Roadtrip Australia: Van-Tastic QLD - ADAM AND HAMISH

GOING OUT WITH A BANG

adam_hamish — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 08:26:00 GMT

It has come to the last blog for the boys on this epicness as road trip.

The orange beast has made it to the last destination which is the Brisbane massive.

We shacked up at one of the best back packers of the whole trip called BUNK. It really has lived up to its reputation. It was voted best back packers in Queensland for 2008 and we can really see why.

http://www.bunkbrisbane.com.au/

BUNK has a bar called BIRDEE and at BIRDEE there is something happening every night of the week. You can drink in the pool there is a massive dance floor that we tore a new hole in and three dollar steak dinners which are second to none.

What really topped off our whole trip was being invited to a party of mcmassive combo proportions.

The party was in an apartment 19 floors up that overlooked the Brisbane river. To top it off it just happened to be the opening night of a huge festival.

We were pole position for the fricktacular fireworks which showered over the bridge and the river. The highlight of the night has got to be the F -16 fighter jets that ripped down the river so low you could almost give the pilot a high fiver. They drop about a zillion liters of fuel and flick on the after burners which makes for a ear popping roar.

There were people from all over the world at this party which made for funny language barrier convos. We have come to the conclusion that no matter where you are in the world, the people you meet on your travels really shapes your experience. We have made some amazing friends which we plan on keeping in touch with for a long time to come.

'The feeling you get when you discover new surroundings and meet new people can only be compared to your favourite band or artist playing your favourite song just for you and all your best friends on a magic carpet floating through the clouds.'

- Hamish and Adam

Peace and Carrots.

Video - "ROLLER RIDES AND SLIPPY SLIDES"

adam_hamish — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 13:26:00 GMT

On their roadtrip through Queensland, Australia with Van-Tastic Adventures, Adam and Hamish check out Dreamworld and White Water World on the Gold Coast. Check out the video!

Watch more footage of Adam and Hamish on the Van-Tastic Adventures YouTube Channel

ROLLER RIDES, SLIPPY SLIDES AND ONE MASSIVE NIGHT OUT

adam_hamish — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 08:18:00 GMT

Gold Coast is a absolute party mecca. As soon as we walked in the door at AQUARIUS BACKPACKERS we knew we were going to have a good time. The bar was cranking and we were instructed to drop our bags and get right involved.

Every Wednesday and Saturday they organize a pub crawl of gigantic proportions called the BACKPACKERS BIG NIGHT OUT.

You will hop on a bus choc full of rowdy travelers, get a free drink at every bar you go to and dance like an idiot. This is a recipe for one hell of a good night out and comes highly recommended from the both of us.

Another good thing about staying at AQUARIUS BACKPACKERS aside from the pool and friendly staff is that they do great combo deals on accommodation and activities.

http://www.aquariusbackpackers.com.au/

There is no shortage of fun things to do in the goldie. You can go whale watching, learn to surf or go jet boating. We opted for roller coasters and water slides at DREAM WORLD and WHITE WATER WORLD.

DREAM WORLD boasts the big 6 thrill rides and we were told it is the one to go to. The big 6 are 6 completely different adventure park rides that will send you spinning and flipping all the while you will have a joker grin locked onto your face.

Our favourite had to be THE GIANT DROP which we rode 361 times.

http://www.dreamworld.com.au/

Have a gawk at our latest video to see all the rides in action.

Next to DREAM WORLD is WHITE WATER WORLD.

This park is jam packed with every different type of waterslide you can imagine.

From giant funnels, to speed racer slides, to the only uphill coaster slide in the world.

http://www.whitewaterworld.com.au/

Again check out our latest video to see how good they are.

You can do both parks in one day but to really make the most of it we recommend a day at each park.

Don't eat too much food before you go. Projectile vomiting is not encouraged on the rides.

Enjoi.

Video - "WINGNUT AND GOOSE FLY TIGER MOTHS"

adam_hamish — Wed, 9 Sep 2009 14:14:00 GMT

On their roadtrip through Queensland, Australia with Van-Tastic Adventures, Adam and Hamish fly Tiger Moths on the Gold Coast. Check out the video!

Watch more footage of Adam and Hamish on the Van-Tastic Adventures YouTube Channel

ONE TEASPOON OF ROLLERCOASTER, ONE TABLE SPOON OF SKYDIVING. MIX AND SERVE COOL.

adam_hamish — Tue, 8 Sep 2009 22:40:00 GMT

A big part of traveling is getting to experience new things. When we found out the guys from TIGER MOTH JOY RIDES were willing to take us up over SURFER'S PARADISE and pull some totally radical aerial maneuvers we flipped our cake tin lids.

