Cheers for the messages........Mum's please calm down, we've been on holiday for 5 months, not being kidnapped by Al Queda!!

I will say to all the ManUre fans, thanks for the great game.....and the 6pts this season......the journey back to Gillingham for most of your fellow season ticket holders must have been a shocker. So for everyone else who didn't catch this weeks result:

Corporate FC 1-2 Manchester Football Club

Right, so the next stop on our travels was Hervey Bay. Not wanting to stray too far away from the well trodden east coast backpacker route, for good reason Harvey Bay is a must do stop due to the 3 day organised camping trips to nearby Fraser Island.

The Island itself is the worlds largest sand island (spanning something like 120 kilometres) housing miles and miles of beaches, numerous lagoons, lakes, creeks, sand cliffs, rainforests, the odd shipwreck and more alarmingly is inhabited by aggressive Dingo's and encircled by man eating sharks!

So with all that to look forward to, we arrived in Harvey Bay following a short 3 hour bus journey from Brisbane, and quickly checked into the Koala Adventures hostel, the company who were going to instruct and trust us with what must be quite a few thousand dollars worth of automobile and camping equipment for the next three days. Our first instructions were to meet in the 'Koala bar' at 4pm to meet our fellow would-be 'islanders' and be briefed about the National Park rules of Fraser, get the low down on the 4x4 off-road vehicles we would be responsible for, and most importantly to go shopping with our group for food and even more importantly, alcohol!!

The next morning, it was an early start to collect equipment including all the essentials for camping (stoves, pots, pans, tents, esky's and ice) and to load our 4x4's before setting off, in convoy of around 4 Toyota Landcruisers containing 10 people each, for the ferry over to the island. After an approximate 40 minute crossing and a quick stop to reduce tyre pressure, we got stuck into the many narrow tree forest lined tracks that allow you to access all the recommended locations on the island. First stop being the strikingly beautiful freshwater lake Mckenzie, where the sand is a brilliant white and the water an inviting turquoise - we naturally made full use of the facilities, even managing to crack into the tinnies early whilst sat in the lake getting to know our group. Following that, it was an hour drive to our campsite timely enough to set up camp before nightfall. It had been strongly recommended to stay at this campsite, and not on the beach [for example], as there had been recent attacks by Dingo's on lone campers. I have to say at this point that the aggressive mutts did us a favour as the little campsite saw us meet up with other groups, who suitably set-up their tents, ate and then got suitably leathered - it was a brilliant laugh that saw the English show their true drinking capabilities by supping at great pace, professing how our music and football is the best in the world, then falling soundly asleep knowing that we were the best and most important nation in the entire universe!

Day 2, a little dry mouthed, we woke complete with thumping hangover to get on the road (er, sand track) again with yours truly at the wheel. About an hour into the journey, a huge bang from the rear sounded and we ground to a halt. Yes, admittedly still a little worse for wear, and going at the tracks probably a lot harder than I should, I managed to snap the back axle of the 4x4. We were deep in the forest, not knowing how far we were from one of the islands phones. What to do? Well I'll tell you - convince the Irish that they're a bloody strong willed lot and to set off walking to find a phone while you sit back and make breakfast! - So that's what we did! We waited.....waited more....waited more. Some 5 hours later, help came in the form of a 'Koala mechanic' with a couple of dishevelled leprechauns in a spare 4x4. We were off again!!

With half the day gone, it was now impossible to drive up the eastern beach (the main highway of the island) to the furthest point north to view sharks at India Head before the tide would cover the beach (the tide times are stressed to you as V important - if you get seawater in the engine, you will develop gout of the genitals and your head will explode...or something like that!). So we decided to visit one of the most talked about Lakes, Wabby. This place was a bit of a trek to get to/from, but nevertheless a remote oasis of beauty in between steep banking sand hills that people apparently ski down. Nice.

After that it was back to the campsite to get stuck into more ales, meet even more people, and generally get jealous of the git with the guitar that had formed a splinter group that was getting more attention than us!! Jog On Jack Johnson, your music's sh**e, and your look like a tit!

The final day yet again began with a thick head, and a slight bit of disappointment. As we did the typically English thing again the previous night - drank way too quickly, got pi**ed, and fell asleep. The party continued culminating in some spotty, big haired, string-round-ankle wearing oink daring a similarly dressed counterpart into attempting to hurdle the tent of a couple who were deep in slumberland. The Bob Beaman wannabee obviously sank like an anvil slap on the tent and on the woman's head - an international diplomatic incident occurred that lasted about 2 hours! Gutted!!!! Me and Belle slept right through it!! Not to worry though, after another good drive round the island taking in sights such as the Mehano shipwreck and Eli Creek, it was time to meet the 4pm ferry and return to Hervey Bay.

It definitely has to be one of the best trips we've done since travelling - thinking back it sounds mad that a load of young hoodlems be left alone on an island with a 4x4 vehicle packed with beer and a few sausages. How on earth we only managed to damage an axle and a few brain cells only still puzzles me! Superb!!!`