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    Day 3: KDP and Back to the Mainland

    30 november, Australië ⋅ 🌬 28 °C

    On our last day aboard, I wanted to try stand-up paddleboarding (SUP) — but it was really too shaky. So I ended up doing KDP - kneel-down paddleboardning. 😄

    During that short time in the water, and in spite of the stinger suit, I got stung by something — I quickly got out of the water, hoping it was just sea lice and not a harmful jellyfish sting (like box jellyfish / Irukandji). I was fine — probably indeed just sea lice — but it gave me a little scare. There’s a known presence of sharks and marine stingers in the waters around the Whitsundays. Swimming and snorkelling are safest between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., when sharks aren’t on the prowl.

    (At night, vessels often keep blue/white water lights on to attract fish — which in turn attract reef sharks. On our nights aboard, we saw maybe 2–3 sharks, but they never came close. On other days or better locations you might see dozens. That’s the trade-off for calmer waters and better sleep.)

    After the SUP attempt, we returned to mainland. I was thrilled to feel solid ground under my feet again — yet ironically, once I sat down, I felt more seasick on land than on the boat… 😅

    All in all, I enjoyed the trip more than I expected (despite the seasickness). The meals onboard were delicious. And — perhaps most importantly — it was not a party boat: people were generally quiet, no smokers, drinking was moderate (I was happy with a few cold cans of coconut water — didn’t want to jinx it). Mealtimes were honestly the only moments I felt slightly uneasy on the shaky boat. The second night aboard also delivered blissful quality sleep. I shall miss that most of all.

    Fast forward a few hours:
    Today I also was due to fly back to Brisbane. I was worried because there was a severe storm warning — the sky looked ominous. Luckily, the storm turned out to be no big deal — just a bit of rain. We all boarded the plane, ready to take off.

    But then we didn’t. During maintenance checks they found a loose screw. An engineer was called. He couldn’t fix it. The company got involved. Eventually we were let off the plane with a promise we’d still fly in 2–3 hours. So we waited at the airport. And waited. Then — by the time a “George-Clooney lookalike” JetStar employee came to inform us — our flight was cancelled.

    The airline luckily provided accommodation. So I spent one night in the second nicest accommodation of my travels: a hotel called “Club Croc,” with a pool and a breakfast buffet. I do love a buffet. 🥐

    But I couldn’t enjoy it long — we all had to return to the airport the next morning - on our own expense, hoping to get reimbursed. And let me tell you — dealing with the airline was complicated, infuriatingly so. But I think it‘s sorted out now.

    Fast forward a few more hours to the next morning:
    My Uber driver (back to the airport), who basically just does Ubering for fun and is actually a full-time pilot, told me the “loose screw” explanation given by the airline was basically a cover story to avoid panic. As it turns out, she was onto something — there is a real global recall on the Airbus A320 family. In late November 2025, Airbus ordered urgent software updates for around 6,000 A320 jets after discovering that intense solar radiation may corrupt flight-control data. The recall forced airlines worldwide — including Jetstar — to cancel or delay thousands of flights, so our cancellation makes sense.

    Last fast forward, I promise:
    I actually arrived back in Brisbane around noon the next day!    Meer informatie

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    Day 2: Hiking - Whitehaven Beach

    29 november, Australië ⋅ 🌬 29 °C

    Whitehaven Beach might be the highlight of the area. With its white silica sand and vivid turquoise water, it’s quite a sight. We had a great view from a couple of lookout platforms over Whitehaven Beach.

    We hiked down to the beach itself and explored. Guess what: we saw dozens of stingrays in shallow water! You had to watch your step — they love burying themselves in the sand, perfectly camouflaged.

    And as if that wasn’t enough: we also spotted lemon sharks. Yes — sharks! Pretty cool, huh?

    One of the crew, Justine, mentioned that about 5 minutes of the last Pirates of the Caribbean movie was filmed at that beach in 2015. For that, the film crew reportedly brought in hundreds of palm trees — since palm trees don’t naturally grow on silica-sand beaches there. After filming, apparently those palms were planted around Airlie Beach, making it look a lot more tropical.    Meer informatie

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    Day 2: Snorkelling in the Morning

    29 november, Australië ⋅ 🌬 28 °C

    Interestingly, I had a surprisingly good night of sleep! My theory after K’Gari was that good sleep comes when screen time is minimal. I might have to add two more variables to that hypothesis: meditating while lying down in the front of a boat for large parts of the day + being rocked gently to sleep like an infant by the waves. Now, I just need to figure out how to recreate “being rocked to sleep” on land. 😄

    In the morning, after a fruity breakfast, we headed to three snorkel spots. Each had its charm — though the second one was my favourite. There were lots of circular corals, which were stunning to look at. I was happy to see that the reef seemed a lot healthier than what I had seen before on Fitzroy Island or in Vanuatu. Still — there’s always room for improvement.

    Snorkelling highlights:
    • I saw two turtles — one while still on the motorboat, the other while snorkelling 🐢
    • A starfish ⭐
    • A sea cucumber
    • And a stingray, lying resting on the sandy bottom

    You’d better be excited for my copious snorkelling footage! 😄    Meer informatie

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    Day 1: Aboard the Whitsunday Adventurer

    28 november, Australië ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    On board of the vessel, we were a group of 12 people + 2 crew members (6 Brits, 2 Dutch, 2 Swedes, 2 Danes, 1 French and me) — quite the European mix!
    After everyone had gathered, we boarded the boat and got the safety briefing. It was hot onboard, no breeze, nothing. But as soon as we set sail — of course — the breeze came, and things cooled down. Still: don’t underestimate the sun! 😅

    We sailed for a while to a spot to watch the sunset, then moved to a sheltered area to anchor for the night.

