Airlie Beach - Caiiiiiirns, and beyond! :)

Right, straight after we got off the sailing boat, got back to the campsite, and did some washing, it started raining, and hasnt finished since ! :P Luckily its so bloody hot and humid up here, its quite welcome really...

The journey has been pretty cool, altough havent been up to a huge amount. The next stop after Airlie Beach was Townsville, where we stopped at this campsite, met a cool couple, Jack and Carly, who had been kicked out of thier nans really nice comfortable house for a week while a Japanese friend visited, and was forced into a cramped hot tent, just as the rains started! :P Poor bastards..

I did a bit of busking that night, made $185, which wasnt too bad I suppose. The best part of the evening was when a random bloke came along, and started playing slide guitar, and singing with me...he was pretty good, so I carried on. Turns out he was the guitarist for Men at Work (You know, that 'land down under song'). He'd seen all the buskers up the street, and thought he'd grab his guitar and come and join us for a bit. So yes. Ill chalk that one up. Ive now Played with Men at work (Well, one of them) and John Butler likes my voice. :)  So yes, do a bit more busking, chat to the other buskers...cool guys, then headed back..

The next day we stopped off in this place called Flying Fish Point, just because we liked the name :P, then it was Cairns! Did a bit of busking, but I needed a license, so that didnt really work. Made a bit of cash though...enough to get me by. I also keep running into some of the people I met on my sailing trip around the Whitsundays, which was pretty good..

Now, ive bitten the bullet, and have put in to do a weeks farmwork, just to try and get a bit of extra cash, as I need to get through the centre, and there arent any towns, so I dont want to rely on busking...

Also, I need to try and make a bit of money, because ALthough im coming home in a month :(...., I really need to get back to NZ where theres actually a job waiting for me, with thier version of Autoglass, as opposed to sunny england, where a bunch of nameless w***ers have messed up the country, so theres no bloody work. Especially for a travelling bum such as myself. So yes, I need to get enough to get me back out here if possible. Certainly not done with this whole travelling thing...its far too much fun! (also, busking is apparantly really really good in NZ, so thats something else to consider..)

But yes, we'll see....Ive got to survive a 6am start, and a day picking bloody Limes first of all! :)

Brisbane - Airlie Beach

After we left Brisbane, we set off for Rainbow Beach. Its only a small town, but its a really really cool spot. If you read some of my earliest blogs on the trip youll read all about it...Not much happened, we just went back to the campsite (I knew where the free one was this time, and didnt have to get chased around for 2 hours by the police [who didnt want people just camping in the carpark next to the beach], which is always good! :P ). We just chilled out, swam in the sea for a bit, drank a few beers, then carried on up the coast the next day...

The next real stop was Airlie beach, but that was 12hours from Rainbow Beach, so we obviously cut the journey in half. We stopped in a roadhouse in Marlsbourough, which was actually quite nice. It had some weird creatures though. They might have been Praying Mantis', but, Well. I dont know. Ive given up on Australian animals. Im not sure most of them are real. Every time I try to describe them, they end up sounding made up.. :) They were long, green, massive wings. Okay, lets try another way. Cross a Lotus with a Cucumber, and then add two massive antenna...see, made up. That clearly doesnt exist. In fact, I trod on it, so theres a distinct posibility that even if it did before, it no longer does.. :P

Then after that, we set off for the easy (ha!) journey to Airlie....Then promptly got stuck in a closed road, where two trucks had basically ran off the road, and crashed. I saw the remains of one of them go past (12 hours later...good bloody job we had tea, and beers in the fridge! :P), and it was knackered. Shredded...So yes. I started the 1st annual Bruce Hwy Festival 2012, by plugging in my guitar to the vans batterys and hammering out a few songs to keep all the truckies entertained...Cool stuff! The Truckies are all mental though..real nice people, but definately a bit tapped.

 Ha, to give you an example, one was so pissed off with Queensland Police, 'he said, C**t! You C**ts are so F**king Backwards, you even f**king walk backwards! C**t!'. (This was the bloke who was missing the leg that youd use for Accelerator and Brake. Bit dodgy... :)). He also had a massive roo bar on the front of his truck. "Wow, thats one hell of a roo bar mate, you hit many with that thing?" I said. "Yeah, Yeah, Couple. Hit a Blaady car the other day too. C**t cut me up. Pushed the sheila 100m down the road" Came the Aussies reply. I just sidled off and hid at that point... :)

Anyways, like I said, a mere 12 hours later, they finally reopened the road (we couldnt go round, because it was 400ks back to where we started, and then 6-700ks on the loop to the next down, THEN another 300ks to Airlie. And we set off. Slept in a real shite rest stop over night again, because it was too dark, the roads are awful, and we were both pretty tired...