Both of us had never done anything like this so we had no idea what to expect.

The planes looked like they were straight from World War 1. The only things they were missing were the gattling guns on the back. In true Top Gun Tom Cruise form we got given some leather aviation jackets to wear so we truly looked the part.

One of the best things about the bi planes is that you are in an open air cockpit. It is like being in a convertible car except you are 5000 feet up in the air.

Needless to say the view from up there is phenomenal. The team at TIGER MOTH JOY RIDES actually have 2 operating planes so we got to fly side by side and fist pump at each other.

If you love skydiving and you love rollercoasters the aerial maneuvers combine elements of both and is definitely the next step in adrenaline activities.

We pulled 3 g's of force, barrel rolled and looped the loop. The ride is super smooth and the sensation is unparalleled to anything we have experienced before. We were literally laughing the whole time.

After the unside down antics are all finito the pilots will fly you over the beach and right beside all the massive apartment buildings. You are that close you can see what people are watching on their TVs.

If you are lucky enough you might even spot some whales or dolphins on the way home.

TIGER MOTH JOY RIDES has just gone to the top of our recommendation list. Make sure you give this a go. You will love it.

http://www.tigermothjoyrides.com.au/

Come up next on our adventures we will be hitting the THEME PARKS of the GOLD COAST.

Peace and carrots

A and H

Video - "HANGING WITH THE ZOO ANOOMINALS"

adam_hamish — Mon, 7 Sep 2009 13:22:00 GMT

On their roadtrip though Queensland, Australia with Van-Tastic Adventures, Adam and Hamish stop by the Australia Zoo. Check out the video!

Watch more footage of Adam and Hamish on the Van-Tastic Adventures YouTube Channel

HANGING WTH THE ZOO ANOOMINALS

adam_hamish — Sun, 6 Sep 2009 22:32:00 GMT

The mystery machine rolled into Noosa. Noosa is a fun surf town with a great backpackers called Halse Lodge.

http://www.halselodge.com.au/

Right in the middle of town this place is equipped with quite the games room. Pool tables, table tennis tables and a top notch bar area.

One thing we really liked about this place was at 6pm every day they have a free drink in the bar and a meet and greet for any new backpackers. It is a good chance to figure out who you wanna party with that night.

We partied all over Noosa and rolled an hour down the road for a true blue Aussie wildlife experience.

Steve Irwin is the absolute legend that left behind the legacy that is AUSTRALIA ZOO.

We were greeted by our super friendly tour guides for the day and shown the goods.

The best thing about AUSTRALIA ZOO is that it is very interactive. Not all the animals are behind cages or fences and you can get up close and personal with them.

We got to hold a snake, walk a wombat and feed the kangaroos and elephants.

Make sure you grab a timetable on the way in because they have crocodile feeding shows throughout the day that are definitely worth a look.

http://www.australiazoo.com.au/

We are gonna rip into some more adreniline pumping fizzy juice fun times.

Chowwybunga dudeson headface.

Peace and carrots.

A and H

Video - "FUNTIBULOUS 4 WHEELING ON FRASER"

adam_hamish — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 14:17:00 GMT

On their roadtrip through Queensland, Australia with Van-Tastic Adventures, Adam and Hamish go 4-wheeling on Fraser Island. Check out the video!

Watch more footage of Adam and Hamish on the Van-Tastic Adventures YouTube Channel

FUNTIBULOUS FOUR WHEELING, CRYSTAL CLEAR COVES AND DINGO DODGING

adam_hamish — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 21:16:00 GMT

It's not just the places that you travel to, it's the people you meet along the way that really shape your experience. There are many ways to meet people.

You can go to a bar and shout into someone's ear.

You can ask someone to rub sunscreen on your back at the local swimming pool.

Or as we did you can hop into a 4WD convoy with 18 fun lovin strangers from 9 different countries, literally bounce around Fraser Island and have one hell of a good time.

The ferry for Fraser Island leaves from a place called Hervey Bay. We got a great night sleep at a super clean hostel called NEXT Backpackers.

NEXT actually boasts one of the best cinemas we have seen in a hostel. They literally have hundreds of movies loaded onto a hard drive that you can choose from.

http://www.nextbackpackers.com.au/

Fraser Island is known for it's beautiful lakes and beaches. One thing they don't really tell you is that the 4WD self drive tour is rip roaringly funtibulous.

'funtibulous'. adj.

