Howdy, so where did I get to, ah yes, Airlie beach - the gate way to the Whitsunday Islands.

We went on a 3 day boat trip round the Islands with an absolute cracker of a group (38 in total, so I won't go into detail!). I was looking forward to soaking up the glorious sunshine, unfortunately we weren't that lucky! We picked the 3 days when the heaven's opened and decided to piss it down.

After some sailing round the Islands, we parked up at one Island (Molle Island I think!) and set up camp. We then got the guitar out and the Irish amused us with Irish folk songs, as well as the classics! When we headed off (at 6.30 the next morning!!) none of us quite had our witts about us (that might have something to do with the many litres of goon drunk the night before) so we forgot to zip up all the doors on the tent. One group didn't even put the waterproof layer on! I'll get to that later!

So then we went to head towards Whitehaven Beach, a beautiful pure white beach with clear blue sea, except I wouldn't know, coz we never made it!!! The wind and driving rain ruined that plan, so we just floated around a bit trying not to be sick!! We did manage to fit in some snorkling on the reef in our lovely stinger safe suits: Me feeling like a ninja, so deciding to have a fight with becky on the beach, only to be dump tackled and have sand thrown at me, talk about beating someone when they're down!!

So that night we headed back to the base camp. The ship moored out to sea, and we travelled to shore on a little dingy. Climbing from the boat to the dingy isn't normally too complicated a proceedure, but when you've had a couple of glasses of goon, and you want to save your flip flops, it can prove problematic, as becky found out, when she went flying from the side of the dingy and completely under the water with her bag & all!! None of us knew whether to laugh or jump in after her, until she popped up again in histerics shouting "man over board!!!" Luckily she had dry clothes on the Island!

Not everyone did though!! Sleeping bags and clothes were soaked, and tents were completely blown away (I like to think it was the strong winds, rather than our shoddy camping skilss, ooops!!!) Our tent was pretty bashed, but we managed to rescue it and dry it out a enough to sleep in. Once you've had enough goon, you don't really care anymore!!

Puja, myself and becky wearing the Irish boys hurling shirts. (becky also managed to rescue her hat when she went night swimming!)

After Airlie we headed on to Hervey bay to go on another 3 day trip, this time on a 4x4 round the Island, which I got to drive, whoop whoop! I felt like James Bond (I don't think JB ever drove a 4x4, but I felt cool anyway!).

The first day we went for a stroll in the rainforest, and ended up at a beautiful Lake (we spent a lot of time on the Island swimming in beautiful lakes, so I'll try not to bore u!)

Then we drove along the beach, which was pretty sweet, and went to a little village, where we stocked up on beautiful bow (strongbow, for those not in the know!). We then drove to another beautiful lake for another swim, and headed back through the rough back to set up camp!

This is our group, they were awesome crack! Especially the two welsh guys (Ricky the fox) -the one who looks like Ricky Gervais 2nd in on left, and Scott, the guy kneeling. These guys kept me amused with drinking games, bow, and the best of all beach cricket and beach Golf with a spade:

The next day we went and floated down a freshwater creek, into the sea:

Then drove up the beach (that was awesome fun! managed to get the beauty up to 100km/h, till the back street drivers started noticing!)

We stopped off at an old wreck on the beach:

Then did some lunging practice up at Indian Head:

I also managed to convince the fox to do a Ricky Gervais Impression

and went for a quick swim in the Champagne pools. I was hoping for a pool where they offered you glasses of champagne, but alas it was rock pools where the foamy sea water flowed over like champagne overflowing, a pretty good substitue!

Our last day we went to Lake Mckenzie, which was absolutely beautiful! Much better than Whitehaven Beach in my opinion!!

Then, unfortunately, I had to give my Car back! And after a reunion that evening with our group, back on the bow, we headed on to the next stop on our whistlestop tour...Brisbane....

Ok, so travelling down the east coast and drinking heavily doesn't leave much time for blog writing, but I will try and briefly catch you up....

We flew from Darwin to Cairns, having had no sleep as our flight was at 6am, so we decided to go clubbing all night and just sleep on the plane! Went to a great club called Discovery, well I say great, it was a bigger H20's!!!




In Cairns we stayed in a really nice hostel, even though it was slightly out of the city, but the atmosphere was awesome, and all the guys were great fun. We went out the first night to Gilligans, and ended up dancing on the tables in the Woolshed, I love that place!

Then Hannah joined the travelling crew, and altho she was completely jet-lagged, we dragged her out! We hired a banged up old commadore (who we named Debra after Debra Winger, mayo didn't quite suit her!) and drove up to Cape Tribulation to see the sights.

We walked through the rainforest, went up to cape trib point to look at the view:

Then we drove back through cape trib, and stopped off at Daintree National Park (this is bout mine and becks 5th national park in aus, we're doing pretty well!!) and went for a swim in Mossman Gorge, which was cold, but well worth it:


Then we drove back past Port Douglas, and stopped in for a quick pint hoping to bump into Matthew McConnahey (not sure how u spell that and can't be arsed to look it up!), who is meant to be filming there at the moment. Unfortunately we missed out on some texas loving.

