Fraser Baby!!!

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Morning Campers!!

So yes, we did finally manage to get on Fraser Island http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fraser_Island in the end last Friday, and it was most definately worth the wait!! Han and I would actually probably say its been the highlight of our 2 month trip so far!!

So basically we chose the self-drive 4x4 tour; where you are thrown together with 11 random strangers, given an ancient Toyota Landcruiser, 4 tents, a very basic map and told to go on your merry way!!

So we head to the shop, get stocked up with our food, and the all important 50 litres of GOOOOOON! for the 3 day 2 night trip. The key to a successful Fraser is a) the weather and b) the group you get put with. We were in luck on both counts; the weather had cleared and we were one of 5 groups to venture onto the island in nearly a week........... brave or stupid who knows!!! Unfortunately because of the cyclone we could only access the South West of the island, we couldnt see the Maheno Shipwreck http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maheno_(ship) or go up to Indian Head where you can see lots of sharks which I was a bit gutted about, but hey ho we were eventually there after a very long wait, so that fact we could see a portion of this beautiful island was good enough for me. Our team was made up of 9 Brits, 1 Canadian and 1 Californian (6 girls and 5 boys- fairly even actually considering the whole of Eastern Oz backpackers are made up of what seems 90%!y(MISSING)oung girls!!) and everyone was up for the crack- a really good mixture of people, and Han and I weren't the oldest for once! There was a lad older than us yay!

The Californian guy, Alex (who Han and I named Donny due to the very large basin haircut and the bright white Californian smile) was probably the funniest person Han, I and the rest of the team had ever met in our lives. He had us laughing from the minute we met him til the minute we said goodbye, he really made our trip for us and everyone one else, it was like we had a permanent comedy stand up act on board, some of the jokes very rude (he dubbed us Team Facef@ck- dont ask!!!!) so cannot be repeated, but others just genuinely funny like telling the tour operator- who distinctly told us we cannot drive the 4x4 through salt water as it crystalises on the engine and breaks it- that the car "Floats great on salt water" and if a girl wasn't helping out as they should be by carrying stuff (usually me to be fair!) "If your not carrying anything, you'd better be carrying my baby by the end of this trip!!!!" And so on and so fourth, I guess you just had to be there....... Oh and a very infamous Whitney Houston Kareoke song, which about 100 people were watching at one stage!

So Han and I very selfishly/sensibly didn't offer to drive this beast (I could barely drive my hatchback back home on tarmac, never mind a 4x4 through creeks, sand dunes and corregated roads!) So 2 boys and one girl elected very bravely to drive this monstrocity, the Canadian and Californian understandibly didnt elect as wrong side of the road for them and they drive automatics; and unfortunately I have to say the boys did do a better job then the girl (sorry Sarah!!) But this driving is HARDCORE!! 78 4x4's last year overturned, so you had to enlist a lot of trust in these drivers that you barely know, not just to ensure you don't incurr thousands of dollars worth of damage, but also so you come back unscaithed!! And to be fair to them, they did a sterling effort.

Not only was 3/4 of the island off limits, but also all of the camping sites too so we had to find a decent enough bit of beach to set up camp on. The other 5 groups on the island also set up camp at this location too. It was quite good fun setting up camp, reminded me of my festival days (Han and I were second quickest yay!) with help from our Canadian friend, Dylan (aka Mowgli as we decided he was very adept living outdoors, and instead of being raised by wolves he had been raised by Fraser Dingoes instead!) So after setting up camp, we have a game of rounders (not baseball, stupid American, rounders- it's so much better!!) then we put on the barbie and began partying! Our camp was the hub of the action (of course!) and all 5 groups gravitated towards us and we ended up just having a massive beach party, everyone drinking, dancing, wrestling (I beat one French girl, but lost to a Swedish tank, but a boy also lost to her so I can't complain!) it was just so so much fun.

So the next day we get awoken at 7am with screams of said French girl due to the fact there were 6 dingos circling around our camp! Fraser Dingoes are the purest dingoes you will find anywhere in the world, they really are gorgeous looking dogs, to the untrained eye they really don't look any different to dogs, but they are more associated to the wolf family than the dog family, whereby they howl as opposed to bark. In our drunken stupour we had forgotten to lock all the food and rubbish etc in the van, therefore they were scavaging around our camp, but they are pretty easy to get rid of by brandishing the 'Dingo Whacker' aka a shovel! They have been known to attack humans in packs, but that is a very rare occurance.

