Well last night was quite embarrassing! Went out with the crew from the Oz Expo bus and ended up pub crawling around Airlie Beach. Managed to get roped into a pole/lap dancing comp and before I know it i'm getting breifed about the rules with 9 other people who all looked very pro :( I opted for the pole dancing as Iain and Janners will testify of my ninja skills on the pole. There were 4 blokes and 6 girls in the comp, 4 for pole and rest for lap. I had to go 2nd and pretty hard act to follow as the girl lap danced for some bloke and got her tits out almost straight away. Me taking my top off didn't exactly have the same effect! However managed to pull off some decent flips and upside down shit (courtacy of the TA for making me climb poles for so many years!!) and ended up winning the pole section. Not bad since all the girls went topless. But I got destroyed by the remaining girls who all lap danced and were absolute stunners!! Hey, all I was going for was not coming last!!

The crew had my camera and did get a few shots - some of which may make it onto the site!!

Off for my boat trip tomorrow at 9 and will be back on Thurs so speak to you all then!!

C

Oh my God what I day I had yesterday. The Yongalla wreck rocked!! Saw giant leatherback turtles, 2.5m long bull rays (big brother of the sting ray) and loads of sea snakes. One swam though my legs and round my body. But dive was qiute hardcore as the sea's were well choppy and over half of the people on board were spewing their load. Was glad that I had decided for a reasonably early night before :))

Last night was a bit of a damp squib as everyone was on a mission but never really came to anything. About to get picked up for the leg to Airlie Beach where I really need to get some washing done prior to my Whit Sunday trip. Should be good but obvisouly won't be posting till I get back so don't get all worried and thinking i've been eaten by sharks or crocs!!!

Bye for now,

Mex

Ola Chequos,

Met some spainish folk and starting asking them how to say the basics in the lingo as perp for S america!! Going to have to do a course as it's rough without some language skills!!

Anyway am now in Magnetic Island and it is stupidly hot! I know that none of yous want to hear this but even the mad dogs and english have retreated to the shade. Had a big night on the strawberry daqueries last night (random i know) and went on a trek this morning to the hilltop and spotted some koala's and 2 wedge tailed eagles in the wild. Off at bastardo o'clock tomorrow to dive the yongala which is meant to be in the top 5 wreck dives in the world...we shall see. Wasn't that impressed with the diving in cairns but hope to be pleasantly suprised!!

Most of you all will have been here before so won't drone on but it's good craic and there are loads of cool people here. Don't feel the oldest on the block anymore :))

Laters,

Mex

Arrived safe and sound in Mission Beach and it is hawaian night at the hostel. Time to get the loud bordie's on and maybe a wife beater for the authentic surfer look! Got a bit more colour yesterday as had a day of chilledness after much action adventure sports. Feeling a tad tired today as got cohersed into boozing last night and watching pole idol in the irish bar. Male and female contestants...managed to avoid competing even after all the practise that I got in Bulgaria last year with Iain and janners :))

Got the Oz Experience down the road and pretty good group so far. Went to a croc farm and saw the biggest repltile i've ever seen. Fucker was about 5-6m long. Looked like a dinosaur!! The guide was trying to convince me to let myself get bitten by a snake for a free can of coke and started chasing me around with this Carpet Adder. Chucked it towards me and i dodged and my mate Jonny got bitten instead! Crazy boys there...

Decided yesterday that I had been boozing and eating shite for way to long and if I continued down this path of evil then I was going to end up a fat bastard!! So had a night off the booze last night, had a salad and then went to the pics to avoid the temptation of the bar :))

Went for a run with one of the girls I was sky diving with yesterday. 7am and I thought it was going to be a gentle 5 km or so...how wrong was I. God it was like running with Ruth. We ran from Town Centre to the airport back in the pissing rain and it was about 12 miles. I turned my ankle on the way back and have serious chafing going on in the groinal region! However i'm sure it will do me the world of good in the long run. Need to remember not to push the boat out too far. No running in 4 months means I have to take things slowly!!

Did, however manage to painfully and slowly climb up the 55m tower to do the AJ Hacket bungy thingy in Cairns. The founder of bungying and meant to be on of the safest places to do it in the world. Had to go last (for some reason) so got to watch the 2 girls and 1 guy all jump before me. But rose to the challenge and did a nice swan dive off the patform after some cheeky signs to the camera (could get dvd but didn't thing it was worth it). Wicked experience but not sure if I will do it again.

Whe we were waiting for the tracesport back to town one of the other guys dislocated his knee doing the jump. Obviously a bit shocking but it turns out that he had surgery to try and fix it a couple of months ago and this was the 6th time it had happened this month alone!!

Got a party tonight and then a day or sorting my life out before heading down the east coats.

Later party people,

C

Just done my first tandem jump from 14000 feet. Man what a rush :)) Got the dvd and the pics as well and will try and get them onto the site asap. Picking them up tomorrow!

Weather looked to be a bit shit when I got up this morning. Standard Weige morning. Wall to wall grey clouds and pretty windy, only difference was it wasn't bastard cold. Even started raining as we were driving out to the airfield. But the sun broke through and got a nice mix of clouds and blue sky. This german boy I met took some pics of me landing and will mail them to me.

Think that the experience has to be done again and NZ is meant to be a top spot for jumping out of perfectly good airplanes...we shall see!

