Straight from Sydney to Brisbane and onto a bus to Hervey Bay. Seats right next to the toilets as usual, rather like most of our plane rides actually. Im beginning to think our tickets may have been too cheap! ...From where we made our trip to Fraser Island (largest sand island in the world where the beach is the main road). We hooked up with some people at our hostel and hired a 4WD and went off for 3 days of camping on the beach and getting stuck in soft sand. Actually, it was quite funny - there was a fishing competition going on the weekend we were there, but none of the fishermen were actually doing any fishing. Most of them were sitting on the sand dunes above the really deep sandy bit leading to one of the spectacular lookout points with a few cans of beer, enjoying the sport of watching backpackers who had never driven a 4WD before getting stuck, bogging themselves down in the sand and getting pushed out. B*****ds! Had a couple of fantastic evenings drinking cheap plonk and imagining that we were about to be attacked by dingos (of which we saw zero). Then back to the mainland to recover - although everyone else in our group had livers 10 years younger than us and were straight back on it. Not sure whether I was sad or relieved! Then an overnight bus up to Airlie Beach where we went on a dreadful 'cruise' round the whitsundays on a boat that broke in almost every way possible (except for sinking, that is). So no more really needs to be said about that, except that they have felt the wrath of Flavia. Another, and final, overnight bus up to Cairns where we went diving at last. This was an absolutely fantastic trip with a great company (PRO dive) and great people. And Mike loved it (which was kind of inevitable really), and we saw everything (except a whale). Sharks - which didnt eat us, rays, lion fish, barracudas, great big wallies, nemos, little blue things etc etc. Only down point is that I havent been able to hear for the last week as I have water in my ear. And Mike keeps on pretending to say things, but he only mouths the words, to make me feel even more paranoid about it. Sound familiar? Flew at an obscenely early time down to Sydney, but it was a considerable improvement to taking the bus. Then 2 more days with Sonia before we were off again to New Zealand. Goodbye tan, goodbye all feeling in toes and fingers.....