The Start of the East Coast

Okay so it’s been a long time since I last wrote, so please accept my apologies for probably missing out on things or remembering them later and writing them down in the wrong order.  The record of the next three weeks maybe a little all over the place, plus I have had probably the largest breakfast in Australia so my mind is more on my expanding stomach than trying to remember the last manic weeks.

So let’s start from where I left off.  The last time I wrote I was leaving Sydney for Noosa, a bit of sun, sea and sand.  I wanted a bit of relaxation after 8 months you'd think I’d had enough but those six hr treks really take it out of you.  I made my way to Noosa on a little mini bus; it was only a three, four hour trip so it wasn't too bad a journey.  My iPod was on and my eyes slightly open taking in the views.  One thing I’ve leant about Australia (well I knew it already but it’s crazy to see it) once you get out of Sydney, one of the biggest cities, if not the biggest, everywhere else seems so desolate.  You have the bush, the outback and a few cities which really wouldn't be larger than our towns, lining the coasts, it’s quite spectacular really.  Australia has a population of 20 million and the UK 60 and the UK isn't probably even a tenth of its size, so you can imagine driving on long trips when all you see is nothingness, with some fruit farms in-between.  Definitely a place for the fruit pickers of the East end.  The best thing though once you get out of the cities are the people's friendliness and with the old Australia way of pulling your leg whenever they get the chance.  After having Patrick as a brother you'd think I would have got used to it by now, but oh no, I still fall for it every time, but everyone has a giggle so what’s the harm.

Making a wrong turn to the path which I thought headed to Sunshine beach I came across something or someone happily walking along to the beach, NAKED!

I arrived in Noosa about 4 in the afternoon, a beautiful sunny day and made my way to the information booth.  It is fantastic thing being in a country that speaks your own language, you can just arrive with nowhere to go then be spontaneous as to what to do next.  Having experienced the cleanliness of the YHA (youth hostels) around NZ and Oz I decided to check myself in. 

Noosa isn't what you would imagine it to be, it definitely lives up to its reputation of being a relaxing place to chill out and do nothing.  It’s a holiday resort really for the natives; unfortunately the prices match the title.  Lovely if your pocket didn't have a hole in it the size of the Grand Canyon.  Luckily for me right next to the beach was a national park, so I put on my walking shoes (which I bought for 4 pounds and have seen most of the continents already) and took a walk the next day.  It was overcast when I left in the morning to do my 3 hour walk along the coast to Sunshine beach so perfect conditions for me, then, unfortunately still milky skin about a third of the way through the sun came out just as I was doing a climb, sweat pouring off my face, I had to do an emergency stop to reapply the sunscreen.  After some spectacular views I came to the first beach.  Alexander beach was well known in Noosa, not just for its beauty but for another reason.  I had forgotten the stories I’d heard from the night before and continued my way down the beach to the last leg of my walk.  Being in such a quiet family town of Noosa I hadn't prepared myself to see what I did.  Making a wrong turn to the path which I thought headed to Sunshine beach I came across something or someone happily walking along to the beach, NAKED!   Well I didn't know what to say, g'day, put some clothes on please or apologise for being fully dressed.  Now I’m not shy but really there should have been a sign up somewhere 'beware of the naturists.  I mean there are families around.  After making a few wrong turns by accident and feeling my face burn (not from the sun) I finally made my way back on the right track and a few more steps I was at my final destination. 

After my eye full, in more ways than one I decided to make my way back to the beach and that’s where I was for the next couple of days, heaven, time to think especially seen as I tried to exchange my books in the hostels, but all they had was fantastic books but in German.  The only other one was the bible; lord knows who put that there (excuse the pun).

Noosa was supposed to be my time to relax but it ended up being the beginning of a wild, crazy couple of weeks, which is how I would sum up travelling in Australia.  It all started with meeting a lovely Spanish couple, who I was dying to practise my Spanish on, but failed miserably.  They say once you have met one person you find it much easier to meet others and this was certainly true of my case.  Soon Adam was to join the table, a strange one but harmless enough to be followed by an Australian couple getting away from things for a weekend.  But the best was an English guy called Michael, who had the giggles every time you said something, straight in the top ten of friends for me then.  The other was a girl from Liverpool, Adele, who was sitting on the veranda miserable, so I decided to invite her to the group.  Once the small talk was over the drinking and laughter commenced.  A fabulous couple of days.  I needed some nappies I laughed so much. 

It really is pot luck if you get along with the people you meet.  You could spend days with people who are lovely enough but really not your cup of tea entirely.  It was sad to leave my pals from Noosa, they were making their way down South I was going north but as I said this was only the beginning the best was yet to come.