Mooloolaba

I arrived in Mooloolaba at around 12 noon. I got dropped off at the side of the road (which is a first, as usually the Greyhound buses have a big bus stop area with tourist information and shuttle buses to the hostels) and was a little confused as to what to do without the extra help. However there was a hostel across the road, so I thought I'd try there, either it would be that one or they could help me find the one I had pre-booked.

Turns out it was that one, so I checked in, made myself a Chicken Mayo,  lettuce, sweetcorn, cucumber sandwich and then went to explore Mooloolaba for a while, as well as to try and find the library for some free internet access.

The weather wasn't at it's best, with greyish skies and short bursts of rain, so I used my raincoat for the first time since coming to Australia and walked along the rocky beach feeling impressed by the moody scenes in front of me.

I walked from the beach near the hostel for about 1 hour along the coast line until I got to the library, with bursts of sunshine and bursts of rain, it was a pretty sweet walk. At the library, I created a temporary account and booked myself an hours internet access, during which I managed to update my blog about Byron Bay. (http://lucyslocations.blogspot.com.au/2013/05/byron-bay.html).

Sea-salt Skating 

The next day, I got up early again to go to Australia Zoo, home of the crocodile hunter Steve Irwin, via the big yellow Australia Zoo bus, at 9.20 am from around the corner from the hostel.

Stephen Robert "Steve" Irwin (22 February 1962 – 4 September 2006), nicknamed "The Crocodile Hunter", was an Australian wildlife expert,^[1][2] television personality, and conservationist. Irwin achieved worldwide fame from the television series The Crocodile Hunter, an internationally broadcast wildlife documentary series which he co-hosted with his wife Terri. Together, the couple also owned and operated Australia Zoo, founded by Irwin's parents in Beerwah, about 80 kilometres (50 mi) north of theQueensland state capital city of Brisbane. Irwin died on 4 September 2006 after being pierced in the chest by a stingray barb while filming an underwater documentary film titled Ocean's Deadliest.

I arrived at the zoo around 10 am and headed straight for the kangaroos, which I had heard you could feed and stroke. Before that though, I came across a lizard just sunning itself and wondered for a couple of minutes whether it was a wild animal or an escaped one... I also got to hold a little alligator on my way over to the Kangaroos, the underbelly was so super soft!

Big old turtle

Escaped?

I bought some "Roo Food" for $2 and then went into "Roo Haven". At first I couldn't see any at all, then I saw a very small one lying on the ground in the shade of a tree. I went up to it slowly, a little nervous and amazed that I was allowed to do this unsupervised. It got up and hopped over to me, very interested in what I had in my little brown pouch and not at all bothered when I started stroking it. So cute!

After a while, I got back up off of the floor and walked around, over a little stream and suddenly there were about 30 kangaroos all lying there in the sun. I was one of the only people in the area so it really was something quiet magical. I fed a couple more Kangaroos and then decided to head over to the Koala Walk.

A Wild Turkey and Captive Kangaroo friendship

Koala's are also really soft. They don't do much but sleep and eat either as apparently the food that they eat, doesn't give them a lot of energy. I think they have really strange eyes while Kangaroos have really weird mouths!

After the Koalas, I wasn't really sure what to do, so I just had a wonder around the park, saw some elephants, two red pandas, was impressed by the tigers and then headed over to "Africa".

For Abigail, no big pandas, so this will have to do!

The tigers made me think of James Welch, how are you doing Lion Boy? Unfortunately there were no lions in this zoo, but I hope you like the photos of the tigers just as much! And carrying on the animal dedications, Becky Lewis, this place does have Giraffes but unfortunately they were not out in their field because they were constructing a new area for the Rhino Babies, so I don't have any Giraffe photos for you. :( but here's a Zebra instead...

Casually grooming a Rhino

Taking a Cheetah for a walk

On the way to the Crocoseum for the 12.30 Wild Warriors show, I saw some pretty birds and some red Kangaroos.

The show started with at least 15 birds flying around our heads, from big vultures to tiny little green parrots.

Then the snakes came out, including a little demonstration on what to do when you get bitten by a snake.

Then this little bird stole a $5 note from a lady in the audience and then flew back to give it back. Pretty sweet trick!

 But then the real show started and the crocodiles came out! Baaaaboom Baaaboom Baaaboom...
They fed them live in front of us and told us a little bit about their hunting habits, like how they can move through water without causing ripples, so there's no way you can know that they are there. Eep!

 After that excitement, I went for another little walk through the park and saw an Emu and then went to the 15 minute Elephant talk. Including a look at an elephants tongue - weeeiiiiiirrrddd.

After that, it was getting pretty late so I walked back through the park, had a quick lye down with another Kangaroo, saw some tropical birds, a wombat, some cute otters and then headed over to the Animal Hospital.

Angry little bird.

Access to the Animal Hospital was just an extra $2, and you got a little view of the rescue operation area, how they help wild Koalas who get hit by cars etc. and some information on how you can help protect the "Steve Irwin Dream".