    I was a bit apprehensive before doing this tour, actually - I easily get motion sickness. Depending on conditions, however, I’ve figured out what works best: if the water is flat, I’m fine; if it’s wavy, I need to stay in the front of the boat and lie down (the black incline on the last pic is where that was). That’s exactly what I did for most of the 41 hours aboard the Adventurer - if I wasn‘t sleeping.    Meer informatie

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    Airlie Beach

    26 november, Australië ⋅ ☁️ 30 °C

    Since there was no connecting flight from Cairns to Proserpine Airport, I had to fly to Brisbane first. With the early flights, I still arrived in Airlie Beach by noon. I had about 1.5 days to relax a bit — as much as you can when it’s hot and humid. I had arrogantly assumed it would be much more comfortable further south of Cairns. But no. 😄

    Airlie Beach isn’t that big — and it’s still too far north to swim without a stinger suit. Most people, from what I gathered, come to Airlie mainly to join a sailing tour to the Whitsundays. I was one of them.    Meer informatie

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    Fitzroy Island

    25 november, Australië ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    Today I went to Fitzroy Island!
    This time I wasn’t part of any group, which meant I could finally enjoy the day without noise-cancelling headphones and just listen to the sounds of nature. Ah, what bliss.
    Fitzroy Island is a 45-minute ferry ride from Cairns. About 8,000 years ago, it was actually part of the mainland — before rising sea levels flooded the coastal plains after the last Ice Age and turned it into an island.
    What a tropical paradise Fitzroy is. I loved it!
    Everyone rushed off the ferry to go snorkelling, but I went for a hike first. Fewer people hike before snorkelling, you know. 😄
    I hiked up to the lighthouse and back (so very steep!) — it took me about an hour, and by the end of it I was soaked. Absolutely drenched. My shirt felt like it had been dipped in water. It’s just so humid and hot…
    After that, I continued on to Nudey Beach — which, incidentally, was voted Australia’s best beach in 2018. 🏝️
    What it didn’t have, however, was sand. The entire beach is made of dead coral rubble washed ashore. Do not walk there without shoes. 😅
    Once I’d taken plenty of photos, I locked my camera away and grabbed my action cam for some snorkelling fun!
    By the time I got into the water, most people were already out, so I basically had a tiny beach to myself. Bliss again.
    I saw so many colourful fish! Every time I snorkelled back and forth, new species appeared — it was amazing. My only issue was my snorkel mouthpiece. For some reason water kept leaking in and I kept accidentally inhaling it. Not fun! 😅
    But I had an absolute ball. I loved the fish and the corals.
    (Fitzroy is part of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, which makes it a much cheaper reef experience than the big commercial boat tours. 🌊)
    After nearly two hours of snorkelling (it’s surprisingly exhausting!), I returned my stinger suit — it’s stinger season because of box jellyfish and Irukandji jellyfish — and treated myself to a meat pie. Not kangaroo this time, but pepper steak. Yum.
    And then it was time to board the ferry back to Cairns.
    All in all, I absolutely recommend Fitzroy Island! 🐠    Meer informatie

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    Cairns Marina

    24 november, Australië ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    In the late afternoon, I arrived back in Cairns and strolled through the marina. It’s a little surreal seeing mountainous stretches of rainforest towering in the distance, clashing with the water. 🌄🌊

    Side-note: I‘m melting here in Cairns! It‘s so hot and humid, and it hardly cools down over night… Long live AC! :D    Meer informatie

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    Kuranda Scenic Railway

    24 november, Australië ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C

    Eventually, I decided to take an earlier train back to Cairns: the Kuranda Scenic Railway - very much reminiscent of the Hogwarts Express. Apparently one of the most scenic railways in the world — cutting straight through rainforest, past bridges, tunnels, and a magnificent waterfall.Meer informatie

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    Kuranda: Butterfly Sanctuary

    24 november, Australië ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C

    The shuttle bus — my personal shuttle bus, since I was the only passenger 😄 — brought me to Kuranda. Kuranda is a cute little rainforest village, though for whatever reason most places were on holiday when I got there. Some shops were open, but the majority were closed. A shame! There was a little extra section, like a tiny village within the village with “tropical island meets Western vibes.” I’m not sure how many shops were supposed to be there, but only one was open.

    Outside of the tiny village, I found a bakery that sold pies and went for a kangaroo one. It was pretty good, actually!

    Since strolling through mostly closed shops wasn’t particularly entertaining, I went to the butterfly sanctuary.
    Trying to capture those fast flutterers on camera was decent fun! They’re really quick — and beautiful — so I spent some time having my little picturesque moment 🦋📸.    Meer informatie

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    Rainforestation

    24 november, Australië ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    Another full day today!

    First stop: Rainforestation - it's like a tiny zoo with some Aboriginal elements, a fruit garden, and a patch of rainforest.

