Hey everyone!

I can't believe how much i've to tell you about - been soooo busy since last blog (do i say that at the beginning of every entry?!) Honestly though, these last 3 weeks have been absolutely amazing, i've completely fallen in love with Australia, such a beautiful place!

Anyway! Rewind... well Debs and Ian have been travelling about with us since end of March, really cool having them here to experience the same things as Rob and I! They arrived in Sydney and are absolutely amazed by the place, just like us, and spent the first days do all the touristy things that me and Rob had already done. We went back to the Blue Mountains with them as the weather was pish when Laura was over, really glad i did as it was a gorgeous day and you could see for miles! Kara, one of the girls i went to school with, came with us, was great catching up with her!

Once spending a few days in Sydney we started our drive North, first stop was Coffs Harbour. Pretty town, famous for their bananas, (they are everywhere and in eveything!)so clearly we had to sample some (loving the chocolate cover ones! great photos with those!) The next day we headed to Byron bay - total hippy heaven! It's an amazing place though, so beautiful and chilled out! Didn't actually manage to get accommodation in Byron so stayed in Brunswick Heads just up the road and booked ourselves into this ace cabin - balcony with BBQ, surrounded by palm trees and overlooking the creek, loves it! Oh and the next day the 4 of us did a 14,000 ft skydive!!!!!! Words can't describe the rush you get!!Was so scared going up in plane but once you are up there and strapped to your instructor there is no time to be scared, they just push you out! Bought the pics and Rob got a video! We also did a Scuba dive in Byron, really loved that, Debs and Ian weren't so keen though! Seen some beautiful fish (nemo!!!) and leopard sharks, definitely going to do my diving certificate on the Great Barrier Reef!

After Bryon we headed up the Gold Coast and stayed in Surfers Paradise, wasn't too impressed by that place, very americanised! Decided to check out one of the theme parks there - Dreamworld - and that too was crap! Mainlt because it was the easter weekend and the place was mobbed, got to cuddle a koala though! Soooo soft! cute! Didn't hang around and drove up to Brisbane and had a night out there, Rob mate Paul also joined us there for 3 days. Can't remember much of that night - v drunk!! Not too impressed by bars there, felt like i could have been anywhere. Next morning i got up really early(even with a hangover!) for one of the highlights of my trip - Steve Irwins's Australia Zoo!! ACE place!!!!! but i was feeling so sad though, they were showing clips of his show around the park and before animal shows. Crikey!! :(

And then we were in a place called Mooloolaba - couldn't get accomoodation in Noosa due to easter so this was the nearest place, actually very pretty seaside town, had a yummy mexican that night! Had to camp that night (i HATE camping, more on that later...!) so Debs and i slept in van and the 3 boys were v cosy in the 2man tent! We did get to Noosa next day, beautiful beaches but very upmarket and expensive place, we just wondered around before heading to Hervey Bay where we would be leaving for Fraser Island. When we got there we realised we had 2 days before we were leaving for the island (travel agents mess) and Hervey Bay was pretty dull so beit boring, plus our hostel room was S^&t - basically our room was the corridor for everyone else and there was a fire exit sign that glowed like ikea all night! all part of the experience......!We made the most of it though since it was Paul's last night and so went out and played some drinking games at the backpacker bars! The next day we had our briefing for our Fraser Island trip, decided to go on one of those 3day/2nights, self guided safaris, basically 11 of us, one 4wd with tents and a map of the island! Our group was great - such a wonderful bunch of people!! mix of scots, english, sweds and dutch, because everyone got on so well Fraser Island is definitely one of the best things we've done so far, so funny! First day we arrived we visited McKenzie Lake, absoutely stunning crystal clear, freshwater lake and then it was a case of finding a spot on the island to camp and then drink under the clear, starry night, amazing!!! The island is just one huge sand dune, i had a go at driving - scared i would get stuck plus some tracks are so bumpy! One thing i didn't like was the camping, 2nd night it rained, imagine a tent FULL of wet sand, and it gets everywhere!! Grr..... my sleeping bag was full of sand so Debs and I decided to sleep in the van that night!!

And now we are in Airlie Beach!! Phew! Arrived yesterday after stopping off at Great Keppel Island - beautiful picture postcard island! Decided to go out last night and met up with some of the guys from Fraser - really good laugh, again, v drunk! Happy Days!! We're here for a couple of days, going on a Whitsunday island cruise for 3 days on Monday, can't wait! (Realised i've used so many !!!! in this blog - i must be excited!)

Anyway, money is running out so i'll put my 23534256342 photos of the last 3 weeks on another day!

Hope everyone is good, thanks for all the messages - great hearing from home!

Take care

Nikki and Robert xxx