Sun Sea Surf & Kangaroos

Noosa


We liked Noosa with its relaxing river setting, took a while to find the Hostel as it was down a small street just off the river front. But once there we found it was a cool place..




The river seems to over lots of things to do, sailing, canoeing, fishing, there was even a river ferry to transport you up the length of the river!!!

We found the town of Noosa about a 25 minute walk, over another bridge, we also noted how many big expensive houses there were along the riverside/beach areas. Such lovely big houses cost megga bucks!!!!!



The evenings offered a lovely sunset in this quite place,so relaxing even the town goes to sleep early.....




The main town offered you everthing you could want retail wise...as long as you had lots of money to spend, but that did not seem to put people off coming..surfers riding with boards attached to their scooters was a sight to see!!! Surferes of all ages attracted to the sea!!




We spent a day out with family and driving around some different areas we came upon some wild kangaroos..oh what a treat, it made our day, they seemed so relaxed that we were able to get quite close to them. Also being in a 4x4 we were able to get to other out of the way places!!!


We found this love part of the river that we would have never got to, it as really remote but in the centre of like a boggy area, could be nice and private, by too far out for me!!!

We found Sunshine Beach while out in the car, its a huge beach so long, and with HUGE waves rolling in and tubes, this is the best place to be to in the surf!!!!

Paranella Park

Tully gun boot, centre of
sugar cane processing

The House That Jose' Built.
From mission beach 45 minutes by car across some really nice country roads, going through sugar cane area, there are lots of sugar cane train tracks in this area which produces some of the highest quality sugar products in the world. (I have driven from Port Douglas to Rockhampton, and all I passed on the way was sugar can for over a 1000K = to the length of the UK) We really do live in a small place.

Paronella Park not knowing what to expect, you are about to embark on a Journey of Discovery. Quote from the leaflet.

Ps do not forget you Camera,
Drive into the car park walk to reception met by one of the Paronella park team, "Hi how are you?"
"Where are you from?"
How did you here about us?

All visitors to the park have to do the guided tour it's part of the price,this will enlighten you to the question why?
Would a Spanish guy spend time and money building his very own castle miles from nowhere thousands of miles from his home in Spain

Jose' a Spanish guy had a dream and made it happen.(note if you want something bad enough you will make it happen.)

He knew he need money to accomplish his dream, he started work as a cane cutter, moved on to owning he own cane plantations
He also bought building to do up and sell on to make his dream come true.

Its an amazing place to visit the gardens, buildings and play areas, including a theatre, tennis court, fountains and beautiful waterfall,   









Bats from the Lovers tunnel








A worthwhile place to visit to show what can be achieved if you put time effort and planning.

You can take a picnic and enjoy in the gardens and stay all day,

Although the cost is $78 for 2 adults this gives you another opportunity to visit at night to see the park all lit up.

City Walk Random Pictures

Today we did the city walk
A self guided tour taken in three city parks and points of interest.
Plan to spend at least 2 to 3 hours using a city walk map gained from the information office.
To discover Brisbane's green heart.

We started at 10.30 and finished at 15.30 we were walking slowly plus a jug of beer came in handy around 14.00.

Here are a sample of photo's we took.

 On the way to the Roma Gardens

You can walk the gardens your self or take the Trackless train will take you round the park we didn't see it today. Every corner you turn you see something different, we found waterfalls and fountains that can delight and inspire you.

There are works of art and gardens
filled with lots of colourful plants.

We found the amphitheatre that has grass steps to sit on. Amongst this
is a area where they have designed around the remains of trees that fell
during the cyclone, also lots are being supported to help regain there
hold.


 Coming away from the park we walked along a street called
Wickham Terrace and at the end found a windmill that was built by convicts in 1828 and is the oldest building in Brisbane.  We then headed down a ladder (Jacobs Ladder) which is a short cut into Upper Edward Street.                                                



A natural spring provided the young colony (1856) with water and this gave the suburb the name it has today...Spring Hill.






We walked further and each part of this walk showed us lovely example of heritage architecture, that most people would never see unless they ventured out in to the other parts of the city, beyond the shopping malls!!!

The workers cottages, remains of air raid shelters used in WW2. We came across Anzac Square which is the home of a shrine which is used on remembrance, a place of reflection, with bottle trees and plams.

We came across a place called Post Office square which is a small public area in front of the GPO building, which is built on top of a mall...we went down steps and found (of all things) food court (serving all different things for lunch) but this was no ordinary place because through the centre you came up into the square, this place is popular with city workers during lunchtimes  another example of just what things you can find in this city!!!!

Our walk took us towards the Botanic Gardens passed the Mansions which were built 1889 and are still being used as residence and a restaurant, we noted the cats that look down on you as you pass!!! Passed The Queens land club 'private gentlemens club' still barred to women!!!!

We walked past the Botanic Gardens towards the Goodwill bridge which took us across the river into the South Bank. we have already visited this area, when the markets were here on Saturday, we found the same pub and brought ourselves a well deserved jug of beer. and sat down to rest our feet.

Children's play park south bank has some neat swings and roundabouts, with mirrors in odd places

Confucius say "those who walk long way, have sore feet and long sleep."

Long day a sample of photos out 156 enjoy a quick blog

Views & Comments Backpacking

Hostels, Places, People, Rooms, Kitchens, Food & AOB???!!!


First, they are not inhabited by teenage twenty something s or thirty year olds thinking they missed the "Twenty's


What we thought we be walking in to was a big mistake, we have come across all age groups young middle aged and retired people from all parts of the world.
Including builders in mission beach, to a retaired lady we met in Airlie Beach then Rockhampton and she will be in Noosa same time as us but different hostels, she was retracing her youth.


Rules: Yes there are a few.