The next day we decided to go diving on the reef, so we booked a day on the boat. We went to the outer reef, and I saw some really beautiful coral, in suprisingly good health, which made me happy! Not that much to see really tho, Mexico and the Maldives are much better diving locations, but hey, when in Rome!!

After almost a week in Cairns we hopped aboard ye olde Greyhound to Mission beach, which is just a beach, which smells! But Hannah went for a sky dive, while I amused myself by wearing a stupid hat! I did manage to fit in a spaghetti fight (fighting with foam sticks on a log over a pool, cept i lost badly! Bloody girls!)

Our next location was Magnetic Island, where we managed to get absolutely hammered on goon, and go skinny dipping in the sea with some random aussies.

don't ask me why they insisted on walking around in just their pants??!! (Aussie men are very strange!!)

The next day (hungover like a dog!) we hired the cutest little barbie car and drove round the sights of the Island, they're aren't many, it's very small. We did go for a great all day brekkie tho!!

(I was loving the thelma and louise posing!)

Then it was on to Airlie beach.....

One of our last nights in Sydney before heading off on our travels we went to the U2 concert, which was electrifying! (I'm getting bored of saying awesome!!) Bono is a real performer, and they played all their great songs, including 2 encores!











We left Sydney 15th Nov and headed to Alice Springs to do the usual Uluru trip (Ayre's Rock). We were really lucky to have the best tour group ever! 2 canadian girls who were hilarious, a slightly camp, slightly crazy Danish, an awesome german girl (they do exist) a young english couple and an Italian couple. All a great laugh, and up for drinking! We also had a mental case for a guide, he played awesome music, and kept us all amused with his tales of other tour groups, all the girls he'd chased, and his v dirty jokes!

We did a 3 day tour of all the sights. We went to Uluru, which is just a big rock really, but impressively big, and has loads of crazy shapes in it which amused me!

We slept over night in a swag (a giant sleeping bag with matt), under the stars, which was awesome!!! Drank red wine, played the didgeridoo, and played silly get to know you games. The crazy Danish decided if he could be any animal he would be a cow! My guess is as good as yours!!??


Also had a crazy incident going to the toilet in the bushes. The Canadian girls were too scared to go alone, and wanted us to stand around them in a circle whilst pissing! Finally convinced them they weren't gona get eaten by snakes/spiders/stolen by aborigonee's, so we could piss in peace.



The next day we went to Kata Tjutu (The Olgar's), and walked through the Valley of the Winds. Pretty hefty trek, 10km, I definately need to get fit! It was worth it though, very beautiful, more so than Uluru.


The Third day we went to King's Canyon, which was by far the best of the lot. It involved a massive climb up Heart Attack Hill (yes, that's its real name!) but the view was stunning.

We walked to a little rock pool called the Garden of Eden, and went for a swim and an explore to some of the most picturesque scenes in Australia. Everywhere you looked was a kodak moment, hard not to take too many so that you bore the pants off people, but you're not so lucky!

We then drove back to Alice Springs and went for a night on the town with our group. Our tour guide was meeting a canny lass that he fancied, who ended up coping off with one of his mates, leaving him chasing after the beautiful canadian (Nicky) like a love sick puppy!!
We went to the craziest pub in Alice (there really isn't much to do!), a kinda old western saloon meets croc dundee, with very cheesy music, slightly reminiscent of Chicago's! But we all had a great time boogie-ing away.

We then had to get up early, with a hangover, and went to the airport with the English couple to get our flight to Darwin....

Becky and I are now in the rediculously hot Darwin, you can't walk outside without becoming a giant ball of sweat, but I love it!!

We again did trip of an Australian National Park, but this time it was Kakadu. We had been warned by many people that the flies were complete pains, but after a while you kinda get used to them flying up your nose, in your mouth and ears! No it wasn't too bad for us, I think we were lucky. Our trip was 3 days again, not quite as much fun as the red centre, coz we didn't have such a great group, and our tour guide was the biggest C**K you have ever met!!

We were with 2 dutch girls (v cleeky, but nice), a german girl (hard to get to know at first, but very sweet), a german guy (who was hilarious, looked like Dawson and always lowered the tone!) A chiliean girl and her mum who were lovely, and a japanese guy who spoke absolutely no English! So without the addition of more English/Irish/American, it was a very non-drinking early night group, with little banter! Although the Tour guide provided more than enough! He was the ruddest, fussiest, particular, cranky, camp man with PMT I've ever met! Everything we said he took the wrong way, and he hated the Chilliean girl so much he kept slagging her off, very unprofessional! We managed to have a good time despite him though, mainly trying to piss him off by moving the tents in to positions he didn't like because it "ruined the feng Shui!"

The first day we on a croc cruise, and saw loads of big crocs!

