It's the climb, so Miley sings :D

DAY 28 - 

At not even 10am my back was leaking with a sweat trail and the boobs were blazing with perspiration too.. NOT that you wanted to know this! It's CRAY CRAY how often I wanted to dive in an ice cool pool or shower so I wouldn't feel so disgusting. Bused to Lone Pine Sanctuary the world's first and largest koala sanctuary (not that it appears so big in size) to appreciate some animals. 

KOALA COMMENTARIES: Observing the joey and granny koalas in their enclosures was my first port of call; they while away the day dozing or swinging to chew up the eucalyptus leaves and they always do it with such style. In the few hours they're awake, they're a slovenly but loverly breed of marsupial that warm my heart. But grossly, these cutie paPOOPies poop 2-300 times a day, or so I learned in the presentation --------> this cannot be sanitary. Their growls were so sonorous it sounded like the booming burp in Elf hahahahaa :D 

My $18 terrible rip off photo with a fluffy wuffy fella was atrociously pixelated but I credit much of that to the aggressive stream of light, reflecting from behind me. I stood there transfixed to the spot, like a motherly moron as I wanted to stroke, pet and love my soft, woolly beaut. As he innocently turned to face my face, he was hastily extracted from my embrace to prevent any harm but I was sad to not have a lengthy huggle. 

Lone Pine rolls out several short 'n' sweet shows here, making it stand out from the same old same old. The one that hit me to the core was the sheep shearing (after the sheepdog Rex and Hunter had round up the sheep into their pen) which is professed to be the most physically exerting job in world. To me, handling the poor little lamb roughly looked like a big NO; the Baa Baa barber was no Sweeney Todd but still lambkin's leg bled when it was nipped by the clippers, staining its wool a dark crimson. No matter what it's called, or how it is needed - it seems mean and caused the school kids on a class trip, to scream out in distress :( 

A bearded dragon cutie creature became my lunch companion/pal, staying by my side whilst I polished off my honey soy chicken favorito crisps and chocolate paddle pop. Again, my cherished wombats weren't out and about as the sun was too strong :( In case you can't tell at all what my opinion was about this - it was a SAD one cos I miss those little stinkers!! :'( I do love seeing all the animals native to this country and feel like I took the privilege for granted while I was there as didn't fully spend enough time enjoying being near to them. Hopefully it won't be long before I am back on these shores to see kangas hopping and platypus freestyle swimming, once more. 

WHERE'S THE FUN IN BRIDGE CLIMBING??? At my very last chance to back out from my twilight Story Bridge climb, I very nearly did. I legitimately didn't know that this was a challenge I could take on and didn't eat a single thing since lunch. Was signing up a mistake? Right then, I thought so 1 MILLION % and had arrived too early in order to suss out the bridge. The moment I saw it up close and the sections of steepness, terror set in and my heart was pounding out of my chest. I don't even have a solid reason for what caused this phobia of bridges over water, but it crept upon me in adulthood.. 

Being befriended by a fam of a mother and her 3 young children (the eldest in her teens) who were all psyched to do it, really spurred me on. I was with a group of lovely people, all of whom calmed my apprehension and nerves in entirety with words of encouragement. Before we set off onto the suspended walkway, we first changed so we were sporting some fetching but comfy jumpsuits and took a breathalyzer, even the juveniles! It was unnerving to hook up to my harness which would keep me from falling to the face of the earth and I so nearly did chicken out. I'd ordered everyone there NOT to permit me under any circumstances and I'm truly glad as I didn't know I was capable. I'd have been haunted by the regret for the rest of my life if I had cowardly quit. 

I DON'T THINK A NIGHT COMES ANY PRETTIER: It's unbelievable to think I was a jibbering wreck before as this activity doesn't exactly scream 'Rianne!' Anyhow, I couldn't exactly wuss out as an almost 30 year old little woman when KIDS were ascending with ease. Story was spellbindingly illuminated in a pulchritudinous purple for the world epilepsy cause. I was entranced for 2 hours as the twinkling stars danced overhead and the dazzling city lights shone surrounding us. This isn't a moment I can live twice.. so I savoured in knowing I'd never feel better or more alive than I did then. 