Then we got to Airlie. Its awesome here. Were in a real nice campsite just out of town, but ive been doing a bit of busking. Thursday went okay, $150. Friday would have gone amazing. I made $100 in an hour before the clubs kicked everyone out, but then the sodding police came, and told me to move on otherwise theyd arrest me. Bastards. I mean, seriously, get a real job. In fact I might let them if they ask me tonight. It'll look awesome on my criminal Record. Chris Stott-Busking. 20/2/12 :) Also, it might be a quick way home if I do it after my visa runs out...bang. Free ticket home .. :)

Still, im not stopping. Im going to get the $320 I need for a sailing trip round the whitsundays if it kills me! So yes, watch this space...therell be plenty of updates if they have Wifi in Gaol! :)

Brisbane Baby!

Then that was it, we got to Brisbane. The first night was pretty uneventfull. We stopped in this campsite in Sydneys north to plug into the electric and get the battery in the back recharged. It was pretty expensive though, so after doing a bit of busking in this shopping mall in the morning, we drove into the centre, and had a bit of a look around.

Thats where it started getting good, although we didnt know it yet. Its funny how things work out though. By the time we got back to the camper, it was late, we were knackered, and we'd left it too late to book a campsite. We were both pretty tired and grumpy, so we just chose this little park by the river to sleep in. Tiny place, middle of nowhere. Had a bit of dinner, and went to sleep...

Then the next morning, I got up early for a change (possibly the 1st time ever! :P) and was just sitting watching the river, when suddenly I hear this voice go '...chris?'. I look around, and bugger me, If it isnt my old friend Debbie Shotton from England. I met her at the SGP (with her husband, and also my mate, Ben) in 2004, when I broke my leg, Saw them a few more times in and around london, then lost touch with them in 2006, just after my birthday (October).  Bens Brother Jamie (who I met at thier wedding years ago!) is also just around the corner.

So yes, Dumbfounded I reply '...Debbie??'. And yeah, it turns out they had moved to Australia a few years ago, and lived JUST around the corner. If I hadnt got up early I would have missed her and never known, but  she took us in, cooked us a massive fry up for breakfast, offered us a proper shower. It was really good, and one hell of a good suprise!

Ive been staying round thier house the last few days, in thier front garden, doing a bit of busking in the day, and chatting away all night. Yesterday (Saturday) we went round the Markets in the morning, and then went to this English Shop, and then had proper English Fish and Chips, WITH CURRY SAUCE! (you cant get it anywhere over here...its been hard these two years! :P) Then at night, we had a BBQ, copious amounts of beer, and I headed out to go busking, which I did to some extent. I was pretty drunk, and Debbie kept smuggling me out beers from this Nightclub, which I ended up in later, till 4am.

It must have been a good night, because we ended up with a traffic cone, a Golf Cart, a Football, and a newspaper. Sign of a good night! :) Today im broken though. I really needed to go and make some money (its pretty tough over here...specially without a battery to plug into, but just couldnt manage it.

So yes, tommorrow we're heading up to Rainbow Beach...it should be good, although itll be a bloody early morning! (9am. :P)

Watch this space people!

...AND Stotty finally gets the hell out of Sydney! :)

Right, after all of that, there was nothing holding us back, so we packed our bags, and with a trumpety trump trump, made our way to the Circus. Well, actually Newcastle, where we stayed the night (We had to transfer the camper into our names). The campsite there was pretty expensive  but it was right on the beach, so we chilled out on the beach, had a few beers, then went for a walk along this jetty where they had incorporated all these ships that had got wrecked before the breakwater was actually built. It was pretty good stuff!


After that we Drove most of the way to Byron. The weather was Atrocious all the way up, with massive storms. We got most of the way, and pulled over in this really shitty layby place with lorries driving by all night (they are huge things over there, with 3 or 4 trailiers on them, and massive 12+ litre engines, so they sound more like moving foghorns than trucks!