    I started my activities there with a Duck Army tour — basically a big amphibious vehicle — and off we went into the rainforest. We even drove through water, which was pretty cool. Our guide taught us about indigenous plants; he’d learnt from Aboriginal elders and clearly knew his stuff.

    After the tour, I went to the mini zoo with free-roaming kangaroos. Actually, I think they were wallaroos — too big to be wallabies, too small to be full kangaroos. You could buy kangaroo feed and offer it to them, and you were allowed to pet them.

    Since it was full of tourists, naturally the roos’ appetite wasn’t exactly ravenous, and most of them barely ate. Fair enough. What really bothered me, though: people are getting more and more relentless. All they cared about was getting the perfect photo for social media. They poked and prodded the roos, and even when the animals tried to move away, people followed them. Maddening. 😠

    I stayed respectful around the animals and let them come to me. One actually came really close, nudged me, and practically asked me to stroke its head — then presented its chest so I could scratch it. The roo genuinely seemed to love it. After a few seconds, people began gathering around, trying to get a piece of the action. The roo moved closer to me, which was sweet… until a Russian guy bumped into me with an entitled “Excuse me,” grabbed the roo, and posed for a photo his wife took. Damn, that was sad to watch — and sad that none of the staff seemed to care.

    I wasn’t in the mood to keep exploring after that (though I did have the chance to touch a water python - fun!), so I went to catch my shuttle bus.
    All in all, this stop wasn’t worth the money for me. You’re always wiser afterwards. 🤷‍♀️    Meer informatie

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    Mount Alexandra Lookout and Ice-Cream

    23 november, Australië ⋅ ☁️ 27 °C

    We made two more stops before heading back to Cairns:

    1. Ice-cream stop — They make their ice-cream locally, with rainforest ingredients. Flavours included black and yellow sapote, jackfruit, soursop, coconut, passionfruit, banana, and wattleseed. I got the 4-flavour set: coconut, passionfruit, yellow sapote, and wattleseed.
    • Yellow sapote (canistel) tastes like a dense sweet custard, almost like firm egg yolk custard.
    • Wattleseed was earthy, slightly sweet, with notes of vanilla and coffee. Surprisingly good.

    2. Mount Alexandra Lookout (Walu Wugirriga) — Nice view over the coastal rainforest, Daintree River mouth, and the Coral Sea. We didn’t stay long: back on the bus for the 2.5-hour drive to Cairns.

    All in all, a long day — 7am to 7pm. The guide knew his stuff and was serious about safety. The group was loud and oblivious more often than not. By the end, slipping on my noise-cancelling headphones and editing photos felt like heaven. 😌😄    Meer informatie

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    Cape Tribulation

    23 november, Australië ⋅ ☁️ 28 °C

    After lunch, we drove to Cape Tribulation. We hiked about 1km, and saw really cool crabs. We were also repeatedly warned about crocs in the area. But, of course, that didn’t stop a group of Instagram-obsessed tourists who wandered off without the guide. One girl spent more time taking pictures of her friends than looking at the nature around her. Then, despite multiple warnings to stay at least 5 meters from the water, she and her friend kicked off their shoes and wandered into it. The guide lost it: “Guys, do you wanna die? Get out, now!” They giggled and sauntered out, then spent another five minutes doing their Instagram thing. Maddening.

    He actually gave us a tip on how to find out if there's a croc or something else dangerous in the water. "Just chuck a dog in first." :D

    On a brighter note: I saw a blue stick insect. Not the usual drab brown — this one was turquoise / vibrant blue, hiding in green leaves. They were my favourite part of the day for me, actually.    Meer informatie

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    Daintree River Cruise

    23 november, Australië ⋅ ☁️ 29 °C

    Next: the Daintree River cruise.
    The views were great, and I was hoping to soak up some rainforest atmosphere, the lovely sounds of the forest — but the group of 25 (mostly 18–20-year-olds, plus one older lady (not me! - though I am getting up there…) was more into being loud than listening. Still, the best part: we saw a croc. There were quite a few, lurking beneath the murky surface. The guide warned us repeatedly to keep our limbs in the boat — apparently a croc could leap up to the roof of the boat if it chose to. Wild. 🐊
    He also said large crocs can slow their heart rate way down and under certain conditions stay underwater for extremely long stretches — though usually they stay submerged closer to 1–2 hours.

    Then it was lunch. In the trees above, I counted maybe 200 bats (likely spectacled flying foxes) — they were loud and frenetically flapping their wings to cool themselves down. I also saw a few bright blue butterflies flitting by, too fast for my camera. Well, not too fast for the camera, just too fast for me to keep up.    Meer informatie

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    Mossman Gorge

    23 november, Australië ⋅ ☁️ 27 °C

    I said goodbye to Noosa and was driven to the airport by my lovely — now former — roommates. What a kind send-off!
    I also had to say goodbye to my noble steed that got me from A to B while in Noosa. I shall miss it. For reference, see the last picture.

    I arrived in Cairns on 22 November in the late evening and had no time to explore anything but my shaky new top bunk. The only reason I can sleep is thanks to my beloved earplugs … 😅

    Anyway! The next day I had a very early start to go on a Daintree Rainforest Tour.

    Now, a little background on that particular rainforest:
    The Daintree Rainforest is roughly 180 million years old, making it one of the oldest rainforests on Earth. It’s part of the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area, and is home to extremely high biodiversity — think cassowaries, giant ferns, and rare rainforest species.

