Jan 31: rain, rain go away...

Back on the road. Made the drive down to Hervey Bay, stopping on the way in Bundaburg - the rum capital of Australia - not to drink, just to drop off brochures at hostels. It was a drizzly day and most of the hostels were pretty nasty, working hostels (backpackers stay there when they're doing farm work), but one, Cellblock, was pretty cool. It was built from an old police station & jail, actual cells have been made into rooms, and they've even left the old barbed wire & security cameras up. Too creepy for me, but a neat idea.

Lots of driving, lots of reading, lots of rain.

Arrived in Hervey Bay by early afternoon. Checked into the clean, brand new Next Hostel. Took a walk around the quiet seaside town & saw all the hostels. Had a terrible lunch - waited 30 minutes for our coffees & then 20 more for food; Nicks order was wrong & mine was cold & stale. We had to say something; we got the food off our bill which was good because we didn't eat it. Walked a bit further & filled our bellies with ice cream instead.

Goofy from sugar, we went to the grocery store to get food for tea, and everything was funny.  I could not stop laughing - I laughed so hard I couldn't breathe, so hard that I snorted!!  No one will get this besides Nick but, the onion is real!!

Went back to the hostel where we had a beer with the manager, M, and he & Nick talked shop while I feigned interest in the tennis match on TV. I cooked a late Indian curry dinner (delish) & we went to bed early to prepare for our early morning.

Today I am so happy & grateful for:
~ free non-scary accommodation
~ safe driving (despite only having one windshield wiper)
~ ice cream cones

xo! n.