So we get up around 8 (in that heat with a hangover you just cannot sleep in a tent, no matter how rough you are) we secure our camp and we head off to Lake MacKenzie in the middle of the island. Lake MacKenzie is probably the most beautiful place I have ever visited in my life. The sand is so white, the water so fresh and crystal clear, even in light drissle, it was just breathtaking- and the perfect antedote to a hangover I can assure you!! Due to the high shark content in the sea surrounding Fraser (including Bull Sharks- more deadly than Great Whites!) You are not permitted to swim in the sea- and if you saw it you wouldnt either- its so rough and choppy, but with lakes like MacKenzie you dont mind that one little bit. After chilling out there for ages, we head to Central Station, a camp sight with amenities to have our lunch, then we go to the 2nd most famous lake on the island- Lake Wabby. It's a 1hr 30 mins round walk to to get there, but well worth it. Very different to Lake Mackenzie, the water is tinged green due to the surrounding foliage, and there is a huge sand dune next to it, which is great fun to run down and land in the water! then we leave there go back to camp where Han and I promised to cook everyone a Spag Bol. On the Sunday, many more groups have been allowed to join the island, and the camp sites are still not open to stay at, so even more party people join our makeshift camp site on the beach! We made the spag bol (surprisingly yummy!) and surprise suprise, we had yet another, even larger crazier party on the beach! Lots of face paint, a ridiculous amount of Goon and many many new couples forming in the sand dunes surrounding ha! Han and I also did our first number 2 outdoors on beach. Yuck I know, but needs must!! Although one had to be careful not to be surrounded by stealth Dingoes whilst in the middle of your business!!!

The next morning, brandishing even worse hangovers, we head to another smaller lake to chill out, have a spot of dinner and then it's time to head back :o( we get the 4x4 back in one peice- just!! Where its taken to a garage and scrutinised, to prove we havent been floating it on salt water or bent the axel or anything silly, and then it's time to say bye to our fellow Team Face f@ckers. Thats the thing with travelling, you meet some wicked people on the way, but there's always a time to say goodbye which is upsetting, but Facebook really is a great invention to keep in touch with these lovely new friends. Han and I are about 10% of Oz travellers going South also as opposed to North, which means we have even more fleeting encounters with some great people.

So we finally turn our backs on Rainbow beach (yay!! at one stage I though i would die there!!) and head to Noosa. Noosa is the most exclusive resort we have visited so far. It kind of has an air of Peuto Banus about it. It is a huge resort set on the side of the Noosa River Everglades, and is basically where the rich Aussies holiday or have holiday homes. Han and I went on a ferry ride around Noosa and the properties are just breathtaking. Some ranging from $5-8m!! We meet some really cool Dutch people (Dutch people really are wicked) and go fishing with them and also a South Korean doctor who we met on Fraser (Dr Lee!! the lovliest man EVER) So Han and I attempt to fish on the Noosa river and it really is a farce, we cant even cast the bloody thing!!! One Dutch guy caught 2, but Dr Lee caught 8!! but it transpires his father took him fishing for many year when he was a small child so that explains it!!

After 3 nights we leave a chilled out Noosa and head to the biggest city in Queensland, Brisbane (can you believe we have been travelling Oz for a month and are still in the same state we started in!!??) And this is where I am writing this blog to you now from. We are leaving today at 2, after only a 2 night stop as Brisbane isn't the most exciting place to visit in the world. 10 years ago it was the largest growing city in the world!! And it is very strange seeing skyscrapers again, the last time being Singapore over a month ago...... The shopping's quite good here, we picked up some bargains (trust me 2 months of the same 3 dresses, tops etc gets extremely tiresome!) and we head to the lagoon near the river with a huge man-made beach which is pretty cool, and last night we spent our second night at a hostel called Tin Billy's right in the centre, not knowing at the time that it is a mainly Irish hostel, and I tell you what these guys can DRINK!! We are lucky we had a dorm with some pretty normal Koreans and not some of these Irish boys, as they're nightmares!! Last night one lad came running into the common room with a crate of beer, dumped it one the table, then hid under it, closely in pursuit were security and police as this boy had only just robbed an off license and ran into the hostel!!!! He got arrested in the end, after being found in a dorm, butt naked, talking to police by opening and closing his arse cheeks!! Bloody egits.......

So I'd better get off, tummy rumbling and in need of some fodder, Han and I are off to spend 5 nights in Surfer's Paradise. It really is a hard life!! Oh and we are actually smoking roll ups now to increase our beer budget (dad if you could see mine and Han's attempts at roll ups- with filters- you really would giggle!!) So any donations to our beer fund would be truely appreciated ha ha!

Lots of love as always
B and H xxx

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Photos

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Beautiful Lake MacKenzie

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Team Face F@#K!

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Lake Wabby

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Brisbane

Comments

[Mattie boy]

Keeps those half naked men pics coming...
Hey Bekah and Hannah!! Fraser Island looks beautiful and you both look fantastic – loving the tan!! So jealous i cannot be their; the places you’ve been and seen are amazing. Keep the pictures coming of the half naked men, it’s what us ‘’girls’’ like to see! Ha! luv matt xx