NOOSA, BRISBANE AND BACK TO SYDNEY

I arrived in Noosa on St Patricks Day and met a chap called Dave on the bus, we decided it was only right that we should celebrate Paddys day and went to the nearest pub for a guinness!! A few hours later and a lot more beers later we were covered in glitter and paint and drunk!! Next day we went to Australia Zoo together, this is an awesome zoo and expanding. We spent all day there and saw my first polar bear!! Next day I left for Brisbane to cach up with Gemma who i met in the Outback. We caught up with a few beers at her brothers flat and left the next day to head back to Sydney. I booked into a hostel called Maze and had heard horror stories of this dire hostel but it wasn't too bad. I decided to go to the Blue Mountains the next day to do a touristy thing, it was gorgeous there and I did a few walks around there. The 3 sisters are the main thing to look at, got back quite late and went to see cousin paul before I left the next day for Singapore and met back up with Leanne on the train to the airport.

SYDNEY, BYRON BAY, SURFERS PARADISE & HERVEY BAY

After leaving Longreach in a blaze of glory I headed for Sydney where I went to see Cousin Paul who lives near Bondi Beach, well first night we went to a BBQ and got drunk, then next day we went to the beach for the day for a relax, just what the doc ordered. Annii and Paul worked in the day so I amused myself by checking out Bondi Junction and went for a few runs. I stayed with them for a few days then I got in touch with a guy called Rhys who was doing a road trip up to Byron Bay and met up with him,he was a bit strange looking but seemed OK so we set off in the morning with another guy called Andreas from Sweden. We got to Seal Rocks the first night and camped, had lots of wine and pasta. Next day we set off in the wagon of destiny and got to Nimbin. This is a real quirky town that everyone smokes weed in, so we met up with some locals and after a few beers somehow agreed to taking part in a protest on bikes to encourage people to go green, but the catch was it was naked!!!!! So we camped in a campsite and got up ready to do the bike ride. Rhys went naked, andreas kept his pants on and so did I. All the locals were starkers and there was a woman who did body painting and was some funky art stuff going on. After that they dropped me at a hostel called the Arts Factory in Byron Bay and was another quirky place with all different kinds of rooms, I stayed in the Lakeside Lodge and was a 10 person female dorm, here I met loads of cool people and met Lisa and Arlene from Ireland. Somehow I managed to get a massive cold so didn't do much the first day but next day a few of us went to the beach and chilled for the day, a guy called Matt kept us all amused with his tall stories!!!! We checked out a local bar with live music that was cool. next day a few of us went on Jims Tour to nimbin again, we had some cookies that were interesting and he took us to a hippies home. Next day I was heading North to Surfers Paradise, this was the worst place in Oz and the worst Hostel aswell, we just checked out the town cause it rained all day!! Next day Lisa and Arlene left but I stayed on another night and left early for Hervey Bay for the Fraser Island experience. I arrived at Koalas where the tour was from and had hours worth of painful briefs by a guy who thought he was funny, next morning they had us up at 6 am to count forks etc. it felt more like a boot camp!! We eventually got on the road and I was the first driver. It was mental when we saw the terrain, I've never drove over such uneven ground. So we drove round for a few hours and got to know our group, there were Rouven and Tatiana from Germany, Dave and Cassie, Gemma, Lisa, Arlene and Me from UK. So we went to a beach near the village and had to go into L4 which is a gear for soft sand, this is when we realised we didn't have this and spent the next few hours trying to push it out. Luckily alot of the other groups were in the same bit of beach and helped us, it took a local in the end to get it out, so we abandoned the idea of camping on the beach. We went to a proper campground and there were familiesa there and it must have been there worst nightmare when 40 rowdy people pitch up. We drank goon and had a laugh. Next day Dave drove the car and we had to go and see a mechanic about the car, he fixed it but it took us all morning so pretty annoyed, then we went to Lake Mackenzie and camped near the beach. I was ill that night and went to bed early. Our last morning we got up at half 5 and drove along the beach to the shipwreck that we weren't allowed to see, I drove and it was really rocky terrain but good fun to drive over. Then weheaded for Lake Wabby that was beautiful, rainforest one side and sand dunes the other. We ended with a few hours at Lake Mackenzie. We arrived back at Koalas and got fine a few dollars cause we managed to lose some plates. Next morning I said bye to the group and headed for Noosa.

