Oz travel over........New Zealand next!

Im currently sitting in Brisbane international airport slowly letting my heart rate get back to its normal pace! The reason for the mild heart attack was when checking in for my flight to New Zealand I was told by the guy at the desk that he couldnt check me onto the flight as I only had a 1 way ticket and therefore under NZ law couldnt let me board!!!! After my initial disbelief the only way to solve the problem was to buy a return ticket from the Flight Centre at departures and then show the print out to the guy so I could board. So 20 minutes and $300 later I was able to check in and make my way through security to the departure lounge and the internet terminal I sit at now! I've bought a flexible ticket that currently leaves Auckland for Sydney on Weds 15th of September, which gives me 3 weeks in NZ and ample time to see the sights.

Anyway, after nearly a month since my last update, I should really update you with my activities! As im pushed for time (as always, sorry) i'll do it in a date line like I did last time!

So.....when I left you I was getting a bus overnight to 1770 on 1st of August!
2nd August - Arrived at 9am just outside 1770 in a town called Agnes Waters. Had a nice relaxed day in a very chilled backpackers in the middle of nowhere. A good place to recharge our batteries after Airlie beach!
3rd August - Caught an early greyhound bus to Hervey Bay, which is the town that most trips to Fraser Island run from. As soon as we arrived Tom and I booked a 3 day trip to Fraser and because of the early pickup (7.30am!!!) we had an early night!
4th - 6th August - Fraser Island was AMAZING!! On a par with the Whitsundays but totally different. Fraser is the largest sand island in the world, and as it says is TOTALLY made up of sand. We chose to do a guided tour rather than a self drive, as we'd heard horror stories about trying to drive in the sand inexperienced. We were in a 4wd truck that could hold about 40 people but only 20ish had booked on our tour and so we had loads of extra room, which was good as the terrain was terrible at points and you literally felt like you were on a roller coaster at times. The other people in our group were great, and the evenings at the lodges where we stayed were great fun both nights. I wont write much else about the trip other than to say it was amazing, and you will see what I mean when I get time to put the pics up on facebook!
7th - 9th August - We just made our greyhound bus to Brisbane by 3 minutes and were the only 2 people on board, so chilled out and watched a film on the drive down. As it was a Saturday we had a big night out in "The Valley" in Brisbane (where all the bars and clubs are) and then had a VERY lazy Sunday dealing with the hangovers!!
9th - 11th August - Me and Tom caught a train this time to Surfers Paradise. Even though i'd been there before with my mate Trystan, Tom hadnt so we headed there for 2 days. Unfortunately it didnt stop raining for the 2 days and was a real wash out, so the highlight was the all you could eat pizza night for $5 at the hostel! We definitely got our moneys worth!!!!
11th - 15th - The weather when we left was much better and so filled us with hope while travelling down the coast to Byron Bay. Byron Bay is renowned in Australia as "THE" party town, and even in mid winter its pretty spot on! After a big first night on Wednesday, neither of us could face a beer on the Thursday so went to the cinema instead an saw Inception (Brilliant film - Go see it!!!). Then after the night off the booze we got back into it and had a great weekend.
15th - 17th - Headed back into Brisbane on the Sunday and went to the Gabba to watch the Brisbane Lions lose (AFL) and then on the Monday went to Steve Irwin's Australia Zoo. Brilliant place and I finally saw Kangaroos and Koalas!!!!! After being in the country for just over 5months i'd been able to prove that that didnt just exist on postcards are they are real! The croc and bird shows at the zoo were great too!
17th - 23rd August - I flew to Melbourne on my own as Tom was now back in Sydney sorting out things for his imminent departure as his oz visa runs out on August 26th. As I know quite a few people in Melbourne, I spent my first few days having lunch (Santino - Ex fitch colleague), dinner (Mike and Yvette - Ozzie friends from home), and drinks (Dom & Jon - New Friends since arriving) and then on Friday my pal Trystan arrived from Sydney, and we had an excellent weekend!! Great fun and never stopped laughing!! We also went to see my AFL team, the Geelong Cats, win at the Etihad stadium which was brilliant! I even learnt the team song to sing along at the end!
23rd - 25th August - Both myself and Trystan had afternoon flights out of Brisbane but he was going back to Sydney and also decided that he would be heading home to the UK the week after as his trip to oz, as much fun as it had been, had to come to an end at some time (as he was only on a normal holiday visa). So if your reading this Tryst, it was great catching up over here mate, we had some quality weekends. READ THE BOOK and i'll see you next year when im back.
I headed back to Brisbane for a few quiet days of recovery and to get myself sorted for my trip to NZ.

So that gets you up to date! Im flying to Auckland in 45mins and will do my best to update my blog while im over there! As I mentioned above, my return flight currently leaves 15th September, and i'll be heading back to Sydney whatever happens to stay with Nick and Kerryn initially at there new place just outside Sydney. Im going to be looking for work, similar to before hopefully, for up until mid December when 2 of my mates, Ron and Robbie, are coming over which I cant wait for!!!

1 last thing; Tom - Just wanna say a massive thanks if your reading this! Travelling down the coast with you was great mate, your a star!! I'll probably see u in NZ but if not, enjoy NZ and Asia and stay in touch and we'll have to catch up when im back in the UK!

Hope your all ok at home, and Happy Birthday to my Grandad Frost for tomorrow!!