Then we went to some wetlands, saw a few birds, and then went to one of the sights where croc dundee was filmed. didn't look much like it, but me being a film geek could recognise it! Kept doing croc dundee quotes all day, think i pissed off the group! We then went to see some aboriginal rock art (if you ask me, they could have done better with all the time they had on their hands, but it's famous, so we looked at it. Then we went to another sight of croc dundee (where he shaved with the knife), it's called Anbangbang Billabong (apparently billabong is seperated pools of water, not just a clothing label!).

The next day we went to Jim Jim falls, and swam in the drop pool, which was beautiful, even though there was no fall (only after the wet season, bad timing on our part).

We then went to Twin Falls, which did actually have 2 falls, but we couldn't swim coz there were crocs about.


Oh, and we got to hold a freshwater croc (they can't eat you, that's the biggest they get!).

We then went to Yellow waters, which was absolutely stunning, its basically flood land, but so aesthetic. We stayed to watch the sunset, one of the prettiest sunsets I've seen so far!


The third day we went to Maguk to the barramundie top pools, and swum round loads of different rock pools which were connected by little underwater tunnels, or we had to climb over rocks.
I wish I had a waterproof camera coz the pools were amazing, and quite warm suprisingly. So relaxing in the heat just to swim in the beautiful water, with fantastic views.

We then went to look at the termites mound:

absolutely huge, crazy that such small creatures can produce such massive homes!










Last of all we went to Berry Springs for a quick swim before heading home. It's a bit like a public pool, but its actually a river! Can only swim at certain times of the year, otherwise crocs can be about!

We're gona be experiencing the Darwin Night life now, which seems particularly bad, although can't be as bad as Alice! Then it's off to Cairns......

howdy! so, last week, we packed our bags and got on a good old greyhound bus, to do the long, tedious journey (13 hours) to Melbourne, for the races. I definately recommend flying!















The girls The Boys

We stayed with our flat mate Richie's (in the glasses) friends, who were great fun, if not slightly crazy! They kept insisting we stole their potatoes (more Irish i'm afraid!) But for free board, you can't complain! Stayed in an area called St Kilda, which has a great, chilled out, parisian atmosphere, lots of cafe's, I loved it.

So Saturday was spent at the races, where I won 100 bucks, whoop whoop! and after a crazy day drinking vodka out of a water bottle, we headed into melbourne centre to meet Lisa and Caroline, so great to see them again, and hear all the goss, particularly about a certain Geordie!


After more drunkedness in Melbourne, and a bit of shopping, we went to the Neighbours night for our final outing in Melbourne. The boys decided not to bother with the 35 bucks entry, but me and becks were well excited, until we stepped in the door! 3 neighbours stars (i use the term loosely) were paraded around a bar hall, for photo's, and then for 4 hours there was entertainment, which included a big fat man on a microphone, getting people up to kiss each other, dance like an idiot, or sing kareoke. It was like being at a Butlin's Holiday park! Me and becks got our photo's with Stingray, Paul Robbinson, and Elle Robinson, and hightailed it out of there!!! Stingray was a sweetheart tho, so kinda worth it i guess.

So.. since I last updated my blog....erm.... I've been sun bathing, and got more of a tan! Becky has arrived, so I've been shopping. Found this great shop, which is like pri-mark, awesome!!

Met up with Erin's Friend Kylie who took us to the best cocktail bar in Sydney, with the Australian no.1 bar man, Anton, he was awesome, and his Martini's were amazing! we ordered every drink we'd ever heard of, but never had, try a rob roy, it's pretty darn good!

This weekend we went to bar below a big hostel in sydney for Halloween, was full of English peeps (& irish again) and strangely enough, met loads of people from near B/S, I just can't get away. Also had fun with a blow up skeleton & a coffin......
















Oh, and whilst I was busy with Roger (the skeleton) Becky pulled (another irish) who fell off a balcony and broke his arm!

Ok, so I have arrived in Sydney, I know it's now been over 2 wks and i'm only writing now, but I'm lazy! I am extremely lazy!! Why is it so hard to get up before midday when you're not working?

Done a couple of sights:

• Opera House
• Harbour Bridge (haven't walked it yet, but its a bit of a joke really, costs a lot and u can't even take a camera up!)
• Sydney tower (good views)

• Palm Beach - This is where Home and Away is filmed, awesome!! didn't meet any of the characters tho, altho, I am now addicted to H&A and watch it every day, I know, v sad, but who wouldn't!

• Sydney Zoo (not quite Australia zoo, but saw a kuala, kangaroo, the usual crack.
  
• Ooh, also ate kangaroo, v nice!
• also, well, drank a lot:

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The Girls from the apartment, left to right, french, welsh, irish, wonderful, irish, irish! all awesome girls. Will add more soon, (maybe!) ......

right, well I'm off!

As usual I'm as unorganised as hell, so am writing the opening to my blog at the airport, on dial-up, something i've got a lot more of to come!!

Here it comes, fear not, I will probably only ever write one entry on this thing, but...

....You stay classy, and thanks for stopping by!