Hi everyone, At last we are in the same country as Lisa and Simon, just one more flight and we will see them. Can't wait! When we got to the airport we found a taxi and told him the name of the hotel where we were staying and he said it will cost us about 150 dollars (62 quid). We were staying on the Sunshine Coast and we thought it was in the city. We hired a car for 5 days which didn't cost much more than a return taxi. It took us 1 1/2 hrs to get to our resort and it was a lovely place, set on a lagoon surrounded by lush vegetation and wildlife. We didn't see any though except wild bush turkeys that came right up to our room window. We felt a bit low while we were there because we had been totally spoilt in Fiji. The people didn't bother to talk to us and it seemed a let down after the hospitality we recieved in Fiji. We explored all of the coast and the surf beaches were amazing. We went in the surf and were trying to jump the waves like two little kids. They were so strong we got bowled over every time. We visited Steve Irwins place (crocodile hunter) and it was brilliant. He does such a lot for breeding and conservation of endangered species and introducing them back to the wild. It is also a rescue centre for koala bears and they have an animal hospital. It was a very good day out. We also went inland to the mountains and had a walk into the rain forest. It was very quiet and eerie, all you could hear were insects and birds. In the midst of the quiet, you could hear branches and bark falling off the trees and it was a very unique and unforgetable experience. Looking forward to getting to Cairns to see Lisa and Simon and the world famous Great Barrier Reef. Love to everyone, Chris and Paul xxxxxxxxxxxx