Filed under: Australia
So after lovely Fiji we flew into Melbourne with budget Air Pacific and were met by our lovely mates Scott and Ainsley (now engaged!)
Melbourne – we spent about 6 days here kipping for free on ains and scotts sofa (many thanks) we explored the city sites, lesbian cafe in Richmond, the river, south bank, Victoria market… We went on a road trip with ains and scott to the Healsville sanctuary where we saw all the ozzie wildlife; koala, wombat, dingo, liar birds, ro’s. On an unrelated day we ate ro to it was served with red wine for $9.99 it was tasty and healthy with very little fat. In Melbourne we also saw Richie smith and his wife Adrienne, it was very nice seeing them, we ate noddle soup in a Vietnamese place and had home made lemonade from a huge lemon tree they have in their yard (cheers for the floor smithie!)
Sydney – we night bussed it to Sydney and knocked on the door of another of our friends Jenny and Jay Lynn (Mum – formerly Gower, i.e lyd’s mate) we stayed in their cool pad in Potts Point and soaked up the sunny days, we saw bondi beach, harry’s pies (tasty!), did a day trip top the beautiful blue mountains just inland from sydney and marveled at Gum trees aplenty, Cockatoos and waterfalls and amazing views, we also ate more pies to. We saw the opera house and wandered the Domain and botanic gardens avoiding the multitude of flying foxes (fruit bats) hanging from trees and defecating all over (cool : )).
Then we teamed up again with Scott and Ainsley and drove with them north and inland a bit to Scotts olds place int eh valley (exact location unknown). It was ace, a sizable place on the valleyside with amazing views of a creek and forest. We got very drunk and met some of their mates (we were sober when we met them but got piddled as the night rolled on – they were Barry and squeeze, cool people.) we played a drink version of twister Claire got hiccups and then slept, whilst ains scott barry and I went ‘Yabbying’ (?) basically fishing for fresh water crayfish in a shitty river at 2 am int he cold with chicken fat on string, we got a few bites or thought we did when drunk and rolled home later. Scott rolled over int he wet it was funny.
Byron Bay – Bowled up in Byron bay and did some surfing with old terry from Kool Cats surf outfit, it was cool and we both managed to hone our skills from Nicaragua to achieve 3.5 seconds on the bus size boards before crashing into oblivion. Claire saw a dolphin jump from the water whilst we sat on the main bay and we generally pottered about Byron enjoying the sun and beach.
Surfers Paradise/Main Beach – here we teamed up with cousin Katherine and fiance Jade, we had a great time, the weather was great and the place plastic and like Vegas but the beach was white, sand squeaky under foot and sun hot. we went to the surf club with ?Jade and Kat (very home and away) drank champagne and got pissed, then on to a pub at the casino Jade did a Mango Daiquiri frozen drink and got brain freeze, we headed home lost the keys to thew apartment Kat had rented for her olds for the upcoming wedding, climbed the balcony, Jade passed out, we took him home his pants fell down we looked a site, it was funny as hell we eventually got in. nursed a hangover all the next day did nothing and then left. Great time had, good to see those guys.
Brisbane – Hooked up with Claires mate from work in London called Erin. She showed us the sites, we went up to a mountain to look over the sprawl of Brisbane Oz’s working city. The weather was great, Erin then took us on a power walk along the river and gardens and back to her pad that she shares with her mate Emma. We went for a drink at the powerhouse that night like Battersea power station but smaller and converted to new trendy bar. Next day we went off by train to the Glass house Mountains national park up near Steve Irwins Australia Zoo. It was pretty amazing with these jagged peaks rising above the flat plains. We walked up one Called Ngungun it was smallish but gave great views all around. We passed huge pineapple fields on the way and marveled at how they grew from bushes and not trees. Bizarre.
Noosa – Here again we loafed about int he sun on the beach and did little else, it was a nice place quite an upmarket beach but pretty and that is about all.
Fraser island – We bussed, ferry and van combo ed it to Fraser Island the largest natural sand island in the world. We started a 2 day guided tour. It was pretty damn good the first day weather was not so hot with a fierce wind howling along the 75 mile beach so we went to the central station which used to be the home of the loggers on the island, then off to the stranded lake Wabby green as you like with huge catfish. It was a real trek to this over the huge dunes but surreal when we got there and great for a dip.
