It's difficult to know where to begin for this entry, but I guess chronological order makes sense!
Byron was thoroughly enjoyable, a highlight being our trip to a tiny town called Nimbin, which is essential Australia's Amsterdam. People sell weed on the streets and the police turn a blind eye most of the time despite having a station right there. We arrived just after they'd finished their Mardi Grass Festival and it really does look like you'd imagine a stoner town to look. It was slightly surreal to see a school trip of nine year olds though. The tour is a whole day trip and also includes a drive through a national park to see the waterfalls and then a trip to a sanctuary that one crazy American has spent 40 years planting by himself - it will be easier to describe that in person!
After Byron we whizzed up north, stopping for one night of sleep in Brisbane then off past Rainbow beach (which was more Shades Of Dirty Beige beach) and up to Hervey Bay. The word's of our Oz Bus driver Hailey sums this place up; "thank fuck for the Irish" because the only nightlife there is one Irish pub. However, Hervey is really just a stop of place for revellers to catch a ferry on to Fraser Island.
Fraser Island is a massive sand island, and also covered in tropical rainforest so is very unusual. We took a self drive 4x4 trip there in a convoy of 3 cars, each one taking 10 people. Uncle Iain who met in Sydney did the driving while the rest of us sat in the back drinking beers and getting bounced around. Unfortunately our car broke down and we lost the convoy and got stranded in a camp we weren't allowed to be in. Fortunately we got a new one at 9 in the morning the next day and they brought us an Esky (ice box) full of beers by way of apology. The beer started flowing at 9 and by 6 in the evening we had drunk 220 cans between the 10 of us. Then we got on the goon...
A quick aside for those not in the know... Goon is the backpackers drink of choice, it is a cheap box of alcoholic liquid that pretends to be wine and contains fish eggs. It's about 5 quid for 5 litres and probably causes permanent brain damage. I'll say no more.
The night was incredible, our luck continued and the weather was absolutely superb. The stars were the most beautiful I had ever seen and sitting there on the beach in pure night, dingos running around, the Milky Way like a splatter painting in the sky was quite an experience.
We spent 3 days and two nights on Fraser but I wish I could have spent more. Fortunately we left before the weather got so bad they had to close the island! After Fraser we bussed on up to Airlie Beach for our Whitsundays sailing trip. Two days and two nights on a racing yacht and during the day we went snorkelling. We had a free dive included but unfortunately Alex, James and I all had blocked noses so it wasn't safe for us to dive.
As I write this I am sat in a hostel called Base on Magnetic Island. The beach is literally - literally - a stone's throw away, the weather is perfect and earlier we went for a swim in crystal clear water. In a minute I will go and grab a beer (or more likely, several beers) and have a dance on the beach.
Love to everyone reading.
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