, only downside, our first dives were at about 6.15, not good! But most importantly, the diving was spectacular, especially once the cyclone had passed through anyways and there was some sunshine! Saw sharks up close a couple of times! Was really good! Also saw giant turtles, and you can get really close to them! Saw stingrays, loads of pretty coloured fish and most importantly, nemo fish! We also got to do a nightdive, which was pretty scary! Got to see some lobsters then which was
pretty random! I really enjoyed all the diving and I really hope I continue with it, its so much fun!
After leaving my boat I was back on solid ground, though I still felt like everything was swaying for ages after! That night I went for drinks with boat people and was planning an early night..... well that never happened! After going for drinks with dive people I went to meet my friend James for one.... one didn't exactly happen and i got in at 3! Error! Then i had to get picked up early to go on a tour up to Cape tribulation.
Cape Tribulation Cape Tribulation is the big rainforest just north of Cairns! Luckily for me the whole time there it was sunny! Very random! On my tour on the first day I went for a crocodile cruise and rainforest walk, then later on we got dropped off at our accommodation. Once there I did some mini exploring on me lonesome, which infact turned into a very traumatic event! Firstly I walked for ages to get to a lookout only to find I couldn't go the last 50 meters unless i wanted
Me Skydiving!
Well I look like I'm enjoying it which is all good! to cross a creek where a croc had recently been spotted in (apparently it was only a baby! A 2m long baby!). Once backtracking and getting to the lookout (which wasn't too great) I then went to a bat house and made friends with Rex the bat whilst the woman there kept talking about bat sex and his six inch ercetion. Very random! Then after that I decided to go on a rainforest walk. Was really cool, though lots of wildlife about with huge spiders, lizards and wild turkeys! Anyways, whilst turning one corner I hear some rustling and I decide to get closer to the water's edge to have a look at what I thought was a lizard. However upon peering down its this huge python! About 2m long, and my god did i freak out! Practically ran the rest of the way! And that event now means I have a new found snake phobia! Not cool! Post trauma I just chilled by my pool and had an early night! The next day I chilled by the pool in the morning before being picked up for the rest of the tour. Was cool to be reunited with the tour
Sarah Skydiving!
Sarah looking surprisingly chilled! group as everyone i made friends with seemed to be at the hostel miles down the road! The rest of the tour involved going to a lookout, swimming in a gorge and exploring the ritzy town of Port Douglas!
I eventually got back to Cairns at 6 and immediately went out to dinner with a couple of mates (Roxie and Natalie) before coming back and getting ready for our big night out! We ended up again where we did last thursday- Rhino Bar, free champagne for ladies night! Went with Roxie and Natalie and met up with me tour people. Again the night was a very drunken one and mildly errorsome! The night finished at about 4 and i ran back to the hostel, grabbed my backpack and got to the airport where i passed out on the chairs there. Classy. I had a 7 o clock flight you see so i thought this was a good idea. Umm. Then i boarded my plane to Melbourne!
And whilst I was doing all this who knows the Denby was getting up to. Last time I spoke to her she mentioned Spearmint Rhino had a sign outside saying they were recruiting. A passing comment or a possible career direction? You be the judge! But anyways, she does want to tell you what she's been up to so here she goes......
Sarah's Adventures Well what can I tell you about my adventures....I left Stew focused and determined to find a job in Melbourne, catch up on sleep and generally do some hard core sightseeing...but then I met Jo. Jo was a girl in my hostel and within 2 hours of meeting her I was pissed as a fart in some dodgy club in melbourne! Unfortunately it didn't end there, I continued in this similar manner for the rest of the week, forgot to apply for any jobs and most definately didn't manage to fit in any sightseeing! The group of people in the hostel were awesome, especially Helen and the irish guys and I think its good Stew has since come down and rescued me from them otherwise liver failure may definately have occured!
Anyways, hope you enjoyed this mammoth entry! We now find ourselves in Melbourne (where I'm writing the last bit of this!), which means its time for us to get a job! Scary thought! Though excitingly we'll get to go on the neighbours tour! Yay! Shall keep you posted soon once we've got more exciting adventures to tell!
Hope you're all well! Keep in touch! Speak soon!
Muchos Loveage
Stewart and Denby
-x-
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Holly
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Weird scary dream involving an even more campt Stew!
Stewart, become a stripper! I had a weird dream last night when you were a stripper in this dingy club in Aussie and all these blond guys kept putting weird fake monopoly notes down your furry pink pants. Disturbing much!! Miss u loads. xx