Next day we went along the beach, saw dingos and a sea snake and stopped at the wreck of the Maheno which lies majestically across the beach affording lovely shots and the ideal place to get run over as the beach is a national highway but us tourists are invincible right! Then on to Eli creek where I swam and got cold nuts and it comes out to the beach and looks lovely. Finally up to Indian head where the weather was clear and afforded great views of the sea and we even managed to see a few whales breaching and heading around the point. lovely time.
Airlie Beach/Whitsundays – Arrived at Arilie beach the gateway to sail around the beautiful Whitsunday islands. We went aboard a Maxi racing boat and sailed our way over to Whitehaven beach. The scenery was amazing blue blue seas, lovely islands and whitehaven beach with white as you like sand but a fair few other people there as well. We ate like kings and then jumped back on the boat for a sail back. Claire and I had a go at helping them sail we raised a few sails and it was bloody hard work but a good laugh and a great day out.
Ayr – I dived the SS Yongala (steamship). this was random little stop at a farming town next to the coast. We arrived late got a taxi to the beach avoiding Kangaroos and I woke to a fantastic still day for diving. We powered the 40mins to the wreck and the water was like a mill pond and blue. We jumped in and had 2 great dives on the old steam ship that sank killing all crew and passengers and a prize race horse due to a tropical cyclone some 70 years ago. The dive was very rewarding, i touched sea snakes, saw loads of turtles, a Guitar shard (head like a ray) loads of grouper, stingrays and other cool things, one of the best dives I’ve had. Claire had to just potter about at the diving lodge and wait for me. She didn’t mind.
Cairns – We arrived here in Northern tropical Queensland and went straight on an overnight tour of Cape Tribulation further north. We saw virginal rain forest, did a croc cruise, saw the reef meet the rain forest, walked along near deserted beaches i ate a green tree ant that tasted of lime and we relaxed. We drank billy can tea and enjoyed the delights of tropical fruit ice cream – wattle seed ice cream was lovely.
Back to Cairns and i jumped on a 2 day live aboard boat for more diving on the Great Barrier Reef. Unlike my last experience 4 years ago I went further out on the reef where less people go and less of the reef is mashed up. The dicing was fantastic vivid colors, pristine coral, loads of turtles, sharks and fish, eels and slugs and nurdibrach. Met a cool couple called Nick and Sian and I got drunk with them in the woolshed the crappy backpacker bar full of wet t shirts and shit Oz beer!
Darwin – We flew from Cairns to Darwin and began to sweat as the weather hit at least 38 degrees C every day. Here in Oz’s Northern Territory (NT) we decided to explore the national parks. First off we went to Litchfield national park , on croc cruise where they dangle chicken and ruddy huge beast jump from the water to grab it, it was cool but scary. Then we marveled at the millions of Eucalyptus trees all over the shop, the huge cathedral termite mounds the termites hoard iron and taste of rusty nails – i know i ate some. Then we swam in some lovely water falls and saw Monitor lizards, birds and lots of spiders. And i enjoyed a couple of beers whilst floating about in a water hole. we couldn’t swim all over the place due to ruddy large crocs.
Kakadu national park was next – this was an overnight thing and we saw more wilderness and unspoiled forest, Aboriginal people own most of the land the government stole it then gave it back to the natives under the condition it is a national park. We saw frill necked lizards, Walabe, Aboriginal cave art, bloody huge 6 truck road train hurtling along the Kakadu and Stewart highways, more waterfalls, swimming holes. The scenery was stunning and the experience amazing one of the biggest eye openers was the Aussies in the NT – it is a really rugged place and so hot that to live there they are different somehow, more dependent on beer and with more of that curt aussie charm. Still we had a good time and manged to wangle an upgrade to deluxe tents with fans and a refund as the specific tour were booked fell through.
Other than national parks we went to the Mindal Beach markets so some music that can only be described as speed didge and ate like kings, i bought an authentic Didge made from termite munched wood and crafted by an aboriginal fellow called Terry. go figure…
anyway that ends oz onwards to Asia!
