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....