Up to the North

We were picked up at the airport in Brisbane by Selma and Felix. The two of them had bought a (converted) SUV and wanted to travel around Australia or eventually find a job. Selma's sister was planning to visit in a few weeks, so they were in the Brisbane area. Perfect for us, because Stephan and I could join them for a few days and go camping with them. We found an idyllic campground in the hinterland of the Sunshine Coast, only accessible via a gravel road and right by a small river. We spent two great days there. Even the pouring rain on the first evening couldn't dampen our spirits. It was actually quite entertaining to keep readjusting our tarp (luckily we had set it up in time!) and squeezing closer together as a larger and larger lake formed around us. In the end, we were huddled on about 2 square meters and played UNO on a cooler! The second day was beautiful again, and we could swim in the (no longer so small) river, have a campfire, and admire the starry sky at night.

Our journey continued to Noosa, where we spent another two nights at a campground and ate kangaroo for the first time! It was actually quite good, tastes like a mix of beef and game.

Noosa was also the starting point for our first booked tour. In Melbourne, Stephan and I had decided to plan our trip from Brisbane to Cairns in advance and book (almost) everything. On the one hand, because some tourist destinations can only be reached with a tour operator (e.g. Fraser Island, Great Barrier Reef) and demand is currently high. And on the other hand, it was also relaxing not to have to worry about anything anymore. In Noosa, we went on a day trip to the Everglades, a mangrove river area with many winding branches. Captain Trevor took us deep into the jungle on a speedboat, where we could swim in the almost black freshwater with catfish. After a lavish BBQ, we went back by canoe. We were clever and turned our two-person canoe into a three-person canoe and invited Wyatt from America to join us. Maybe that's why we could enjoy the approximately 1-hour trip a bit more relaxed than most others, despite the blazing sun. It was a great excursion that probably wouldn't have been possible without the tour. Selma and Felix's kayaking experience that day was unfortunately anything but great, as they told us in the evening (including capsizing, scratches, and a sunken towel!).

Before we took the bus to Rainbow Beach the next afternoon, the four of us went to Noosa National Park. We took a short walk through the jungle and cooled off in a turquoise bay. We even saw a koala!

With a heavy heart, we had to say goodbye to Selma and Felix again, but I'm sure we'll see each other again someday!

The bus stopped in front of our hostel in Rainbow Beach. No coincidence, because there's not much else in Rainbow Beach :-) and everything else closes at 8 pm (including restaurants, etc.). There is still a huge sand dune there, which we visited the next day, which was exhausting but really impressive! Otherwise, we were prepared for our tour of Fraser Island (the largest sand island in the world) at the hostel. Three groups with 4 cars each set off the next day. The cool thing was that everyone had the opportunity to drive if they wanted! Driving along the beach in a 4x4, occasionally avoiding waves, and always making sure not to get stuck in the deep dry sand was quite an experience! Plus, we had the gearshift on the left side and the responsibility for 7 other people in the car! Stephan and I were the last to drive, but we were able to drive through the jungle with dirt and rocks. It was great to have done that!

On the first day, we drove and hiked to Lake Wabby, a deep green lake at the foot of a huge sand dune. As a reward for the effort, thousands of little fish were waiting to nibble on our feet. A free spa treatment! On the way to our camp for the next two nights, we could also admire the S.S. Maheno shipwreck. In the evening, we cooked, drank (preferably Goon: cheap white wine in 4L bags), and socialized. With Giulio and Nick (two Dutch guys from our car), we armed ourselves with 'Dingo sticks' and went to the beach later. Just a few days earlier, a woman on the island had apparently been attacked by a dingo, so it is advisable to only go out in groups and never without a larger stick from the camp protected by electric fences... We didn't encounter any dingoes, but the wind, the waves, and especially the stars were beautiful!

