Picsc n tings

Yeah just noticed there is a distinct lackof ‘cultural’ based photos. Seems that all I have done here in Oz is party. Well to be honest that pretty much is it. Besides the rafting – no pics unfortunately or the reef there isn’t much else. I have lots of pics of mountains and beaches but even after over 3 months of it I am just happy with a good ol pie, and a pub/bar!

10th August, What a way to start a new life…

Madness. My flight was this morning at 545am so decided to go out and stay out till my pick up to the airport at 4am. Managed it and was very very tired, again bumbed into new an old faces. Didn’t drink too much and lasted the duration fine, just sleepy on the plane. Got to sydney and booked myself into a hotel for a couple of nights. I need to get away from the distractions so I figure time on my own to figure stuff out is much easier than being in a six bed dorm with other people hankering for a drink…

Room is amazing really central and quiet as in no other people. Going into the city to get touched by the view of the harbour and the opera house and and get sme local papers for accomadation etc. Also wonder down to one of the companies for work and a chat. Time to get things in order!

Just got back from a recce of the central sydney and its great. It got elements of bristol aka the harbour side but obviously much better, good shopping, galleries and plenty of drinking establishments. It reminds me of san fran but bigger.

Watching futurama and coincidently get to catch the last ep of lost s2 – it happenned to be the only episode I didn’t download when I was in the phillippines – Its just so good to have my own space and as much tea and coffee as I like.

8th August, Day after yesterday

Its been really nice and relaxing – beaching it. Still no chance of stopping the drinking just yet. Went out with two girls from the dorm called Emma and Amanda. They had the same kind of humour as me so we all got on really well. A couple o beers and 4 shots of tequila later it was getting messy again. Still, the laughter didn’t stop. So next night bumped in the irish guys from the rafting again so more of the same…

Not much again to do today, going to look for some waterfall creek, but thats about it. Back to cairns to sort out a flight to sydney and start sorting myself out.

Christian never did tell me what happened that night – think he was trying to block it from his memory…

7th August, Beach 2 – the sequal

Walking through like a small jungle trek then there’s the opening. Just had a complete like ‘oh my god’ moment walking into the beach. Its effing awesome. Nice cotton sand, clear waters…

The resort I’m staying ats cool too, geared towards drinking and partying. Oh and I’m in a dorm with only girls which is always my favorite kind of company. The girl’s I met have just gone horse riding on the beach somewhere, I need sleep….

Last night was a strange one. Went to the Casino the girl Jill worked at. It did remind of vegas a bit but then again it is a casino. Jill gave us a load of free drinks so got pretty wasted. Christian the dane got absoloutely twatted. We met this like 45yr old woman  from papua new guinea. She told us her story – Husband run off with another woman leaving her wih the kids only having got her to australia. So we were like giving her reassuarance on ‘life’s path’ albeit very drunk. She also taught us how to say a few things too. She hung around for a while and just had to go home to sleep. I got back at 3am…

Christian doesn’t get back till 7am to get his stuff together for the bus to here. He woke up at by the harbour losing his money, credit cards, key etc. Oh and the obligatory flip flop or Thong should I say. He has know idea what happenned last night.

So I am on the beach, over looking yes, you’ve guessed it, the sea and I am going to have a big sleep and before hand a paket of doritos…

Meeting up with christian later today, coincidence has it that he is staying at thseame resort, so maybe I can get the lowdown…

5th August, Great barrier reef

Another great day. Saw giant clams a metre big, reef shark, strange chorals, turtles and big colourful fish. Oh and a lot of shut eye on the sail boat down. Yep, yesterday night turned into a 230am bed Met up with the peeps from the raft and ended up going out with them. I must learn to say enough is enough – which I did as the place didn’t close till 5am…

Like I said money going fast, I don’t think I really need to do any more ‘treks’ or ‘hikes’or any water based stuff. I plan on going to cape tribulation and daintree which are just beaches. SO i’m going to chill out for a couple of days before heading to Sydney to find a job and get involved. Obviously a few beers before hand tonight. Oh and apparently there’s a letter for me? What the hell could that be?!

4th August, Russel River rafting

Today was a real laugh and a half. Little trek throught the jungle – used to all of that by now, so even the smoking didn’t have any effect. Didn’t even break a sweat. As we were a sall group we did it two’s and apparently was rated grade 4 rapids which means we were double hard…

Of course I, I mean we fell out on the first rapid so it was floating all the way to the bottom of that one, lost my paddle but saved my glasses. Found out that the other guy had his hand on my head as he fell out – I thought it was the boat. Looked like he was trying to kill me from the onlookers…

But besides that was fine, didn’t fall out again. Took turns paddling so it was almost like site seeing. Great runs through, almost went down to our deaths a few times but you know I love the danger…

Just got back and found out its a two for one in this place called shenannigan’s so quick shower and off. Nothing crazy mind, snorkling at the reef barrier tommorow am…

Oh yes, eaten Kangaroo, Crodile (and steak – kangaroo was the nicest, crodile tasted like poultry.

Chuck Norris lost both his legs in a car accident….and still managed to walk it off.

3rd August, Must get more beer!

Met this danish who got to the dorms yesterday and basically ended up going out hardcore. After numerous bottles on the balcony, we went out to a pub/bar/club. O’briens I think. Basically it was a special leaving night for this ‘Cayote’ dancer. I’ve never seen anything quite like it. Yep it was just like Cayote ugly but then They got guys going up, and then girls. I thought this kinda thing only happenned at strip clubs…. And it was the only time I left my camera back at the hotel, what things I have seen…..

Got woken up on a number of occasions by Jill kicking my bed (copious amounts of alchohol=Snoring). It beats the wet towel in the face from a previous backpacker… She said it was out of love – it was that or the wet towel…

After a day of having a huge breakfast – at 3pm, I went down to the promenade. Had a bit tof a sleep and finally booked some tours. Snorkelling/diving at the barrier reef, and some river rafting and rainforest tour tommorow. Money is going as fast as I can take it out. I’m just wondering when I should head down to sydney and find some work….

Went to  crazy reef talk – thought I’d best learn about that beforehand. The crazy thing is the lecturer – Thanks for that oner Katie, you were right, he’s bonkers.

2nd August, Oz at last – Cairns

After getting no seep on the flight to brisbane – I was stuck in front of a girl sleeping on here tray) I got up at almost 2pm today. Bearing in mind I Went sand had a few (!)beers with some irish guys last night at the club/bar below. Which is part of the Hostel, it truly is the ‘ritz’ of hostels as the lonely planet describes.

Also met some girls from the UK and Sweden who we got chatting too. They weren’t too pissed like this irish girl who asked for a cigarette and was invading my personal space a bit too much…(not that I minded)but I just couldn’t understand her properly, then again I have a hard time understanding strong irish accents.- didn’t realise i had 5 free drinks till twelve so managed to get in one after figuring that out.

So after trying to get some food, I thought everyone had got to sleep in the dorm room, so I was like extra quite, using my lighter as a light. As I got out the bathroom, the irish guys come bursting in, lights on and start seranading the canadian girl Gill who works late at a nearby casino. One of them then put on some clothes left by some previous girls and starts parading up and down the dorm singing his heart out in the tightest fitting vest and pants I unfortunately had to bear witness too…

Fair to say the Jill wans’t too impressed in the morning.