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Published: February 22nd 2007
It was on the afternoon of the eighteenth of Jan that i met Topy and his friends in the parking lot of a BP petrol station.To anyone watching it may have looked like a dodgy drugs drop but after finding my way there the van wobbled into the carpark and Tony started laughing.I was introduced to his mates from home Guv and Glen and to the guy they had travelled half way round the world to see, Paul and his wife Andrea.It was a twenty minute drive back towards Ipswich and to Pauls house,a massive Queenslander set in an acre of its own grounds.The beers started to flow and i finally fell into bed at about four.
There was a spare ticket for the one day cricket the next day so i tagged along and sat in the roasting sun watching us lose once again.We must have sunk enough beer to knock Oliver Reed out and returned to Paul and Andreas a little bit pissed.While waiting for the taxi to take us back a mini bus pulled up and the Ozzy cricket team got out prompting Glen to run up to Brett Lee and say,"well bowled Brett" while furiosly shaking
his hand.I think there still ripping him about it now!!!!
The next day and with a slightly sore head we hooked up Pauls speed boat and took it down to the Brisbane river for some fun and games.Paul attached the ringo and me and Tony jumped in.Tony took the brunt of the stacks and managed to drink half the river in doing so.Paul was up to his usual tricks and produced a few beers for the boys as the temperature hit about 35oc,its a hard life.
It was then onto Fraser,five of us packed into a borrowed 4x4 and heading three hours north to Rainbow beach to catch the ferry over.Its a good job Paul was driving as i think the rest of us would have got bogged down in the sand.Fraser is a sand island about forty kms long and about ten wide,only 4x4's can make the journey across and there are no roads once you get there,only the beach and sand tracks that head inland.It was about four in the afternoon when we made it to our campsite and as we started to set up they attacked us.Great big march flies landing on you and biting
you.In a flurry of arms,legs and curses we threw the tents up and jumped in them.As dusk fell the flies dissapeared and we ventured out to make some food and have a few beers.It was then that Tony came out with a cracker of a line,"My tan looks ok in the dark."Nice one Cowin!!We were sat looking out into the Pacific having a laugh when Guv, who had wandered off to spring a leak shouted something.We all looked over and saw something on the beach.We strained our eyes and it was Paul who saw it first,a lone dingo just on the edge of the camp.We slowly got up,all of us a bit apprehensive and took a step towards it.It dissapeared down the beach towards the water and we could see its form against the ocean.We sat back down and began drinking and chatting.Not five minutes had passed until he was there again,just on the edge of our camp.This happened about three times until we couldnt see him anymore.
We woke early in the morning with Paul already up and about.Big march flies covered the entrance to the tentand I decided the best thing to do was to make a
made run towards a small pool near our tent and launch myself into it.It didnt work,they followed me down and buzzed around my head like the boy out of snoopy.Ive never seen a group of guys take a tent down and throw it in the back off the truck so quick.Then we were off again in search of new adventures and to discover new lands.
After twenty mins of driving we came to Eili creek,a fresh water runoff from the centre of the island.We waded into the cold clear water and began to look in the surrounding bushes for spiders and other stuff.Glen thought he was David Bellamy as he poked and proded things.
It was then on to a new campsite,this time without flies to set up for the day before venturing back out.We drove towards the northern end off the island to a place called Indian Heads where we stopped and climbed the steep slope to the best lookout point on the island,a sheer cliff six hundred feet over the ocean.Me being a numb nut went bearfoot and im sure there was a smell of bacon as my feet sizzled on the black and grey rock.Paul
Tiger in Oz zoo!
ahhhh,just like Jake.had to lend me his flipflops for the journey down,it was either that or carry me.From the top you could look out and see the ocean dissapear to the horizon.As we looked down you could see the shape of three stingrays in the water and a shark that was maybe five foot long,Tony has pictures to prove it that he was supposed to send me but didnt.
We all piled back into the car and tried to head inland through a foot of soft sand.After the first failed attempt we all got out and Paul was left to have a go at the obstacle.He reversed the 4x4 around the corner and we all waited for him to reappear.Reappear was an understatment,he came flying round the corner at mach 10,made it halfway up the slope and then ground to a halt.We all pushed him back onto firm sand and he disappeared around the corner again.This time he came round the corner with a look of sheer determination on his face as if he were driving in the Paris to Dakar rally.He made the slope but could not stop to pick us up.He finally stopped about three hundred meters away and
it was a quick run over the burning sand to the safety of the truck.
Next stop was a place called Champayne Rocks,which is a natural sea water fed Jaccuzi.It was the full heat of the day and a quick dip was well needed.As we waded in I slipped and grabbed the nearest thing to me,a rock covered in barnackles.To me it felt like I had sliced my hand open to the bone but the boys told me to stop being gay and get in the water.There was a dividing line of rocks between us and the ocean that the waves sometimes surged over filling up the pools,so Tonp decides that he can stand up Kelly Slater like and let the wave wash over him.How wrong he was,the power of the wave took him of the rock and swept him back into the pool with unfortunatly no damage.
The next day was spent going inland to see the natural lakes that are doted about the island.Paul was driving again and im sure he missed his vocation in life.I think something deep inside of him wanted to be a racing driver and he could drive.As we all exchanged looks
in the back Paul was throwing the truck around the curves and loving every minute of it.After a few stopoffs and bumping into some people i had camped next to in Byron we were headed to our new campsite and decided to eat out.
Once again we were up early and headed back to the ferry.It was Australia day and what better way to celebrate it thana trip to Australia zoo,home and apparently resting place of the late,great Steve Irwin.Once again it was a red hot day and we were all soaked in it as we looked on at the elephants or for you Helen,Hephalumps.The place was huge and you could see Stevie boys touch everywhere.In the afternoon we sat down in the crocoseum and watched there display of birds,snakes and of coarse crocs.Im not a big fan of zoos and thought the show was a bit staged but none the less had a top day.It was then back to Paul and Andreas for some food and another beer.
The following morning it was time for me to move on,id got to comfortable in a real bed and wasnt looking forward to life back on the road.I
Champayne pools!!
Where I nearly lost my hand! was heading north again but i wasnt quite sure where.Id like to thank Andrea and Paul again for looking after me and wish the boys a good journey onwards to Sydney and Thailand.And remember Tony check the hands!!!!!!!!!!
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Tony p
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You lucky bastard!
Been home a week mate and its SHITE! Missing that early morning beer at 9 to kick start the day, then the other 10, 2 bottles of wine with our tea and a few vodka,s to aid sleep!........ Thinkin of joining Britney in rehab after reading that back! The cowman,s talkin about meetin you in thailand for a few days in the summer! Take your head out of the noose G! Everyone,s got a f**kwit of a mate who,s got the IQ of PLANKton! (could,nt resist that one scouse!) Have a great time and keep updating the blog. P.S. YOU LUCKY BASTARD!!!!!!!!!