So today marks the one year anniversary of the two loves of my lives.... Australia and travelling! Can't actually believe it's been a year since I walked away at Edinburgh airport.... I am literally the happiest wee lassy in Oz that I have another year to run a muck haha yay!

I am sitting in probably one of my favourite hostels, ever! Agnes Water is a very small town; there's very few shops but it's beautiful here! I'm in Southern Cross Backpackers and it says on the sign "Backpackers Retreat" .... It totally is! It's so so chilled and relaxed!

When we got off the greyhound, the hostel shuttle buses were waiting on us; our hostel was a good 5 minute drive away. This place is so cool, they don't have locks on the doors, the staff are all super friendly and the rooms are all named after countries haha. Ironically we checked into Ireland. This place has a Byron Bay feel to it.

We didn't do much the 1st night except chill in the main bar. There was a band on called The Wee Johnny's and the main singer was Scottish haha. I decided to take advantage of the extremely cheap "bar" (pretty much a drinks fridge behind reception..... $5 jäger bombs!) and ended up in a braw state providing Helen with a ton of entertainment that she videoed..........

The next day we went on the shuttle bus to town to check in for our Castaway trip at Travel bugs.

We also decided to book in for a trip called Scooteroo. We were picked up from the hostel and taken to a little unit that had graffiti and at least 100 bikes! We were kitted out in helmets, leather jackets and you could get fake tattoos put on if you wanted haha, the idea was to look like a proper biker! You then got on to a bike (which was technically a 50cc scooter vamped up) and given a couple of goes around the practise track. You kept going round this track until the staff felt confident in your ability to ride, then you would go down and wait at the end of driveway. I unfortunately, along with Lindsay from our hostel, didn't do very well (I went round the track twice and freaked out when I couldn't brake so thought f*** this!) so we went on the back of the instructors. Helen eventually got taken off the road which was typical it was the 3 friends who wouldn't ride the bikes haha. It turned out in our favour as the instructors had proper motorbikes, so we whizzed along and got to see the beautiful, BEAUTIFUL sights of Agnes Water (tonnes of amazing properties and kangaroos haha). All in all I think you do about 7-8km on the bikes which is good! I think it was great value for money.

As part of the trip you stop in 1770 to watch the sunset by a little harbour, it's absolutely beautiful, pictures didn't do it justice at all.

Next day we got the shuttle bus to town with our wee backpacks and bought some food and alcohol for Castaway. The island that Castaway is on is a 15 minute flight away..... I was absolutely s***ting myself about the flight. A tiny propellor plane that held only 4 people (including the pilot) is what flies you there. It was all a bit surreal haha. Flight ended up being amazing and the views and scenery like nothing else! Once the plane took people off the island and brought the new people back (group of 14 were all that was going to be on the island) our Camp Supervisor Dom gave us the lowdown on the island. He explained that we could basically do what we wanted - it was our trip. He was there just to make sure camp wasn't destroyed and no one died basically haha. He explained about the toilet situ - there wasn't one haha so número uno is anywhere on the island and número Twa was in what Helen and myself called the Sh** Pit (hahaha) which was a place 200m down the beach recognised by an oar stuck into the sand so you could find it... Basically a bucket with a lid and leaves for covering the mess afterwards. Helen started talking about Imodium haha....

There were no showers - there was the sea haha. The plane brought over drinking water for us which was awesome.

Dom also explained we would cook for ourselves (beef stew which they provided) so Helen and I volunteered to cook that night. We sat on the beach for a bit, went in the sea and started cooking for everyone. We had our own eskies for food and alcohol. We were also in a tent together again but the tents were waaaaaaay better than camping on Fraser Island - they were huge for a start and they didn't seem to hold as much heat inside. That night we had a few drinks by the camp fire but the majority of the group weren't drinking so it was quite quiet. We did toast marshmallows though! Helen and I went to bed at 12.

Next day I literally spent all day on our beach - paradise. The others went exploring to the other side of the island (there were 2 points you could go see - a creek and somewhere else to watch the sunset) but in all honesty I just wanted peace and alone time and that's exactly what I got, BLISS! That night we had another fire but on the beach and again it was quite quiet so when everyone went to bed, Helen, Danny, Dom and me were left with a Disney soundtrack and props haha. The Helen Show being on top form as usual as she rolled around the sand in her dramatic singing voice and dancer moves and climbed trees Hahahaha. Honestly don't think I would have as much fun if she wasn't here, the chat and banter is second to none.

Last morning I sat on a hammock singing away to myself haha. This may sound like the most boring trip ever but I had the best time sitting chilling in our wee paradise that was all to ourselves and all to myself at one point! There was also "camp pets" aka Carlos the Turkey and George the giant.... Lizard type thing haha. We had the crazy pilot flying back who is renown for his crazy stunt flights and he actually runs 1770 Castaway. I got to sit in the front and although I was a mess flying over to the island I instantly felt better - Bruce pretty much told me everything he was going to do since I was co-pilot (and scared) so it ended up being a good laugh!

Once again, didn't want to leave Castaway. Dom is going to be supervisor for a month; he does this job unpaid but gets provided with food/alcohol and without a doubt an amazing experience. I kinda think I would like to do it - it would be a massive massive challenge considering I'm currently covered in around 35+ mosquito bites, the island has 2 of the most deadliest snakes in the world and there's spiders everywhere..... But I think for meeting people and the experience it would be awesome. Thinking I may email Bruce and then if something comes available and I'm around then I could go (maybe even before going back to work in Springsure since I'm not that far-ish). Put it to fate :) I LOVE CASTAWAY xxx

We came back to the hostel for what was supposed to be one more night..... But somehow Peter Pan has mucked up our booking - thankfully I noticed our bus wasn't actually for another day after we were checking out this hostel otherwise we would have been trying to get on a bus we didn't have a ticket for - then had nowhere to stay haha so now tonight we are on an overnight coach to Airlie Beach. We go on the Whitsundays trip on Tuesday! Catching up with two of our faves from the Fraser trip tomorrow so WELL excited!

THIS TRIP IS GOING TOO FAST!

Happy anniversary Australia, I LOVE YOU xxx