That day could have been the greatest day of all my days; I honestly loved every single exhilarating second and felt so safe and secure the entire course. All the more, as I rejoiced at 243 ft in the air (Sydney's Harbour bridge is at least twice as high) time stood still at the very top and I may as well have been on top of the world! Happily, I looked down as you could see through the steps and wasn't frightened even one bit the way I presumed I would be. 

GO BOOK A CLIMB AND LOVE IT: I cannot sing the praises of the helpful staff who reassured me, highly enough. Our group chatted casually all the way round as pictures were taken of us at various intervals; one of which my leader compelled me to take hold of the camera as though I was taking a selfie (for it is against regulations to take cameras or any loose personal belongings up with you). Surprisingly, it was more difficult downwards than it was to mount but still I emphatically stress that it was not strenuous exercise in any form and it never felt steep though we'd scaled over 1000 steps. Super levels of fitness really aren't required and nor is there any need to fear, you are perfectly protected and you only have to carefully watch your footing to avoid tripping over. 

THE SCAREDY CAT CAN SOMETIMES BE BRAVE: I let go of the handrail (to which we were attached by a leash, like we were walking a dog) on multiple occasions and the only problem I encountered was when my safety latch would get caught on tricky brackets. Bellowing 'HELLO' and waving down energetically to the boats below on the river was such a rush, especially when the greetings were returned! I'd been the only singleton in our group of 8 :( so the only factor which could have made my night even a fragment better, was romantically wishing that I had a special someone to share these special, breath-stealing moments with. Damn my constant, eternal spinsterhood! N.B - That's my travel homework: to bring a bloke along for the ride on my next big, fat, brilliant holiday. 

*pats self on the back proudly* This was perhaps the most incredible experience and greatest, proudest accomplishment of my life. A Rianne-defining encounter if you will. Which may sound silly as so many complete it with relative lack of difficulty and it's not at all physically exerting.. but for me it was a BIG DEAL. I don't know what I'd been so petrified of .. and this is coming from the girl who dropped out of Go Ape after 2 zones (one of which being the TRAINING) I didn't recognise my own courage.. The whole night was like one of those amazing dreams you want to last forever and never wake up from. I do know I'm the luckiest girl to have these life-changing adventures.. WHY are you friends with me again?? :P 

How strange it seemed to be grounded back on terra firma after the sensation of walking among the stars! Naturally, I celebrated by buying all 3 of the photos taken of me and with an overpriced cookies n cream cheesecakey treat for my bravery from San Churro. It was so sweet it near enough gave my tongue a heart attack.. and then went to bed ON TOP OF THE WORLD.. because I had been.. practically xxx

Wringing more fun out of the sponge of life

DAY 27 - 

This sassy, little lassy took an excursion with a predominantly, Japanese speaking (impressively our driver spoke the language fluently) tour group to Lamington National Park and Tamborine Mountain. No matter where I go, whether distant lands or far I can't see me ever losing my awe of the universe; so how can one be gloomy to learn that we were driving up inside the 3rd largest extinct volcano in the world, (which emerged out of the ocean 1.6 BILLION years ago) and through a 200 million year old forest? The lush loveliness commuting via 6000 sq km of volcanic wall of broken down lava was spectacular to me. 

SUGAR IS MY CRUTCH: I was feeling sleepy from leaving at day peep, but I'm NEVER too sleepy for fudge which was on the agenda for our first stop at Gallery Walk. I live to sample fudge freebies!! Working towards a thigh gap goes to crap; as the lime and coconut fudge wooed my jaws and was thaaaaat fantastic it deserves applause. Granny Mac also brought yummy to my tummy with the chocolate macadamia so it would have been rude not to purchase a bar, right? The Chocolate Gallery, saturated me with further trans fat not that I minded :P The orange, honey chocolate koala was too adorable that I almost felt bad going in for the kill and chomping its head clean off!! Let me tell ya, I could live a FAT and happy life gorging on all these artisan choccies. 