OZ - CAIRNS, BRISBANE AND LONGREACH

Well after arriving in Cairns and feeling like dog pooh we went to the cinema cause we couldn't check in so saw Madagascar 2 and slept through it all, then had a very quiet one in the hostel. Next day we went on a tour to the rainforest with Turtle Tours and our guide was Stewey, he took us to some beautiful swimming holes that were croc safe, Leanne decided she wanted a go on the rope swing and fell in badly and cut her knee. Then we finished the day by the beach but could only swim in the nets cause it was stinger season. Next day we hired a car and headed up the coast and stayed in Port Douglas, we visited a zoo type place called the habitat that had loads of crocs and kangaroos and all sorts of other animals. On the way up to Cape Tribulation we went to 4 mile beach which was pretty then went to the Mossman Gorge swimming hole which is the last safe one before crocs. We stayed at PKs hostel that night and was a party hostel and full of young lads. Next day we drove to Crocodylus YHA and slept the hangover off and went for a night walk in the rainforest around the hostel with a guy called possum, saw loads of creepy crawlies but no snakes! We headed back down the coast to Cairns, en route we did a croc cruise and saw a couple of smallish ones. Next day we were picking up a reloc vehicle to Brisbane and we had about 3 and a half days to get there. So straight on the road and ploughed some miles out, we made a detour to Mission Beach but it wasn't anything special, we headed on down to Airlie Beach, arrived late. Next day we booked onto the Ragamuffin Sailing Trip round the Whitsunday Islands, we did some snorkelling and saw a giant clam then had lunch. The sailing was really good cause we had strong wind. Soon as the trip was done we were back on the road and headed for Rockhampton where we camped the night. Next day was just driving all day down to Brisbane and arrived there looked at a couple of houses cause we planned to work for a couple of months but none were any good. We handed back the reloc vehicle the next day and decided to move into a house in Indooroopilly. It was xmas eve when we moved in and got a 5 litre box of goon and checked out our local pub after going to a carol service. Xmas day we made ourselve a traditional dinner watched films and went on the webcam. Most of the time in Brisbane we spent job hunting and handing out resumes but there were hardly any jobs about so we started to consider working in a pub in the Outback. New Years Eve we went to Southbank and got really drunk and went to a house party, obviously New Years Day was a write off!!!! We went to job club in Brisbanes X Base and got the job at the Lyceum Hotel, Longreach. We left Brisbane on 5 Jan and got on the Greyhound bus for 18 hours. The hotel was a bit of a dump, and the air con in our rooms never worked. There was a 50m swimming pool up the road which was handy and used it almost every day. The owner called Lethal was a big sleaze bag and tried it on with anyone no matter how old or young. Then we met the Bar Manager called Russell, the less said about him the better, we ended up getting together and he treated me like an idiot, Leanne left after about 3 weeks in the Outback but I stayed for 2 months cause me and Russell were getting on really well until he cheated on me!!!!! So I left pretty fast after that. I went to some areas around, Russell took us Ilfracombe pool and spa, then we also visited Muttuburra where the first dinosaur skeleton was discovered. Me and Leanne went to the Stockmans Hall of Fame and was quite interesting. I met some cool people in Longreach, Jed and Zak were nice, Gemma from Ireland, Lucy replaced Leanne and was good company for me. Bev was the lady who cooked our meals for us and she was funny and really nice, but I was pretty tired of roast dinners in 40 degrees heat!! Jay, Dat and Bob were regulars and Black Bob with the worst breath ever!! Murray and Shara the most unlikely couple ever and the bakery that had the best pies in the world!! After Longreach I headed for Sydney to meet back up with Leanne.

NEW ZEALAND - THE SOUTH ISLAND

We got off the ferry at Picton and headed straight to Kaikoura, it took a fair few hours, we parked up at a motel type place and went out and got pissed and had a smoke, I was very ill in bed but managed to get up the next day for whale watching, we saw 3 sperm whakes and a humpback so a successful trip. We also saw loads of Acrobatic dolphins that were cool!!! We headed for Franz Josef glacier and kipped at the side of the road. Got back on the road and drove through Greymouth and was as boring as I remembered it, we arrived at Franz Josef and because of really bad weather the hikes were all different and we didn't have time to do the full day hike and it sounded a bit dodgy aswell so we got back on the road to Wanaka where we stopped at a camp site. Oh I also got a $80 speeding ticket whoops!! Next day rained all day so went to puzzling world that was really clever and went to the cinema in the afternoon where they had funky chairs and lazyboys, at the intermission you can have all sorts of naughty but nice things to eat!! Next day we got back on the road and went for a tramp round Diamond lake on the way out of Wanaka, then we got to Queenstown and handed the campervan back early before me and Leanne killed each other, we stayed in a hostel that night. We went parasailing the next day which was fun, then we headed up the gondola and had 3 goes on the luges, they were really good fun. That night we went out in town and ended up in the World bar and had teapots of cocktails which was cool!! Next day hungover but picked up a Jucy hire car and headed for Dunedin to meet Al but couldn't get hold of him so ended up staying in a hostel. It rained all day in Dunedin so went to cadbury world, then drove to the peninsula and saw albatross. Got back on the road and headed for Christchurch. We went for a mammoth tramp in the hills of Christchurch and headed for the Sign of the Kiwi, we eventuallu found it and realised it was a tea room!! Next day we were flying to Auckland but had a mammoth wait in Auckland Airport for our flight to Oz, approx 12 hours, but me and Leanne managed to get pissed sleep in and only just made our flight, never doing that again, anyway Oz bound!!

