DD comes to OZ!

My friend and manager from Santa Barbara visited in Feb/March for about three weeks. It was a full house but a lot of fun during that busy visitor time...as Alyssa, Chels, and I were "forced" to take time off work and did what people are supposed to do when they go on holiday.........TRAVEL!

One of the big trips that I've done while in Australia, was my trip to Moreton island with DD. Moreton island is the 3rd largest sand island in the world...and it is the island with the largest sand dune in the world! Fraser island (where I visited with Natalie), is the 1st largest sand island in the world! Here are some pics to tell the adventures of Moreton Island:

DD and I planned a group tour to Moreton Island. We had to drive from Cooly to Brisbane city so that we could meet our tour group and drive to the ferry that would take us to Moreton. DD and I BARELY made it to Brisbane in time. Being in Australia, I forgot about a little thing called TRAFFIC..........rush hour does exist here and the aussies hate it just as much! Nevertheless we made it....very late...

When we finally made it to the ferry, we got the group 4wd on the ferry, and made it to Moreton. Here are some shipwrecks as we were approaching the shore!

Both Moreton and Fraser island had the most amazing landscape of sand dunes. Moreton had some huge sand dunes, and the dunes are famous for tobogganing! So you can only guess what we did..........

Yep..the whole group (very diverse, might I add) attempted the sand tobaggoning... and we aren't just talkin a small measly ant hill- this thing was MASSIVE!

This is me trying the tobaggoning for the first time. That's our tour guide, Ezedra, who was nice enough to wait for DD and I in Brisbane so we wouldn't miss this tour!! He wouldn't let anyone NOT go down the dune....

DD on her first time down the dune!! You had to steer the tobaggon with your feet so you wouldn't stray off into any trees......no big deal.

our favorite part.....DD hoofin' it back up the dune!! This gives you a better idea of how huge this thing was! We both went down a couple times.....when in rome!

It was a PERFECT day...it was raining in Brisbane, but PERFECT on the island.

Our very eclectic group of backpackers. They definitely kept us laughing. There are times to go your own way, and NOT choose the group tour. BUT THEN there are times when you should let someone else do the driving, and meet some very entertaining folks....

DD racing! She's already winning here :)

Visiting the "blue lagoon". This stop wasn't even on our tour, but Ezedra took us there because we had some extra time! It was a tea tree lake in the middle of the island. Never thought I would be going to two different tea tree lakes in australia!! We all went in the lake to cool off after the tobaggoning...played some ball...and got back in the 4wd.

DD soaking up the sun and the natural tea tree oil of the lake. It was a nude beach...JUST KIDDING!

We made it back to the coast of Moreton, and the group had some sandwiches. We hung out for a bit, and then got straight into snorkeling around the ship wrecks!

We ended up seeing a SHARK, several fish, and a hugeeee manatee! We explored such a small amount of the sea, and we saw the most incredible stuff, it makes me anxious not knowing what else is out there!! When the tour guide called out to us to let us know he had found a shark, we ALL went to the area where the shark was hiding, and one by one swam down to see it. Thinking back at that now, what in the world was I thinking????

Had to get one more picture of the group...I fully recommend group tours. Oh, and I also recommend sitting in the front seat of the 4wd......these guys got quite the beating on the dusty trail!!

 

 

More pics to come of DD's time here!

Aussie Lingo-

Bludga- pronounced as "bluh-ja". Meaning an individual who doesn't work very hard, leans on the counters, etc etc. 

Bogun-pronounced "bow-gun" the local aussies that have lived in an apartment for way too long, drink beer every mon,tues, wed, thurs, fri, sat, sun night, surf on the occasion, work a part time job...etc etc.

Derro- A step below bogun, nearly homeless, but not quite. It's taken me awhile to really nail the difference between bogun and derro, but I think I've pretty much distinguished between the two! Basically, no matter where you are, every town has their boguns and derros!