Kate Phillips Backpacking in Australia

Stayed in Byron Bay for about 4 days. Didn’t like it as much as Surfer’s Paradise even though usually people prefer it!! Had a couple of sunny days so we lounged by the pool (cant believe how nice some hostels are) or on the beach and spent every evening at Cheeky Monkeys, a backpackers pub/club/restaurant which does the best lasagne I’ve had in Australia (had it 3 nights running) or in fact maybe ever!!

Our hostel, Aquariu, was also a motel so there were lots of people there and our room had two levels. The bathroom and a bunk bed are on the lower level and there are beds up ona  balcony. On our first night a security man came in in the middle of the night looking for an English “intruder” which put us at ease…not!!

Our final night was eventful!! We decided to walk to Cape Byron (Australia’s most easterly point) but we set off quite late cos Louise had been snorkelling and it was getting quite dark when we were actually there. I was the most easterly person in Australia for about a minute!!!! We followed the map which suggested an alternative walk back and ended up walking through a jungle in the dark with only my torch. It was pretty scary stuff!!!!!

Then later on, after my final filling of “yummy” lasagne I woke up at 4am to Alice telling some guy to get off Louise’s bed and to go away!!! Basically he’d come along, moved Lou’s legs and then started to wee over the side of the bed in between mine and Lou’s beds!!! I think he was sleep-walking or maybe just reeeeally drunk! We didn’t even know if he was one of our roommates so we locked him out but he must have been because after a lot of struggling he managed to get in with a key!!! Needless to say we didn’t sleep much after that and were happy to say goodbye to Byron!!!!!

Finally escaped Brisbane (our only aim recently) and headed for Surfer’s Paradise with a brief stop-off to go Zorbing!! Zorbing is when three people get into a big plastic ball with some water and then get rolled down a big hill and its soooo much fun!!!

At Surfer’s Paradise we got a lift to our hostel (Sleeping Inn Surfers) in a limo which was pretty cool!! Pity its literally 2 minutes down the road from the Transit Centre though!!!

The hostel was cool. The four of us had our own room which led into a common room with a TV and kitchen that we shared with the other room of 4. This common room led onto the patio with the hot-tub and pool!!

We planned to go out the first evening so we stocked up on our XXXX (official drink of the trip) but in the end we sat around the flat drinking with Jo who we’d met in Brisbane and went to bed early.

Unfortunately overnight someone came into our room and stole money and my phone (grrrr) so the second day was spent trekking to the Police station (twice) and doing broing things but it was raining so it didn’t matter!!

On our final night in Surfer’s we joined in the Big Backpackers Pubcrawl which was cool. Then we headed to Byron Bay further down the coast with a brief stop-off at Nimbin and a candle factory and we also stood on the line that divides Queensland from New Sotuh Wales. It even divides a street down the middle!! I thought it’d be cool changing our watches but we were there on the day that the clocks changed so it stays the same time!!

After doing nearly everything Brisbane has to offer and being sick of my 31 roomates (29 if you count the fact that I actually liked Louise and Katy) we set off for Stanthorpe (location: even more in the middle of nowhere than the cattle ranch) for some fruit and vegetable picking!!!

Me and Lousie arrived the day after Katy and we got the really rubbish accomodation at the park! There’s lots of nice, self-contained, en-suite cabin things in a circle where everyone can be sociable and meet people and there’s ‘the back flat’ which is away round the back of reception, is filthy dirty, has a broken TV and is furthest away from the toilet block even though it’s the only non-en-suite accomodation!! So guess where we were put!! After unpacking our work clothes (my poor trousers are now ruined) we sat waiting for Katy to get back from her first day of work!! She turned up looking like a tramp so this filled us with enthusiasm for the next day!! (sorry Katy but you’ll probably agree)

We did two days on separate wineries picking grapes, a day of cucumbers and 3 days of pepper picking (although they’re called capsicums here - we got home from work one day and switched ‘Cant Cook Wont Cook on and there was the Red Tomato team and Green Capsicum team which was funny) and this just about finished us off!! In fact after day one we were close to calling it quits, cutting our losses and heading back to Brisbane on the first bus available so for us to have managed the full 6 days was a miracle!!!

Its just such horrible work. You have to be up at about 5am to start picking as soon as the sun rises. Its freezing cold at this time. Later on its so hot loads of people burn their back where their T-shirts ride up. Some of the farmers treat backpackers like dirt (just cos we’re covered in it). You return to a horrible room and scummy kitchen. Then you’re so tired you have to be in bed by 8.30pm!! Then everyone dreams about picking things - the perfect green (or even better, red) pepper or the perfect bunch of grapes!! I even dreamt about chocolate bars growing on trees!!