Well just been to the most northen point of mainland Oz. Well almost as u have to use a 4x4 to get right to the top and not really got the time or incliniation for that. Day was alright if a little dull. Captain Cook named all the places up there and most of them have wierd names like Mt Misery/ Desperation/ Disspointment/ Sorrow etc. Not as grim as it makes out but still a bit out of the way. Went croc spotting and did see a few but not very well :( Can't even swim up there as the jellyfish will get u if the crocs don't!

But jumping out of a perfectly good airplane tomorrow which is going to be awesome :)) Also going to be able to sleep till after 9 for the first time in 6 days :))))) Very tired man at the moment.

C

Alrighty folks,

Just back from rafting the Tully river which is meant to be in the top 5 rivers in the world. paid the extra $20 for the MAX experience and it was well worth it. Loads of rapids and lots of bouncing off rocks. Had an awesome group for the boat and the guide rocked. All in all avery good day. Did get a little scorchioed by the sun but hopefully it will just top up the browness from Bali :))

Off to Cape Trib tomorrow and it's another bastard o'clock start (ie. those before 7am). But should get some shut eye in the van. Right off for a feed.

C

Just been diving at great barrier at Cairns and not very impressed. Much better last time I was here and seen better in Asia. Also V expensive here. But then last time was in the Whit Sundays and do have a free dive there on my trip.

Just spent best part of a grand, well actually just over a grand on all the best things to do here. Scuba, Sky Diving, Rafting, Bungy (sorry dad!), Cape Tribulation trip, Whit Sunday sail, Fraser island trip and transport to Syndney so feeling a little poor at the moment. So if any of my darling family fancy putting some birthday or Chrimbo travel funds into my account then that would be lovely :))

Roasting toasting up here and I fully intend to be as black as possible before I leave here. Right off for a feed and then an early night as have to get up at bastard o'clock tomorrow :((

Bye for now,

C

Arrived safe and sound in Cairns and need to get organised with trips in and around. Diving, rafting and maybe some sky diving are all on the agenda. Only 4 weeks to get the greatest hits of the East Coast done so not much time to waste.

Checked in to a pricey but cool hostel and loking forward to sleeping a real bed for a change. Looks very clean and modern and will make a nice change from playing couch commando at sammy's :)) There is however a nightclub in the hostel which goes on till 6am and am going to try to avoid that tonight. My body need sleep after the massivo amounts of boozing that went on in Melbourne. Loved the city and met some cool people but was ready to leave today.

However i did go and the see a well cool photography expo on Erath from Above. Has been touring for a few years and saw a few on londondinium last summer but this was like 70 pics. very cool to check out if u have some time and want cool backgrounds for your 'puter (http://www.yannarthusbertrand.com).

Rigtht off for a feed and then prob a reasonably early night. busy day tomorrow and might even go for a run as my diet of beerio's and excellent food has not been condusive to losing weight and don't want to be the fat kid on the block :)

Hope the weather gets better back in old blighty...it's 21:30 and 28 degrees here :)

C :D

Just recovering from a crazy day at the races. Had the kilt on which went down a storm although did have very sweaty knackers for a lot of the day...Glorious sunshine, well dressed people and even managed to win 200 oz bucks, which was good as it offset the ridiculius amount of money that I spent in the club later on :(( Very well organised event as there was free booze and food for the whole day.

Going to fly up to Cairns tomorrrow and start my east coast trip, but heading South as apose to north!! Melbourne is good but i'm going to go bankrupt if I stay here too long!

Off for some non-alchohoic beverages and a wee snooze.

Love Mex

G'day,

Hows it all going in the really real world??

Feeling a little jaded after all day boozing at the Cup. Only lost about 20 squid but then only bet on one race! Good day and good night. Vaguely remember getting home in the wee hours this morning. Had to borrow one of Sammy's suits and spent a good hour yesterday having to pin and sew the hems up as he is 3 inches taller then me! was tres balitico yesterday and felt sorry for all the lovely ladies in their skimpy frocks. It was wall to wall stiff nips...but most of the enterprising girls and theived the jackets of their various menfriends. The rain stayed off for the day and sun came out for about 10 mins. Event was quiet compared to the Sat when there was about 120000 punters there. Got another race on Sat and might wear the kilt...we shall see as it's a little worse for wear after the madness of Ko Pangyan!

Right off to buy a pair of jeans as the shorts are really not cutting it.

Bye bye,

Mex

Alrighty People,

Well arrived finally in the east coast and have been in Melbourne since the 2nd. Arrived and hooked up with Neil and Suzanne and spent the weekend down in Wilson Prom which is a national park at the southern-most point of mainland Ozz. Good 2 days of hiking, eating, wine tasting and generally relaxing. Got back up on Sun night and now staying with my mate Sam who i met in Loas. Off to the Melbourne Cup tomorrow which is the largest horse race in Ozz. Should be a good laugh and we have VIP tickets so although we had to by them it's free food and bevvie when we got inside :)) Sam is lending me a suit as it's a suited and booted affair. Going to place a few bets and have a couple of tips for the big race :))

Sorry to hear that it's bastard cold at home but to make u all feel better its almost as cold here. Had to go and buy some jeans as the combats and shorts are not really cutting it! My God how mcuh do I wish i'd done a bit more shopping in Asia. Got a niace pair of FCUK jeans for about 50 squid but annoyed at all the missed opportunities to get some for next to nothing. Nevermind. The jeans are nice and will last.

Right off to go for a run with Sam then out for some beerio's. Ruth is getting across quite soon and i think her threats of early morning runs are serious so I need to make some semblence of an effort!

Bye,

Mex