Cairns

After months of backpacking Kim decided it was time to treat herself to a haircut so we went to the shiny air conditioned bubble of a nearby shopping centre for the morning. Whilst Kim was pampered Alex pondered life’s big questions (did he heck but he was determined to not cut his mullet). By lunchtime we were back sunning ourselves at the hostel’s swimming pool when poetically the Lion King’s ‘Hakuna Matata’ played out through the hostel’s sound system. The sun hammered down onto our skin as we melted into the white plastic sunbeds.
The white light of the sun gave way to amber shades as dusk entered stage for the day’s final act. Lights turned on and the courtyard filled with hungry patrons awaiting the hostel’s Monday Night BBQ. Our host/the hostel’s co-owner, Gabriel, an Australian of rugby statue and easy humour, served up barbequed kangaroo, emu, crocodile, barramundi (Asian sea bass), hake and beef sausages along with salads and fresh bread. The kangaroo oozed blood of a rare rump steak (it has to be cooked this way as otherwise it becomes very tough), whilst the emu was a finer medium fillet steak but both tasting more game than beef. The crocodile was a chewy version of a chicken breast. Supposedly crocodile tastes similar to the last thing it ate but having never tried human, we can’t tell you if this one had been a man-eater. The white flaky fish dissolved on the palette and the beef sausages were full of flavour. Washed down with bottles of Corona it was an exceptional and satisfying feed. Alex had thirds…

However this was not to be the end of our very enjoyable evening as a competition was then held to see which patron could best play a digeridoo. Asking for three contestants, Kim was inadvertently selected when she attempted to point out another woman volunteering (who was subsequently picked). Whilst the two were given digeridoos, the third contestant, Josh from Burnley (who bore a resemblance to Alex’s youngest brother Joel) was given a vacuum tube to play on. Hilarity ensued with all of the contestants doing well. For her impressive efforts Kim collected the prize a hostel branded t-shirt, which she was very pleased with as she had been thinking about getting one anyway.Read more