The Italian farmer told us he was really impressed we’d stuck it out cos its hard going and no-one wants to pick capsicums, especially girls!!! The worst is when you go to grab one and it looks perfect but its gone all mouldy and gross round the back so you put your hand in the yucky-ness!!! Unfortunately the guy at the winery told me “I picked grapes like a jewellry maker” so maybe thats the ‘field’ I should work in!!

Some of the time you can chat while you work so me and Louise now know everything about each other which is cool and we kept trying to come up with funny phrases to be our email titles!! I came up with “having a grape time” which gave us a laugh over lunch one day!!! And if Katy was ever around we’d make her do her Aussie impressions. I think people who met us three thought we were mad!!!!

The people in our flat were nice (Caroline had been there a month - she reeeeally needs to leave) and we had a good time with them when we had time off!! One afternoon we played scrabble (ten extra points if your word is a fruit of vegetable), another night we all stayed up to watch the Neighbours quiz (wasn’t worth the wait) and on the Friday night a group of us went on a Stanthorpe pub crawl (all 3 of them) and then to the “disco”. That was the wierdest club I have ever been ever!!!

And the people we worked with were usually cool too! The farmers on the smaller winery gave us 2 bottles of their wine and a bottle of beer each at the end of the 10 hour shift and on the Italian’s farm (cucumbers and capsicums) there were 3 Italian guys working who were really funny! They’d sing songs changing some of the words. For example; instead of “It’s my life” it was “it’s my Capsicum” and instead of “Who wants to live forever” it was “I want to pick forever’”!!! They were on the same bus as us leaving Stanthorpe which was cool!!

We’re now back in Brilliant Brisbane nursing our wounds!! I have a sore back (made worse by rucksack carrying today), insect bites, a sore neck (made worse by the crap bed) and scratches all the way up my arms making it look like I’ve tried to cut my wrists - it wasn’t that bad!!!! We left Katy there and she’s planning on another 2 weeks. She’s stronger than us that’s for sure!!!

Sooooo glad that part of the trip is over. We’ve promised ourselves that’ll be the absolute low-point of the trip!!!! Next stop Koala Sanctuary……..

On Sunday 19th March me, Louise and Katy went off to Australia Zoo (aka Steve Irwin’s place) for the day!! We got up really early and went to the transit centre and eventually made our way to Beerwah. The train tickets dont tell you anything, not even where you’re going; there’s just codes on them and half way there we had to move carriage to ensure we could actually get off the train at Beerwah!!!

At Beerwah a huge coach with a picture of Steve grappling a croc comes along and transports you to the zoo which is massive! We timed it well and watched three wildlife shows in a row (crocodiles, tigers and birds) and then we wandered around the zoo!! We saw Kangaroos (touched one, it was sooo soft), Koalas, Giraffes, Crocodiles (obviously), Elephants, Tigers and lots of birds and probably other animals I’ve forgotten!!! During the break in the shows they play this really daft song about Steve Irwin’s shorts which I wish I could remember!!!

There’s this big puppet of Steve who walks round all day so we had our picture taken with him and also posed in his landrover and next to a cardboard cut-out! They really are obsessed with him!! Apparently if he actually turns up you can pay $50 to have your photo with him!!!!

The day was brill and we’re so glad we got out of Brisbane for the day!! After the zoo trip I was dragged (only kidding) to watch Dunfermline FC play Rangers at 1am in the morning!! Me and Louise were surrounded by a load of scary Rangers fans so I thought it best not to even open my mouth and prove I wasn’t Scottish!! Although much longer hanging round with Louise and I’ll be talking Scottish fluently!!!! (funniest phrase yet = a wee bit wee-er)

Me and Katy arrived at City Backpackers yesterday and it turns out we hadn’t misheard the girl when she said our room had 32 people in it!!! Thats 16 bunkbeds!!

The hostel is nice and small (getting bored of HUGE places where you never really talk to people - unless yo’re discussing printers) and there’s a pool and free internet. It also looks right over the river so I’m going to try and get a good night time pic of the view!! The attached pub is an Irish one so we wont have far to go for the celebrations on St Patrick’s day!!

So far in Brisbane the only touristy thing I’ve done is visit the museum but when Louise gets here (tomorrow morning - yay, so excited to finally get together with my travel buddy) I want to visit Australia Zoo (Steve Irwin’s zoo - hope he’s there) and the Koala Sanctuary!!

Then next week its off to Laidley (think thats what it was called?) for some mixed-vegetable picking!!! woooo