Well its now all over… I can’t believe the last two weeks are over. It was such a great time, I had so much fun, met so many new people and just enjoyed myself thoroughly. I’ll cover the last few days.

So after a quiet one due to being up at 330am for Hot Air Ballooning my last full day in Cairns was spent doing nothing. I did go to the movies to see Superman but other than that… nuffin. Friday night though… That was a different story. We all piled into the coach for our quick trip on our last night together. We ended up at the Woolshed. I have heard many stories about the Woolshed from numerous different people all with the same story.. Fantastic night out. Dinner wasn’t to bad, Big Serves for the cost and quick as hell. Once dinner was finished into the booze we got. I tried for the first time a Snakebite which is Apple Cider (Strongbow), Beer and either Blackcurrant or Rasberry Cordial, or Grenadine. Although the first one of these i had… I dropped and immediately Chris stands up points and me and yells TAXI!!!! which got a few other people started as well… Embarrasing!

Once happy hour started though all was ok because I bought a jug for $8 and that lasted me most of the night. During happy hour the battle of the sexes occured and it was PJ and Chaz vs Alison and Robin. They had several different challenges all involving either a sexual act or drinking. As soon as that was over on came our day song (Sunshine of Your Love – Cream vs the Hoxtons) and that pretty much started the partying and dancing. It began on the dance floor… then moved to the table tops. Lindsay dragged me up onto the Tabletop and thats pretty much where i stayed until about 1am. Came home in a cab with a few others and went to sleep.

Woke up yesterday morning with two bruises on my arms, how i got them.. Not quite sure. Yesterday was a very sombre day for me. Having to leave all the people that i had gotten to know and meet them and had so much fun! It was a blast! I didn’t really hit me till the flight home. Luckily i had Michelle with me till i got home and then she was off to Perth on her flight.

Now for the soppy stuff. I don’t think the trip would of been the same without 4 of my new friends. Elm, Warren, Rob (Brokeback) and Michelle. Without them i’m sure the trip just would not of been the same. There were other people I really enjoyed getting to know over the trip such as Craig, Kenna, Alison and Grant, Rhana, PJ, Lindsay 1 and Lindsay 2, Laura, Christina, Michelle F, Chazz and Jason. Everyone on the trip just made it a fantastic experience. So much better than my last contiki. Hopefully my next tour will be as much fun. I now intend on starting to save up again.. This time for my USA trip. I’m hoping i can afford to do as much as I can in the amount of leave I can get.

Now a message to all those who are reading this from the tour. Thank you.. You made the trip the Best. Dan and Youngy, you guys are both fantastic, keep up the good work. I seriously don’t know how you guys do it, But you do it so well. The photos I have taken from the trip (all 300 of them) will be sorted out and the best ones up on the net within the next few days. If any of you want a copy of all of my photos all you have to do is ask and I will mail you a copy of all them on CD.

Now its time to continue fixing up the mess i have hear.

Current Location: Home 🙁

So it is nearing the end of the tour. Long Island… what can I say… it was an exerpience thats for sure. The boat ride over to the island was quick so I wasn’t to worried. It was the day sail that i was worried about. Especially when the fact that they were changing from going on Camira to going on the ex Sydney to Hobart winner. Ragamuffin. That was wierding me out quite a bit having to go on a single hull boat… something i try to avoid at all possible if i cant avoid going on a boat that is.

First day I rested on Long Island. I didn’t wake up until about 11am and felt so good. Jade and Leah from Fantasea were at the bar drinking half an hour later so I joined them. I had started drinking before anyone else on that day. What a great feeling.

The sailing day was different thats for sure. After getting on a tiny boat from the dock to get over to the boat. The first thing i do onboard the boat is smack my head on the boom… how smart am I!!!

