Thurs 16th - Weds 22nd July - Cougars, Sickies and Hippies

Thursday 16th July

After spending about 3 hours holed up in an internet cafe (geek!), I rushed back, changed my trousers, ate a pot noodle (most of which i ate on the way to the bus stop), and we got a bus into town. Backpackers get a lot of deal in surfers - if we got to 'Cocktails and Dreams' by 10:30pm we got free entry and a free drink. So we rushed down there! We had a good night, we got chatted up by 18-yr olds, they were so funny bless them! Lil got us some cheap drinks out of one of them, who worked there! We nick named ourselves the Cougars after that! haha! We then had a dance for a bit and headed back to the hostel. The hostel is really cool, little pool and really friendly, plus rach managed to get us a cheap deal with just 3 of us in the room, sweet!

In Cocktails and Dreams

Friday 17th July

We spent most of the day on the beach, I read my book. It's not really hot as it is winter but hot enough to lie on the beach! Lil started to feel a bit ill, shes got a bad cough. So Rach and Lil had a nap and I wandered the nearby little town - Southport. Southport's only about 20 minute walk to Surfers Paradise and a bit more in the quiet, so it was great location. We had arranged to meet somepne me and lil went to school with - Lorna Peters, she's a rep at another backpackers in Southport. We had a drink and a catch up in an Irish bar, she told us about the crazy life as a rep! She then got us free entry to 'The Bedroom' club and $50 worth of drinks at the bar! She kept going up and using the $50 rep crard to get drinks, was brilliant! Unfiortunately lil felt like she needed to catch up on sleep as she was pretty ill, so she went home early. But me and Rachel got very merry with Lornas free drinks and had a good ol'dance. Mostly taking the mick out of a bloke that constantly punched the air - that was his dancing!! We got the bus back and stumbled into bed!

Me and Rach with Lorna in 'The bedroom'

Saturday 18th July


Another chilled day, me and rach went shopping in the local Southport mall, got lunch and dinner. Then we all chilled by the pool for a bit, and we made Fajitas for dinner! That night was the Backpackers Big Night Out! About 4 hostels - 120ish people, free drink and entry to 4 clubs, we all went around together, it was madness! We spent about an hour in each club, and before we went we had punch in the hostel and was given a big straw hat and a glow stick. Was a very bizarre night! We didnt make it to the last club but we had a lot of fun!

On the Backpackers Big night out

Sunday 19th July

We got up and sat by the pool for a bit. Lil was still poorly and Rach was starting to feel rough too! I then went into Southport and saw Harry Potter 6 film - was brilliant! I went by myself and had a big box of popcorn (altho it was salt as they dont have sweet here - mad!), i kept seeing other people by themselves and we gave each other little nods, was funny! That evening we went to the beach and watched the sunset, was really pretty altho unfortunately the big skyscrapers of Surfers kind of blocked most of it out! We then ate a little cheap Thai restaurant and went back.

Sunset at Surfers Paradise

In the town

Under the surfers Paradise sign - bit blurry which is a shame!

Monday 20th July

We packed up and got a bus to Byron Bay. It was just over an hour. Byron Bay is a weird quaint little hippy town. We are staying at a big hostel called The Arts Factory, full of hippies, surfers and people playing guitars. We are in a normal down but you can also sleep in theme rooms, camp or dorm teepees! We looked around the town, had noodles in a box and then went to bed (early night for the poorly ones - I'm now reading lil's book).

On Byron Bay beach

Tuesday 21st July

Spent the day on the beach and looking around the town. In the evening we had dinner, bought some drinks from the bottle shop ( I had cider) and then played Pictionary with some people from the hostel! Rachel and the Irish guy won (we decided to split up as it might be easier as we knew each other), me and Tyler (american) came second! Was a good evening, really funny as we started to take it really seriously. The sickies got to bed early and I read till 2:30am (loser!).

Wednesday 22nd July

Today we walked up to the lighthouse, it was quite a long walk but really picturesque! Across the beach and up and down a trail through trees, we got some great views. I got some amazing photos on my big camera. We had an Ice cream at the top then walked back, we then went to the Bead Shop - where you can make your own jewellery. We all made a bracelet and then headed to the supermarket. We cooked pasta and then had some goon (cheap boxed wine - it's gross). Now here I am typing up this!

On the walk to the Lighthouse

..and with a sign

Our names in the sand!

Not too bad catching up as we've been relaxing most days. We're off to small town Coolangatta tomorrow for one night and then up to Noosa. We're booking up some more tours soon for up the coast - Fraser Island and the Whitsundays, looking forward to them! Not many photos as I've only bought Lils camera to the computer. Most of the pics are split between rach ands lils cameras now (and big pics on my beast camera), so i will make sure i bring hers too next time.

Miss u all lots Hxx