East Coast Enders

The last week or so has seen us visiting Fraser Island and Noosa Heads. Fraser Island has been one of the best activities we've done since travelling. The island is the largest sand island in the world and can only be travelled by 4 wheel drive. Nikki had her turn driving and managed to scare most of the vehicle occupants by driving 90kph down the beach and across the creeks without any signs of slowing down! The first night was spent camping on the beach. I (Tony) managed to be woken by a spider crawling on me (it was only small), however the huge huntsman was found on top of the tent next to us. One tent also managed to wake up with a crab inside!

The second day was spent travelling to some of the Lakes including Mackenzie, an amazingly clear lake with white sandy beaches. Unfortunately we were lost on the second day and had to camp in the woods, where we were attacked by killer possums!! Several of them were trying to eat us throughout the night. Luckily the canvas tent was enough to hold them back, but it did make going to the loo at night a little dangerous!

After Fraser we visited Noosa Heads which was a nice and posh little place between Hervey Bay and Brisbane. We visited the late Steve Irwins zoo, which was suprisingly good then I (Tony) went surfing while Nikki went shopping.

We are now in Brisbane and will be flying to Perth in the next few days to meet up with the Lees'. Go Team Stephanie (Come on England!).

Land Ahoy!

We are now half way down the East Coast and heading to Hervey Bay tomorrow. Since the last post we've been to Mission Beach, Magnetic Island and Airlie Beach.

Magnetic Island was quiet and very relaxing although we couldn't go for a swim now the Stinger season has approached. We visited the Wildlife park which contained some native animals and allowed us to hold a Croc, blue tongue lizard and a python. The photo attached was taken a second after the croc had just peed all over Nikki which she only just managed to keep hold of! She did redeem herself however by asking the Ranger, while looking at a colony of Fruit Bats, "So what do these fruit bats eat then?"

After Magnetic Island we went on a 2 night sailing trip around the Whitsunday Islands which we both loved. The second photo was taken overlooking Whitehaven Beach on Whitsunday Island. The beach here is amazing. Within a walk to waist-deep water we both had several reef sharks circling us! I went for a swim so I can finally say I went snorkelling with the sharks! Thought I'd never get to see one. The sailing trip was excellent and we'd recommend it to anyone heading this way.

Help !

Have spent the last few days in Port Douglas. Very small place with not a lot happening, however this is the gateway to amazing places.

Firstly we headed off to the Daintree Rainforest where we went on a Croc spotting cruise. More successful that the whale spotting this time as we saw a large male and female! Also saw a deadly plant known to kill people on touch and tried to convince Nikki that it was edible - unfortunately she didn't fall for it!

We are writing this as we wait for our bus back to Cairns and after just visiting the Great Barrier Reef. Wow, we loved it. We both went on 2 separate dives and are now hooked. The first second we entered the water there was a huge baracuda waiting for us and the under water world was amazing. I think we're gonna get the Padi once we've saved up some more money.

While in Port Douglas we've managed to meet a real life Croc Dundee guy called Ox. He comes from the Bush, has a swollen leg from a White Tail bite 3 years ago (After being in a coma for 3 months from it), a snakebite, Croc bite on the bum and a steel plate in his head from a Bucking Bronco! He had a few tales to tell.

Getting a bit fed up now of pasta and sauce dinners in the hostels, so if anyone has any ideas for cheap, easy and tasty food please let us know. We only have Hob facilities and no Ovens.

Bula, Bula, Bula!

G'day from Cairns. We are now in Australia after finishing USA and Fiji.

The last week or so in USA was spent in Palm Springs, Joshua Tree National Park, San Deigo and LA. Palm Springs had glorious weather and was very relaxing. We spotted several people fresh from their plastic surgery looking very plastic. The streets were full of Gay couples walking their dogs, so the place was very clean and friendly as one would expect.

San Diego, we found, was the best City we visited in California. Very attractive place and would recommend a visit. Of course we headed to the zoo first, then the following day went to a Padres game. Had a great time at the game, but must admit it was nothing close to going to a 'soccer' game. The only time the crowd made any noise was to sing the national anthem while admiring the stars and stripes flag and when the final innings started, but the game was a good tense affair finishing at 2-1 Padres.

We spend most of LA in Santa Monica which was a nice place. Nikki saw Lucy Liu (I don't believe her though). We also had a huge celebrity staying in our hostel - Noah Huntley, the guy who used to be in Dream Team and the Captain of Harchester United. Being the children we are, everytime he walked passed Nikki would giggle like a school girl while I hummed the theme tune!

Fiji in a nutshell is best described as more beautiful under the water than above it. It was a shame because the beaches looked amazing but most of the time the weather was pants and it was raining. We still managed to burn while it rained though.

The first place we stayed (the oarsman) had a reef starting from about 1 meter from shore. Here we saw hundreds of tropical fish. My excitement was reserved for the sting rays, lion/scorpion fish and flying fish. Nikki just enjoyed the fish from Nemo.

So finally we came to the chance to swim with the Manta Rays. We took the boat ride out to the correct place and went a looking. The coral and fish were amazing, but there were no Mantas. Gutting. Especially as the people we were with saw a reef shark swim by beneath us but I missed it or couldn't see it. So we were swimming with sharks and I missed them! Was still a great day though but reminded us of the first whale trip. There will be another chance in Australia.

On one of the islands we visited the local village. Here I imagined what it would have been like in Guadaloupe where mum was from. We visited the school where the children performed some traditional songs and dances and Nikki had a Coconut Leaf weaving lesson.