The 1000 Day Holiday

Well staying at Koalas Noosa this time. quite a good spot. only the YHA is closer to hastings st.

had a big nite. was a funk band playing in the Koala bar, then off to the Rolling Rock. Not very busy I guess since it was a sunday its soo crazy that they have a cover charge, and wont give you a glass of water even when youre buying rounds of shots!

what a load of bollocks!
but fun was had. And it looks like Im going to be out of luck for wind again today. Maybe Ill learn to surf. Off to Brisbane tonight I think.

Since I was in the area, and it seemed that therewas never going to be any wind I decided to do a day trip to Fraser Island.

I was blown away. Totally not what I was expecting. The island is amazing. A freak of nature. I went with Fraser Ventures. who use a 52 seat 4wd bus. The ‘roads’ on fraser are sand tracks not very wide, and never straight so the ride itself was great. But to see such diverse flora (rainforest etc) on a island made up of sand was crazy. The lake we visited which was acidic was cool. Pity I don’t have any hair to gain the benefits. Its like a good conditioner apparently.
The sand was 100% silica. 0.2mm which means you could use it for cleaning your jewelery etc.

I also did a flight from the beach over the island. taking off on an uneven beach in a small plane was V cool. it also meant i got to see the sand blows. Which is how the island continues to grow. When there is a storm/high wind sand is picked up and dumped over the existing hills onto the interior of the island. completely burying parts of forest. they look kinda like glaciers, except they are sand

My god. This is the most random place ever.

I arrived after dark +rain. Which doesnt help navigation.

It has since been proved that is irrelevant.

There is no CBD.
the ‘happening’ backpackers part is on the esplanade. which consists of 1 backapackers (koalas) V loud bar where you cant hear each other. And not very busy.
1 bar which is 2 blocks east, very locals. kids etc. Ok food tho.
1 irish bar 2 blocks west. Good live band etc. The crowd left something to be desired tho.

The other backpackers (which Ive since found are apparently more happening) have closed gate policys. IE no open bar. whouldnt know if it was any good.
but from reccommendations post fraser Is trip. Stay in Beaches. Not Koalas!

Hervey bay is a ~50,000 cluster of people which i guess the average age is ~69
not much going on.
beach is v shallow. But would be good to learn on.

Spent 1 day waiting for forecast wind.
No such luck

Well post byron I did another mission drive.

Byron -> Hervey Bay.
I stopped in Brisbane to watch a movie tho.
Im such a scooter driver. I never comprehend what parking signs really mean. Im used to parking anywhere for as long as I want.

So I arrived in brisbane. found a park on the street (2P) and was astounded that it cost to park in places in byron but not brisbane.

walked to cinema, thinking that that just cant be right.
watched ‘closer’ about a 4 way sex triangle. made me laugh and I left in a really good mood. I even thought on the way back that I would have a ticket for exceding 2hours.

I didnt really mind this idea, as i was getting better at parking a vehicle.

So when i turned the corner to see it stuck to my windscreen I wasnt too bothered.

When I read it, failure to display ticket in pay & display area, I could only laugh.
I had only looked for the meter that is at every park. Not one of those silly ones where you have to get the ticket and put it in your windscreen.

still. I havent had one in Sydney for parking scooter on footpath for several months. And i average one of those every 3 months @ $70. so this at $50 I can still giggle at.

One day i will be proficient on legally parking a vehicle in a city.

second day of diving cancelled due to weather.
I have decided to head north, and do the remaining 2 days of diving on my way back south. Otherwise I dread being stuck in byron for ages and not getting to see the places I want to.

Well after getting up @ 6am this morning for the first dive @ Julian Rocks. The dive has been delayed till tomorrow due to bad weather. V Frustrating. And now it has also foiled my backup plan of popping back up to surfers for some flat water kiting. 24 knots of wind & 37 knot gusts already & its only 7am.

time to find out what there is to do in byron.

well Ive done my first day of the day open water course.

All i have seen so far is a small pool, but its fun nonetheless.

and apparently (according to a travel guide tourist chick) that julian rocks where all our open water dives are is in the top 10 of spots in Aussie.

I found it hilarious that the lecturer said you shouldnt climb any mountains greater than 2.4km highwithin 24 hours of diving. Lucky Aussies highest mountain is Mount
Kosciuszko, 2228m PFFT!

Staying in the ArtsFactory. Seems to be quite groovy. But I miss all the activities like making a diggereedoo.

Schweet

Well, A huge nite was had in Byron.

met up with Martin ~7 and headed to Cheecky Charlies -> Beach Hotel -> railway hotel -> and back to the high quality that is Cheekys.

Ended up on stage in a contest to win a scuba dive course.
about 8 on stage, pick heads or tails, and if you loose remove 1 item of clothing.

I managed to beat them all, and retained my boxers.
So now I have the four day course starting Monday.
Wooohoo!

Was something I was keen to do at some stage, and now i can do it for free! Apparently Byron has some of the best diving in Aussie

back on the GC for the weekend, since I figure that 4 more days in byron will be enough.

The number of days remaining in my holiday is disturbingly low. a Lowly 17 if I return to Sydney on the 7th as planned.
Will have to plan where Im going to go.

At this stage I will only go as far north as Hervey Bay, then work my way back down the coast.

The wind is finally NE, so I’m heading out to Currumbin Alley for a kitesurfing session.

Im finally leaving the comfort of a proper bed on the Gold Coast (and flat waters for Kitesurfing) for Byron/Lennox Head.

Im not sure how much kiting I will manage down there with the prevailing Southerly winds. Im sure I will find somewhere.
I cant believe I still haven’t kited right outside my door here, Currumbin Alley. Its due to swing NE this afternoon, so maybe I’ll hang around for that just so I can say I’ve done it.

With T moving back to Brisbane, we now have a new flatmate moving in on Sat. A fellow kiwi.

Haven’t met/talked to her yet.