It’s Christmas! We wake up early since we’re still not fully over the jet lag, there are no presents to unwrap because our trip is our present! We can’t decide what to do for breakfast, and there aren’t many options since it’s Christmas Day, so we go to the hotel restaurant. After breakfast, I take the kids for a walk to the Botanical Gardens while Diana washes her hair and gets ready for Christmas lunch....
Moreton Island today. We head to the bus station which is a 10-minute walk from the hotel, arriving early. Since we haven’t had breakfast we search for a cafe but there’s nothing open before 7am nearby. We buy some snacks from the vending machine, which the kids are ecstatic about, I’m less so, then register for the tour. The coach takes us to the ferry port which is a 30-minute drive....
Koala day today. After breakfast, we head to the river and board the cruise boat which will take us to the Koala sanctuary. We get some good seats on the top deck and cruise down river listening to the commentary. It takes about 1.5 hrs to get to Koala sanctuary, and we’ve heard about some interesting history of Brisbane and seen some amazing waterfront properties. We hadn’t pre-booked holding a Koala since we didn’t realise that was an option....
Last night we arrived into Brisbane after switching planes in Singapore and then went to the hotel and to bed. Today we explore Brisbane! Alex and I take a walk and find coffee and bagels which we take back to the hotel and then eat with the girls. Afterwards we hunt down a Target, which Bella wants to experience and buy water bottles and umbrellas. Target doesn’t quite live up to expectations, but it has what we need!...
It’s been 13 years since we’ve been to Australia for the Boshier’s wedding, and it felt like a great time to go back and explore some parts we haven’t been to before. The Boshier’s are also keen to catch up and join us on the camping trip too. The plan is to fly to Brisbane and explore the area for a few days before flying down to Adelaide for the camping trip in the Flinders Ranges before flying back to Sydney and then home....
After arriving back in Sydney it was time for a nights sleep and to get back out there. Morning flight up to Cairns to do the Great Barrier Reef and the Rain Forest. Caught a shuttle bus into Cairns from the airport and got out on the Plannage. Walked straight into a nice looking seafood restaurant and enjoyed a delicious red claw lobster salad while I figured out where I wanted to go....
Final score: 9 days, 3268 km’s, 2 x Speeding fines, 1 x Dropped bike, 1 x Deep sand incident, some really really really amazing riding and some pretty boring freeway Day 6 Wake up about 5ish on account of the heat and light in the tent and get up for a swim. Seaweed seems to have overtaken the beach overnight and so don’t really fancy it in the end and settle for a shower....
Fraser Island is just north of Brisbane. Completely made from sand which has drifted along the mainland shores. Picked up by a double decker bus, which seemed like a bad sign since I’d imagined a small 4WD mini-bus. Get the ferry and leave the bus behind and ride on the deck. Nice view and some breakfast for the 30 min journey over to the island. Arrive at the island and board a massive 4WD truck/bus for about 30 people....
So. After 3.5 days, 1700 km’s, 1 x $350 speeding fine, 1 x dropped bike, stuck in sand, some really really amazing riding and some pretty boring freeway (hence the fine), I’m finally at the most northern point of my trip. Hervey Bay right next to Fraser Island. Day 1 Set out from Sydney pretty late in the day on Monday and headed over the harbour bridge and up the Pacific Highway....
After a night out with everyone in Sydney overlooking the opera house and early start (5am) to fly to Melbourne. Hired a BMW 650GS Dakar from a place near the centre. It feels like a toy compared to my 1200GS, but fun to throw about. Headed out of the city on some pretty unspectacular freeway in the direction of the Great Ocean Road. After riding for an hour or so turned off onto the start of the coast road and the fun began....