    Our first stop: Mossman Gorge.
    Before entering, one of the Aboriginal guides gave us a blessing: he tossed a Melaleuca leaf into a fire, producing smoke we all walked through while he chanted. Then we made our way into the forest. We only had roughly an hour to explore — most people went swimming (blocking parts of the Gorge from my camera), but I hiked instead. I spotted a tiny spider, and crossed a suspension bridge that shook quite a lot under our feet. I didn’t see as much wildlife as I’d hoped, but I did find some cassowary plum: dark, egg-shaped, bluish-black. Fun fact — that fruit is very toxic for humans. Luckily, I’d already eaten a banana. 😅    Meer informatie

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    22

    Noosa Everglades

    19 november, Australië ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    It took me the better part of four months to finally get around to doing this. The Everglades had been on my Noosa to-do list for ages, and I honestly don’t know why it took me this long.
    I joined a tour and immediately felt like I was bringing down the average age of the group — until I remembered I’m not exactly that young anymore to be smug about it… 😁

    The bus picked us up in Noosa and took us out to Habitat Noosa, a campsite set right on the shore of Lake Cootharaba. That’s the lake you cross to enter the Everglades. It’s surprisingly shallow — only about 1.5 metres at its deepest point — so theoretically you could walk across it if you wanted to. The water ranges from orange to red to deep brown, like a strongly brewed cup of English Breakfast. The Melaleuca and Manuka tea-tree forests surrounding the lake release tannins into the water, giving it that intense colour.

    Now, about the Everglades. The region is one of only two everglades systems in the world — the famous one in Florida, and this one in Noosa. Unlike Florida’s, the Noosa Everglades are not known to host resident crocodiles. (There have been the occasional reported croc sightings in the broader Noosa area over the years, but wildlife authorities haven’t confirmed any living in the Everglades themselves.)

    We cruised up the waterways, soaking in the quiet, mirror-still scenery. The guides pointed out wildlife whenever something interesting appeared. Apart from two species of birds (no idea which ones — your guess is as good as mine), the absolute highlight was spotting two koalas!

    The first little guy, with his tiny claw over his mouth, was incredibly hard to see. It took us about fifteen minutes of squinting into the trees to make sure everyone had spotted him. Yes, I was last… 😁
    On the way back he’d shifted into a different tree, which made him much easier to find.

    The Everglades water is so still and tea-tree-oil rich that it turns into a perfect natural mirror. Pictures 13 and 14 are actually upside down — what you see is just the reflection.

    For whatever reason, one guy on the tour had a bee that just decided to sit on his shoulder like a tiny pet parrot for most parts of the tour. That’s the story behind picture 15.

    Towards the end of the tour, before crossing the lake again, we hopped off the boat for a short 400-metre bushwalk. And guess what? We saw another young koala!

    After our tiny walk, we headed back to Habitat Noosa — which is basically kangaroo central. The kangaroos show up constantly to graze on the grass and socialise.

    To sum it all up: today I saw beautifully serene nature, tea-tree-coloured waterways, and not one but two iconic Aussie animals - 2 koalas and 17 kangaroos. I’m still pretty elated about all of it — and yes, still slightly disappointed that I didn’t see a single snake… 😁    Meer informatie

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    K‘Gari 3: Lake McKenzie

    9 november, Australië ⋅ ☁️ 27 °C

    Last day on K’Gari — and an early rise at 5 am! After gathering our stuff and a quick breakfast, we drove to the probably most famous attraction on the island: Lake McKenzie (Boorangoora). The water around the shore is intensely turquoise and tropical-looking. The sand is amazingly white — it's composed of nearly 100% silica. We were told this stuff is great for your skin, hair and teeth — so once in the water, everyone started scrubbing. And yes, some people brushed their teeth with the sand. I didn’t. All I can say: my skin did feel incredibly smooth, my hair looked freshly washed — though I cannot guarantee that wasn’t just the novelty effect. 😁
    Since we got to the lake very early, we were lucky to be one of the first there. The beach filled up fast afterwards!
    This was the last attraction on K’Gari that we visited. We then drove for a few more hours to get off the island and back to Noosa.
    To sum up: the island is stunning. Endless beaches, rainforest in the middle, lakes, dingoes etc. My favourite parts: seeing dingoes, the shipwreck and driving the LandCruiser three times (on the beach, on soft-sand inland trails and back on land on normal roads) — and, modestly, being complimented on my driving.
    Also, camping was nice. Sleeping in nature with the distant sound of waves and the howling of dingoes (the camp was said to be dingo-proof, but one actually got in… 😁) plus not using any kind of devices for most of three days was refreshing.
    The tour guide was great, the group sucked. They were not my kind of people, for sure, and I felt excluded most of the time. But you never know in advance and it was an experience to be had. I don’t regret doing the tour at all and I’m happy to be back with my friends here in Noosa whom I’m glad to have!    Meer informatie

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    K‘Gari 2: Wreck, Creek and Pools

