Thanks everyone for bothering to check out the blog, hope it kept you a little entertained and informed about my trip. The last 6 months were great. I'm going to miss the country and lifestyle, and one day I'm sure I'll go back. And thanks to Geoff, for setting this weblog up and hosting it on his site. Cheers!

Now, to go and find some hockey...

So, I've decided to leave this place once again. The plan:
Head to Sydney and probably stay for a few days and drinks.
Go north in search of warmer weather.

Why, do you ask? One reason...

But I am still alive and well, maybe I'll try and get some new pictures up. I'll just have to go find something to photograph...

Cheers folks!

Sailing was fantastic! Beautiful views, good people, cheap drinks...what else could I ask for, really? We were on two boats, the Pride of Airlie White and the Pride of Airlie Blue (also called the Kora). I was on blue, which we decided was better because of a few reasons: we had better music and we were faster. Now, most of us who came to this decision were ON the blue boat, but a few whites also agreed with us. So we weren't that biased, really.

I'm not really sure what else I can say about the sailing, the pictures really do speak for themselves. Did some snorkeling (or snorkelating, as the instructer kept calling it, we think he may have gotten too much sun) and it was a lot of fun. The water was a bit murky, but all you had to do was dive in a bit and the views were spectacular. Even got to wrestle with a big fish named Elvis. He's a really friendly, very large fish that lives in a section on the reef and comes out to see the snorkelators. The fish and other sealife were everywhere, although not a single jellyfish could be seen! Probably for the best, the box jellyfish and get as wide as your arm is long and there tentacles just drift everywhere.

One thing that most people (especially the canadians, we aren't really sure why) seemed to notice was that these islands really reminded us of Jurassic Park. I know there were a few times you could hear someone humming the theme song...

Once the sailing was done (and one last party night in Airlie Beach) it was time to move on. Which meant a nice, looooong bus ride. 23 hours later, I'm back in Byron Bay. Hooray! I'll be here for a while to refill the coffers and earn some money back at the old Arts Factory. Even got the old job back (hooray for that...can't wait to start those late nights again). It was almost like coming home when I got back. Only difference is the people here, a lot have moved on but some are still hanging in there. Anyway, I figure I'll be here a month to a month and a half before I move on again. Knowing this place, the time should just fly by...

Alas, I've got to go and get some groceries. Before I take off, the sun sets at really bizarre times...being a southern country, you always assume that the sun will set later, as its "always summer". You can really tell fall is moving in though, the sun is setting at 5ish-6ish and the nights are getting quite cool! Have to actually where jeans now...so much different from up north! I best be off though, hope you enjoy the pictures!

Tomorrow I'll be heading out on the Whitsunday Islands for a few days, staying on one of the islands at night. Should be good, the weather has been cooperating lately (a few sunny days in a row, cloudy today but should clear) so the sailing should be good times. In the meantime, I snapped a few shots of Airlie Beach (which, ironically, doesn't even really have a beach!). A little cloudy, but still a nice little town. There have been so many little towns in this country...

My flight into Cairns was more or less uneventful, got here ok and was taken to my hostel. But it FINALLY feels like I'm not missing something. The tropics are warm and...well...tropical. Cairns itself isn't that big of a city, or at least it doesn't feel like it is. Seems to cater to mostly travellers and backpackers, so there are a TON of souvenier shops and travel agents, every so often a hostel will pop up. At any rate, this morning I went and explored the city (at one point somehow ending up in the industrial part of the city) and took some pictures. So tomorrow I'm off to Mission Beach, heard there are some REALLY interesting hostels down there. I'll be there for a few days, just relaxing. Cause my life has been SO stressful recently...

I think it's pretty self explanatory...it's a road along the ocean, and it's great! It does however, go into rural Australia, which means that as soon as you leave your vehicle you get the flies...just your basic flies, but still annoying all the same. They don't bite or sting, just crawl on you and drive you nuts!

Fly problems aside, the history behind it is as follows: After the First World War, the returning servicemen needed jobs and something to do. It was decided that a road would be built from Melbourne to Adelaide along the ocean. Whenever the funding and enough men were around, it was worked on. I tried to make the journey myself by taking trains and busses, but unfortunately if you don't have a car you more or less get stranded. So, back to Melbourne where I took a day trip along the road to see the sights. Behold!

Well, one part of it anyway.

About time for a big update...

I left Melbourne at some point about 4 days ago. Left on my own, my friend Sue needs to stay in Melbourne for a bit to relax and recover, she's spent the last 4 months straight travelling. So off I went, solo! I didn't really have any plans, just wanted to go down the Great Ocean Road to Adelaide. So I went off, taking a train and then a bus (about a 3 1/2 hour trip) until I reached a spot called Apollo Bay. A really small town, this place made Maple Ridge look like a full city. The first thing I noticed was that it was (hence the toque) COLD! I mean, it wasn't cold, but I had to put on some jeans, shoes, and a long sleeved shirt. Crikey. I more or less just spent my few days there relaxing, playing guitar, reading, walking along the beach and hanging out with the guests at the hostel. The hostel itself was really cool, kind of 50's retro and very comfortable. And it had a great view of the beach. Didn't do any swimming, mainly because it was fairly cold and the current was really strong, I wasn't ready to leave the country just yet.

Anyway, the first thing I checked out when I got there was how I would keep going. This, however, turned out to be a problem. The bus that dropped me off in Apollo Bay only goes to Port Campbell, my next port of call (or past Apollo Bay, for that matter) on a friday. So if I kept going, I had to stay in Port Campbell for a week, with no garauntee of being able to go all the way to Adelaide. So what did I do? Came back to Melbourne! Hooray! So now I'm debating whether to stay in the city and work, or head to Adelaide and try to find work there in the city or fruitpicking. But, until next time, cheers folks and enjoy the pictures!

By the way, hope you guys at home enjoyed the snow!
(and I added some pictures to the entry before this one, check them out!)

What has happened so far...well, being in Melbourne I've spent a lot of my time walking. Walked around the city, walked through the Market (which is really cool, the biggest open air market in the southern hemisphere I believe), generally just walking. Can't wait to keep going and see the great ocean road though.

Cheers!

I'd like to thank Holly and Colm for giving me such a good time while I was in Sydney. Everynight I was there they took me somewhere, invited me along, or cooked me the BEST meal I've had in ages! The first night Holly took me to her and Colms apartment and we talked over a few drinks and then fed me a delicious roast chicken...when you're backpacking, that's like eating pure gold. The next night I tagged along to a local pub where a few bands were playing...I think we all agreed that the last band (coincidentally, the one with Holly's coworker in it) was the best, and criticizing the first two was fun enough that we actually started it again the next night, while listening to the Sydney Symphony Orchestra play in Olympic Park. We were kind of far out and a LOT of people were talking, but we had brought some food and it was definately a good night. Thanks again you guys!

Cheers folks!

I'll only be in Sydney for a few nights, just to see Holly and book my next bus, then off to Melbourne! My next post will probably be from there, so cheers folks, and take it easy!

Now that I know I'm going to be leaving for sure, I'm getting excited to travel again! It'll be nice to have some other things to write about aside from "the usual". I start my last shifts tonight, just three more and then I can finally get a normal sleep pattern again! How nice that will be, I won't wake up to the hottest part of the day anymore. Well, enjoy the pictures!