It was a new experience for me to go sailing for real. It felt good to begin with as soon as the sails went up the boat started to tilt and it really tilted, to about 45 degrees. SCARY SHIT! The port side of the boat was almost into the water but it was fun. Then we hit the water between whitehaven and hamilton and I was scared out of my mind. I’m not sure if it was pure fear or panic that drove me to just want to fly back to long… I didn’t care about the cost at that time and was adamant to fly back. But the skipper of the boat had a chat to me and after eating some lunch I had calmed down enough to brace the 20-30 mins of roughness to come home. It was pretty bad but I dealt with it and it was all ok.

On the way back we caught up to another sailing yacht and played a little prank on them by pulling up very close to their tender (rubber dinghy) and throwing a bag of rubbish into it and then pulling away. There was plenty of yells and screams backwards and forwards between the boat. I even got to stear the boat at one stage. I am sure that all will eventually be ok. I hope that i can one day get over this fear I have.

Yesterday was a long long day. From long island to Cairns. 7 hours and who knows how many kilometres. We travelled through innisfail which was a moving experience. Seeing the destructions caused by Cyclone Larry still apparent several months on just made me stop and think for a bit. Dan (the tour guide) didn’t really talk much about it but i doubt many people on the tour would of cared.

This morning I had to get up at like 3:30am to go hot air ballooning. It was such an experience. I loved it and would definately do it again. Trying to work out something to do tommorrow in Cairns. Might check out something new. I wanted to go out to do the bloomfield track but that might have to wait till next time. O well.

Current Location: Random Internet Cafe – Cairns, Qld

Fraser Island sure was an experience thats for sure. The bling party went off. I made my experience in my stupid oversized clock. It was fantastic. It was so funny when we arrived to the island we rushed down to have dinner and found out that there was like 2 other tour groups were there as well. Most of us were worried that we were gonna look like such idiots, but I didn’t care. When we got to the bar in costume it was a funny night. The clock looked so stupid i was pissing myself laughing. It was a fantastic night. We had a “boat race” against some other people in the bar and we won. A boat race is actually a sculling competition. Who can scull the beers the fastest. I didn’t drink very much but some people were drinking quite a bit.

The next morning was very early start in the cold but it turned out to be a very eventful day. I did the full day tour and I was meant to be joined by elm but things didnt quite work out. It was a bit of a shock when he didn’t arrive. I was very very dissapointed but more to that later. The full day was great with a stop at Lake Mckenzie, Central Station, The Pinnacles, Maheno Ship Wreck, Eli Creek and Stonecutters Sand Blow. It was a very bumpy ride luckily it was a 4WD bus and I didnt have to drive! The sunset was fantastic that night and that was when i finally found out what happened to Elm. Pretty much here is a little bit of what was meant to happen.

7:25 – Shuttle to Dingo Bar
8:15 – Tour departs Resort Store

Here is what actually happened for Elm according to eye witness reports.

7:00 – His Alarm Goes off
7:30 – Elm found passed out in the Female Showers
7:45 – Elm found stumbling up the hill away from the dingo bar
8:00 – Elm found lying in the dirt outside of his cabin. Returned to his bed by Grant and Alison.
8:20 – Bus comes over to Lodges to find him, no sign.. leaves without him.

That night was pretty tame, I didn’t drink at all. Yesterday was a pretty boring day, just plenty of Texas Hold’em in the back seat of the bus. Got into Rockhampton and more poker. Last night we had dinner at the Korana croc farm. Definately an experience i would recommend to everyone.

At present I am sitting in a net cafe in Airlie Beach before heading over to Long Island. Probably won’t post again till i get to Cairns as net is apparently pretty exxy on the island. For the next few days should be good. Plans for a massive poker game tommorrow on long island for a few hours and also meeting up with Jade and Leah from Fantasea. Also going on Camira the day after that for the day. Open Bar should help keep my fears at bay.

We say goodbye to Elm on Wednesday when we leave which will suck but it should be fine.

Current Location: Random Internet Cafe – Airlie Beach, Qld