Then we got to Byron Bay, and stayed at this really cool hostel called the Arthouse. Also, even though it was raining right up until we got into Byron Bay, then as soon as we passed the sign, it was clear blue skies. So yes. My Curse (every time I went there it rained) was lifted! :P But yes. it was only $20 a night to park the camper in the carpark, we got to use the full facilities of the hostel, and right across the carpark was the Byron Bay Brewerys Buddah Bar, which serves some damn good beer!

On the first night it was an open Mic night, where I won $30, which was pretty good for 2 songs. Especially as everyone else who played was absolutely awesome! Oh, and I got a free beer. So yes, that was a good night! The next day I went on a free tour with this mental bloke called Cockatoo Paul, who had a pet Cockatoo and did bush tours. It was only an hours walk around the grounds, but I learnt a lot of useful stuff about what plants you can and cant eat, making rope from plants, eating flowers, and Throwing spears (Hee hee!) :)

Then I just chilled out and did a bit of busking, before meeting up with my mate Julian from Freo on the friday night, which was good! We went to the Buddah Bar, and then on to this hotel in town where they also had live music. I was pretty wasted, but had a really good night..

Then Gosbees mates from Sydney caught up with us, and and we met up with them for a BBQ and a few drinks on the monday night, (as well as 3 really hot Kiwi Girls) before setting off to Gold Coast and then Brisbane.

Gold Coast (Surfers Paradise) is a pretty shite place though...its all high rise tower blocks, and. Well, I dont like it at all...stopped there for a few hours, chilled on the beach, tried a bit of busking, got bored, then came over to Brisbane..

Stotty does Sydney Still...

Right. Finally found a computer, so got quite a lot of stuff to tell you all, so bare with me! Right. After the three wise monkeys, the next day we got out of the hostel in George St, and went over to the Lucky Swagman in Kings Cross. After a few days, Gosbee finally found a camper. Lubi. Awesome little thing...its got a pop top, and a built in fridge, duel battery system, and a microwave. So thats it. Were all set to go!


Then we went off, and after trying out a few campgrounds here and there (They're all bloody expensive. $40 a night. Ridiculous for a 6x2 patch of grass), we found a carpark surrounded by parklands, just down from the spot where Captain Cook first landed in Australia. It was pretty damn good there. We stood on the rock where the 1st englishman ever set foot on Australian Soil, we went round to where the boat was moored. Wondered around the national park for a bit. Really cool, but strangely they seem to have washed over it a bit. All there was pointing to the fact that this was Botany Bay, the start of modern Australia, and the downfall of the Aborigines, was a faded, falling down signpost as you actually got into the town. Its like Australia are trying to forget, and although obviously its sad that the aboriginies have had thier culture wrecked, thats progress I suppose. Theres nothing anyone can do to change it, and its a really important part, in fact, THE most important part of (modern) Australian history. But never mind..

We ended up being around there for Australia Day which was good. Well, we went just around the corner to Cronulla, which is a bit like the South Eastern Manly Beach. Real nice place...I liked it there! I did a bit of busking in the morning, then after that they had a load of bands etc playing on a stage by the beach, as part of a free festival, so we sat down, drank some goon, and enjoyed the festivities! Its a real shame we dont celebrate St Georges day in the same way back home. It would be aweosme. Everyone here is having a BBQ, listening to Triple J's Top 100, which is a compilation of the years best songs. Normally pretty damn good actually. Yeah, so that was a pretty awesome day!

Then after that we went back into the City to visit my mate Dom from Fremantle. He has this awesome flat on the top floor of this massive appartment building. It had amazing views over the city. Then we went back to Raj's house where I busked some more, and Gosbee sorted out a few last bits on the camper, before ending with an awesome BBQ!

Stotty Actually does Sydney again.. :P

I spent one..well, two (the bus left at 9pm) more days in Byron bay in the end, although had to give up my luxury 12 million dollar appartment with butler, for a 5 bed share dorm in YHA Byron Bay...it was pretty good though. I was just wondering around, and ran into another three mates that I'd met in Fremantle at good ol' Sundancers, so we chilled out and had a bit of lunch together. It was good...although I think theyd had a heavy night the night before, so they were a little subdued!

Then I went back to the hostel, and had an Indiana Jones Video marathon, before getting the f*** out of dodge. So that was it. Another 13 hours on the most uncomfortable (and cramped) bus ever (ive sat on more comfortable concrete!)

