I was up at the crack of dawn to go for a run before our 8am breakfast this morning. It started raining again as soon as I got outside, but it was still sunny so there was a beautiful rainbow over the river. The rain soon cleared up and I enjoyed a great run, as far as city runs go. Despite it being 7am on a Sunday morning, there were hundreds of people out running - some on their own and lots of groups too. Anyone not running or power walking was on their way t...

Happy Birthday Chris! I'm very happy to have left the big cockroaches behind and be back in a Base Hostel, this time in Brisbane. We left early this morning and travelled up to the Gold Coast and Surfer's Paradise. We only had a couple of hours to wander round, although that was more than enough given that it started raining very heavily after half an hour. What a shame - the beach had looked so inviting and I'd just covered myself in sun cream! In contrast to...

I did eventually sleep last night and surprisingly, I escaped without having any nightmares about cockroaches! I wish we were staying somewhere nicer - this was an expensive trip after all! I had to change rooms this morning because they only have a double for tonight, so there'll be three of us in a bed. Good job we're all small! I also can't believe how many girls must be sharing 4 toilets and 4 showers... It's filthy! We spent some time at the beach as a grou...

Happy Valentine's Day! I'm now at Byron Bay, a hippie seaside resort, not far south of the Gold Coast. We arrived before midday for once, and took a trip to Cape Byron, where there's a big lighthouse and a lookout at the most easterly point of Australia's mainland. I love the atmosphere in this town already, it's very laid back and they have so many great places to eat - organic, veggie food in particular! I had my second surfing lesson this afternoon. This ti...

We had another early morning and six more hours of travelling today. We stopped at a pretty waterfall in Gibraltar National Park to eat the picnic we'd picked up in the Scottish town of Glen Innis, then carried on to Yamba, our destination for the night, where we're staying at the Beach Hotel. It's basic but nice enough and in a wonderful location, right on the seafront. I enjoyed a walk out to the edge of the breakwater and sat on Turner's Beach for a rare hour ...