Noosa – the first trip

Our next destination was our first where we would be starting our first trip that we had booked back in Sydney. As we were told nak all by wicked travel we were a bit apprehensive as to what to expect but were looking forward to meetings some new people. On the way to Noosa (where we would start the Kanoeing/Camping/Bush trip as described above) we had a night over at the glass mountains look out. This was a very picturesque spot slightly inland which we stumbled upon when looking for a go kart track that we had seen signposted. We attempted to BBQ chicken by moonlight before retiring to bed ready for an early start planned for the next day. And for once we actually woke up when the alarm went off and were on the road by 9. After a few Km we accidently bumped into the kart track we had been looking for the previous day and felt it was necessary to have a go. Always a good laugh and we all caned the locals on the track. We got back on the road for a while before stopping at a place called Caloundra on Kings beach. Here we had an awesome time being immature kids again. I.e playing Frisbee, frolicking in the sea, making sand castles and digging holes to bury each other (of course adding certain body parts to the buried individual. In the end we made our way to Noosa and prepared for the trip the following day.
We stayed..somewhere that night, oh yeah it was actually in Noosa, we had made it there and were ready after an early night’s sleep to start our Bear Grylls, lets catch a wild boar with some fishing line and a flip flop adventure. Or so we thought. As ive just mentioned, we thought we were in for a 3 day, be thrown into the bush/everglades with a tent and a stove and camp wherever. We had packed enough tinned goods to sustain a nuclear winter and had only our day bags to take, we were ready to take on any bush animals that might awake us during the night..or instead maybe just Pete. Anyway, thanks to the lovely folk at “Wicked” Travel, who as Sam has already explained, are shit, we knew nothing about the trip. It turns out that wer were basically staying in a rudimentary dorm for 2 of the three nights and camping at an actual campsite on the third. Not quite Bear Grylls eh? Well we met up with th van that takes people to the camp and we followed him to the supermarket where everyone was going to get their food for the trip, did we feel smug or what ught our food and walking out of the supermarket with Home Brand mossie spray and a carton of custard (oh yes!)having already bo We chatted to a few others going qand it turned out they had no idea what was going on either and had funnily enough booked it with “wicked” travel. So we drove to the bush camp, which is a road not desgined for our rig, but it pulled through and we parked up and got familirised with the place. After the usual meet and greet between everyone, we went for a quick walk around a path out of the camp to see what we would be in store for. It seemed pretty nice, not too much going on, apart from the huge incestual/Deliverance vibe obviously, we realised we had gotten a pretty good group. Some more people arrived later that day and that night we got to know everyone a little better with the only way that is right – Ring of Fire. After drinking maaany XXXX’s and hardly feeling drunk, because they have only 3.5% alcohol in them?! (this is a country of supposed ‘hardcore’ drinkers and one of their choice of about 2 beers is 3.5% proof – shouldn’t of exported Fosters, its much better) we deicded to reitre to our sketchy dorm bed to be up at 7.30aqm sharp for our briefing.
Several hours later and wishing that it really couldnt be 7.30am already, we begrudgingly got out of our bed which had happily not collapsed during the night and attened the briefing about the next 3 days. The man that gave us this briefing was clearly an alcoholic whose poor jokes, weird stories and obvious racism and misogynist-ism(?) did nothing to change the fact it was 7.30am. The briefing consisted of a map the we didnt have or werent to be given and some random pointing at a lake and saying what we would be doing and where we would be headed. After drifting off and regaining conecntration near the end after the words box and jellyfish were mentioned the “briefing” had come to an end. We were now left with about an hour to saunter around before we began the first bout of canoeing. This made the getting up so ridiculously early seem pretty unnecessary. Eventually we were on the water and sat in our much deliberated positions. (The guys had recommended putting the strongest at the back as apparently they did the most work etc so it was clear to me and Pete that Matt would take this job in a small attempt to begin his regime to become a meathead.) We reached our destination after a short while and some guess work/navigation and naturally won the race that according to the gagaju workers was not going to happen, beating our biggest rivals in the process – team Canada which included none other than Arni himself (he was actually called Paul but was totally ripped so we decided Arni was more appropriate and provided us with many amusing anecdotes in the mean time. “Yaaoo” a particular favourite of mine. We embarked on a short hike to the beach we were headed for with a short stop to take pictures and feed the wild kangaroos that we saw on the way. It was worth the walk. The beach was like many of the other aussie beaches we had been to, but as it was only accesible by 4WD was nearly empty. re enjoyed a frolic in the sea to cool down and then decided to soak up the rays and feel the deep burn. We even engaged in a bit of beach football while there – had a good 3 on 3 match which ended only when we decided that a half time was a good idea – we didnt make it to the second half. Arni went for a short jog around Australia and everyone just chilled out and enjoyed the awesome wheather before heading back to the gagaju base camp to sleep on the floor that night.

