The story so far is….

The morning we were due to depart from mooloolaba we were up early in order to pack up (again!) and moved on to Maroochydore where we hope to be spending the next three months working. Can you believe that, we actually hope to work!! Crazy stuff! Anyway, time again to tackle the public transport in the form of a bus towards Maroochydore, however this time we were not only weighed down with backpacks but also the two ’bags for life’ we have acquired and filled with condiments and such. We just love the humiliation of batting people over with our backpacks that we thought we would carry the extra shopping bags aswel just to make sure we got them good and proper!

That said I am happy to report there was no incident to report on this occasion, bless St. Christopher.

We disembarked the bus at the Sunshine Plaza, which, true to its word was pleasantly sunny and warm and waited there for the courtesy bus to collect us from the YHA hostel we were booked into. Now bearing in mind we were hoping to stay at this hostel for the three months of work we hoped they would help us find, we were just praying that it was a nice place otherwise we had no idea what we would do. Thankfully the manager, Gail, was as nice in person as she had been on the phone and made us feel really relaxed and confident about getting on to the Strawberry Farm within the next week or so and the hostel seemed small, clean and friendly. Gail showed us the list of people waiting to go to the farm and we were number 9 and 10 however she hoped to have the top 4 people going over by the end of the week and then a few days later the next 4 and a few days after that us.

After a quick tour of the hostel we decided to ditch our bags and catch the free courtesy shuttle back into town and have a look around. We wondered around the ‘Big Top’ which is a indoor shopping centre and found a second hand book shop which we were both pleased to have discovered for future reference. Since we’ve been away we’ve both read loads and as we were nearing the end of our current books we were happy to have found a cheap shop that could supply us for the next couple of months! We carried on through the ‘big top’ and ended up back at Sunshine Plaza. The plaza is huge and built over the river is a massive shopping centre with a food court inside. Plus all along the river front are restaurants, bars and cafes and a big cinema. We seemed to have picked a good place to stop for a while as they have everything here we would want plus the beach, we just have to keep our fingers crossed the weather stays nice!

It was movie night at the hostel with free popcorn so we went along and watched Hancock again even though we’ve both already seen it!

The following day we awoke in time for free breakfast which we pleasantly discovered wasn’t just toast as it had been in the last hostel. We actually had a choice between toast with a variety of condiments, cornflakes, weetabix and muesli. Plus there was orange juice and fresh strawberries (naturally!), papaya and oranges! Not bad for $20 (£10) a night eh?! We also have free use of kayaks, bikes, fishing rods, surfboards and a big dvd collection. We both agreed we would probably use the YHA more now instead of independent hostels as Gail assured us that all the YHA’s have a high standard etc.

So after we filled up on brekkie and looked outside at the miserable day we decided to check out the cinema as we had a discount voucher to see Land of the Lost with Will Ferrell who we both love. The film had some really funny bits but it isn’t one of his best ones. Our official verdict is: Wait for the dvd.

The weather seemed to have improved slightly on Friday so after breakfast we decided to rent out a couple of the bikes and have a better look around the place. The bikes looked in pretty good condition considering they are free to hire but on closer inspection we realised a few of them were in need of repair, so we picked out the best two we could see, donned our helmets (a fine of $200 if caught without one, much to Marks horror!) and set off. Now neither of us can remember the last time we rode a bike so we were a little wobbly to say the least but it soon came flooding back and we cycled as far as we could along the rivers edge before turning around and cycling back again. Somewhere along the way my chain came loose and wedged itself rather tightly between the frame and gear where it remained after much tugging and pulling. With oily hands and the feeling that nothing seems to go quite right for us we trudged back to the hostel feeling glum. Or should I say I did anyway…

So, after Aimee declaring that she had “had it with bikes” we decided to spend the rest of the afternoon relaxing, reading our books and watching whatever film happened to be on in the TV room - I think it was 50 first dates but im not sure (so you know).

I also went and enquired about the possibility of a lift from the hostels courtesy bus to the Eumundi market for tomorrow (Saturday) which would save us the hassle of public transport. You don’t ask you don’t get eh! That’s my motto anyway…

They weren’t sure anyway and said to ask the following morning when Gail was back in.

Just to explain, Eumundi is a town here about 30 kilometres from Maroochydore which used to consist pretty much of a single road with that, once a week operated a market that lined either side of the road through the town. Today it still operates the market, although twice a week, but it is much much bigger, with everything you can think of there pretty much. I imagined it like the market at Fantasy Island in Skeggy (if you’ve ever been you’ll know what I mean).

The following morning I was up bright and early to attack Gail over the possibility of our lift to Eumundi. It wasn’t good news. Unfortunately all the vehicles from the hostel had been taken to the strawberry fields earlier that morning so although she would have given us a lift, she couldn’t due to that fact. Bummer. Hold on though, don’t worry just yet for Gail had further news (god bless you Gail). Apparently the local bus network did run there. We’d have to change bus and it would take about an hour but it was only costing about £3 each compared to the £10 each that certain bus companies that we had looked at previously were charging.

How some of these people sleep at night I have no idea, they should all be kitted out in masks and stripey jumpers. Daylight robbery, honestly.