1. To have the most fun at any one time one has ever had in their entire life.

PALACE ADVENTURES hooked us up with our miniature monster truck that seemed to plow through sections of the road that seemed impassable. We formed a convoy with 2 other vehicles and blazed round the island.

http://www.palaceadventures.com/

Our days were made up of visiting stunning lakes with crystal clear water, motoring up the beaches and dodging dingos.

At night we set up camp right on the beach, watched the sun set then ripped straight into some international drinking games.

A good drinking game is the best way to get to know everyone and we highly recommend it.

Just make sure you don't get too drunk and leave your chilly bin out at night because the dingos will eat all your food especially a 12 pack of eggs and a whole tub of margarine. 'Apparently' they don't like marmite though.

The cream of the crop on Fraser Island would have to be Lake McKenzie. Rumour has it that the water is so pure if you bath your limbs in this natural alyxia you will live to be 998.

All the backpackers that we have talked to say that Fraser Island is one of the top places to visit in Queensland. We back this claim one hundred and one percent. It is a truly unique experience and you will walk away with 3 days you will never forget and 20 new friends from all over the world.

Thanks to all the team at PALACE ADVENTURES for an amazing time.

Video - "PARACHUTING INTO POSTCARD PARADISE AND FISHING FRENZY"

adam_hamish — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 14:20:00 GMT

On their roadtrip through Queensland, Australia with Van-Tastic Adventures, Adam and Hamish skydive Mission Beach and go deep sea fishing. Check out the video!

Watch more footage of Adam and Hamish on the Van-Tastic Adventures YouTube Channel

PARACHUTING ONTO POSTCARD PARADISE AND FISHING FIESTA.

adam_hamish — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 21:47:00 GMT

We are writing this blog in the van on the way to Fraser Island where we will partake in a 4WD dingo safari.

Yesterday will be remembered in history as one the best days of the tour. Here's how it went down.

Firstly the main man of Mission Beach gave us a call. His name is Boyd Scott and he had a plan for us that could only be described as 100% EPIC OARSOMENESS.

We were going to be guinea pigs in a skydiving stunt that involved freefalling from 14,000 feet and landing on a sand cay in the middle of the Great Barrier Reef.

We felt like true pioneers as our jump masters had never landed on this minisquel patch of sand before. It was literally the size of half a Wimbeldon grass tennis court so everyone had to be on their A game.

Matt from SKYDIVE MISSION BEACH was a key player in this operation and had to obtain special permission to make it all happen.

Everyone that we have talked to that has been skydiving in Mission Beach says it is the best thing they have ever done so be sure to include this in your travel itinerary. It is a very unique experience.

www.skydivemissionbeach.com.au

With all forms signed sealed and delivered the door of the plane was open and we were hurtling towards postcard paradise.

Our jump masters Sinno and Damo absolutely nailed the landings and we were greeted with an ice cold beverage from the team at QUICKCAT CRUISES. We got to enjoy them in some hammocks that were set up for us. It's so good once it hits your lips.

QUICKCAT offer boat trips out to this untouched gem. They can set you up with all the gear you need to go diving and snorkelling around the surrounding reef.

http://www.quickcatcruises.com.au/

Just when we thought the day couldn't get much better Boyd had a couple of pocket aces up his sleeve. We jumped aboard his fishing boat and went on the hunt for the catch of the day. Boyd is actually part man part fish so he knows where they all hang out.

3 lines were dropped into the water and 45 seconds later 3 half metre fish were simultaneously pulled into the boat. We had never witnessed fishing this good and could literally not stop laughing.

18 fish later it was back to Scotty's with smiles on our croco dials. The barbie was fired up and it was a fillet feasting fiesta for all.

A sweet thing about staying at SCOTTY'S BEACHHOUSE is that you can head down to the beach at night, light a big bonfire and share stories under the stars.

http://www.scottysbeachhouse.com.au/

What a friggin day.

YYYeeeeaaaaaaaaa Booyyyeeeeeee...........d.

Video - "FULLY CERTIFIED BROFESSIONAL DIVERS"

adam_hamish — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 19:52:00 GMT

On their roadtrip through Queensland, Australia with Van-Tastic Adventures, Adam and Hamish go scuba diving in Cairns. Check out the video!

Watch more footage of Adam and Hamish on the Van-Tastic Adventures YouTube Channel

FULLY CERTIFIED BROFESSIONAL DIVERS

adam_hamish — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 19:32:00 GMT

After the taste of scuba diving that we got in the Whitsundays we were instantly hooked and craved more. Scuba diving is another one of those things that has to be experienced by everyone. It is like another world down there.

