Australia (a.k.a. How to blow as much money as is humanly possible in 6 weeks!)

After 5 months acting the fool in Asia we decided that the Australians would be our next victims. We flew into Darwin and spent a few days chilling out there & venturing into the bush (...it was Dave's first encounter with the bush so understandably he was a little nervous).

From there we flew to Cairns and hit as many spots as we could along the east coast until we hit Sydney. After drinking like fishes for 8 days it was time for Dave & myself to part - him for his flashy new job with a marketing company & shiny new apartment, me for 6 more months of boozing, scrounging and generally acting like an under-financed backpacker-type around New Zealand and South America. Bring it on!

This was one of the first sites that greeted me while strolling around in Darwin..not too sure the paintjob will help the re-sale value though!

Enjoying a well-needed free steak dinner & all-night free bar tab after winning local 5-a-side tournament in Darwin


Sampling life in the bush in Litchfield National Park

Quick tip...standing next to the two palest people in Australia can do wonders for your tan

Learning to do the "Bloods" sign during a bus pub crawl in Cairns..well pleased with myself

Stopping off for a breather during a lung-busting bike ride in 30 degree heat in Magnetic Island...living like a slob for 5 months really didn't pay off that day!

Even I have to admit that this fella is cute, Magnetic Island National Park

En route to Brisbane on the trusty old Greyhound

Our vessel for our Whitsundays voyage...Habibi

Drunken shenanigans aboard Habibi...having to spend 30 mins in a dirty bin full of the day's leftovers was a tad harsh punishment though..

Managed to convince a girl to be in a picture with me. After 5 months of trying this was a huge moment for me

The two of us putting spandex back to the forefront of fashion

Group photo no. 168 on Fraser Island

WALSHY!! Left...no, not that left the other left you tool!

Local aboriginal tries in vain to teach us to start a fire using only wood & a coconut husk

Quiet session on the guitar turned into a mini-gig when 40 extra people rocked up from another camp..I'd have been lost without the head torch!

Our van decided to pack it in just as we were about to board the ferry back to the mainland..

Re-united with the Deloitte girls in Noosa

I loves the goon..

Some lovely rocks...

A close encounter with a frickin massive lizard, Noosa Heads (..just after our unfortunate encounter with a nudist beach full of wrinkly old men!

At a "Waifs" gig in Brisbane, great show..check them out if you haven't heard of them

The view from our hostel in hippy Nimbin..this place is paradise. Could've easily spent 2 weeks there instead of the 2 days we could spare

Re-united with the fellow backbackers we met in Vietnam - World Bar, Sydney

Two gimps ruin perfectly good photo of Sydney Harbour Bridge

Not a patch on Cork Opera House but at least they're making an effort..