    7 november, Australië ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    Three stops for the day were scheduled. First stop (the one I was looking forward to the most): the shipwreck. It looked magnificent! Corroded, metallic, large — waves breaking on it, and the sun illuminating the entirety of the wreck ☀️.
    (The weather was on our side for the 3-day tour — the whole week prior was rubbish: rain and thunderstorms left and right — and as soon as we arrived back on the mainland, the weather turned overcast and rainy again.)
    The wreck is the SS Maheno, launched in 1905 and beached on K’Gari in 1935 after a cyclone blew her off course.
    I went a bit overboard (pun intended) on the amount of shipwreck pics I added to this post. I just couldn‘t decide on which to exclude (actually, there‘s many more!). 😅

    Second stop: Eli Creek, also known as “The Lazy Creek”. Beautiful, pristine water, waist-to-chest-deep, flowing gently.
    The confirmation email everyone got after booking the tour specifically stated: Bring a flotation device. Wanna guess how many people brought one? If your answer was “one”, I congratulate you — correct. I was the only one with an inflatable donut. While not exactly adrenaline-fuelled, it was good fun floating through the creek that pours roughly 4 million litres of fresh water into the ocean per hour.
    Day 2 was not ideally planned. We only had three stops, which meant a lot of waiting at Eli Creek and the other stop. With nothing else to do, I went down the creek ten times with my ring and waded through once (when I lent it to one of the girls) — which separated me further from the group. I, however, enjoyed chilling and floating down the creek, taking in nature. Unfortunately, there were plenty of noisy people blocking the creek for an Instagram photo session. That stuff certainly got my pulse going. 😅
    While large parts of Eli Creek were shaded by trees, the sun was burning. Even though I’m almost religious when it comes to applying sunscreen, I still got sunburned that day. K’Gari doesn’t provide a lot of shore-shade, so it’s easy to burn even if you remember the slip-slap-slop.

    Last stop: Champagne Pools. The Pools’ appearance varies day to day; in our case, they were incredibly sandy but still offered enough of the “pools” to get into. Unfortunately, there were lots of people there — as with the Creek before (I edited them out on the pics). Standing in knee- to chest-deep water amongst around 90 people for 2.5 hours in the boiling sun without shade wasn’t exactly my ideal idea of time.

    After the pasta predicament of the previous day, my group actually managed a decent dinner (steak with veggies).
    Even though the main meals were somewhat healthy, the snacks of crisps, cookies and marshmallows made me cheat on my diet. No, I don’t have a problem. I can stop at any time. But the fire-roasted marshmallows were quite nice, I’m telling ya!

    After dinner, we made a trip to the beach to stargaze. I purposely forgot my tripod (too heavy/large, we had VERY limited space), but given the remoteness and low light pollution on the island, I came to regret that choice. I tried building a makeshift tripod with duct tape, rope and three dingo-sticks. That was a fiasco. All that did was make my camera drop into the sand! Also: no chance of a Milky Way shot. People kept coming to the beach with their torches and cars drove by with headlights on, and you can see the beams from far away since the beach stretches many kilometres. So, less regret in that department.
    But stargazing was nice nonetheless. The highlight: the moon-rise. The slightly waning orange orb rising on the ocean horizon was stunning to watch 🌙.    Meer informatie

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    K’Gari (Fraser Island)

    6 november, Australië ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    In 1836, Eliza and her husband James Fraser were shipwrecked when their brig, Stirling Castle, ran aground near the coast of what’s now K’gari. The local Butchulla people offered help, but James, scared and mistrustful of the Aborigines, accepted it too late and died soon after. Eliza survived with their assistance and was eventually brought back to the mainland.

    Now a widow with no way to earn money, she began selling her story. At first it was factual, but over time she sensationalised it — turning a story of survival into one of abduction and torture. The embellished version spread quickly, portraying the Aborigines as barbaric, cannibalistic savages. Ironically, the island ended up bearing her and her husband’s name.

    After years of petitions by the Butchulla people, the island finally regained its original name: K’gari (pronounced “GUR-ree”), meaning “paradise” in the Butchulla language. The change became official in 2023, though some still prefer the old name.

    K’gari is where I would spend the next three days — on a swag tour.

    After a quick info talk the night before, our group of 14 got picked up in two Toyota Landcruisers by our guide, Ash — a fun, knowledgeable Aussie who made the tour genuinely enjoyable.

    The two-hour drive from Noosa to Rainbow Beach led us to the ferry to K’gari. The mostly empty ferry left without us the moment we arrived — cheers, mate. So we spent an hour on Rainbow Beach, which isn’t exactly the worst place to be stuck.

    Once on the island, we drove straight to Lake Wabby. Along the wide beach, a guy in oncoming traffic sped through a flock of birds, killing two young ones. Everyone is told before setting foot on K’gari that wildlife must be protected at all cost. His actions could’ve meant a $10,000 fine — hopefully he was reported.

    We reached the lake after a 40-minute hike in the midday heat. At first, we weren’t sure we were in the right place — after climbing the huge sand dunes, there was no water in sight. We followed footprints and finally found the green, murky lake — and a cloud of sandflies. Damn, they were relentless, stabbing every bit of exposed skin. After the tenth bite, you start wishing they’d find someone tastier. 😅

    I went for a swim with the others, though they soon had enough, sunbathed for a while, and then they decided it was time to head back for beers. We’d barely had time to take in the scenery. I was still in the lake, struggling to gather my stuff, still hoping to snap a decent photo. The others just left without a second glance or consideration. Being alone on K’gari isn‘t recommended/allowed. K’gari is dingo country, and you’re supposed to stay in groups of at least three or four. Our group wasn’t exactly big on rules…

    We arrived at camp (dingo-safe, fenced off) in the late afternoon, had a quick briefing, and a few of us made dinner — overcooked pasta, but good sauce.