Anyway, a couple of buses later we had arrived and it was bigger than we had expected, although it wasn’t all in the one place or in any real order, but just scattered randomly across the length of the town forming a confusing labrynth of stalls. We walked around for about an hour, not certain where we had been and where we hadn’t, convinced that we were walking past the same stalls time and again. It was like featuring in an episode of Scooby Doo (in case you have no idea what im referring to they often run along a corridor and pass the same plant pot and suit of armour five times or more).

Anyyyyyway…

The thing with markets like this is, although you can find some really cool stuff, a lot of it is not cheap at all due to the fact that its often hand made crafts. As a result we didn’t buy anything, besides (shock horror), food. Aimee tried some Tibetan dumpling things that turned out to be like spring rolls. Some were fried, which were ok, and some were steamed and looked like a strange snot sack. Not the best. I settled on a Balinese lamb curry. Mine was nicer. We also treated ourselves to a pack of freshly roasted, cinnamon sugar coated nuts. Its safe to say they were the dogs danglies and lasted roughly about two minutes after we opened and set upon them with alighty force.

It was also at the point of purchasing the nuts that the heavens decided to open good and proper. Markets are just not fun when its throwing it down so we headed off to the bus stop to find out when the next one was leaving, which turned out to be an hour and a half away.

As it was raining we decided to take refuge in the local book store which turned out to be a real life Aladins cave. It had the usual new release section at the front but then as you walked further towards the back it was like an old library of second hand books with every genre you could imagine on shelf after shelf, row after row. We spent a good hour rooting through and could have easily spent longer.

A couple of cheap books in tow we made our way back to the bus stop.

Whilst on the bus we got chatting to a Bermudan woman who was also staying at our hostel. Well, I say “chatting” when in fact it was more a case of being thoroughly talked at. If they had Olympic talking she would take gold. With ease. No worries. Im not sure if it made the journey seem shorter or longer.

So after we got back to the hostel we headed to the TV room and ended up taking in the all time classic Stallone film: Rambo, first blood. Aimee wasn’t all that impressed but I think it’s a great film. More a bloke thing though I guess.

That was about it for the day. After the film we indulged ourselves in another gourmet dinner that Gorder Ramsay would be proud of: Two minute noodles and on-offer soup (again) before retiring to our room to make a start on our new books.

The next morning we were awoken by the sound of some serious rainfall beating the living daylights out of our corrugated iron roof, which was enough to convince us that the day should be spent in bed, with a slight possibility of making the pilgrimage to the fridge for food. Maybe. If we could be bothered.

The only thing, (besides chilling out) that we did today of any note, was to take a trip to the supermarket, after which, thanks to my legendary foresight and cunning planning, which led us to attempt to walk back to the hostel rather than wait for the bus, meant we got ABSOLUTELY SOAKED after the heavens opened up. It was like the big man upstairs was taunting us because it stopped raining for about five minutes prior to me making the decision to walk back, just long enough to lead us into a false sense of security. Then, when we were safely up the road and away from anything resembling shelter - BOOM - muchos rain. I must have sinned or something.

Needless to say, Aimee was not amused.

After drying ourselves off back at the hostel, due to the continuous rain, the rest of the day was spent either in our room or the communal TV room. Not all that interesting but dry at least.

The next morning we were awoken by the sound of Gail dispensing of the services (to put it politely) of one of the lads who was working around the hostel for her. A few minutes later, after being asked if she would like the job, Aimee was up and off to work around the hostel in exchange for her rent.

The work consists pretty much of cleaning the communal areas and any other odd jobs that may need doing.

Meanwhile, back in the room, whilst Aimee was scrubbing toilets I was tucked up in bed, stretched out, relaxing. Im a man of leisure now. It’s a hard life.

Aimee worked in all a little over 3 hours in exchange for $20 (ish) rent, which works at at about £10, or £3 an hour. Not exactly what you would call big money, but it saves us some money on the rent so we’re not complaining. Hopefully we should be over on the farm by this time next week (Tuesday) at the latest anyway so it shouldn’t be for too long. In the mean time Gail *might* be sorting me out with some work as well, either painting the rooms or some removal work with some local firm or something.

I cant wait. No, seriously, im not kidding, I cant. For some sick and twisted reason im actually looking forward to work. Im certain that somethings wrong with me, I waited for god knows how long to leave my job and now, here I am looking forward to work…

Anyway, after my little soldier had returned from her duties (bless her), it was still raining on and off so again, we didn’t really leave the hostel all day, spending the day either reading or watching random movies. Like a typical lazy sunday back home really.

This morning (Tuesday), we got up nice and early again, Aimee went off to work only to find out that Gail wasn’t in and apparently she wasn’t needed today. Oh well. So with the full day to ourselves again we hired a couple of bikes (the ones we could find that looked as though there was a fair chance that the front wheel might not fall off), donned some of the ugliest crash helmets you’ve ever seen (seriously, these were like horse riding helmets) and scooted off along the water front, across the motorway, into some other random town, before realising that we had no idea where we were going and performing an about-turn and heading back the way we came.

Aimee also had no brakes on hers so the good old fashioned, feet to the floor tactic had to be implemented. A few near collisions and an hour and a half later we arrived, unscathed back at the hostel.

Now, we are currently sat at McDonalds hi-jacking their free wireless as the t’internet in the hostel (and everywhere else) is quite pricey. They have seats just outside for future reference that should still connect so we have our new spot.

Anyway, that’s about it for now, we shall update youse all again soon, by which time we should hopefully be full time farmers. “Ooh arrr” and all that.

Speak to you soon.

Mark & Aimee x