I have managed to travel most of the east coast of Australia without writing an update so its going to be another long one I'm afraid!!

I left rainy Cairns for Mission Beach at 7am on the 5th of April, where unfortunately it was also raining..It was a really pretty beach though, where the rainforest meets the sea and totally deserted , it was pretty spectacular! The only thing is, that liek most places in Oz, when it is raining there really isn't much to do in the day if you cant afford to book to go on tours or do activities.. I had had a pretty boring time in Cairns so I decided to splash out and spend my second day on Mission Beach white water rafting on the Tulley River, something which I had really wanted to do for ages! I had been told it was the best spot to do it so I am really glad I made the most of the opportunity. It was really good fun, although terrifying at times!

After 2 nights in Mission Beach I got on the Oz bus to the next stop, Townsville where we got the ferry over to Magnetic Island. This was a really pretty place, similar to Mission beach in that there was a really pretty deserted beach but there was a little more to do here ands it was generally a more lively place. I made friends with two really friendly Welsh girls Liz and Eliza who were in my dorm and spent most of my three days there with them sunbathing inbetween rain showers and drinking in the hostel bar in teh evenings. It was amazing to finally get some sun!!

On the last night on Magnetic Island I bumped into Penny my room mate from my second Asia tour which I was really happy about and we have been travelling together ever since. My trip in Oz really picked up from here as Penny and I get on really well, its so nice having someone to teavel with and we also started to meet more people from oz experience travelling our way.

After three nights on Magnetic Island we goty back on the Bus to Airlie Beach where everyone does their Whitsundays tours. Because of the bus timetable we ended up with 6 nights there, 2 nights in a hostel on Airlie beach before and after my 2 night whitsundays 2 night boat trip. We had pretty good weather here too which was good, and it was perfect weather for most of the 2 days i spent on my boat so I was happy! The town Airlie Beach is nice, it has a lagoon which we sat by duing the day and quite a good nightlife. My Whitsundays tour was amazing, never seen anything like it! The only thing I would say is that my boat was more focussed on getting wasted than actually seeing the Whitsundays so I think I may have appeared a little boring to the people on my boat, cant say I cared though really..you can't waste an opportunity to see a place like that!!

The next stop on the Oz bus was a compulsory one night stop at a Cattle ranch at a place called Kroombit in the outback. It was expensive, but a really good experience, unlike anything I whave done before. We got to learn how to crack a whip, lassoo goats and go on a mechanical bull (which I was absolutley awful at!!). There were also optional actvities of horse riding, quid biking and clay pidgeon shooting which most people did but i couldnt afford!

After a days drive from Kroombit we were at Rainbow beach. We stayed here for theree nights, one of which we spent on Fraser Island which was definitely a highlight of my trip so far along with the Whitsundays! Penny and I did a two day one night tour so were taken in a 4 wheel drive around the island and shown all the major attractions which was pretty amazing!

Brisbane was the next stop on the bus so we got off here for 2 nights. It was really good to be in a city again after being in tiny beachside towns for weeks! There wasn't much to do in Brisbane but it was nice change and it was really good to see it. It was the same for the next stop, Surfers Paradise which we only stayed for one night. This was quite built up too, but different in that it was on the coast. The beach was pretty spectacular with skyscapers all along the beachfront. I can now see why it is called the 'Miami of Australia.' Like Brsibane, this was really good to see but I wouldn't have wanted to spend more than one night there.

I arrived in Byron Bay yesterday afternoon, where I will be for the next 4 nights. Although its raining yet again it seems like a really nice place so far and we have lots of things planned so it looks like I have a good few days ahead!!

After Byron we just have Spot X, where we get a surf lesson, Sydney and then Melbourne so my time in Oz is almost up!! I am having an amazing time here and have met soo many nice people so I will be really sad to leave!!

I am off to LA on the 4th May for my two week tour before I fly home from Mexico City on May 24th (I have changed my flights to come home early and this is the only place sta could fly me home from! Not cheap eather at a total cost of around 500 pounds!!). I would love to stay away longer but the trip has been soo expensive and I have already borrowed waayy to much money so I think its time I come home and start earning some of it back!!

Soo I will see you all in a month!!

Lots of love,

Bea xxxxxx