    Afternoons and evenings mostly revolved around drinking, smoking, and loud music. The smoking especially drove me away a lot; the smokers refused to move, so the rest of us got to enjoy passive smoking. It seemed as if no one else (apart from one guy) was bothered by it. I hadn’t come here for party but for nature, photography, and the joys of camping, so it got a rather lonely at times. Still, I tried to make the best of it and occasionally spent some time with two girls as soon as there was a short-lived smoke-free moment.

    The swag tents looked basic, and the porta-potties set a low bar — other groups in the same camp had far better ones, as we found out after wandering in through the wrong gate. But the swags were surprisingly comfy! You couldn’t sit up, they were barely body-length, yet I slept better than I had in months. Probably because there’s no reception on K’gari. It’s kind of scary how much technology messes with your sleep. Changes will be made. I hope. 😅    Meer informatie

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    Sunrise Beach

    15 oktober, Australië ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

    After weeks of hunting for a room to rent, lots of false hope, and grudgingly extended stays at the exorbitantly expensive hostel with a loud construction site out back, I’ve finally found a new place to live! 🎉

    It’s in the Sunrise Beach area, close to a lovely bit of forest and just a 20-minute hike to the ocean. 🌊 Whether I’ll actually end up swimming there, however, remains to be seen — the bluebottle jellyfish are starting to appear. 🪼 Their long, trailing tentacles can deliver painful stings, so it’s best to admire them from a safe distance! Bluebottles often get washed ashore after windy days, and with summer approaching, box jellyfish season is also coming up in Noosa — another good reason to be cautious before diving in.

    The house itself is really beautiful — bright, spacious, and surrounded by greenery. It instantly felt like a calm little retreat after the chaos of the hostel.

    The only disadvantage is that I’m now a bit further from the main beach and all the shops, and apparently, the buses here suck. 😅 They only come once or twice an hour, and I usually have to walk about 20 minutes to reach the nearest stop — only for the bus to occasionally get cancelled without warning. They’re rarely on time, either. Just recently, I had to take an Uber to work because one bus refused to show up — and after hiking to another stop 30 minutes away, that bus didn’t come either. Good times!

    On the bright side, I’m about to acquire a new mode of transportation. Alas, not a car…

    Now I just need a new job. I’m not gonna lie — I’m not a fan of all the constant uncertainty and the time wasted trying to find a new place to live or work. But let’s see what the next few weeks will bring.    Meer informatie

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    Fun Times in Noosa

    8 oktober, Australië ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    In the past few weeks, I’ve been able to enjoy some great times with Erin and Pia — going on photography tours, having Yo Chi (frozen yoghurt) (I’m now officially accepting donations of larger pant sizes…), visiting surf outlets, spending time at the beach, and going on hikes.

    The first few pics are from the Noosa River area — the main character being the pelican, whom you can see progressively looking for prey, catching something, chewing on it, swallowing it, feeling quite pleased with itself, and finally flying away.
    Honorable mentions go to the large orb spider 🕷️ I found lingering in the bush. A beauty, isn’t it? And no, orb spiders won’t harm you — unless, of course, you’re an arachnophobe… 😅

    Pic 14 and onwards show impressions from the coastal track we hiked (second time for me). At the end, we got lucky and spotted a few dolphins in the distance 🐬. You might have to squint a bit to spot one breaking the surface in the last pic.    Meer informatie

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    Ssssssssnaaaaake!

    4 oktober, Australië ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    It finally happened — I saw a snake! An Eastern Brown, to be exact.

    I was working at the hotdog van (with a beautiful view of the beach) when a customer pointed out some commotion and mentioned there was a snake. I was already halfway out the door while asking my boss if I could go have a look. 😄

    There was quite a crowd when I arrived. People were staring at the snake, keeping a bit of distance (encouraged by the lifeguards), but not quite realizing the danger when the snake suddenly came a little too close for comfort — prompting the lifeguards to frantically call everyone back. 😅

    Eventually, the snake slithered up the beach, past the van, and into a restaurant. From where I stood, all I could see were people suddenly jumping to their feet.

    All in all, it was exhilarating — and I can’t wait to see another snake! 🐍😄    Meer informatie

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    More Noosa News

    30 september, Australië ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    Fear not: this month will not go by without a post. As you might have gathered from the lack of updates, not much has happened.
    I’m still staying at a hostel here in Noosa — admittedly against my will. Summer season has started, which also means Noosa accommodation is no longer affordable. Must have something to do with Noosa being one of the most expensive places in Australia and a major holiday hotspot. With prices jumping to up to 95 dollars per night at the beginning of October, I had to extend my hostel stay for about 12 nights — until mid-October — so I can finish my work hours at my job (more about that later). The price is beyond reasonable for a hostel (with a construction site out back, so forget peace and quiet).

    I’ve been looking for a room to rent for a few weeks now, but so far, a decent option has eluded me. A shame, really. I’d love to stay in Noosa longer — having found friends, Pia and Erin, with whom I enjoy occasional outings and copious amounts of frozen yoghurt. (At this rate I’ll soon level up a pant size if I don’t take up exercising again.)

