Tuesday September 30th

I booked into the YHA hostel in the centre of Cairns yesterday with Sam, Maggie, Chris and Simon, and it seems like a really nice hostel. It's got a pool and a jacuzzi - can't b bad. Spent the day wondering round the shopping centre (bought a new i-pod), claimed my docs money back, posted my postcards (at long last) and went food shopping. Chris cooked last night then (pasta, tomato sauce and sausages - mmmm!!), and then me, Chris and Simon went to the cinema to see Wall-E. It was a cute film!! After getting back to the hostel we just sat up chatting til just gone midnight and then headed off 2 bed. A very chilled out day yesterday!! I have booked in 2 do the reef day trip tomorrow, though where I go snorkelling. It's an early start, got 2 b there by 7:50am, but hope it will b worth it.

Monday 29/09/08 - still in Cairns

That bit of colour I caught turned out 2 b sunburn, especially on my back. Ouch!! After a couple of drinks at the hostel bar Sat night ($2.50 for a glass of wine - that's just over a pound - I love happy hour!!), went 2 bed and the whole room managed 2 sleep in until pretty much midday. The rest of the day was pretty much the same - lazy!! Decided 2 phone hostels 2 book for xmas and new year (been putting it off and hostels seem 2 b really filling up!), and was lucky - the 1st hostel had vacancies. It's only a 10 min walk from the centre of Sydney, and we can fit 6 of us in the same room. It was $36 a night, which was a bit of a shock coz most hostels are between 60-70 dollars over xmas time. The reviews seem ok 4 it 2, but there must b a catch somewhere.........

After booking that, and also booking a full moon party at Magnetic Island, a couple of us caught the bus into Cairns 2 get stuff 4 food - it was my turn 2 cook so I made chicken fajita's. Got 2 admit they were pretty good. After a couple of drinks (happy hour again!) we made our way 2 bed. Most of the room were getting up early this morning, coz they were goibng on their cape tribulation tour. We were all woken @ 5am though, coz someone turned up and was checking in2 the spare bed in our room. I then just got myself up and ready in my own little time, checked out and then had a bacon sarnie for breakfast. It's pretty annoying though, I still haven't got my appetite back after being ill, so only managed half the sarnie. Not good :-(

My plans for 2day r pretty boring unfortunately (finding the medicare centre 2 claim back for my doctors appointment, find a post office, and do my laundry). Life in Oz is pretty exciting!!

Saturday 27/09/08 - chillin in Cairns

After feeling ill yesterday, I started 2 feel a bit better again 2day. Have had a really lazy day tho. We walked over 2 the Lagoon which is in the town, and ended up sleeping and chilling there all day. Have started 2 catch a bit of colour, which is good, especially on my arms. Booked 2 more nights at Calypso hostel, but had 2 move rooms. That's not 2 bad tho. Will b finding a different hostel for Monday tho. Some people are starting their day trips and things on Monday, but I've decided to stay around Cairns 4 a few more days just chilling and walking round until I know I'm completely better so that I can completely enjoy what I'm doing. A few people from the original group are doing the same thing tho, which is good.

Friday 26/09/08

Well, after my busy day meeting the stars we decided 2 go out 4 a couple of drinks in our hostel for as beach party theme. Ended up having cheap drinks, but coz still feeling poorly was in bed b4 midnight. Then couldn't stop coughing though and was awake til bout 3am. Got some good pics from that night, and they've gone onto facebook. Thursday morning got up and after checking out of base hostel (the nicest hostel yet) caught a bus with 2 of the others and went back 2 Palm beach coz we had been told that Home and Away would b filming there again. When we arrived we saw the filming vans and stuff, so we were in luck. As we were walking towards the surf club we saw Miles and had our photo taken with him. He was lovely and really chatty, even telling us where he lived and stuff!! We then wondered down onto the beach and saw that Roman and Martha were filming a scene. So, we went and watched them filming for a while before decidin we should get going coz we were catching a flight to Cairns that night. As we got to leave we passed Leah from the show, and ended up having pics taken with her 2.