I had a pretty good day at the zoo, although I think it would have been a lot better if I hadn't been on my own. Zoo's are definitively a multi-person activity!
Lucy xxo

Surfers Paradise

I stayed in my first ever Party Hostel in Surfers Paradise, I was in a dorm with 16 beds. As soon as I arrived, the people started talking to me and I felt comfortable with my room mates straight away. The plan was to do the Backpackers Big Night Out (www.backpackersbignightout.com.au) which runs every Wednesday and Saturday.

A music video being shot in the town

First I headed to the shops to get a pair of cheap flip flops as I had lost mine in Byron Bay. I also needed a pair of nicer shoes to go out in since otherwise I'd only have flip flops or hiking boots. I stumbled across a sale and managed to get a pair of black heel wedges for just $15. I also got a pair of brown flip flops for $2. So I headed back to the hostel pretty happy, and ready for the night to begin.

The view from my hostel window

We all had 2 hot dogs (2 sausages, 2 slices of bread, ketchup and a bit of onion) for free before the coach came and took us to our venues. (Which were actually a 5 minute walk away for us, since our hostel was so central. However, we got on and then it went to another hostel, before taking us to the first venue - why they did it this way around I don't know!) Overall the venues were pretty good, some of them reminded me a bit of Amsterdam as all the waitresses, bar-women etc. were dressed in corsets or underwear.

Sunset from the hostel

The next day I went shopping with Justice (19 from Canada, with a twin sister called Liberty) who needed a pair of "pants" or jeans for us British people. We ended up in a shopping mall with a Target and got a good pair for $15. We also had a quick arcade session including that machine where you have to dance... I was so terrible at it, it was hilarious.

That night, after dinner, I decided because my bus was really early in the morning (leaving at 8.25 am) that I wouldn't go out, so I packed my stuff and climbed into bed, but Justice and Marco (24 and from Germany) weren't having any of that and in the end, Marco LITERALLY grabbed my ankles and dragged me from my bed and into the bathroom, while Justice grabbed my towel and threw it in after me. That was definitively one of the funniest evenings I've had in a long time.

Marco and me

Justice and me

Some members of my dorm room and some new friends too

Left is the part-owner of the hostel

The barwoman and barman

The next morning, Friday 10th May, I got up at 7 am after lying in bed for 1 hour complaining and then rushed to get to my bus for 8 am. On the bus from Surfers Paradise to Mooloolaba, I realised that I hadn't actually seen much of Surfers Paradise - I mean I hadn't even been to the beach there, but I had a real good time, made some great friends and to be honest, I've seen a hell of a lot of beaches in the past 2 weeks!

Lucy xxo

Byron Bay

I was in Byron Bay for a week and I loved it. Byron is generally a very relaxed place with a bit of a hippy vibe. It's a great place to meet people and surf. It's also really pretty as you can see from the pictures.


Look Right



Look Left

Since the internet is real slow here and I have limited time because I am in the Library so I'll just give a quick account of what kind of things I did while in Byron.

I came across a path leading into the trees and went down it
until I got scared because this is Australia and I was on my own.
I did see a wild Turkey though!

I did my first load of washing since coming to Australia and hung it up among palm trees.

I watched a little group of sarong-dressed people with drums walk through the town center and onto the beach.

I met Nadia and Brittany (both from Canada) and Adam (from Australia)
during a cinema trip to see Iron Man 3.

I went surfing with Estelle from Ireland and Elliott from Australia.

 

The next day I went to the beach again with Brittany, Nadia, Elliott and Estelle.

And we got incredibly close to some Seagulls

And Elliott managed to train them

Even to eat out of his closed hand...

 

On Saturday we did the trip to Nimbin



Brittany, Nadia, myself and Estelle

The Tour Bus
Saturday for me was one of the best days so far in Australia, mainly thanks to these 3 girls!



In Nimbin, there were several events occuring, including a campervan parade, a dance to
The Age of Aquarious infront of a police car and a competition to see who
could fill a bag with herbs and be the closest to weighing an ounce.

The bus was supposed to take us back at 5pm but Nadia, Brittany and I risked it and stayed longer,
Estelle went back because she was leaving the next day.
We saw this little boy be absolutely amazing at those battons with flames on the end, he can't have been older than 6.
In the end, we managed to get the 8pm bus back even though they originally said it was full.
A perfect end to a perfect day.

I went surfing one last time with my two roommates Patric and Kyle
Also both from Canada.

On my last day in Byron, Elliott drove Brittany, Nadia and I to the light house.

And we walked to the most Easternly point of Australia.

That night we went out for the last time together and the next day I got on my second Greyhound bus.

After Byron Bay, I went to Surfers Paradise for 2 nights and now I am in Mooloolaba for 2 nights as well. (Including a trip to the Australian Zoo) Hopefully I will be able to update my blog again soon and tell you what that was like but it seems that none of the hostels I am staying at have free wifi. (I walked one hour today to get to the library). I also managed to step on my tablet and crack up the screen on the left hand side so now only half of the screen works which sucks, but at least it still works!

Till next time,
Lucy xxo