Queensland

From the Blue Mountains, I took the train back to Sydney and then a flight to Brisbane where I stopped off at Chill Backpackers. As always, I carefully selected my backpackers based on its proximity to the transport centres. The one thing I do not enjoy about backpacking is carrying my backpack! Chill Backpackers is not only conveniently situated close to the bus/train station, but it has a great roof terrace with views over the city. It is aptly named because it is nice and friendly, but not too party, party.

Brisbane was only really a stop off before taking the bus up to Hervey Bay, but I thought I should make the most of the few hours I had in the morning and look around the city. Took a walk along the South Bank and through the botanical gardens. All very pretty but I think one of the reasons that Australian cities seem so much nicer than UK ones is that the sun is shining making everything look so much cleaner and brighter.

After that, it was a 5 hour bus ride to Hervey Bay. Another really nice hostel - The Woolshed. Small, family run and not the standard dorm rooms with bunk beds but single beds instead. Well done, Lonely Planet guide book - you definitely got it right with your rating on this one. My only complaint would be that someone stole my left over pizza from the fridge. I should point out that I don't normally eat pizza but I arrived in Hervey Bay too late to contemplate food shopping and cooking so went for the easy takeaway option. As the pizza was huge, I thought I would save half of it for the following night. And yes, I know that is somewhat skanky but I'm a backpacker on a budget, plus after my time in Africa I feel bad about wasting food! Anyway, perhaps it is just as well someone took it as I was saved from eating pizza two days running.

My first day in Hervey Bay was spent on the beach - need to top up that tan as it must have been all of a week since I last sunbathed... I also went to the Vic Hislop shark exhibition place which was interesting. Sharks are big news in Australia at the moment as a diver was killed by one last week, just a couple of weeks after someone else was killed by one in the same area. So there is a lot of debate about what should be done. Some say that there should be some culling of sharks given that they have no natural predators and we are reducing the numbers of all other fish (i.e. their food) thus it becomes more likely they might attack humans. Not sure what I think but it does make you nervous about swimming in the ocean.

The last couple of days have been spent doing a two day one night trip to Fraser Island (just off the coast from Hervey Bay). Fraser Island is quite unique. It's the biggest sand island in the world. There are no roads, just four wheel drive tracks. Driving along 75 mile beach was very cool. No swimming in the ocean here as the rips and undertows are lethal and the waters are shark infested (that is not me being paranoid - they genuinely are!). However, there are lots of gorgeous fresh water lakes and creeks to swim in, along with massive sand dunes and rain forests to explore. Dingoes live on the island. They look like wild dogs but are closely related to the Asian wolf. Definitely a fun couple of days, although the sun didn't put in much of an appearance which was a shame.

Took the bus back to Brisbane today and was supposed to be getting a flight to Sydney tonight. Got on the plane, was about to take off, then Quantas announced the grounding of its entire fleet indefinitely. So I'm currently stranded in Brisbane. Luckily Chill Backpackers has a bed (shame they only have a bed in the slightly more luxourious female only 4 bed dorm - can't say I'm disappointed, it's worth the extra money). Fortunately, I do have until Tuesday to find my way back to Sydney as that's when I fly to New Zealand. That said, I was supposed to be meeting up with a bunch of people from my Africa trip for a reunion BBQ tomorrow so it's really disappointing that I now am not going to be able to make it. I fear I am looking at a very long bus trip back to Sydney as there are zero flights available via other airlines for the next two days. And the Greyhound bus website keeps crashing which probably means that it is also being inundated with ticket sales...challenges, challenges.. However, I refuse to be stressed out by all this and become like some of the people at the airport who were majorly stressed - very entertaining to watch!