Travelling: East coast

the first few days of travelling again was a bit of a shock to the system! i went to the hostel i had booked into in alice springs and just took one look around and couldn't cope. the internet didn't work, 2 asians who didn't talk were in my room and it was grubby dark and depressing! but you will be glad to hear it all turned around. i decided to get a direct flight over to cairns which is were i am now. the flight was 3 hrs late but thankfully the flight was only 2 hrs long so not such a hardship. i checked into a small cozy hostel which is full of long term stayers and even met a couple who had been in one of the same hostels i had been in in New Zealand which was cool. it was in cairns that i did my first scuba dive on the Great Barrier Reef which is definitely a bucket list tick off.

great barrier reef

i've always been told its 'another world' down under the sea and they weren't wrong, it is pretty cool. part of that combined with my fear, utter fear, that i would run out of air made it one of the hardest things i've done. the guy literally pushed my head under water! and it was incredible but i think it might be a one time thing. i was far happier snorkling but im glad that i did it and especially on the Great Barrier Reef as well. the water wasn't as clear as i thought it would be but the fish and the coral were outstanding.

next stop was mission beach- jackaroo hostel

set in the jungle with the ocean on your door step mission beach is a little place for relaxation and skydiving. not much else happens there. but i need spend 2 happy days cycling around the beaches and sweating most of the time! it is beautiful place but not much going on there.

mission beach

Airlie Beach - Nomads Hostel

skipping out townsville and magnetic island i passed on through to airlie beach. there is the gateway to the whitsunday islands and thats pretty much all to do here. i got told by the reception at nomads that apart from getting on your boat and going on your boat trip = drinking was the only other thing to do....!

However, always keen to do new activities i signed up to do some paddle boarding. i haven't ever done this before because it looked a bit boring to be honest and once to grasp how to works it its the most thrilling activity especially when we were just paddling around a marina. saying that mark who ran the club was excellent - loads of local knowledge and interesting things to tell us all. and it was a really chilling afternoon paddling around, then having a break on the shore, you really have to do otherwise you can get sun stroke and then a bit more paddling. very gentle!

paddleboarding

i opted for a day boat trip on a smaller boat because i wanted to be more hands on and hopefully get to helm for a bit! and i got to helm and we went to a nice little inlet and went snorkling etc. it was nice but i was glad that i only went to 1 day because the sailing was ok but not amazing and the water really wasnt that clear.

whitsundays

also in Airlie beach i was able to meet up with a university friend and have dinner with her. she is currently working on the boats as a scuba diving instructor and is having a ball. new people every week, great beaches and she is diving for a job which is pretty dam cool.

me and Emily Botsford

after that i got an overnight bus to a place called Agnes Water or 1770 which is called that because in 1770 captain james cook landed the endevour at this place to get fresh water and to explore the waterways. there wasn't really much to do here but i rented a bike and cycled to 1770 which was really beautiful but boy was it hot!! i have never sweated so much in my life!

1770

so after a relaxing day there i hopped on the bus again and headed down to harvey bay which is one of the most boring places i have ever been! the sea is grey, the town in run down and ugly and the hostel owner at the friendly hostel was the most unfriendly person i have ever met! on a positive note i did meet a really nice dutch girl called rebecca and we became friends and bonded over watching troy - mainly i think because we both think brad pitt is gorgeous! just one night in harvey bay then on to rainbow beach which is one of my favourite beaches.

Rainbow Beach

not sure how i could have a favourite but it is! i did my day trip to Fraser Island from here which was good fun. i had some fun Canadians on bus who were great. Fraser Island for those of you that don't know is the largest sand island in the world. our bus driver Casey was great fun apart from when we got stuck in the sand for 45 mins and he got really stressed.. none of us minded but he was very stressed and worried. the whole trip is nice enough. good bbq lunch, bit of swimming, bit of history. all in all a good day out but i wouldn't have wanted to do a full 3 days 2 nights there.

wild dingo

getting stuck in the sand

so then me and rebecca headed off to noosa for a few days. we went to the australia zoo together and did a great walk around Noosa Heads which was fun. then we parted and i went canoeing in the everglades for 2 days and she headed down to brisbane. so the camping/canoeing trip was good in theory but i ended up being partnered with this girl who had never been camping or canoeing or really ever been out of her suburb! but as my mother always taught me if you don't have anything nice to say don't say anything at all. so i'm not going to say anything. but there was some pretty scenery up there and i met a really cool german girl called julia who was so cool. but i was kinda glad to finish the trip.

me and Rebecca

Canoeing in the everglades near Noosa

walk up to the sandy patch - it was actually called that!

then onto brisbane.....i got really excited about being in a city! yes i know that sounds weird but i hadn't been anywhere big in a while, just small towns so it was really nice to see big buildings and a city smell! i so as soon as i had dumped my bags in my room i headed out to explore . i got my nails done, watched a movie and wandered around the south bank and main cbd area. perfect evening for my 1 night in brisbane.

finally i arrived in Byron Bay. now everyone always says how cool byron is and i haven't had anyone say anything against byron and it really lives up to that. its a cool place, loads going on, great cafes, great shops, small town but loads going on and the beach is great, hippy people, great nightlife. it was here that i met a girl called Nicole from england and we just clicked! i have never known someone who can talk more that i can and for the 3 days that we were hanging out we did not draw breath!