Mooloolaba to Rainbow Beach

Ok so a quick catch up on my busy and not so lonely movements in the past like 10 (wow) days. Firstly thanks for all the messages of concern about my lonely time, I laugh a little but am grateful when my phone beeps and I get a cheery message from home. Fear not though, I am definitely mastering the art of starting conversation with any decent (as in not over 35, not in a winnabago, not with young kids, and not with all the vans windows blackout with some strange smelling smoke drifting from the window) campervaners! Just last night for example in the carpark of this pretty little beach just out of Bundaberg I approached two guys sitting next to their van playing guitar and within 15mins we had a 4 van convoy heading to the closest free camping spot – where I now lie having watched the sunrise waiting for my new found friends to wake up.

So from Maloolaba I went to the Buderim Ginger Factory – the biggest in the world and oh so tasty! As some of you know I love ginger (sweet, savoury, in lollies, icecream, stir fries etc) and so this was heaven. I went on a tour and sampled some amazing and random produce from ginger jam and ginger scones, to ginger dip and best of all I bought a huge ginger icecream – I am in love!! And I also bought a 1kg bag of crystallised ginger for nibbling in the car which I think you will be happy to know I haven’t finished yet.

So next stop was Noosa, my destination for Easter. Partially because I wanted to be somewhere a bit familiar and because there was the Great Noosa Campout on which was a music festival for campervaners! I didn’t end up attending however because I drove past and it looked like a flop (and all the media said it was!) and I made new friends in Noosa.

Hating every moment of my first night in the town (or more like at the only available campspot 20km out, in some mozzie infested paddock) I headed to the over crowded but absolutely buzzing Eumundi market where I purchased some stickers for George – see the photos (when I finally put them up!) I met a van of 3 Israeli guys, 2 Swiss girls and 2 Swiss guys when I got back to the beach, yay! We went out that night to the pub which was fun and then Easter Sunday we had an Easter egg hunt in the Coles Carpark – our local sleeping position for the week. To all those wondering if I got an easter egg, trust me I wasn’t going to forget this excuse to eat chocolate before breakfast and so I finally allowed myself to eat the block of Old Gold (my fav) I had been ‘hiding’ from myself till then!

It was weird being in Noosa as a backpacker. Walking down Hasting st having not showered for the past 6 days among all of the ‘college mums’ in their white linen pants and crips blonde bob haircuts… But very fun nevertheless. I did a few walks (ie runs) in the National Park, swam down to the rocks each morning and pretended I have a surfboard as I cut surfers off body surfing (the Israeli guys think I am crazy!) On one of the days we hired a boat and went in and out of the river systems, which was fun, and very funny watching them trying to steer the boat.

Following five days in Noosa I once again set off on my journey north. This time to a small town called Rainbow Beach, famous for its rainbow sandy cliffs, which certainly didn’t disappoint. I checked in to the caravan park here and did a huge load of washing which was very satisfying and gave George a general internal clean and tidy. The following day I ventured along the walking trail in the Natioanl Park to the Carlo Sandblow. It was this most incredible sand dune stretching from the cliff tops above the rainbow sands for well over 1km inland. Hard to descrbe but it looked awesome, like a sandy desert surrounded but forrest and the cliff tops to the ocean. From here the walking track actually continues down the coast to Noosa making up the Great Cooloola Walk – something I would love to do sometime.

Ok written enough for the moment and my battery is about to run out. Still to come is Rainbow Beach to Bundaberg including Fraser Island - photo selection may be a struggle!

Bye for now!