Gag-a-ju, ju ju push Pineapple shake the tree

Hello and welcome to 2008. I know it's a couple of days late but I've been bust roughing it in the Australian bush. You don't even get phone signal out there, and as for the wireless internet connection I'm not even going to start.

After weeks of staying in nothing but brillaint hostels we decided that it was time for a change and that the four walls and solid roof approach was getting a little boring. A little place called Noosa, just north of Brisbane was to be the place of this adventure.

Not quite knowing what to expect apart from the fact that we knew the "camp" was in the bush we got into the town on the Greyhound about 4 hours before we were to be picked up, enough time for some research! Staright to the information booth, "Do you know what time time the shuttle to Gagaju bushcamp is getting here?" After a quick phone call it was confirmed that we did infact have to wait 4 hours (in the rain I am sure you'll be all very glad to here) and that they were extremly relaxed so this could easily change.

Were we back in Africa again? to our surprise though a wonderful man called Allen picked us up, on time and took us to our destiny which was simply brilliant. After being slight scared about a number of stories from our driver about how people had left within minutes of arriving our 6 bed dorm at Gagaju for just the two of us, plus a handful of spiders and small army of mosquitos was more than suffcient.

But Allen's talents did not sure stop with his bush driving, he used to be a chef, and so cooked us up some traditional bush grub of cow smoothered totilla chips with a spiced juis compote a.k.a nachos. Something told me that bush living wasn't going to quite as bad as you'd think, especially after a number of beers we're sunk whilst lying in the hammock. The free fishing, bush walks and drinking games with four dutch lads was also a step in the right direction and funnily enough was alot more eventuful than our stay in the Gold Coast over new years.

Now when I say Gold Coast think, high rised ridden s**thole impersonating Benidorms poorer brother. Well ok, it might not have been that bad but the cancelled fireworks and downpours didn't do much for our mood. I'm not going to bore you all with the details but we arrived at 5 and was on the beach about half 12 chanting with a crowd of Aussies after welcoming in the new year. I'm sure you can fill in the gaps.

Now as we were in Costa del Australasia we thought it would only be fair to operate in the same manner as we would have done at home, none of that foreign muck for us thanks very much, I'll have a Kebab for dinner, couple of pints, footy on tele and a night at the arcades. Maybe this
place isn't as bad as I first made out, we were still missing a dozen or so Geordie lasses upturned in the street choking on their own vomit after sinking the local irish bars entire stock of bicardi breezers.

I must say I'm confusing myself writing this thing, I can barely even remember what I have been up to. Ahh, Brisbane that was it. what can I say about this place, cheap transport, outdoor pools and a walk around some lagoons which resembled the Florida everglades. Am I boring you? I think I'm boring myself slightly, lets fastforward to today...

We probably hit the jackpot, snorkling in the Great Barrier Reef and yes it is every bit as good as they say it is. The most beautful coloured fish, crystal clear waters and not a cloud in the sky. The sort of picture postcard stuff you'd expect from Australia in the summer, certainly one of my highlights and, although I still haven't had a shower I think I've avoided sunburn which judging by my dairy coloured tone is worth a blog entry alone. I hope I don't come to regret that last sentence, and if I'm not brown by May well I suppose there's always St Tropez lotion.

Off to sink another glass of the best lemonade known to man now I think, yum yum. Hope your Monday mornings was as good as mine.

And for another time, that's all folks...

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