OZ - Noosa

We got a really early morning bus to Noosa from Byron Bay and went to stay in Noosa Backpackers. We wandered around town, which is bizzarely spread out, just chilled out all day and watched the sunset over the river:

The next morning we were picked up early for our Everglades canoe trip. We had quite a cool group: 2 English guys, Tom and Joe, an Irish couple Stephen and Byrony and 2 French girls, Solenne and Alex. We got all the equipment and got the ferry across a big lake in the Great Sandy NP to our canoes. We were told to go and practice without all our stuff in the canoes but ignoring that advice we set off loaded up. The Irish were halarious in their bickering but we soon left them going round in circles and tried to race the French girls who were a bit too good! We messed around on the river for 3hours or so, with a stop for lunch in between, until we arrived at our campsite.

Alex and Solenne: Tom and Joe:

Lunch in the rain:

Once we had set up camp there wasn't much to fill the afternoon with. We attempted a walk but ended up covered in mud, the irish cooked bacon and made us all jealous and we played multiple rounds of cards. We cooked and sat around outside until it started bucketting it down and we all crawled into one tent and got pins and needles playing more cards. Alexa and I got scared by a huge bat on our way to the toilets therefore losing our direction, getting totally lost in the woods and then stuck in the rain! We survived!

The next day we canoed for an hour until we reached the start of a track which led us, after an hour, up to a sand patch. We had lunch there and then ran around for a couple of hours, it was more fun than I anticipated although I wasn't a fan of sand in my avocado sandwiches!

Solenne and me:

Alexa and Solenne:

Alexa and I choose to ignore our competitive streak and relax on the journey back down the river. We lost everyone and just drifted along, eating jelly beans and spotting birds and lizards. We were lucky it had been such a lovely hot day! We had a similar evening to the night before except we could sit outside - yey!

The next morning we headed back to Noosa but this time embracing our competitive drive we raced the boys back most of the way...we weren't far behind! Also, I saw my first kangeroo by the toilet block - very exciting! We were back in our hostel by lunchtime. There really isn't much to do in Noosa but we entertained ourselves and had kangeroo for dinner - I'm not a fan!

OZ - Byron Bay

We arrived in Byron Bay early in the morning and proceeded to sleep off the bus until lunch time. We didn't do much in the afternoon, the weather wasn't amazing so we wandered around town, watched tv and slept more.

The next day, however, was beautiful. We went straight down to the beach and stayed there all morning:

In the afternoon we went for a walk with an English girl, Polly and two Austrian girls along the beach to a look out where we could watch the sunset:

We got pizza and goon for the evening and all drunk together in the hostel and then went to Cheeky Monkeys for a very funny evening!

We were up at 5something the next morning to catch our bus....not so funny!

OZ - Sydney

We arrived in Sydney on 10th June. First problem was that I had no voice so they went all crazy at the airport, made me wear a mask and took me to see a doctor. I didn't have swine flu. Next thing was they conviscated all our seed jewellery off us. Very upsetting. We then got a shuttle to Kings Cross and checked into a dire hostel. It was foul. We walked to the harbour that evening and got our first site of the Sydney Opera House and Harbour bridge which were all lit up for a light display. Stunning:

We then went and got free dinner in a pub near our hostel - bonus - and headed to bed.

The next morning we sorted out all our travel in Oz. Or rather the guy in Tribal travel did. We then headed to a food court in chinatown for lunch and wandered around Paddy's Market. We walked under and around the harbour bridge but we had been walking for so long in the wrong shoes and we were tired and hungry. We went out for a drink in Kings Cross but had another early night and watched a film.
Pictures from the day:

The equivalent of a pigeon:

The next morning we moved to Simon's flat in Glebe. What a change, it is sooo nice. It was lovely to see Simon as well. We hung around the flat and then met Simon for lunch, which he treated us to, in the QVB. We then spent the afternoon together walking around the Botanical Gardens, sitting outside the SOH and shopping in Broadway. In the evening, Simon cooked us risotto and we nattered over wine and then watched the Duchess.

Views from outside Simon's flat:

The next morning we got a day tripper ticket for Sydney. First we got the train to Bondi Junction and then the bus to Bondi Beach:

H-A-P-P-Y

Then we bused it to Watsons Bay and got the ferry across to Central Quay and then out to Manly:

We wandered around Manly and the market there and then bused it to a train station so that we could get the train across the harbour bridge which was cool. Simon cooked again which was exciting, it was called riclette I think and I've never had it before!

The next day was our last in Sydney. We went to the fish market:

Then the Maritime museum and then Chinatown again for lunch. After a spot of shopping we returned to Simon's for tea and cake (courgette muffins!) It was a really nice few days. Good to catch up with Simon and Sydney was a cool city. We caught the bus overnight to Byron Bay.

NZ - Queenstown take 2

We returned to Queenstown because the ski season at Coronet Peak started on the 6th June and we thought it would be fun to learn to snowboard together because neither of us had ever tried. We got the starter package which included two group lesssons and by the end of the day, without too many falls, we could both stand up, with two feet strapped in and get down the slope forwards and backwards. I was really impressed, it was really fun and the teacher was great. I definitely want to board again!
Here's some pictures from the day:

View from the slopes:

In the evening we met up with Alex and Hayden and their friends from the Kiwi bus which was good fun. We left the next morning for Christchurch which wasn't so much fun. Nearly 6 hours driving and I had lost my voice so I couldn't even sing to keep myself entertained. Also, it was cloudy so there were no amazing views to keep us occupied, lucky we had already seen them last time we drove that way. We are staying in the most amazing hostel in Christchurch, so cheap and we have our own room with a t.v. Needless to say it was a very early night with not much but Desperate Housewives to keep us awake.

In the morning, we met up with Hayden and Alex for 241 coffees and breakfast and then dropped them off at the airport. We have been sitting in this internet cafe ever since avoiding sorting out the mess that is our room and doing some laundry. Tomorrow we leave NZ and fly to Sydney. It's been fun, very fun!