If you can have a holiday and achieve something like getting your scuba certification it really gives you a sense that you have made the most of your time.

The team from PRODIVE in Cairns offer a top notch 3 day 2 night dive trip to the great barrier reef. If you are certified you can do up to 11 dives. If you want to get certified you do a couple of days training in the pool then you are straight out there and will get to put 9 dives under your weight belt.

http://www.prodivecairns.com

We were lucky enough to get Chris from South Africa as our instructor. This guy was a barrel of laughs. He made sure everyone was safe but still had a great time.

Conditions were perfect for all 3 days and we witnessed some goodies at 18 metres below.

We made friends with sharks, turtles, maori wrasse, barracuda, bump headed parrot fish, stingrays, moray eels, whales and of course we found Nemo on several occasions.

One of the definite highlights that absolutely blew us away was the fact that you get a torch strapped to your wrist and you get to go night diving.

As Chris said 'the freaks come out at night' and you will get to see things that you would never see during the day.

When you giant stride into the water and the first thing you see is 4 sharks as big as you catching their dinner you know it is gonna be an exciting dive.

Not only did we find Nemo we also found Brian, the most monstrousatantic turtle that we have ever seen. Brian was 140 years old and about the size of 5 football fields. give or take.

When you eventually get certified and it is just you and your buddy exploring the ocean unguided you realize you have discovered something pretty amazing.

We met some super fun people from all over the world on this trip. The great thing about PRODIVE is that when you get back to Cairns the team organize a big night out on the town for anyone that is keen.

We had an incredible dinner at MICHAELANGELO'S on the esplanade before partaking in the biggest yager bomb train ever witnessed by a human being at RATTLE AND HUM.

What a way to wrap it all up.

Cheers to Steve and all the crew for a very memorable trip.

Video - "COLGATE PEARLY WHITE SAND AND GIGANTASAURUS SEA CREATURES"

adam_hamish — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 14:23:00 GMT

On their roadtrip through Queensland, Australia with Van-Tastic Adventures, Adam and Hamish go sailing around the Whitsunday Islands. Check out the video!

Watch more footage of Adam and Hamish on the Van-Tastic Adventures YouTube Channel

COLGATE PEARLY WHITE SAND AND GINORGAROUS SEA CREATURES

adam_hamish — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 18:50:00 GMT

We have chatted to quite a few backpackers so far on our adventures. The common consensus was that the Whitsundays is one of their highlights in Queensland.

Needless to say our expectations were high but got blown out of the water when we went out on a 3 day 2 night excursion around the Whitsunday Islands with ISLAND DIVE.

www.islandive.com

The hub for accesing the Whitsundays is a place called Airlie Beach.

Many people have being known to lose their clothes after a big night out in Airlie Beach so proceed with caution.

A typical night out in Airlie will go something like this: BEACHES > PADDY'S > MAMA AFRICAS'S > KEBAB SHOP > SLEEP

We ventured out of the port in the morning onboard a spacious, comfy catamaran called POWERPLAY. David AKA - 'Cookie' our captain was behind the wheel leading the charge. Cookie was a legendary fellow New Zealander who kept us entertained with laughs the whole trip. Chur bro chur.

One of the best things about going with ISLAND DIVE is that you do not have to be certified to go diving because all the trips are guided. We got to do 4 dives and you would not believe what we saw out there.

Apart from the zillions of colorful fish we were lucky enough to see turtles, sharks, stingrays, whales, a mcmassive manta ray and swedish backpackers.

We suggest when you book with these guys try and get on one of the two boats that has a hot tub. There is something about coming in from a dive, cracking a cold beer, relaxing in the hottie tubbie and watching the sexy sunsets.

The jewel of the Whitsundays is called Whitehaven Beach. This place boasts some of the whitest sand in the world and has to be seen to be believed. It was a perfect location for our inaugural Sports Illustrated cover shoot. Check out our pics.

At the end of each day everyone sits around a projector and gets to see the pics that the photo savvy crew girls have taken of you. This creates a laugh and a half. You will also have the chance to learn about all the sea creatures to give you a better understanding of what you are seeing on your dives.

Big thanks to all the team for a spot on 3 days. Ka Pai. (Maori for chur bro).

BEST WAY TO WAKE YOURSELF UP IN THE MORNING.

adam_hamish — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 02:18:00 GMT

Mission Beach is a chilled little backpackers town two hours south of Cairns. It boasts one of the best backpackers we have ever stayed at called SCOTTY'S BEACH HOUSE.