    The Job Front

    I had started working as a waitress in Noosa but only got very few hours. Next up, I actually got two jobs to replace waitressing. One of them was working as a dishie and sandwich-prepper at a joint with several restaurants in the area, jumping between three of them. This segment is written in the past tense because cleaning dishes for a few weeks flared up my kumara-related wrist injury and gave me a free helping of tennis elbow. So much for that. To be fair, there were enough screw-ups with my pay and mysteriously docked hours at that place that I’m at least glad I won’t have to keep chasing them anymore. After I get the last pay, that is. Would be great if stuff like that didn’t require constant vigilance and follow-ups on my part for once.

    Luckily, I still have my other job at an ice cream/hot dog van — at least for a few more days. On rainy days there’s no work (that’s the downside). But I actually really like working there. Not just because the hot dogs, ice cream, and iced coffees are top-notch, but because it’s a reliable, relaxed, and appreciative work environment — and the boss is cool.

    The $220 Jellyfish

    What else has been happening? Well, I saw two extraordinarily expensive jellyfish. Each of them cost 110 dollars. If you’re confused, allow me to clarify. I wanted to go swimming with whales a few weeks ago for the proud price of 220 dollars. Equipped with a wetsuit, fins, and lots of excitement, we all went out to sea. We saw quite a few whales from the boat already, and the swimmers were let into the water plenty of times to seize the chance to swim with them.

    After the 7th time of hopping into the water, being pushed in all directions by 1m waves, and climbing back into the boat (with considerable effort — the waves were a pain…), I (and the others) had still failed to spot a single whale. At this point, I was so seasick that I was incapable of further attempts. (I enclosed a video of the waves - might not look like much, but I assure you it was…) I sat down (didn’t even make it to the seats) and focused on the horizon. Luckily no one tried talking to me — I couldn’t have responded in a way they’d have appreciated.

    The crew didn’t give up and, of course, on the 9th and 10th attempts, the others actually saw whales in the water. The observers on the boat saw them too — it wasn’t hard if you were able to stand up. Unlike me at this point. All I saw were two jellyfish… But! I took the liberty of drawing what the event would have looked like. Enjoy!

    Car Sale Chaos

    There was another incident that almost ended with me calling the police.
    I had the chance to buy a car — a Landcruiser. I got the insurance sorted, the seller and I agreed on a price, and we set a time to meet. Then, the night before the sale, I got a message from the couple saying they’d changed their minds and were going to give the car to someone else who had already paid a deposit. All while fully knowing I was ready to buy.

    Then came the plot twist: I could still take the car — for 400 dollars more. At this point I was convinced the whole thing had to be illegal (spoiler: it wasn’t, at least not here in Australia). Frustrated but still hopeful, I agreed. They cancelled the other guy’s deposit (which was illegal) and came to Noosa for the sale. I checked the car, drove it, all seemed fine — until the payment part.

    We had agreed on a bank transfer, but suddenly things got complicated. A third I paid straight from my Aussie account. The rest was meant to come from another account of mine, but that would have slapped me with several hundred dollars in transfer fees. I hadn’t expected that — stress, 45-hour workweeks, and unfamiliarity with Aussie car-buying procedures don’t exactly make for a sharp mind. Together we tried finding alternatives, but then he started pushing for the money to go into a foreign account instead, and on top of that he expected me to cover not only my own transfer costs but also his withdrawal fees. That’s when the whole thing went from annoying to downright dodgy.

    The more I hesitated, the more aggressive he became. His girlfriend tried calming him down, but no luck. I felt very unsafe and finally decided to back out of the sale. I asked for the part I’d already transferred back. He refused, she agreed, and the whole thing escalated to the point where I was about to call the police.

    Luckily, Pia — one of my roomies — turned up at exactly that moment to check on me and gave me backup. In the end, they returned most of my money. Most, not all. He kept 100 dollars for himself as “compensation” — illegally, of course. But I let it go. Consider it the price of peace of mind — and 100 dollars’ worth of “lesson learned” tuition fees…

    Wildlife Spotting

    To end this post on a positive note: from the deck of the hostel (with a view of the forest) I can spot the occasional water dragon and monitor lizard (see pics), and plenty of bluish butterflies! If I’m not working, this is usually where you’ll find me — observing the animals. Mind you, I have yet to spot a snake. These buggers are harder to find than I thought!

    I also set out for some night-time photography - but the light pollution around Noosa was way too strong for what I was going for. But still. Could have been worse. ^^    Meer informatie

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    Noosa News

    28 augustus, Australië ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C

    The past few weeks have been filled with my hunt for jobs. Nothing really cool or eventful — unless you count my last night at the first hostel I stayed in. A new guy moved into the dorm with the three of us who were already there. Upon entering the room, he accused us of working with the Antichrist and the same people who killed JFK. Then he said he would stab us in the face. For obvious reasons, none of us felt we could stay in the room, so we were moved to a 10-bed dorm instead of the 4-bed we had paid for. At least I got the difference refunded after asking.

