Currently in Cairns...and sweating...a lot! Tropical weather here from morning to night - it's a bit much. Temperature is about 34 degrees and it's humid. I thought the weather in Aus was pretty much all the same, but it's different in each place we go.

However, Cairns is the last place we'll be going. That's right folks, we've come to the end of the line in Australia. However, the adventure here isn't quite over as we've a couple of things left to do.

So what have we been up to over the last week or so??? I think it's time to fill you in now that I'm not on the move any more.

The first of our three adventures was from Hervey Bay. From here we did a 4 wheel self drive onto Fraser Island. There is usually 11 people in each group but we were lucky and only had 6 of us - and all nice people. So what's so special about Fraser Island I hear you say, well it is the largest sand island in the world apparently. Not many people live here (I donn't know why you'd wnat to anyway there's nothing there!) and some Aboriginal guys too. So we hopped in our 4WD and got the boat over to the island with other 'trucks' of tourists. From here we followed an itinery given to us as a rough guide. We all took it in turns to drive although it wasn't quite like driving at home - cause there are no roads you see...........just sand.....and lots of it! The tracks inland weren't too sandy but they were like going on the big dipper ride. There is so much to tell you all, I don't know where to start! The beach is great, it looks lovely driving along it (until you hit a bit of soft sand, or the ocean comes up and soaks you). Fraser is a little bit scary as you can't go in the ocean - sharks, you have to be careful of deadly spiders, and there are 10 deadly snakes in the world and Fraser has 5 of them! The man briefing us on the island said everyone asks about dangers and his reply is 'Hell yeah, this is Australia, everything either attacks you or kills you!' Oh yeah, and then there's the wild dingoes. You get a full briefing on what to do if you're faced with a dingo, and we did come across a few of them, but thankfully none decided to turn on us. A few people have been attacked in the past, mainly for annoying them or running from them, and one little boy was killed by them. Anyway, on the first day we finally made it to the ship wreck to take some photos, when smoke appeared! As luck would have it, some Aboriginal guys were on the beach at the time and came over and tried to help us. We filled it back up with water again but to cut a long story short, we had to phone back to the mainline (only told to do so in case of an emergency, which we didn't think we'd need, oops!) and they had to bring out another 4WD to us the next morning. Great, not even one day over and we've wrecked a 4WD already!

Most people on Fraser camp out but we were actually staying on Aboriginal land (home of the guys who helped us with our vehicle), which the government can't touch, therefore it has the only official camp fire allowed on the island. We also stayed in a big rotunda instead of camping, which was great as we had folding camp beds too. Although having a big hunstman spider in there wasn't so great, but we got it removed. Just the little mouse and lizards to contend with which wasn't so bad! After cooking dinner (the group has to decide on food to buy with your budget - we kept it simple and just went for BBQ - well we're in Aus aren't we?) They put on a show for us around the campfire. This was amazing. Andi even got up and joined in with one. Then afterwards they painted me and Andi! Each symbol means something different, like warrior etc. The only 2 rules you had to respect when on their land was no whistling after dark and no spitting in the fire - both to do with calling the spirits.

The chief took us on a bit of a bush walk to a look out point, which we did ourselves at about 5am to see the sunrise - with big stick in hand, as directed, for the snakes and spiders! We didn't come across any, although a dingo did decide to join us, great timing, while we were completely on our own. He was waiting for us back at camp too and wouldn't let us passed, but he eventually backed down and we won the staring contest!

We stayed two nights on the island and saw different land marks, like Indian Heads where you often see sharks and dolphins, (although we didn't!) and the Champagne pools and beautiful Lake Mackenzie, which is a fresh water lake and really nice to swim in. I could go on - but you get the idea about Fraser!!!!

Next stop Bundaberg. First thing's first - the prison cell. Sorry to disappoint but no we didn't get arrested for being drunk and disorderly, although we did sleep two nights in a cell.....but it was a hostel. It has been converted and was adequately named 'Cellblock'. It was so good, although I wouldn't have fancied being there for real...I bet they didn't have a fridge and a tv in the room, along with a cool bar and swimming pool off the courtyard!!!

Here we went to a conservation site to attempt to see turtles coming up onto the beach at night, as it's the season for it. When we arrived they said we're working with nature so obviously there's no gaurantee and that it's not been good so far. Also to prepare ourselves as we could be there until midnight and not see anything. So just as we got through the door we started to get our heads around settling in for the night, when the staff were in a fuss. There was a turtle on the beach! Horray. And as we booked through a tour company were in the first group. We were brough down onto the beach and walked along 5 mins until we were brough up to the turtle, where she had dug a nest in the sand and was laying eggs. They shone a torch on her so we could see what was happening. When she'd finished, she covered up her nest well and then made her way back down the beach and off into the ocean. Such an amazing thing to watch. And to top it off, as this is her first season, she didn't lay in the right place, so when she had safely gone back into the ocean, the ranger had to dig up her nest again, and recreate it exactly further up the beach. This is beacause the ocean would have come in and ruined them all and as turtles are endagered they are now interfering with the process now to try and prevent them all dying. And then we all got to help relocate her eggs. Loved every minute of it. Although we suffered the next day when we realised how many mossie bites we had between us - about 100 - little pests bite through clothes and everything! Oh well, it was worth it.

Then we headed to Airlie Beach where we went on a cruise for 2 nights around the Whitsunday Islands. About 20 of us on the boat with 3 crew. As it was Andi's birthday and our honeymoon of course we got the bedroom, ha ha, while everyone else had to sleep on tiny little planks/beds. However, it was far too hot under deck so on the second night I got my sleeping bag out and slept up on deck. This was a great experience. It was so nice just to watch the ocean all around you and some islands, all lit up by a very bright moon! On the first day we sailed into a storm, so no sunbathing, therefore we all just cracked open the cans! It was funny getting completely soaked through and blown all over the place, but we still enjoyed it. Then after some food (and they cooked us amazing food!) they brought out a chocolate cake for Andi's birthday! The weather after this was great. We stopped off at Whitehaven Beach, one of the top 10 beaches in the world, where we were brave and ventured into the ocean for a game of volleyball. However, we all had to wear attractive stinger suits as the jelly fish here would kill you. Oh and some girls saw a shark swim past them, but don't worry, it was only a little reef shark. Then we went snorkelling. And to those that know me, yes, I actually did it! You see I am a firm believer that I live on land and the ocean is a whole other envirornment where other animals live - and neither of us should really cross. But we got on our attractive stinger suits again and the mask, snorkel and flippers and off we went. It took a while to get used to but when we did it was great. I have never seen so many fish in one place and all of different colours and sizes - there was one huge one which which blue and green and they called him Elvis - I'll never forget him. They just all swam around you and brushed past your face and then just stopped and stared at you for a while. So good. And no sharks thankfully although I nearly came into contact with a big jelly fish, but I flapped about enough just in time to avoid it. It's actually the tiny invisible ones that can kill you - so that's handy isn't it!?!? I'm glad we did it though cause it has helped us warm up to the snorkelling we've got booked in the Barrier Reef in a few days time - it should make that experience all the better now that we don't have to get used to everything and we know what to expect. We also stopped off at a little sand bank ..... and had a game of cricket (Aus v England of course). But I must say I think the best thing about the trip was watching the turtles when we stopped for lunch. The came up for air all around the boat. You could easily miss them to start with but there were more and more and then one swam right under the boat - 'awesome'!

So there you have it, we've done quite a few funky things and I think it's safe to say that it's been the best week of travelling so far!

So one week left in Aus, and to be fair in this heat, I don't think we'll be doing too much.

Hope all is well back home, keep in touch.

Nic and Andi