E-mail from Cairns, Australia

Upon arriving in Sydney I was picked out of a sea of people to be searched and to have dogs sniff my bags. I spent two days walking and taking the tram around Sydney. A clean friendly city which is under a lot of construction in preparation for the 2000 Olympics. Then I purchased a rail pass for $199 Australian Dollars which is like $130 U.S.D. and took a 16 hour train ride to Brisbane, then got on a connecting train to Marybough. I tried to get a bus to Harvey Bay which is were I wanted to go but they would not sell me a ticked because it was Saturday, some union thing. I started walking with my 55 lbs. pack while the bus passed me on the road. I found out Harvey Bay was 35 miles away so I hitch hicked, getting picked up almost immediately. We passed the bus on the way. I checked into a hostel and rented a jeep for the following two days. The next morning I got my left handed jeep and got a ferry to Fraiser Island which several people had told me I should do. The island is the largest all sand Island in the world and has a rain forest and several lakes on it. The only way around the all sand roads is by 4 wheel drive. I headed across the interior to the east coast which is were 75 mile beach is. This is 75 miles of hard packed sand which you can drive on all the way up the coast. It is like ten lanes wide and smooth as glass except for the occasional river heading out to sea. Small planes even land on the beach. I took a few of the interior scenic roads to the lakes which are so clean nothing can live in them. The water is unbelievably pure and clear. The island is home to thousands of birds and reptiles but is known for its dingo's which have no problem coming right up to you and taking your food. I stayed at a campsite on the northern point of the island.