So yeah, finally got to Sydney to meet my mate Alex Gosbee, who I found on a park bench across from the train station (he tells me he hadnt always been there, but im not quite sure I believe him.. :P). So yeah, let the new adventures begin! He's after a campervan (he's found a few of them he likes (and about a hundred that he doesnt. One was $4500, its engine was about to give in, it wouldnt start on the gas, and the roof was about to fall off due to rust, and the tracking was about 60degrees out)) so hopefully soon we'll be able to head out on another road trip!

The first night we were here we tried to meet up with my mate Dom from Fremantle, but hed fallen into a food coma, so we ended up going to this bar called The (three) Wise Monkeys, it was really cool. Well, it was nice downstairs, but half way through the evening we eventually realised that there was a live band upstairs. So yes that made the evening even better! Spent far too much money though...Then yesterday we finally managed to meet up with Dom (albiet far too bloody late. We got there at 10pm in the end)

Today im busking as much as possible to try and get a dollar or two, and Alex is going to get his van (possibly maybe...). So yes, keep you posted!

Its 4509 miles to Sydney, We've got a full tank of gas, Its dark, and we're wearing sunglasses. Lets hit it!

So after a fairly hectic new years, I spent the next week a bit skint, and with a new mission. Alex Gosbee, my mate from England has come over, and he rang me saying that hes just got to Australia, and can I 'just' meet him in Sydney. Well, its 6000k's away, but im never one to shirk from a challenge...well, alright. Im the first one to shirk from a challenge, but this time I wasnt going to let it beat me! :)

So yes, I brought a cheap bus ticket (Greyhound - $310 for 10 days travel wherever I want). So yes, I got the 20 hour bus journey from Broome - Katherine. Katherine was alright. Bit small...ALOT of work going though. Also, there was this awesome hostel. Cant think what its name is now, but although it looked a bit rough around the edges, the lady in charge was really really nice. In fact, on my first night I got given a free (well, I played a few songs on the guitar) meal of lamb, and mash, and vegetables, then she invited a load of us upstairs into her own flat for a film night. Saw the Blues brothers. Id forgotton how good that film is. Really good.

Then the next day I took a walk around Katherine hot springs (which ironically were cooler than the 'Cold' swimming pool at the hostel), then just hung around and waited for the next bus. That was at 10pm that evening, and went to Tennant Creek. I think they filmed Crocodile Dundee there, but it was a pretty poor place. Middle of bloody nowhere. Nothing to do...there were a few more victims waiting around for the next bus out of there. A Cool French guy, and this older lady who was going to visit her son...


So yes, got through the longest day of my life there, and at 10pm again got on a 30 hour bus journey to Brisbane. Got there at 1030am a day and a bit later, and then (after walking around for a bit) had another impuslive moment, and got the bus down to Byron (which is on the way to Sydney).


Byron Bay is an awesome little town...lots of stuff going on! It was a bit of a nightmare when I was coming in and there was no room anywhere. Like, ANYWHERE. I got in at 930pm, and walked around EVERY Hostel, Motel, Hotel, Campsite, and there wasnt ANY room. Luckily, at 1130, I found this place down a back street, and the manager bloke obviously felt sorry for me (I looked a right state because Id been travelling for the past 4 days pretty much) and gave me one of these apartments for $200 for 2 days (its normally $200 per night, but theres 4 beds. well, a double bed, and a double sofa bed). I took it in the end, even though thats a week and a halfs worth of rent, because the only alternative was sleeping on the beach, and it was looking like it might rain. Also, id wake up with all my stuff stolen, and probably raped by a local.. :P


But yes, thats all good now. Ive now got a few bits sorted this morning, and on this afternoons plan? Busk, get drunk, busk some more, and get ready for Sydney. Oh, on top of that im having trouble wrangling $600 out of the people who brought my car. Aparantly it wont start now, although christ knows what theyve done to it. Sounds like theyve managed to knacker the immobiliser or something. They did leave it outside in a Cat2 Cyclone, so its probably got water in its electrics or something. Still, Its a bloody ford. If it falls off stick it back on with Gaffa tape. If it doesnt work, apply a moderate to large amount Technical Percussion to the affected area. solves everything..

I dont know. Im confident it'll work again, and ill get the money, but it does mean that im going to have to start hastling people. Woo-fecking-hoo. :)



So yes, until they work out if they can get it going again, they arent paying me the rest o