After a short night in our tents, we went to Indian Head, the only larger rock on the island, and then to the Champagne Pools, where we could swim in the bubbling water despite the not-so-good weather. Fortunately, the weather got better again in the afternoon, and we went to Eli Creek. This river is created by a huge freshwater source that produces millions of liters of drinking water every day. We could relax by floating down the river in inner tubes... Truly a surreal feeling and beautiful!

We spent our last evening together at the beach watching the sunset. The guys grilled delicious steaks, and after a bit of Goon, we went to the camp disco!

Stephan and I were fit the next morning and ready to take the wheel (unlike some other passengers in our car). Unfortunately, the bumpy ride wasn't fun for someone with a hangover, but the destination made up for all the hardships: Lake McKenzie! Probably the most beautiful thing I've seen so far. White sand, light to dark turquoise water, and fresh water! No salt, no stinging eyes!

We actually searched for Stephan's wedding ring underwater several times! While playing volleyball in the cold water (and freshly coated with sunscreen), it slipped off his finger at some point. Stephan noticed it quickly, and everyone helped to search diligently, but no chance! So there it lies, the treasure in the Silbersee... there are worse places :-)

Nevertheless, we didn't let that spoil the mood and had a wonderful afternoon. On the way back, I was the driver and safely brought us back to the hostel. We spent the afternoon with the others at the hostel pool and said goodbye in the evening. We had a 14-hour bus ride (a pretty normal bus, not as luxurious as in Asia) to Airlie Beach ahead of us. We spent a day at the lagoon there (like a public pool, as swimming in the sea without a suit is not allowed due to jellyfish) and started our next tour the following day: on a catamaran to the Whitsunday Islands!

The ship was a lucky find, with a relaxed captain, nice people, and compared to other boats, plenty of space for sunbathing. We made a snorkeling stop (truly beautiful corals, shells, and fish!) and went ashore on a sandbank for sunset. We were taken care of around the clock with delicious food, and at night, we could observe the stars or the many fish at the stern. We slept below deck and were gently rocked to sleep.

During our morning coffee on deck, we briefly saw two dolphins, which was really beautiful! After breakfast, we went snorkeling at the first spot. Unfortunately, the visibility wasn't that great, but we could see a huge anemone with clownfish. At the second stop, Stephan discovered a strange gray spot on the seabed: a turtle! Slowly, it came to the surface, took three deep breaths, and dived back down. We could swim next to it for some time until it disappeared again!

Our cruise continued to Whitehaven Beach. Traditionally, we took a 'nude' picture behind the signpost and made our way to the lookout point. We had an incredible view of the estuary that is difficult to describe. It's best to just look at the pictures... simply a beautiful play of colors! After a bit of relaxation on the beach, we sailed to a bay where we anchored for the night. Although I have never been to Norway, I felt like I was in a fjord: deep green-blue water and rocks and trees on land (I would have expected jungle vegetation instead). Very idyllic and a perfect place to celebrate Australia Day and our last evening.

After this great sailing trip, the only thing left was the journey to Cairns (10 hours drive, unfortunately during the day). In Cairns, we stayed in the largest party hostel, but generally took it easy. We hung out at the lagoon, went to a mall and bought Stephan a replacement ring for $15 (because subconsciously, he kept reaching for the ring finger and something was missing there), and of course, watched the Australian Open final (with two Swiss players) :-)

On my birthday, I gave myself a present and fulfilled a childhood dream: diving in the Great Barrier Reef! More precisely, diving twice, and Stephan also did an intro dive. Another highlight of our trip, although the sea was quite rough, but fortunately, you don't notice that so much underwater ;-)

Now we're only going to Sydney for one night and then on to Christchurch from there. We were incredibly impressed by the scenery in Australia. We experienced great things and collected many beautiful memories. But what we're looking forward to in New Zealand now is: no more hostels with drunken, inconsiderate backpackers!!! The overpriced prices will probably not leave us so quickly, but with our campervan, we're flexible and can make ourselves a little more at home.