It only takes a second's hesitation between setting the alarm and switching it on to result in the panic we felt this morning - we had forty minutes to wash, dress, breakfast, pack, check out and get to the bus station. Which we did with surprising calmness! It even felt slightly good to be carrying our big bags again, which isn't something I'd ever admit out loud, you understand. The bus station was only about ten minutes away, and we arrived there ten minutes before the bus departed, which was great timing. The greyhound bus to Noosa Heads didn't compare even slightly with the South American ones, but it had seats and was relatively clean, so that was fine. It took two hours to get to Noosa Heads, and the sun shone the whole time. The three day weather forecast on the radio was 'Fine for the next three days' which is good to hear. It's a long way to Cairns (it would take almost 30 hours from Brisbane by bus) so we're stopping along the way to break up the journey. Noosa is supposed to be a very pretty place, one of the most desirable places to live on the East Coast, and it seemed as good a place as any to stay the night.

It was about 23 degrees in Noosa (that's about 76 for my dad) which, while not a lovely, scorching temperature, it was certainly nice enough to go down to the beach. Which we did. After checking in, booking our next bus and hostel and finding out that we're sharing the dormitory with at least one other person, we put beach clothes on and made the most of the sunshine.

Actually, Mikey was the first in the water; I was content to sit on the sand and warm up a bit, but I couldn't let him beat me! After I'd sunbathed for a bit we went for a long walk along the beach. There were a lot of surf schools out, and a bunch of lads doing a fantastic sport that I think is called kite-surfing where you tie a kite to your body and your feet to a snowboard and ride through the sea. It looked like such great fun. Other than being charged at by two tiny bull terriers that hurtled bullet-like from the undergrowth, the rest of the walk was quiet and peaceful. Noosa Heads is made up of load of beaches and sand bars and sheltered bays, so it was all gorgeous. By the time the sun was setting it was getting cool (for me) so we put warmer clothes on and sat in the hostel lounge waiting for the barbecue to be ready. It's almost like summer!