We have been travelling for a week now and it seems longer as we have done so much! We got the over night coach from Sydney to Byron Bay which was just gorgeous! It was so refreshing to be on a quiet beach after Bondi and the water was so warm it was like swimming in a bath! We stayed in a little hoste which was really cool as there were only about 12 poeple and we all sat around chatting in the evenings. We spent both days we had there on the beach and one day Nick hired some snorkel gear as there was a ship wreck about 100m from the beach. He managed to see sea turtles, 2 sharks and some rays so he was loving it!

After Byron we then caught a coach to Rainbow beach and this meant we had a couple of hours to kill in Brisbane before we caught the next coach. It was nice and really hot but we didnt get to see very much. We travelled for 8 hours in total that day so was pretty tired when we arrived in Rainbow Beach. The hostel there was called Dingos and it was so nice. Our room was cool and it had a pool and a really nice bar. We even got there in time for the dinner which cost $4 and was yummy! We met a really nice couple that night who had been to China too so it was great to share tales and they ahd also done the Trans Siberian Railway so that has given Nick and I a few ideas!

The next day we went to the beach and had a walk a long there which was cool. There is not a lot else to do in Rainbow Beach apart from Fraser Island but we had fun. We even saw a Booby which was absolutely massive and there were 2 huge dead fish on the beach it had obviously caught and eaten. We then had to attend a meeting for our Tour and we were put in a group of 9 others who all knew each other as they were Interbational Students attending Brisbane Uni and wrere on a bonding weekend. i was a bit worried at the start that we might feel a bit left out but we eneded up having The Best group out of all!

Fraser Island was just amazing and we did the coolest stuff! The first mornign we had to get up early to pack the 4 wheel drives with all the gear and we got some talks which seemed boring at the time but proved invaluable! We set off and took a feey over to the island. We wrere then left with a map and a rough guide to what we were recomended to do and see. I'm not sure if I ever got ued to the car as it was so top heavy and the conditions were so bad. We had to drive on a dirt track for 18km and were told by the group behind that there were times when the car was on 2 wheels! Alex drove firsta nd then when we got to the beach i took over the driving thinking it would be easier!

We the drove to Lake McKenzie which has to be the hairiest driving in the wolrd and was so hardcore! There were massive holes and sand banks and I even had to drive up on the side to over take a car that was stuck so it felt like we wrere tilted so far! I also had to reverse for about 1km as a bus was stuck! By the time we got to the lake everyone was pretty streesed out and I was soaked throuh with sweat as it was so intense! Luckily the lake was amazing so that chilled us all out abit! Luckily thatw as alos the hardest driving of the whole trip so I felt lucky! I was so proud of myself though for doing it!

We then drove to the beach to set up our first camp which was right by a ship wreck! It was pretty fun as it was my first time really camping and roughing it! The food was good and everyone chipped in which was great! It was abit scary peeing in the dark as you had to watch out for Dingos!

The next morning we all decided to get up for sunrise which meant 4am! We all walked down to the ship wreck feeling a bit groggy but it was well worth it! We then drove to Indian Head to watch out on some cliffs for Dolphins and Sharks. We wrere only able nto drive at certain times because of the tides so we spent most of the day there. We managed to sea a shark, a sea turtle and a ray so we wrere pleased we has got up! We then walked on a massive Bay to a place called Champagne pools! They ended up being quite dangerours as the rocks were really sharp so Nick managed to take a chunk out of his foot, Alex and Marie had bad cuts and Ben had really bad gashes all down his leg which made him quite ill that night.

We then walked back and then drove near Eli Creek where we set up our second camp. This was alot cooler than our first camp and after we had put up the tents we walked to the Creek! It was amazing and you felt like you wrere in a rainforest. The creek was fresh water and you could lie back and float along to the beach. The guys and Bianca braved the cold but us other girls wimped out as the sun was going down and it was pretty cold. By the time we walked back it was dark so we cooked dinner and stayed up drinking and playiong drinking games!

The next morning it was a bit harder to get up but we did by 8 and drove back to the creek so we could all have a float along! After that we drove along the beach to an entrance where you could walk in to the forest to get to another lake. We parked up and walked which seemed to take forever and it was so hot! Lake Wabi was smaller than the other lake but it had big fish in it apparentyl turtles though we didnt see them. After that we had to head back to catch the ferry.

On the drive back 800m form the beach on the dirt track we heard and noise and we had cracked 2 springs which was a bit of a sad ending to the trip as we had to pay $800 between us and Nick and I had to rush to catch our next bus to Airlie Beach.

We had the best time though and met the nicest people ever so sad we had to leave so soon! Still we have invites to some cool places and they are all invited to England so hopefully we will get to see them again one day! In total there were 11 people of 6 nationalities including German, Danish, Japanese, French and Chilean!