The staff are super friendly and all the rooms surround a big tropical pool which creates a really social atmosphere and a great vibe.

http://www.scottysbeachhouse.com.au/

We downed a few brewskis with some Scottish lads who were quality entertainment. They sounded like Billy Connolly which made for an all night stand up show.

The foghorn sounding alarm dragged us out of bed and we rolled into the van and out to an airstrip.

Today was a monumentous day because not only did we get to go skydiving with JUMP THE BEACH, we also got to land on the sand which would be a new experience for the both of us.

The jump was easily one of the best things we have ever done and a great way to clear your head in the morning. We met a German girl who jumped the day before us and saw whales on the way down so keep your eyes peeled like a banana.

Skydiving is just one of those things that everyone has to do at least once. There are quite a few skydive options in Queensland but we really recommend that you wait till you get to Mission Beach so you can experience flying over tropical islands and a beach landing.

We also suggest that you don't even bother jumping unless you go from the highest point which is 14,000 feet. Skydiving is all about the freefall and you won't that to last as long as possible.

Thanks to all the team at JUMP THE BEACH for making this happen.

http://www.jumpthebeach.com.au/mission.htm

ADAM AND HAMISH'S TOP TIPS:

Best place for breakfast at Mission Beach: MINT CAFE

Video - "HELI FLOPPERS AND TRAIL BLAZING"

adam_hamish — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 02:16:00 GMT

On their roadtrip through Queensland, Australia with Van-Tastic Adventures, Adam and Hamish check out the Great Barrier Reef in a helicopter and go horseback riding in Cairns. Check out the video!

Watch more footage of Adam and Hamish on the Van-Tastic Adventures YouTube Channel

Video - "SECRET SPOTS AND UNDERWATER SPACEMEN"

adam_hamish — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 02:12:00 GMT

On their roadtrip through Queensland, Australia with Van-Tastic Adventures, Adam and Hamish check out Cape Tribulation and join Seawalker on Green Island. Check out the video!

Watch more footage of Adam and Hamish on the Van-Tastic Adventures YouTube Channel

TRAIL BLAZERS, UNDERWATER SPACEMEN AND HELI FLOPPERS

adam_hamish — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 02:11:00 GMT

Our mission continues in Cairns to have a crack at as many adventure activities as possible.

We both have had pretty minimal experience riding horses so we figured we better start practicing for our next stunt which is to jump a horse over the Grand Canyon.

Our training started with the team at BLAZING SADDLES. They paired us up with our wild stallions that are normally reserved for highly experienced jockeys, cowboys and Indiana Jones.

We blazed trails through forests, over streams and through open fields. Even though we we couldn’t jump a juice box we managed to shift the horses into canter gear which was saddle slammingly sweet as. If you are interested in a more motorized form of adventure they also offer ATV tours through the bush. Thanks to Jackie and all the team for a great day.

http://www.blazingsaddles.com.au/

On the cards next was a day trip out to the Great Barrier Reef.

We linked up with the team from FOCUS who sorted us out with an underwater camera rig to document our journey. Our first destination was Green Island with GREAT ADVENTURES. It was time for our maiden voyage into outer space under the sea. SEAWALKERS are like an old school diving dome helmet that offers a 270 degree perspective. As soon as we hit the sea floor we got swarmed by one zillion tropical fish.

It could only be compared to an underwater fish mosh pit.

http://www.greatadventures.com.au/

The Great Barrier Reef can be seen from space but it can also be viewed from a helicopter too. When the crew from GBR helicopters said they could fly us from Green Island out to the reef for a snorkel we flipped our lids. The aerial perspective is unparalleled and you truly appreciate just how beautiful this place is after flying over it.

http://www.gbrhelicopters.com.au/

The outer reef is the home to a green egg headed giant the we named Alfred James Worthington the 2nd. Alfred is a Maori Wrasse which is a type of fish, a very friendly type of fish as a matter of fact. We got up close and personal with him, played a game of cards and talked about the sharemarket. You are pretty much guaranteed to see him every time....... just remember don’t harass the wrasse.

Peace and Carrots

Adam and Hamish

Video - "LEAPING LARAKINS AND A LIVING LEGEND"

adam_hamish — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 14:35:00 GMT

On their roadtrip through Queensland, Australia with Van-Tastic Adventures, Adam and Hamish bungee jump with AJ Hackett.Check out the video!

Watch more footage of Adam and Hamish on the Van-Tastic Adventures YouTube Channel