After leaving Rainbow Beach I headed into the Outback to a Cattle Station that lets tourists see what life as a Cowboy (or Ringer as they call it) is really like. Somewhere between stopping for breakfast and getting to Kroombit my purse went missing. I had just been paid cash in hand from Rainbow beach and lost around 500 pound in cash plus all my cards, ID, etc. Things are being sorted out and my lovely parents are lending me money (which is what I didn't want to happen hence working for a while but can't be helped) I don't want to dwell on it and am trying not to let it get me down but let's just say Johannesburg airport definitely wasn't my lowest point of the trip!

At the Cattle Ranch the owner let me go on the horse riding trip free of charge, so I got given a big slow horse called Chrissie, as I've never riden before. On horseback we had to muster (round up to you and me) all the goats on their land and chase them into their pens for the night, it was really fun and I loved riding. Then we were taught how to lasoo and after a bit of practice had to lasoo a real goat in a pen full of goats. It was really funny but it's safe to say it's not my calling in life. Then, as a treat, we played what the Ringer called Ring of Fire. He explained that we'd all hold hands in a circle and two people would hold either end of a cattle prong and he'd shock us like he would to a cow. We could opt out if we wanted to but that would mean the people left would get more of a shock, a few girls did but I didn't and it was quite a strange feeling that left you a bit tingly afterwards. We watched the sunset and then walked back to the main buildings and had dinner.

After dinner we were taught how to crack whips, the sound of the whip cracking isn't actually it hitting the ground, it's the whip moving so quickly that it breaks the sound barrier. I was so good at it the Ringer taught me to do two at a time, one in each hand :) So I may have finally found my talent in life! Then we went on a mechanical bull and I was thrown off within 2 seconds. We spent the rest of the night drinking and playing games. It seems like a fun life and I definitely want to have a go riding again.....probably not the best time to ask my parents to buy me a horse though!

Please don't worry about me, the purse thing was horrible but I'm still enjoying myself and am very excited to catch up with some East Coast friends this week and even more excited for Asia as SO many people have been telling me good things. Love to you all xxxxx