Next stop - Byron Bay.

What a stunning beach. Granted there were jellyfish and sharks but even so! It was our favourite place on the East Coast.

We spent our first evening on the beach where we met some Ozzie youngsters (18 yr olds) who were on a summer holiday. We spent the evening drinking and chatting on the beach which was lovely. I have a particularly amusing picture of Ruth coming out of the mens toilets after maybe 1 too many?!

Day 2 of Byron Bay was spent on a day trip to Nimbin. Nimbin is a very strange hippy village popular with tourists. We went on an organised trip (no pun intended)! As soon as we got off the bus all those old hippies with tattoos on their faces were coming upto us trying to sell us an array of drugs. The story behind Nimbin is that it has always been known for its cannabis, but in the 80s there was a growing problem with heroin. The locals made a deal with the police that they'd push the herion addicts and dealers out as long as the cops turned a blind eye to the cannabis. And so this has continued, until 2008 when they are going to clamp down. Still an interesting place to visit, especially the museum.

Ooh a quick mention of our German room mate in our hostel room who spent her nights coughing up blood and being sick blood. It was horrible, so distressing. We suspected TB, but she and her friend didn't seem to bothered. We also had a cockroach infestation on our last night. Eugh!

Our last day in Byron Bay was spent doing a little Christmas shopping for each other and I went body boarding in the sea which was soooo much fun. That evening we had a take away pizza on the beach and stumbled on "Carols by the Sea" which was good as we weren't feeling Christmassy! Our bus out to Surfers Paradise was at 10.30pm. We arrived at our bus stop at ten and waited patiently til 11.45pm. That was when I realised our bus was 10.30AM. I felt terrible. We were very lucky to find accommodation that night because everywhere was booked up. I was so angry with myself but Ruth was understanding!!

Next stop...Noosa Head (another grotty hostel), but we got to go to Australia ZOO! Thats Steve Irwin's zoo with the famous crocodilium.As far as Zoo's go this was ace. It wasn't that big but visitors get to be hands on with some of the animals. We each held a Koala and Ruth held a huge python. Everywhere we went Steve Irwin was pictured or had his videos playing. There is a memorial to him by the crocs which was very sad. However, the thing we both found to be very strange was the emphasis on his 6 yr old daughter Bindi, who now has her own TV show and clothing range. It was all a bit strange and seemed to be a big money making scam. Hmm. Ooh, at Australia Zoo we also met a girl from Poynton which is so odd. We're meeting for a drink when we're back!

We stopped in Brisbane for a night between Byron Bay and Noosa but it wasn't that interesting so I forgot!!

I think I'll include Fraser Island (the biggest sand island in the world) in this bit!! We spent 1 night in Hervey Bay before our 6AM start for 3 days, 2 nights on Fraser Island. We were put in a group of 10 people and given a 4 wheel drive complete with camping equipment. We then did a food shop and then headed for the ferry. Fraser Island doesn't have any shops, electricity or showers and toilets (where we camped). Needless to say we were not happy campers! It wasn't a great experience, we weren't keen on a certain member of the group, I am very chlaustrophobic and had the night from hell on the first night. I couldn't sleep in the little hot tent so I got up to sleep in the van (at this point I must mention the stars were amazing, I have never seen anything like it and don't think I will again, it was just unbelievable). By 3.30AM I was just drifting off when I heard the plastic bags all round me in the van rustling. I switched on my torch to find it riddles with cockroaches (they're horrible, do you know they're the only thing that would survive a nuclear bomb)?! So I struggles with the lock to get out of the van to find myself surrounded by dingoes (wild dogs - they killed a 9 yr old boy on Fraser Island in 2004 and can be very dangerous). I legged it to the tent and sat up reading for the rest of the night. Hell. Also on the first night one of the irish brothers in our group broke his big toe in 3 places so the next day he had to be shopped out to the hospital!

There were positives!! haha. Lake McKenzie was stunning - the water was so clear and war. Eli Creek was lovely and we saw a water snake. Lake Wabbi was a bit of a trek to get to but again well worth it, lovely water and a very steep beach down to it. Indian Head on the Island is a rocky look out point where we could see sea turtles, sharks and dolphins! You can't swim in the sea off the Island beecause it is a tiger shark breeding ground and also there are loads of stinger jellyfish (they're tiny we saw lots washed up) that kill you. Driving the 4 wheel drive was fun, if not a little scary, and our nightly BBQs were fun with plenty of Goon (If you don't know what Goon is you will when you go to OZ. - it's their cheap wine that comes in cardboard boxes, not great but its what the backpackers swear by)!

It was happy time when we got back to Hervey Bay! Another van that left the day after us crashed and wrote off their truck before they made it to the ferry!