Left touristy Byron Bay vowing not to bother with any more tourist towns, and here I am in Cairns! I need some stuff for the bike, and it's been chucking it down, and at least in a town there's things you can spend money on while hoping it will stop (like beer). Excuses aside I did pretty well on the way up, only kissing the coast in a few 'select' places.

Did a few days walking and camping on Frazier island nearly killing myself by taking way to much stuff, tent etc, cooking gear (like I really needed 4 pans!), loads of food. Wine is definately preferable to beer if you're going to carry it. A cask in one hand and a few litres of water in the other balances out nicely. Just remember which one to drop when you stumble over. Forgot to take plasters, though, and my feet were a mess by the time I got a lift back to Harvey Bay.

Lift was interesting - Charles Manson lookalike who was going on about how he's been abducted by aliens several times and they've performed operations on him (including a 3rd eye). Still, they're going to rescue him when we decide to blow up the world so that's nice.

Few day's later, Vladimir, a romany gypsy come's over to me and starts freaking out on me. Apparently I have the soul of a crow(?!) and my ancestors discovered Australia, and I've lost my respect for women (maybe a guess as I was on my own at the time) and I must remember not to use my brakes (I will know when the time comes.... probably just after the time 'comes') etc etc. Anyway....

Have managed to stay out of trouble with the cops for a few weeks, which is just as well as I opted to keep the speeding ticket as a souviner. Spent a bit of time fussing over the bike (ignoring my usual maintainance program of 'if it ain't broke don't fix it'), adjusting the valves etc and wondering whether that back wheelbearing wobble was there before, and where has all the tread gone on my tyres since I got to Australia. I notice in the handbook that Horse is due for a new poly-V belt. I have no idea what that is! Will pop into the dealers after the weekend to humiliate myself.