So glad I went on this tour! I was very bummed at the beginning of the tour because the bug bites from noosa were driving me crazy and made me look like I had the plague. People were super nice on the tour and didn't let me be the leper I felt like I was. We traveled in this 4wd bus with Haydn, the tour guide. He took us on a couple of bush walks and to lake mackensy to swim on the first day. He gave us loads of background, a lovely picnic lunch under an...

Noosa hates me. I thought I would love this place. Hiking, camping, beaches; everything I needed after staying in the city for almost a month. So I get there and I am exhausted because I went out with friends in Brisbane the night before and basically didn't sleep before checking out of my hostel and jumping on the greyhound. I try to nap, but I I am in a sixteen person dorm and a group of ten swedes are hanging out in their beds. This is not that bad. Fast...

The aftermath of St. Paddy's day has been a little rough. I did go out with some of the girls in the hostel even though I knew I would have to wake up at 630am for volunteering this morning. St. Paddy's isn't that big here but there are enough backpackers that do celebrate that the few Irish style pubs had live bands and events. It was fun to dress up and dance. Not nearly as insane as home but I dunno if my liver could handle topping last years shenanigans. ...

Adventures in volunteering: Today we helped sedate two kangaroos so they could be castrated. Then lots of shoveling poop, as usual, but today it was in the wallaby enclosed that had a baby we had to put into its pouch while we cleaned. So cute. Animal babies are so much cuter than human ones. Obviously one more reason why I have pets, not children. The male kangaroos that aren't cut are super buff. It's hilarious. They look like body builders. Feeding ...

Brissy is a river town that has some good shopping and all the basics. My first hostel had bugs ( I was told Aussie roaches, not bed bugs, but I still freaked). And the bunks were so low that if you sat up in the middle of the night you could cause a concussion. Believe me I have several bruises to prove it. Moved to a much nicer hostel and even got upgraded for free! I'm going to be here for a month so I started finding all the necessary places. Joined a gy...