Sorry again that its been so long, we are CRAZY busy here in Aus- even more so than NZ I think! This is Rach by the way writing this at 6 pm on Saturday night after returning from our Whitsundays trip, but more about that later. We last left you on our way to find Cheeky Monkeys bar - and the night was certainly eventful! I won a hat by entering a rock paper scissors comp, Mieke won a hoola hooping comp, I won a jug of beer in another one, (all on stage of coure!s) Then I entered a coyote Ugly dance competition dancing on the stage woo hoo! Was so much fun!

Next day we got the bus to Noosa and checked into Dolphins hostel, cute a hippyfied but a bit scabby and the girls wernt too keen on the cockroaches we kept finding in our room! Also very weird staf who kept wandering in and out of our kitchen..... On Thursday we went to Steve Urwins Zoo which was awesome! We all got photos taken cuddling Koalas except Al who faced her fear and got hers done with a Parot on her arm!! Anyone who knows Al will know thats a big deal for her with her bird phobia! Well done Al, even if you did scare it away afterwards hahaha! We saw a fantastic croc show - so scary eeek and kangaroos and walaies, an all round lovely day.

Next day we got another early bus (this is worse than NZ was! Let us sleep!) to Rainbow Beach where we would be doing our Fraser Island Camping trip from. Had a meeting all about the trip - important information we gathered includes backing away covering your nipples if you run into a dingo, hahaha! Were put into our groups, we were with 3 northern lads, a grumpy New Zealander we nicknamed Dad, and 2 girls from London. Our new family for the next few days! Up at stupid o clock the next day (5.45! am!!!) and packed up our 4x4 trucks with food, beers in the eskies, camping stuff etc and Aaron started off the driving. Boat accross to the Island and we started driving along the beach was awesome! We all jhad a go at driving over the weekend and basically drove around, saw lakes, views, and pitched the tent and cooked - yes, I helped put up a tent!!! So there Dad!! I can be resourceful! And I helped cook lots of the food! Camping by the beach on the last night was brilliant, and better than the first night where we had torrential rain battering us all night!

The last day we visited a stunning lake and huge sand dunes then missed our ferry back haha trust us, back on land we cleaned up the truck, all had a much needed shower after 3 days of dirt and sand, then chillaxed that night playing our favourite card game $#*thead with our new family. Next day we had a surf lesson, bonza! A rather lovely instructor called Byron trooped us all down to the beach with giant surfboards (we feared for Mieke under all that weight!) and we were so brave and cool learning how to stand up on the boards. I was good at first but after that it all went downhill, was knackering wading through the current and I got in a grump caz I was rubbish! Al and Mieke persevered and were great, yey! Very tiring and all before 11 am!

That afternoon we started our mammoth bus ride to Airlie Beach, starting with a 3 hour coach journey to somewhere ?!) then a 3 hour wait, then a 13 hour overnighter to Airlie beach - bad times! Airlie Beach is stunning, gorgeous weather,spent the day chiling at the public lagoon massive pool thing and getting our tans back on. Had a fab night out at our hostel bar coz drinking after a terrible nights sleep is surely the best idea haha! Me and Laura did Karaoke and Laura was crowned Karaoke Queen!!! We went on our Whitsundays Sailing adventure the next day, all a bit apprehensive about our cheap boat as we couldnt afford the upgrade, but it was such a brilliant 3 days!

Were greeted by our 3 man crew, Benny the Skipper, Alex the general scumbag (such a dude) and Matty, boat was a little katamaran and we set sail! Chilled on the deck sunbathing in the glorious weather, stopped at Whatehaven Beach - voted one of the top 3 beaches in the world! Then we went snorkelling - the first time for me ever! Was AMAZING!!! Me and Al were so funny exclaiming every 5 seconds - "oooo look, look at that fishy! Hello little Fishy! Wheres Nimo???" hahaha, such children. As the cabin was so tiny we all slept on the deck after watching the sun go down - pathetic that night we all fell asleep at about half 8! Next day was awesome too, and they kept feeding us yummy food thanks guys! Stayed up later drinking with everyone, think we managed about 10.30 that night woo hoo! Woke up this morning to the sun rising at 6 am, stunning, what a way to rise in the morning!

We went snorkelling again on our search for Nimo, then sailed back to Airlie Beach all sad it was over but so relaxed. And sooooo brown!! Ok, maybe a little red in places (sorry mum, I will be more careful) but we are soooo brown! We look great! Spent the afternoon showering off 3 days of salt water mmm so nice, and interneting, and out tonight for a reunion of our boat crew, should be cool! Off to Magnetic Island tommorrow for couple of days, should be good. Right this has been emmense so Im going now, will be home before you all know it! (boo hoo) Oh and Happy 4th Birthday to my little Mo Mo! Have a wonderful birthday my little squishy! Love you all see you soon x x x