We then got our bags from the hostel and caught a taxi out 2 Coogee 2 the Ozintro office so that we could collect our tickets for everything that has been booked for us (decided to book open tickets for loads of stuff 2 do down the East coast including jungle surfing, a reef day trip, horse riding on the beach, Fraser Island and Whitsundays, Maggie Island, and the bus that's taking us down). We sorted all that out at ozintro, and gave Gary (Our guide there) a pic of us as a present and a t-shirt with a pic of us on it, with the words "If Carlsberg did ozintro guides...".

Once we'd sorted this out, checked in online, and picked up cd's of all our photos so far we caught a taxi 2 take us to the airport. We were flying at 7:25. We ended up being bout half hour late flying, but made up loads of time and arrived in Cairns bout 10 mins early. After collecting our bags we caught a taxi to take us to the Calypso hostel. At the hostel it's like being in Jamaica or somewhere, it all seems very tropical. There's a pool here 2, which is nice. There r 4 of us sharing a room here. The toilet is outside though, which is pretty scary when u think of the bugs in this area. It's all very clean though.

We all managed to sleep in this morning, and I woke up feeling really rough again. I'm getting fed up of this being ill now coz not enjoying things as much as I should, and just want 2 spend half my time sleeping. We bought some noodles from the shop 2 cook 4 lunch and then went 4 a walk 2 tha lagoon. People aren't supposed 2 b swimming in the sea around here - it's full of crocs. The lagoon seemed really pretty, but as I was feeling rough again, I left everyone there and went back for a sleep. We've got 2 decide later now whether we r gonna b staying here after tonight, or moving on 2 a different hostel............

What a day!! Wow!!!

We decided to go 2 Palm beach 2day 2 c if we'd b lucky enough 2 c Home and Away being filmed. Took an hour and a half on the bus, and when we arrived the beach was pretty empty!! Thankfully someone told us that they were filming at another beach about 10 mins away on the bus, so off we went again, and yup they were there. There was only Charlie and Roman from the programme there, but it was pretty cool watching them filming scenes in the water (especially as Roman took his shirt off!! After they finished filming we got our pics taken with him :-)

After that we went to Manly beach and then caught the ferry back into Sydney. We have now moved to Base hostel in the centre of Sydney (after wake up and yha being full and having to walk half way round the city!). Thankfully people were really helping me with my bags coz still feeling pretty rough.

Monday 22/09/08

Well, ended up not going on the bar crawl Saturday night - felt too ill. Sam didn't go either. Ended up phoning Mam, getting a McDonalds, eating about 2 mouthfulls, and then going 2 bed. Was then up ill during the night then which is really unfair because I was one of the few not actually drinking!!! Didn't move very far on Sunday (yesterday). Spent the day sleeping, reading and went 4 a walk up 2 the ozintro office so sort out what we are going to do next. I was supposed to be doing the blue mountains trip 2day but that's a 7am start and a long day walking, so decided prob not the best idea. I told Gary at ozintro that I was not going 2 go and he said that because I had given them notice I would be able to do it again with another group. Pleased about that coz I really wanted to do it. You see kangaroos there so disappointed I couldn't go 2day.

Ended up having an early night last night again! After everyone had left for the blue mountains, I got showered and made my way up to the doctors. It's amazing - they see you pretty much straight away. No interrogation by the reception staff or anything. Nothing like home. The doctor told me I had bronchitis, a fever and an inflammed throat. Thankfully he gave me antibiotics so hopefully they'll start working soon. Had such an exciting day after that - reading, sleeping and did my washing!! I didn't realise that Australia would be quite this exciting!!! :-)

Got our farewell dinner 2nite up Sydney tower. And I'm determined to go!!! I'm pretty sure that the rest will head out drinking after and I'll be back in bed!! But I'm determined to make the dinner!!

I had a text message of Sinead earlier asking how I was and she told me the trip wasn't going 2 plan. They were late being collected because the guide was ill, they then had 2 swap guides agan so they ended up not being able to go and see the kangaroos. I might actually be the lucky one out of this!!!

