Bed Bugs and Tours

Ok so just let me tell you...bed bugs arent nice and well staff at hostels arent to friendly about them either! I wont up on Sunday morning and noticed a few patches of bits on my tummy and back, i figured they had to be bed bugs because of how small the bites were and how close together they were. Anyway i was in a rush that morning to get on the city tour so i didnt get chance to say anything to the guys in the hostel. When i got back i meantioned it to the girls at reception and all she said was thats minging...we'll get someone to sort it. Wasnt the response i really wanted and by this stage id noticed how biten my arms were so basically it had to be bed bugs as my bites came up wherever my pjs didnt cover. About 20mins later i thought this wasnt on that they hadnt done anything and went back to reception to demand a room change, she wasnt happy about doing it as she had to put me into a cheaper room and had to give me $8 back...anyway so im covered in bites and my feet arent happy. My right foot its just covered in bites and trust me finding shoes out of a very limited...3 pairs...to fit my poor feet wasnt easy and the zoo wasnt the nicest experience because of it. But so you know bed bugs arent nice and they itch and itch for days later.. infact im sure my itching got worth and on some strong tablets(from the chemist) which basically knock me out, id been having problems sleeping with my bites and so the lady told me to take one of these 24 hrs tablets before bed, and it just knocked me out and i actually slept in until 7am! I was well happy especially as after youve seen Brisbane once at 5am the novelty goes very very quickly!
So what else have i been up to, on Tuesday i went to the Austalia Zoo, what was Steve Irwins Zoo and it was fantastic, best zoo ive ever been too. And yes i did cry at the memorial for him it was so sad...people had brought croc hunter shirts and signed them with how fantastic he was and how he opened peoples eyes to animals etc, there was even a a scout shirt, looked like an old venture shirt to me(it matched the colour of the croc hunter shirts) which still had a couple of scout badges on there. The zoo was great and i spend hours with the tigers. They had 5, 3 sibrian and 2 begal i think they were and the zoo had had them since they were 2 weeks old. They were 2 brothers and 2 brothers and a sister. Not that i was there talking to the keepers and people or anything. They had such a close relationship with the tigers though and played games etc with them. You could obviously tell theyd been brought up in captivity and seemed almost pet like with the keepers but i guess it also showned how beautiful and amazing these creatures are. Ive even got myself a Wildlife Warrior - Tiger 511 band, which means for $5 one tiger can be feed for one day...its part of a huge campain Steve Irwin started to protect what is left of endangered animals. And i got a gorgeous photo of me holding a gorgeous girl Koala..shes lovely. And i was really really brave and touched a kangaroo...didnt feed it but i touched one, everyone else was touching it so i thought it must be a friendly one and some 5 year old was distracting it with food so i decided i was safe.
Today ive had a very cultural day, i spend the morning at Castlemaine-Perkins XXXX Brewery, had a really good tour actually really enjoyed it and the free beers at the end helped. You got a card with 4 free beers... it was great so you could taste all 4 of their beers. Wasnt impressed with their stout...but XXX was ok. And lunch was fantastic...so yummy...i was sat next to a guy who was from Yorkshire...not England but Yorkshire. He was really funny bless him, in his 70's and our tour guy Bob asked him where he was from and i got very excited when he said Halifax. Later when we were at the winery he was really sweet, the lady asked where everyone was from and he announced Yorkshire and said "aye wheres me young lass, she lives in Yorkshire" i just wanted to give him a big hug. (I know Dad i told live in Yorkshire but i have for the past 3 years which is what i said but he had every sective hearing)
The winery was truely gorgeous, it was on Mt Cotton i think and its a relatively new place only been open since 2000 and was established by a guy called T.E.Morris, which is where Sirromet gets its name. The lady took us round and explained how there make the grapes and give back to the area etc etc and then we got to the tasting! We tried one sparkling Chardonnay Pinot, 3 wines (Classique, Viognier Marsanne and Pinot Gris) as you can imagine this meant nothing to me. I did like the Classique though. Then we had a rose and 3 reds (Shiraz Viognier, Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon) wasnt really a fan of any of the reds but im not normally anyway and then we had a dessert wine...i got really excited thinking i was getting an ice wine but it wasnts...its was a Finito Rosso, which was red for starters, didnt agree with that and then she warned us it tasted like fruit cake and it really did so i really really wasnt impressed then. Ive got a couple of bottle for you to taste though Dad, but you'll have to wait until i head over to New Zealand and send some things home.
So ive had a really great day, meeting Leilani on Sunday for lunch in the West End. Shes one of the girls from Brisbane i meet on the tour in Thailand so im quite excited about seeing her, its so weird to think that was 7 weeks ago.
Ill update you all after the weekend. Miss you all loads, Big kiss
Love you xxx

Brisbane

Hey Guys,
Well im now in Brisbane, got here yesterday and even though it seems quite nice isnt not Bryon, not even close. It doesnt help that im sharing with 2 chinese girls who know absolutely no english. I tried to ask them last night where a plug socket was and they were totally clueless to what i was saying...international sign language was totally wasted on them. You'd think then weve got a plug in your hand and your hitting the wall with it they'd understand i wasnt insane i just wanted a plug socket but no! Oh well nevermind i found it without their help. Like i was saying its not Bryon, Main Beach as so homely and everyone was so laid back, relaxed and friendly. Guess it helps that its only a small place.
Got loads planned for the next 3 weeks to keep me entertained. Spent all day sorting things out and now im basically got everyday sorted until i get to Perth on the 4th April. Thats ive only been stopped there as the Chairman Western Australian Rover Scouts (Network age 17-26)Council, lovely guy called PJ, is trying to sort out doing some things with scouts over there. He was very excited when i emailed him about St Georges day and now im doing alsorts. Even said he'd arrange lifts etc from wherever i end up staying which is great.
Anyway my plans...tomorrow im doing my city tour of Brisbane so at least i'll know my way round this place. On Tuesday im off to the Crocodile Hunter's Australia Zoo, and get to feed crocs and everything which sound very exciting but well lets face it if Kangaroo's scare me an animal that actually can eat me who knows...i have the opportunity to feed a croc anyway. I'll let you know how i get on! On Thursday im having a very cultural day... spending in the morning in Castlemaine Perkins Brewery (they make XXXX, so im told) visiting the "alehouse"...take it its like the Guinness Brewery without the Guinness! Then after lunch im going on a winery tour, wine tasting my way round the Sirromet Winery! And the best bit...i get a free souvenir wine glass! Ok maybe the tasting ill have to do will be the best bit but freebies are always good! Then on Saturday im going up the Sunshine Coast, visiting Eumundi, Noosa and Moolooaba wharf! Sound very exciting and i get to go to underwater world and the ginger factory!
Then the best bit, ive just sorted out my Fraser Island/Whitsunday Trip. I leave on the 6th March heading up to Noosa for a couple of nights then im doing the Noosa Everglades Canoe Safari trip which basically means i get to spend 3 days in a canoe going through the Everglades and camp! Then im heading up to Rainbow Bay and doing the Fraser self drive trip for 3 days which again is camping. Who knows if they'll actually make me drive this 12 seater 4x4, would be rather funny if they did! And that takes me up until the 15th March when i have to get the bus back from Rainbow Bay to catch my overnight bus from Brisbane to Sydney to make sure im back in Sydney to pick up the room keys in Manly Saturday morning.
Well its all very exciting and ill finally have something else to tell you guys. Hopefully ill have enough time to catch up with the world and send some pictures home. Otherwise ill do it when i gte back to Syndey in a few weeks times.
Love you xxx