NEW ZEALAND - THE NORTH ISLAND

We arrived in Auckland and went to bed, next day we checked out the harbour and city then we made the mistake of going into an STA travel shop. They somehow managed to talk us into cancelling the car hire we had arranged and talked us into hiring a Jucy campervan (a people carrier with a mattress and cool box in the boot). This meant we had to extend our stay in Auckland by a day so we did the harbour cruise and looked around Auckland again. Auckland has to be one of the most boring cities I've visited. We picked up the Jucy wagon and immediately knew we'd made a terrible mistake because our bags didn't fit anywhere!!!!! Anyway we got on the road up to the Bay of Islands, had chips on the seafront and watched a pair of seagulls getting frisky!!!! We stayed in a car park for the night!! Next day we visited Russell, it was a ferry ride over. We walked up to the flagstaff which was quite a steep walk, then we walked along long beach that was beautiful. That night we made tea at the side of Hurura falls and spent another night in the car park, it was cheap and cheerful!!!!! Next morning we woke up to a fish head on our windscreen it was minging!! We had to drive back down to Auckland cause we had a few problems with the campervan, managed to steal a shower at a backpackers place!! Such pikeys!! On the way down south we stopped at Kawakawa where there are some famous toilets that are very different but quirky. Then we made a stop at KeriKeri and did a walk to Rainbow falls, it was beautiful round there and took a couple of hours. We checked out the oldest wooden building in NZ and then later stopped at a cave with glow worms in them. We arrived Auckland quite late and we found a car park to camp in but later were surrounded by loads of lads all pissed in their cars just before a night out.....great!! After getting the campervan sorted we headed for Rotorua, we had a look around the town then hit the Polynesian spa which were beautiful but smelly! It rained all the next day so we went to Paradise Valley Springs that was like a bit of a zoo, watched lots of the animals getting fed. Then that night we went to the Tamaki Maouri Village, food was good but it rained for the show. Back on the road the next day to head for Uncle Freds, we detoured to a place with the longest name in the world, then had dinner in Taupo and slept at Hastings further south of Taupo. Next day we arrive at Masterton and surprise my Uncle at work, really good to see a familiar face. We went to Wellington the next day on the train and had a look round. The next day A. Carole and Mary were due back from Christchurch cause Jack had his passing out parade for the Air Force so had a catch up with them all. Mary took us to double bridges next day and Trev came with us where he loved playing in the water, had a BBQ in the evening and drank way too much vino!! Next day a write off, U. Fred and A. Carole went to Oz for their cruise. Me, Leanne and Mary went round an old ladies house to help her pack up her house then treated ourselves to a cake a the Wild Oats Cafe. Mary took us to the gorge with the suspension bridge, its very high but a lot more sturdy that a few years before!! Next day Mary took us for a road trip to cape Paliser where the lighthouse is really high and a zillion stairs to climb, then we nipped to Lake Ferry for the worlds worst brew, we gave up and had water!! We spooked ourselves one night witht he electric door on the garage it kept doing its own thing so we had a brandy to calm us down!! We took Trev for a walk round Henley Lake and I made us a fab cake and watched films. We left Mary and Trev and headed for Wellington to get the ferry over to South Island.

The Cook Islands

We arrived in the early morning and were greeted at the airport with a guy playing a banjo and singing to us, then we got through customs and were given a flower necklace and a bottle of well needed water!! It was scorchio even at 0630 in the morning. We got on our transport and brought us to our guesthouse. It was amazing, just over the road was the clearest sea I've ever seen and the house has 2 dogs that were abandoned by their owners and kinda just live there, they have no names but follow the guests everywhere and spend the day with you at the beach etc. We arrived and went straight to bed after the long 10 hour flight from LA and minimal sleep on the plane. In the afternoon we met the other guests and Patrick from Ireland was actually from NZ and some other foreigners were here but were leaving the next day, then I met Michael, well we didn't know it at the time but Michael is special needs, so I tried to talk to him and he just stood there grunting and dribbling!! Its quite sad how he is and I don't think he'd had a shower since he got here!! Anyway we got settled in and checked out the beach immediately and it was like bath water and super clear, got me snorkel stuff on and went looking around. We saw a lot of life and some fantastic colours. The next day we went to get a licence for a scooter so we could bomb around the island with the newbie Al the Kiwi. So we all got our bikes and bombed round the islands and enjoyed our freedom!! We had the Czechs people here aswell, they were odd but might meet up with them in Oz as they live there. So with our scooters we checked out the snorkelling elsewhere round the Island, it was absolutely incredible. One day we decided to walk across to the other Island cause it was so shallow, halfway across I got bitten twice on my ankle by these pretty fish but soon became my enemy, everytime we went into the water they would be waiting to terrorise us the little buggers!!!!! We went to an Island Night at the Roratonga Beach Resort and saw them dancing and had a big feed, went to the Vaimo twice and had beautiful food. Most of our time was taken up with sunbathing, it was hell!!