• Your mum's not here so do your own washing up!!!
• Label all your food in the fridge 'or it will be thrown out'!!!
• Keep the noise level down after 10pm
• Don't wash your shoes in the washing machines
• No food to be kept in your room!! it invites ANTS!!!!
• Sleeping bags not allowed...Bed Bugs!!!

Note Bed bugs are not inhabitance of budget guest rooms or poor people, they are carried around in baggage/suitcase and taken from hostel to hostel. or hotel to hotel .All linen has to be laundered when guest has vacated the rooms. Bed bugs like dark, moist corners and only come out early in the morning to FEED on you!!! Yuk..... You can kill bed bugs by washing bedding at a hot temperature and exposing to sunshine!!!

So..wash it and hang it out.....

Eating and cooking

You will soon find the optimum time for carrying out this task, as most backpackers seem to inhabit the kitchen around 6.30 onwards.. its best to get in early if you want space and not just elbow room, also different kitchens seem to have different amounts of prep space or even hobs... you will also find the lack of an OVEN, so will have to re-invent meals or just do microwaves or boiled pasta!!!!

International Backpacker cuisine = PASTA 1000 WAYS  

We have seen a vast amount of pasta being eaten in different guises,all with some sort of bolognaise or red sauce, and they seem to make LOADS of it could feeeeeed the whole hostel!!!!

Now something different American couple older than us cooked beef sausages for breakfast, cut them up put into a big soup / cereal bowl, The lady must have had a sweet tooth, beef sausages with strawberry jam eating with her hands (finger food) Her husband ok had mustard. 


Rooms


On the whole we have found the rooms to be fine, most air-conditioned in one form or another be it a noisy unit or just drafty windows lol. They have been clean even the bedding is laundered so no problems there, beds are comfortable (have seen new mattresses being delivered in two hostels). 
One thing we would say it that the walls are rather thin...so you do hear everything, and I mean everything..even the screaming, and groaning coming from the other rooms (don't ask, just use your imagination!!!!)
There wasn't a saggy mattress in any of the rooms we stayed in, This is better then some 4 Star hotels we have stayed in.

• Best sheets and brand new commercially laundry wash goes to parrot fish Port Douglas
• Best room size en suite goes to Port Douglas
• Best welcome Richard and his team in Mission Beach Retreat
• Best entertainment and most involved manager Airlie Beach YHA
• Worst Kitchen goes to Rockhampton YHA
• Most Modern and up todate YHA Brisbane

Top good ideas we have found so far!!

• Dish sets - containing plates,bowl,cups and cutlery - Noosa
• Free unlimited wifi - Parrotfish
• Constant boiled hotwater for tea/coffee - All hostels
• Cold water bottle refills, free - Brisbane
• Free courtesy buses provided at all hostel- outstanding
• Showers always HOT!!! whatever time you shower!!!!
• Constant team of volunteer cleaners to keep hostel sparkling!!! 

Further updates to come

Airlie Beach

Sand, Sea & Sailing.
Coming off the Bruce Highway 22k to go, winding through rain forest we entered the port of Airlie Beach. Wow what a cool place bars, cafes, restaurants, backpacking hostels this place seems to have it all!!!

Found the Hostel on the end of the main street after a 5 hour drive its situated next to Dominos Pizza. First impressions town of Airlie Beach is set up to cater for tourists, mainly backpackers focussing on Whitsunday and Great Barrier Reef trips either by super sonic jet boats or gentle sailing boats, old fashioned schooners and modern air conditioned catamaran.

YHA Front Entrance

After the quiet of Mission beach thank god there are more choices of place to eat and get a cold beer!!!!
There were streets full of people laughing and having a good time.

We walked the high street, checking out the prices of meals and choice of menus, we eventually decided on a place called "Down Under" bar which was having a good deal for a meal and beer/wine included in the one price of $13.00 each. Music and Videos playing everywhere around the bar, daily events happening, including a pole dancing nite!!! While having our meal I noticed (jeannette) that there was a GIANT jenga in the corner for anyone to play, and  pool tables were free.
The night club vibrated till 2am. As OUR room was next to the night, boy did they have an effect on us.

We found a local "Coffee Club" within a new marina complex, which looks like they are struggling to fill the shop units as the coffee place was the only one there. Impressions is no demand for the volume of building in the area.

Mark walked the legs off me again and we ended up at the Airlie Beach main Marina. sat looking at all the very expensive boats...if only..!!! Decided if we cant own one then we would certainly go sailing on one...time to decided which one!!!!!

Sailing Whitsundays


We chose the Camira catamaran, proper sailing, unfortunately so did 35 American students.
Are we in  for an interesting day, lucky for us all they wanted to do was strip off and sunbathe, one girl stating that she was not going to wear sunscreen as she wanted a tan!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Boy was she burnt,
After 30 minutes sailing we stopped at "Daydream Island" to pick up some more passengers who had the days sailing as part of their package.
This is an all days sailing trip that included snorkeling in one of the bays of another island sail to whitehaven beach, which is pure white silica(not sand).

Drunk students playing rugby on
 whitehaven  beach

To get to the island we all had to get into the dingy, then jump out of it and wade to the shore, knee deep in water, If you think getting out was bad try getting back in it, not at all dignified, more like landing a fish, tummy first leg over side and then thud!!! your back in, then having to watch everyone else as the dingy fills up with people.
Also we had a brilliant BBQ, steak, sausages, fish and lots of salad, rolls, beer and wine help yourself.
Which the American students did in vast quantities as if they had never seen beer and wine before.

Interesting day learnt a lot about the whitsundays, captain cook, Hamilton Island playground for the rich and famous, including it's own airport.
We recommend a days sailing if you did't want to do the 2/3night trips, if you book through the YHA you will get a good deal.








Airlie beach I would come back here again it has something for all.