Crystal and Patty left on Monday to fly back to L.A. I had a fantastic time while they were here, and it may very well have been the most fun I've had since I left Denver. I laughed so hard everyday for 7 days that my abs were sore by the time they left!
We started out in Brisbane. I met the girls at the airport. They finally came out of customs after about an hour and a half. We rented a car and drove to Byron Bay, about 1.5 to 2 hours south of Brisbane. It was a nice little town right on the beach, but the weather was crap...and Australia wasn't turning out to be too enticing to Crystal and Patty.
Luckily the weather changed overnight, and the second day we had beautiful blue skies! We headed to the "Most Easterly Point of the Australia Mainland" just outside of Byron Bay. To get to it you have to walk or drive up a hill where there is a lighthouse then hike down and out east. On the way to the lighthouse we were lucky enough to spot some humpback whales heading north to warmer water to have their babies. We could see them splashing around, and although they were fairly far out, we occassionally got a glimpse of the whales...enough to identify there colors. It was awesome! I would love to go on a whale watching tour some day.
From Byron Bay we drove about six hours north to Noosa, where we got kicked out of a hotel before we checked in...may have had something to do with the booze breath that was radiating from Crystal, but I think the owner was just crotchety. I was the designated driver, or the skipper as they say here, so no booze breath for me. That was definitely a low point seeing as it was already 10.00 p.m. and all the hotel receptions were closed. Ugh. But we managed to eventually find a hostel with an open reception until 11...we barely made it. They didn't have any triple rooms, so we crammed into a room with two twin beds...the smallest twins you've ever seen. Crystal and Patty squeezed into one, and I was lucky enough to get my own. (Thanks Crystal and Patty!)
We spent one night there, then headed up to Agnes Water/Town of 1770 where we really splurged on a snorkeling trip to the Great Barrier Reef. It was pretty cool, although we all three were sea sick. Poor Patty was the only one who really had to make use of the barf bags...but Crystal and I were going downhill pretty fast once finally moved inside from the back of the boat where we were having a grand ol' time gettting soaked...I mean absolutely SOAKED...until the sun went behind the clouds never to return and we spent the next 6 hours freezing. By the time we finally made it to Lady Musgrave Island, we were really a collective wreck. But we had a great time all in all.
We spent three night in Agnes Water...met some great people there. Crystal maybe fell in love. Then we had to head back to Brisbane for one night before Crystal and Patty had to fly back. We stopped at the Australia zoo and fed kangaroos and petted koalas. Wow !
Would like to write more, but my time on the free computer is running out.
I leave tomorrow and a three week road trip with a Belgian guy and a German girl. I met the guy at my hostel and he met the girl through a community website like craigslist...she was looking for a ride north.
Two minutes to go...
Something is wrong with my camera. I can't seem to download/upload photos. It seems like I may have a virus. Is that possible?
Gotta run!
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