Fraser Island

After a few days in our beloved camper, we let our travel budget bleed again by booking a Fraser Island tour.

Since Fraser is one of the highlights on the East Coast according to every travel brochure, we naturally spared no expense. And let me tell you, it was totally worth it.

On Wednesday morning, it was time for us to go. We were divided into groups of eight people, each with their own four-wheel drive vehicle. Unfortunately, we didn't have the opportunity to drive on Fraser's off-road tracks because you have to be 21 years old. But we had other drivers in our car, our German colleague Jens and a group of British people, who were missing some essential skills like shifting.

After taking the ferry to the island, one of the British women took the wheel. In general, these three days took our trauma from this island nation to another level. When one of them suddenly started doing her makeup in the car in the blazing heat, we knew exactly what kind of people we were dealing with. And I haven't even mentioned the music they played yet.

Now, let's get to the more important part of the tour. The first stop was Lake McKenzie, one of the many freshwater lakes on the island. The water had an incredibly pleasant temperature and was also very beautiful to look at.

After a delightful swim in the lake, we continued to have lunch, where once again we were served an overwhelming portion of two wraps per person, but we were already used to being undernourished from the surf camp.

Then we drove to another lake, which had a panorama that could be used for any advertisement trying to evoke wanderlust in those sitting at home in front of their screens.

Later, we headed towards the campsite where we spent the night in tents. On the way there, we saw a dead dolphin lying on the beach, apparently bitten by a shark as it was missing a fin.

Upon arrival at the campsite, we had to prepare our dinner, which of course we guys took care of while the British women focused on their makeup again.

After dinner, the Goon drinking started again, but this time there was even a reason for it – my 19th birthday was just a few hours away. After Niklas had informed the whole camp about this, I received a lovely serenade from the camp residents at midnight.

The next day, we continued exploring the island. The next stop was the Champagne Pools, small natural pools that are constantly replenished by the saltwater from the ocean splashing into the pools through the waves.

Then we climbed a small mountain, from which we had a view over the entire island and ocean. Once you reach the top, you start to question how beautiful a place on Earth can actually be. Suddenly, the insignificance of material possessions like money becomes clear, especially when you can trade it for experiences like these.

Then it was back to the camp, where the men, of course, prepared the food while the women had to look fancy.

After a Goon-filled evening, we had to wake up at 6 am the next morning. Completely exhausted, we embarked on a 45-minute hike that led us to huge sand dunes and a freshwater lake. The sight was worth the effort once again. Especially when we realized that the lake was filled with those little fish that eat away your dead skin cells. After letting the fish give us a nice cleaning, the Fraser Island tour was already over. With beautiful memories in mind, we headed back to the mainland.