After a pretty awesome day and now everyone was getting to know each other from the previous nights escapades and that days trip we decided that there was only one thing for it – some more ring of fire. Pete and Alex went off to buy more beer (proper strength beer this time) we ate some pie that took about 3 days to cook in the old skoool industrial style oven at the camp and then commenced the inevitable onslaught. We were on the third game of ring of fire by the end of the night and the Jagermeister had been broken into. We also met some crazy Isaraeli guy and a funny irishman that enjoyed ganging up on himself in drinking games. I say no more. After a heated discussion between Matt and Pete in the tent we retired in the knowledge that we would have slightly longer in the bed that morning.

The following night we would be staying at a campsite further up the river, so we had to packthe boats with tents and general camping equipment that morning. Everyone feeling a little worse for wear. The ground was not very comfortable to sleep on. Anyway, that day we had the possibility of pissing about on a rope swing and eating spit roast pig and beef if we were to get there in time. The paddling was “less enthusiastic” today as can be expected so we made slow progress until we eventually found the rope swing. After much diffculty parking the canoes near the river bed and different people getting out whilst trying not to capsize any, Sam and Ed jumped out of the tree and had a go on the swing – realising that hyperthermia was a genuine possibilty afterwards – whilst some people took pictures. We then continued on to the camp site where it was a short walk to the much awaited spit roast. In the end only a few of us got to the roast in time and just as they were clearing up. But oh my god what a win – a big plate full of pig and cow so tasty and tender and all for 10 dollars. One of the things I have missed a lot whilst away – a good old roast – and it was glorious! Arni trumped us all by polishing off two plates – one of just meat and one of salad. We had no idea at this point of his eating habits apart from the fact that he ate a lot – including a lot of plain tins of tuna. We all set up camp and then chilled a bit more – Sam and Matt went the whole hog and had a napage. One conversation that stuck in my mind from that day was when Dale (quite an open Candian guy) asked Allan (a fairly quiet but awesome israeli guy) what Israel was like. Allan answered “oh horrible, I live in a mud hut” or something along those lines. There’s something about an israeli being sarcastic that just makes it more amusing. Anyway it led to us trying to find out what Allan did in the army when he did his compulsory service as they still have this in Israel – Each bloke must do two years when they turn 18. Turned out he was in intelligence but, even after a lot of probing from the rest of the group, would not elaborate much. We cooked soup for dinner then everyone huddled round what you might call a camp fire – others would refer to it more as a BBQ with logs that are on fire in it. A little more beer was drank and we got a pretty motivational speech from Arni and then went and slept on some more ground.

The next day had nothing planned – we just had to pack up everything, attempt to put it all back in the canoes and paddle back the base where we would get our infamous deposits back (basically we payed 20 dollars each deposit for the camping stuff when we got there and throughout the weekend the gagaju staff used this as a sort of power to make us do what we were supposed to do – pointing out many things that would loose us the deposit. This inevitably turned into a bit of a joke for the group involving what they would buy with our deposits which we were so definitly not getting back etc) before returning to civilisation. We arrived back just in time and milled about for a bit at the camp before leaving – surprisingly with our deposits. Deciding in the end that we would go straight up to Hervey Bay that night so we could stay with basically the same group of people for our next trip on Fraser Island. Unfortunately leaving behind Dail, Mallika, Rachel, Toby, Heather, Ed and Allan but staying with Candaian Dail, Arni, Jen, Alex and Eve. So we drove, and drove some more until we arrived at the hostel that evening.