The people who run the Guesthouse are really nice, Mata the woman brings us fresh bread and fruit everyday for us all to eat, they don't live on the premises but a few miles up the road so we have the run of the house. Its great. Then the yanks arrived and a bit odd but we all seem to get along together and drink wine and play scrabblle!!

Nevada, Arizona and California

After the Grand Canyon it was on the road to Vegas for the weekend, yeah baby!!!! The journey to Vegas was boring to say the least, nothing to see for miles!!!! We made a detour to see the Hoover Dam which was impressive then got to Las Vegas!! We drove down the strip which was a massive mistake as it took us longer to drive about 3 miles than it had to get there from Grand Canyon!! We stayed at Circus Circus RV Park which was on the strip and got some Buds cracked open!! We hit the town went to the Coyote Ugly bar, the Harley Davidson bar, Nine Fine Irishmen in New York New York and got in about 7am and as you can imagine the next day was a write off!! The only way I could think of getting rid of my hangover was to go back out on the strip and drink more Bud!! We met the American family from hell in Nine Fine Irshmen and they eventually got kicked out!! We had a pool day next dat to get rid of hangovers and went shopping in Macys again!! We had an aqua massage which was a strange feeling but much needed. Last day in Vegas so did touristy stuff and went to see the Lion habitat in the Grand MGM, wnet to the M&M World thing that had a little 3D cinema thing, then did Madame Tussauds. We left Vegas late and got to Barstow late at night so slept at another truckers stop. Next norning we were back on the road to California. We finished Route 66 on Santa Monica Bld and was a nightmare, we couldn't park amywhere and RV parks were expensive, so we got a photo of the poxy plaque that signified the end of Route 66 and headed up to Santa Barbara in hope of a cheaper RV park. En route we stumbled across a state parl after Malibu and decided to kip here. We made a fire and was pretty cool, next day we went across the road to the beach for the day, the waves here were mental and took us out a couple of times!! We went in search for Bud that night and ended up staying at a place called Ventura in an expensive RV park. Next day we drove to Carpenteria and a state beach, got the bus into Santa Barbara where we shopped again!!Next day was Saturday and Leannes birthday, so we drove to Santa Barbara and to our next RV park. We went walking round the town again and got ready for the night out, we went for a mediocre curry then lots of booze!!!! Ended up in a club called Q and I chatted with a guy who sounded just like Edward Norton!! Next day was our last in the RV so had to pack and clean with a hangover, not good!! Next day we went to the address on out paperwork to hand the RV back, we eventually found it only to find they had moved premises 4 months ago but failed to update the paperwork ARGH!!!! Eventually got to the right place and by some miracle got our deposit back!! We checked into our hostel in Santa Monica that was in a really good place right near the pier. I got up early next morning and went for a run along the beach and there were loads of other roller bladers, runners and cyclists on the beach. Did some touristy stuff and checked out ther pier, 3rd St Promenadeand watched the sunset. That night a girl got kicked out of our room in the hostel for being on crack, it was funny!! Next day we decided we'd go and be in the audience of The Price is Right, it was funny and we were terrified in case we got called to come on down!!!! Luckily we didn't, that night we went to a lame comedy club. Nect day was an admin day and that night we found a british pub so thought we'd go for a couple of ciders................ we ended up not getting in til 2am and had a hangover from hell the next day and we were meant to be moving hostels to one in Hollywood. Well it was hair of the dog for me and it took about 4 hours to travel 15/20 miles, it was a nightmare!! Today was halloween so I went to a party arranged by the hostel, again the next day wasn't great and there was a massive thunderstorm. Next day was our last day in CA so did touristy stuff in a day. Had a look at the stars on th epavements and the hand prints. Then we got on a sightseeing tour that took us Downtown, round Hollywood and Beverly Hills. Thta night we went to LAX for our flight to the Cook Islands for a well needed rest!!