I think I may have worked out the mix up with my trip.

So when I decided to upgrade to a guided tour of the island as opposed to the self drive tour, I was still meant to be travelling with the Beaches Company. The only difference between this trip and the Self Drive was supposedly that you have a guide ( obviously) and that instead of having to pitch your own tent you stay in permanent tented accommodation and that the guide would cook your food for you. Now it was when I found myself tucking into a 2 course buffet dinner in a hotel that evening I realised that something was amiss.and perhaps the sleeping bag liner and dingo fighting stick would not be needed after all . Now I will have to see if Danni ( who also upgraded her trip with beaches) gets the same trip, but I think that the guy at the Beaches check in where I went yesterday may have booked me onto the wrong trip. That would explain why he couldn't find my name on the list- because he was checking the wrong bloody tour. Well I am not going to complain at all I had a grand time.

Fraser Island itself is a barrel of fun. It feels wrong to say that because of what happened with Ian. Obviously I thought of him loads during the trip, but I know he would have only wanted us to have fun. In fact I found it quite comforting because I am sure that Ian was having the time of his life before the accident and it is nice to think of him being happy. I have to say though I can see just how easily accidents do happen there, and I do not regret my decision to do a guided tour at all.

I wasn't sure what to expect from the Island. There are no roads at all, not even dirt tracks it is all just veryvery soft sand, and even the 4WD off road vehicles all got bogged. I have never been on such a bumpy ride in my life, it was literally like being on Thunder Mountain in Disney for the whole journey around the island, with several unscheduled ( de- bogging) stops along the way. The guide was excellent I honestly do not know how he drove that bus up some of the hills, it was quite often a case of" I think I can I know I can" and I did think at one point we would be stranded for the evening. On the first day we drove along 75 mile beach which was really cool. At the end of 75 mile beach is Indian Heads which gives a really stunning view over the ocean, and is the unofficial most easterly point of Australia. From here we saw some huge mandarays, turtles and a dolphin which was cute. I am saying we because It just so happens that a couple who I met in the hostel in Airlie Beach were on my tour, which was nice as the rest of the bus were all a bit older than me and not your usual backpacker crowd. It was hysterical at the meal times because Shellie, Tom and I were so obviously backpackers- we took the all you can eat part of the meal service very seriously you would think we had never been fed. We also were so clearly stealing a supply of tea bags and coffee that it was probably embarrassing for the rest of our group. I am very glad they didn't check our bags. Beats camping any day