Driving to Brisbane - a fantastic experience!

Steve Urwin's Australia Zoo
Originally uploaded by Frickley.

We travelled on from Yeppoon to Hervey Bay and enjoyed a tour of Frazer Island (the largest sand island in the world, and remotely populated). The day included a short ferry trip from the mainland to the island, where we boarded a 4x4 bus and drove along (very) uneven sandy roads.

Firstly we stopped at Lake Birabeen - a gorgeous fresh water lake with pure white sands - before moving on to do a rainforest walk and then have lunch in one of the island's few hotels. After that we took a drive along Seventy-Five Mile beach - it was thrilling as we were driving right at the waters-edge, weaving in and out of the waves. Finally we went to Eli Creek before heading back home. Unfortunately we didn't get to see any Dingoes, but it was a fantastic day!

Leaving Hervey Bay, we travelled on to Noosa, where we stayed briefly (a very pretty beach but really expensive shops etc) and then to Brisbaine, our final stop with the campervan aka 'our bijoux oven-on-wheels'. We stopped off on the way to visit Australia Zoo (the late Steve Urwin's animal sanctuary). We saw Kangaroos, Koalas, loads of poisonous snakes and - of course - crocs!

We have actually really enjoyed the two weeks camping despite an uncertain start, when we were not sure how we were going to cope living, eating & sleeping in the cramped space. Still, we got into a routine and felt a little sad to give the van back. Finding our way around was easy enough - I got into the swing of map reading (definitely NOT a previous skill!) and James nicknamed
me 'tracker-Fran', such was my sixth-sense for heading us in the right direction!

I even said to James that I might enjoy doing a camping holiday in England when we get back (at which point J got v.excited and started listing off all the camping gear he has back home). I thought I was making excellent progress....'high maintenance'...me?!? 'I could get into the swing of this ruffing it malarky', I thought....Well, that was until I discovered I had left my GHD hair straighteners in a previous camp site bathroom and we faced the drive back to get them. Hmmm - maybe I need to keep working on it.....

Missing you all, F&J.x.

p.s. check out our Flickr photos - we have (finally) managed to upload them.