On the road through the Western wall of calderic crater, we passed grapevines and eucalyptus trees  which hid a colony of 40,000 koalas. Pulling over to O'Reillys Look Out for a rapid admiration of the scenery before a storm hit.. I'm starting to think the weather has a vendetta against me. Still, we lucked out because barely a drop of rain spilled from the clouds. Gazing into the distance, we could just about visibly make out the great barrier range through the mists; normally this would be an unbelievable vantage point so it's a pity it was a grey day. 

THE HORROR MOVIES IN MY HEAD ARE MADE OF THIS: Our joyride took us 26km up Tamborine mountain (which was not named after the instrument) to Goats Track. Drivers say their Hail Mary's when raging round these treacherous mountain roads as these are so SCARY even to the adept motorists. The winding roads are WAY up with almost NO barriers and I was praying we wouldn't crash to our fatal deaths, tumbling down the mountain top. Not to look down and shut it out from my mind as I was filled with sickening dread was making me crazy. We were perilously close to the edge at points and I'm an anxious, jumpy passenger as it is. All it would have taken is a couple of inches slip aahhhhhhhhh but our tour man artfully dodged the dangersome ledges. 

My trip mates were increasingly dull and this was first realised when at Mountview Alpaca farm, I was the only one to feed the friendly herd. Though the grazers all went for me frenzied and making strange sounds as they stuck their unusually, long necks through the gates to chomp pellets right from my hand, I completely loved it. I had to walk away and distribute the feed with the others as I grew sore afraid they'd chew off a chunk of my finger! 

It was pointed out we were passing the region where Johnny Depp (and cast and crew) had been the previous week in preparation for POTC5 and sets were still being built. Turns out my favourite drunken pirate had to return to America (perhaps for dog smuggling!!) leaving producers annoyed with him as it would delay filming. Ain't actors awesome?

MOTHER EARTH CAME UP TOP TRUMPS WITH THE RADIANCE THAT MAKES UP LAMINGTON NATIONAL PARK: Whoopee, we didn't careen over the ravine I should have placed more trust in Darren's bus driving capabilities. Our easy 2km jaunt in the cool mists of the rain/cloud forest was unexpectedly ineffable if a tad muddy. What a fine display of nature everywhere we turned.. but that is excluding the funnel web spider squatting on the trunk of a tree we flew by; not stopping for a closer looksy. All manner of outlandish bird calls encircled us round about, sounding TOO jungley that I wondered if the song of the forest was played out of speakers. 

HEIGHTS - WHY AREN'T WE BETTER FRIENDS? I'd braced myself for O'Reilly's treetop suspension bridge walk to be terrifying so I eagerly dashed across, noting the lofty height.. but I needn't have fretted. I barely glanced down in the leafy treetops as we were swinging, swaying and striding over the rope bridge as we dangled in mid-air, the vast chasm underneath. The rule that only 6 people were allowed on each suspension bridge at any one time made it that extra bit daunting; but every step was worth it for the rush and the unmissable view down. Who'd believe that it was I, leading the pack; I've got more roll in my stroll than I gave myself credit for. 

I'M FULL OF FUN FACTS: Every 1 sq metre in this part of the Ozzie bush homes 10,000 species of creepy crawlies. Cute, is not what I'd call this insect paradise but I guess it's a kinda cool stat. 

The cheekiest sausage that ever lived, made an appearance at my backpackers rooftop sausage sizzle; purely to have a sanga and Oz experience of a barbie, knowing I probably wouldn't get the chance for one on a beach now. BORINGLY, I laundered my clothes and packed ready to return to Melby on Sunday as my final Bris days are fully booked. It's wasn't a comforting thought that I was to go home SO soon when I didn't want to return to my dull existence. Reality slapped me in the face and it stung :( 

On a whim, I decided to be daring and just go for The Story Bridge climb so booked a slot for tomorrow before I can chicken out. To confront head on something so absolutely intimidating and IMPOSSIBLE, to ME - could prove to be a knuckle-headed idea. From what I'd seen, it looked steep in several sections so I really hoped I wouldn't be a wimp and back out because I was sure I'd regret it forever. Tomorrow, I stare my hugest fear directly in the face and hopefully crush it before it crushes me....