Revolutionary Road Trip!!!

As you all know I just returned from my two and a half week adventure across East Coast Australia - AMAZING!!!!!!!!!

This is a long one but it's non-stop, so put your seatbelts on! Itinerary for the trip:

Friday, 11 of Sept. 6:55am: Magnus, Erik, and I took a train an hour south to Brisbane to pick up the two station wagons. Let's just say, it was obvious the trip was going to be an adventure! We got to Sippy Downs to pick up our crew of nine and headed out around midday. This was the start of our twenty-one and a half hour drive to Cairns.

Success! Found the car pick-up

Saturday, 12 of Sept. 1:00am: Got to our campsite in Rockhampton for a good six hour sleep. On the road again at 8:00am. Phew, what a day! I think we were all going a little crazy by the time we arrived at our hostel, Asylum, at 12:30am in Cairns. 

Phew - only 617km to Cairns ;)

Fortunately, the drive was amazing

Sunday, 13 of Sept.: First official day in Cairns!!!!!! Sini, her two friends from Finland, Satu and Hanna, and I headed to the morning markets while the others were sleeping. We got heaps of free fruit - perfect breakfast :) The others met us by the Lagoon near the beach around lunch time. We got lots of time to enjoy Cairns and have a relaxed day. Asylum, our hostel, was awesome - free dinner and entertainment every night! Let's just say, it was a great first night :)

Perfect breakfast

Monday, 14 of Sept.: Whitewater Rafting!!!!!!!!! I had never been - such an amazing experience! 

Asylum hooked us up with 

another great night

Tuesday, 15 of Sept.: We went Jungle Swinging and Bungee Jumping, drove the most beautiful drive of my life to Port Douglas, explored the rain forrest in Cape Tribulation

2 Hot Travel Agents -

Jungle Swinging

Phew, I have gotten my driving experience!!!

Literally inexplicable. 

One of the few places in the world

where the rain forrest touches the ocean

The group :)

Marrdja Botanical Walk

Most famous open walk in Cape Tribulation

Mongrove Trees

Aussie creatures are SCARY!!!

Incredible lodge in the town of

Cape Tribulation - 

We had to stop for appetizers

SWEET SIGN!!!

What for the Emus...

Wednesday, 16 of Sept.: Drive to Airlie Beach

So Many CARROTS!!!!

Things were getting crazy...

Finally in Airlie Beach

Thursday, 17 of Sept.: Three-day sail boat excursion through the Whitsunday Islands on Condor!

Approaching Condor

Friday, 18 of Sept.: Snorkeling and White Haven Beach 

Time to go snorkeling

I love love love LOVED IT!

Can't WAIT to go scuba diving :)

Sini and I being silly

Walk walk walk walk walk

And this is what we found....

I've never loved life more!

Sailing away

Yes. This is real.

Saturday, 19 of Sept.: Return to Airlie Beach

The crew and me!

Sunday, 20 of Sept.: Spontaneously drove to Agnes Waters/1770 where Captain Cook first discovered Australia 

No hostel or campsite =

camping on the beach

Monday, 21 of Sept.: Waking for the amazing sunrise. Next to New Zealand, we were the first ones to see it in the entire world! We then drove to Hervey Bay in preparation for our day tour in Fraser Island

Start of sunrise 4:55am

Our very illegal campsite on top of

the dunes... Top left

Amazing breakfast at the hostel...

that we didn't sleep at :/

Welcome to 1770

Tuesday, 22 of Sept.: Day tour of Fraser Island - largest sand island in the world

I never dogs could be so dangerous!

Maheno Shipwreck -Fraser Island

One very cool thing about Fraser is that the beach is an actual highway - signs, speed limits, everything! Crazy!

Wednesday, 23 of Sept.: Awesome brekky made by the guys at the campsite in Hervey Bay. Then heading off to Noosa

Worst dust storm in 70 years

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,26113952-11949,00.html

Craziely enough... I've still got MUCH more to blog!!!! I will post a map of Australia as well so you can follow along with our travels more closely - hope you enjoyed the first half of the most amazing holiday of my life! Lauren and Bianca are here now - lots more pictures are soon to come!!!!!! Love y'all so much