    After that, I wanted to move into a hostel a bit further along the road, closer to the more interesting parts of Noosa. The deal was work for accommodation: I was supposed to work 12 hours a week in exchange for a free stay in an 8-bed dorm with six 18-year-old girls. I was — well, how to put this — overwhelmed by the sheer disregard for hygiene, personal space, and tidiness. The place looked like a bomb had gone off: clothes and shoes scattered everywhere, covering the entire floor. The two en-suite showers were disgusting, and the sink… let’s just say I wasn’t keen on touching it. I slept only centimetres away from the AC unit and some lovely patches of mould on the ceiling.

    I went to reception and mentioned the condition of the room. One staff member was very understanding; another just shrugged and told me, “I thought it was awful when I first got here, but chill, you’ll get used to it.” I tried. For one night. Then I left.

    Now I’m staying at a new place even closer to the beach — and I love it! Clean, private bunks — dreamy! Honestly, it’s what I wish were the standard everywhere.

    In the past few weeks, just about everyone in Noosa has come down with a cold. I wasn’t spared, but luckily I’m feeling better now.

    My job hunt has been semi-successful. I landed two weekly shifts at a restaurant, about 15 hours total. It barely covers accommodation. I might have another job coming, but even with both, I’d probably only reach around 25 hours a week. Sadly, this isn’t what I was hoping for. While it pays for my stay here in Noosa, it doesn’t really leave room for savings toward onward travels… We’ll see.

    On a brighter note, I’ve made two friends at my new hostel — Gaelle from France and Ethan from England. After my first swim in Australia (early afternoon, and it felt amazing!), we met up to enjoy the sunset at Noosa Spit, had dinner back at the lodge, and went for frozen yoghurt. Ethan and I were already pretty full, but Gaelle was so delighted with all the topping options that we couldn’t resist joining in.

    Of course, all good things must come to an end — Gaelle and Ethan left the next day. I had a wonderful time with them and was really glad for their company.

    Oh, and this deserves a special mention since it’s been a while since I’ve won anything in sports: I beat Ethan in a ping-pong match. 😁    Meer informatie

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    Eumundi Markets

    9 augustus, Australië ⋅ 🌧 16 °C

    Eumundi Markets – Australia’s largest art, craft, and food market, full of local products, music, and a lot of esoteric hokum—think crystals and palm readings around every corner.

    I have mixed feelings about this place. On the one hand, exploring somewhere new was fun, and I do like a good browse. On the other hand, without a home to decorate, a specific need for countless dust collectors, or plenty of money to spare, there wasn’t much I could actually buy. (Apart from a properly brewed matcha, which turned out to be the highlight of the day.)

    To be fair, the day’s vibe would have improved tenfold if it hadn’t been raining like Zeus was trying to douse a bushfire the size of Eumundi. At one point, I stepped into a foot-deep puddle—which only mildly bothered me—but if you’ve ever soaked your shoes like that, you know the best part is yet to come: once dry, they reek to high heaven. 😁

    As you stroll through the stalls, you often end up chatting with the owners. I had quite a few nice conversations—though, inevitably, they cover the same ground: where you’re from, what you’re doing in Australia, etc. When I stopped to talk to a lady selling seashell art, things took a turn. After I mentioned that staying in Australia permanently would be enticing, her warm demeanour switched instantly: “No. You go back to where you came from. Nobody wants you here. We never should have let you people into this country.”

    It took me a while to process that properly. That concluded an odd day.

    ⸻

    What else has been happening?

    I’ve now completed every official hike in Noosa National Park—and had an absolute blast! It’s a little sad I’m done with them 😁

    I’ve been job-hunting some more. Still waiting to hear back from a bunch of places. Fingers crossed.

    Oh, and there was some drama at the hostel. A few days ago, one of the guests apparently had a shotgun, which he casually placed on a bed while rifling through other people’s belongings and robbing them. He left early the next morning. Everything was caught on security cameras, and the robber even helpfully left his wallet by the pool. Witnesses say he seemed to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

    Good times! 😁    Meer informatie

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    Hiking in Noosa National Park

    6 augustus, Australië ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    Another hike planned for the day. How 10 scheduled kilometres turned into 20 unscheduled ones, I’m not entirely sure. Honestly, it’s amazing I ended up with only one blister.

    The hike is called the Coastal Track. After already walking 3.5 km just to get there, I was greeted with a climb at the very beginning. It was a warm day, and the sun was relentless. Pausing for a sip of water, I realised I must have lost the larger of my two bottles. So — decision time. The sensible thing would’ve been to turn around and call it a day. But I really wanted to do that hike. So I kept going.

    Surprisingly, I was fine.

    I finished the Coastal Track, then wandered around all the cafés and restaurants, handing out my CV in hopes someone might be hiring. From there, I hiked across Main Beach to reach the furthest point — Noosa Spit — and then uphill (exhaustingly steep and for longer than anticipated) to reach Laguna Lookout just in time for the sunset. And I mean just in time. Two minutes later, and I would’ve missed it.

    Back at the hostel, I downed 1.5 litres of water and probably could’ve kept going — if it hadn’t been bedtime already.

    And geez. So far, every night at the hostel has been pretty awful. People come in at all hours, and it’s not like they try to be quiet because others are sleeping. No — they’re playing music and having loud conversations at 2 a.m. And just when you think you might finally sleep, the snoring begins. Loudly.

    My watch has been reprimanding me for a terrible sleep score the past few nights.

    If anyone’s looking to donate a luxury caravan to the needy, let me know.    Meer informatie

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