Sydney to Brisbane

We stayed in Sydney for three weeks in a hostel called Balmain Backpackers as it had parking and was only a 5 minute bus ride into the city. It was a funny old hostel, badly run and a mess. I ended up doing the cleaning there every morning for my rent. Cheesy found a weeks work labouring.
Balmain was a nice little part of Sydney, it used to be really rough but has been done up with restaurants and cafes all along the main street. We didn’t venture into the pub across the road tho as you’d probably get stabbed. We bumped into Bill Bryson at a book signing:

Me n Bill

Then Cheesys friend Evan came out to visit us for three weeks so we did all the tourist things. We visited the Opera House, took the ferry to Manly Beach, went to the Sydney Aquarium, the Sydney wildlife centre, Sydney harbour bridge, a bar called Minus 5 where everything is made of ice (cool ) and also a trip to the Blue Mountains.

Cheesy with his mate Rooey

We also planned to go and watch the Mardi Gras parade, but due to unforeseen drunken events including me and a girl at the hostel drinking two bottles of vodka (mum & dad read vodka as water) I have no recollection past 7.30 pm. I was reminded and reprimanded for my ridiculous behaviour which included trying to run away from Cheesy and Evan. Woops!!

We then began our journey up north. We stayed the night in Byron Bay. The beach there is beautiful and so are the people. Everyone was brown and skinny so alas we didn’t fit in. ha-ha.
It’s a very surfy backpacker place and although it’s a nice place, it was a bit too busy for us.
Then we drove just past Surfers Paradise and stayed in a campsite close to the Gold Coast Theme Parks. First we spent the day at Wet ‘n’ Wild, a water park which was great fun, apart from having to walk around in a bikini all day. (I just pretended I was skinny and didn’t look in the mirror) luckily everyone else was in the same boat (not literally of course, this isn’t Noah’s Ark). The next day was spent at Movie World. Loads of great fast rides, a 4D Shrek film, Police Academy stunt show and lots more!!!
We then went to Australia Zoo via the Steve Irwin Highway. Cheesy managed to catch up with him at the zoo!
After this was a couple of days spent in Hervey Bay, and a day trip to Fraser Island, the biggest sand island in the world. It was a fun bumpy 4WD bus with a German tour guide who I secretly nicknamed the Tourminator as he sounded just like Arnie!!!
We went to Brisbane then where we spent a week at a campsite with a lovely pool. We made it to the St Patrick’s day parade this started at 10.30 am and we hadn’t started drinking yet. Ha hA(by the way we don’t really drink much out here - don’t get the wrong idea!)In the afternoon we lazed over to the cinema and watched Hot Fuzz.
Evan went home the next day and Cheesy and I relaxed in the pool. Its very hot in Queensland.!
Now we have left Brisbane and are working doing fruit packing in a place called Gympie just 150 km up the road. Soon we will be arriving in Cairns, one of our final stops in Australia.
Hope you’ve all enjoyed the pictures!

Love Shannon xx x xxxx