20/09/08

Went 2 Bondi yesterday, and spent an hour or so chilling on the beach. After that we did the Bondi to Coogee coastal walk, stopping for a bbq, a couple of beers and a few games of volleyball on Clevelli beach (Of course the team I was in won!!!!!). The walk was pretty tough going, especially as I'd woken up feeling ill, but was definately worth it. After getting back and showering we came to the ozintro office for a work and travel talk (and another beer), which lasted about an hour or so. After that most people went out for food, but poorly me went straight to bed, and slept through until this morning.

Woke up this morning then feeling worse, with very little voice. Thankfully we've got nothing planned til tonight, and as most people were climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge, me and Sinead went to Bondi beach again to chill. It was a lot busier than yesterday, as it was Saturday. It was next to impossible to get a bus back coz they were all full before reaching our bus stop so we splashed out and just got a taxi. Today is definately the hottest day so far, it's pretty warm out there but no major signs of a tan yet which is pretty disappointing! Got a bar crawl tonight where we're dressing up as marathon runners (the Sydney marathon is tomorrow!).

Surf day - 18/9/08

Had a surfing lesson today!! It was such a laugh. Started by practicing standing and moving fmo lying to standing on the sand, and then moved on into the sea. I actually managed to stand on the surfboard!! And stay standing which is quite shocking. And more than once!! Watch out Gareth!!!!! I surprised myself! After getting back we went out for food, which had a $5 menu. That's about 2 pound 50!! One glass of wine cost as much as a meal. Had quite an early night - before midnight!! Looking forward to tomorrow though - spending the day on Bondi beach and doing the bondi to coogee coastal walk, snorkelling and a beach bbq.

In Sydney!!!

Well, after 2 very long flights (and next to no sleep) I arrived in Sydney yesterday. Arrived with Sam, Annie and Jennie after catching the same flight as them at about 6:30am and it was already warm and sunny - a really good start. Met the Ozintro people and they bought us to the hostel, but we couldn't check in until 11 so we went for breakfast. After checking in we were taken into the middle of Sydney and were shown a few of the sights. Saw Sydney Opera house and the Sydney Harbour bridge, a bit of wildlife and about a million people out jogging in their lunch hour (madness!!). We then went jetboating in Sydeny Harbour. We all pretty much got drenched but it was a real good laugh.

We all decided to go out for food with our ozintro guide that night and then were asked if we wanted to go to a backpackers pub on Oxford Street, Sydney for cheap drinks and join on with another couple of ozintro groups. Because most of us had only arrived that morning we thought we might just go for one or two and then catch a bus back to the hostel. It was about 2:15am when the last of us decided that it was time to leave!! Ended up only having about 3-4 hours sleep so have spent today feeling pretty jetlagged (oh and hungover from the drinks about $3 for a schooner (just under a pint) so about one pound fifty!). Thankfully today has been a quiet day. We just sorted out the boring but essential stuff like bank account, medicare card and where to go when we want to look for work. After that we had lunch (I thought a small bowl of wedges would help with the hangover - but ended up with a mountain of the things!!!). After lunch we headed over to Sydney Aquarium to see the fish and the sharks, etc. Came back to hostel after that where the majority of us completely crashed!! I slept for about 3 hours.

The hostel itself is ok. Nothing special but got everything we need. There are 12 in our room and they're all people from our group. The other 2 are directly next door and share the same balcony as us so they're usually found in our room!! Everyone from the group seems really nice, and we all are having a good laugh together.

Surfing lesson tomorrow - this should be fun. Watch this space............

5 days to go...

Well, there's only 5 days til I fly off 2 Oz now. Really excited now, really looking forward to going. Not quite packed yet - looked at the clothes a few times, but putting of the whole packing thing!! Worried that I'll forget something, even though I know I'll be able to buy anything I need out there. Really looking forward to meeting a few of the ozintro group at the airport. As long as I don't get lost! Not looking forward to the flight though. It's gonna be long and boring probably. I leave Heathrow at 10:30pm on Sunday and then arrive in Sydney at 6:30am on Tuesday (local time). That's ages to be sitting on a plane, and I'm not looking forward to it at all. I'm pretty sure it'll all be worth it though.