Travel Diaries | Hiding Away @ Hideaway Bay

A couple of weeks ago Jack and I took a well needed, and I think deserved, rest break from the outback, rural work life we've been leading for the past three months and headed back to the coast to the beautiful location of Airlie Beach. It's a lovely spot in north Queensland about 275 km south of Townsville and 150 km north of Mackay. Full of backpackers, it's the perfect spot to chill out with bars and restaurants a plenty and the lagoon in the centre.

Jack had been to Airlie Beach before when he was travelling with his family and made sure I got to see all the good bits as well some bits not everyone gets to see. On our third day of enjoying relaxing around the town Jack decided he'd take me to a little place called Hideaway Bay, and I'm so glad he did. 

About an hours drive from Airlie Beach, Hideaway Bay is a lovely little spot prefect for a picnic accompanied by beautiful views. Our little old van made it easily up the dirt track to the spot Jack wanted to stop, much to our amazement and that of the 4x4 road users behind us who managed to almost get themselves stuck in some soft sand which Jack had skillfully avoided. We grabbed our little gas stove, frying pan and the bag of prawns and tuna steak we'd bought in Coles that morning and found ourselves a shady spot where we could enjoy the view of the water and our thai sweet chilli prawns - and tuna steak because that sauce is too sticky to wash out of pan with nothing but a baby wipe. 

We also took it as the opportune moment to try out Jack's GoPro which he'd treated himself too ages ago but hadn't got the change to use yet. We weren't sure if we could swim in the water properly (stinger season's fast approaching) but we had a paddle and gave the GoPro a little swim as well. Unfortunately I can't upload any footage because the wifi is just so dire out here but hopefully I'll get a decent connection soon. 

We had a lovely, blissful day relaxing in the sun and enjoying seafood. The little bay is so secluded that most of the time you basically get the beach to yourself which is sometimes just what you need when you've spent three months surrounded by cattle. 

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Reconstruction | This doesn't have a sub-heading

It’s been eight months since I created ‘emilyjdoesthings’ and started posting daily - or nearly daily anyway. I know eight months has gone quickly, I can’t believe it’s been that long. When I started the blog I was in a  very different headspace to the one I’m in now, positivity, happiness and healthiness has taken over and I’m quite enjoying it. I think it’s safe to say I’ve had a bit of a lifestyle change since starting the blog.

So after coming to that conclusion one night lying awake in the van, unable to sleep due to being convinced there was a possum on the roof attempting to get in, I’ve decided the blog needs a bit of a change and an update to keep up with me and my lifestyle.

I’ve worked out the type of blog I want to be writing and creating and as such the blog will be undergoing a bit of  a makeover. We’re going to be like this, lack of posting that is, until September. I want the blog to look the best it can and I’m giving myself ample time to do that - with Jack’s solid advice of course.

I’ve got lots of fun and exciting posts planned once everything back in place and the blog is looking all freshly primped and primed so hopefully they’ll be coming thick and fast come September. Not quite daily though, mainly due to limited internet access, but more frequently than once a month - fingers crossed.

So, until September.

Mackay in 24 hours | The Travel Diaries

Mackay is a city spread over miles, it's rather large and probably takes a good forty five minutes to get from one side of the city to the other. We drove 9 hours 17 minutes and 741 km to get there from Augathella and had a grand total of 17 hours to see the sites. Moderate success for this one.

I think we saw about a third of Mackay very quickly through a car window as we were given a very quick guides tour by our employer who we were there to collect and being he. We probably would have had more time if I had been so insistent on having to have a new dress for dinner. I got one though, a nice one and in record time. Success high here. 

Top 3 things to see if in Mackay and in a hurry:

• The harbour - especially if you're into the sea and stuff like me and Jack. It felt a lot like being back home and Jack was in his element with all the big boys.

• Slade point - the area the first settlers banished all the aboriginals and islanders to but turns out it's got the nicest views of Mackay so bigger fools them

• The river - Mackay is coastal and there's a lot of water to be seen there's some great spots just to sit and look out at it all as going in isn't always an option unless you want to be eaten or stung or something else equally unpleasant

There's also some great shopping centres which of course I didn't miss but they're not essential if 24 hours is your limit. Also I suggest heading to Victoria Street for the pick of the restaurants and bars.

So there we have it Mackay in 24 hours. Advisable not necessarily doable. 

Vegetable garden creating in the outback | The Travel Diaries

Well it has been a while. I wonder if I can remember how to do this how blogging thing, it's not that hard really.

We're in the outback now, sort of. It's pretty much the middle of no where, the neighbours farm is an hour and a half drive away, the nearest town (small town with grocery store, butchers and petrol station to it's name) is half an hour drive away and to get back to civilisation your talking 8-12 hour drive. We did it once and it's a killer but sometimes you need civilisation after four weeks of cows, dogs and tractors for company. I think the key to knowing when civilisation is in order is when you start talking to the cows like they're people. 

We're living it though and have done so much fun and cool things that we wouldn't do otherwise. We're in a little place called Augathella, still in Queensland and only a little north of where we were last but north none the less. 

Today we created a veggie patch in the garden. It's something the owner of the farm has been planning on for a while and she saw the two naive English backpackers as a good way to get it done.

I've always wanted a veggie patch I think the concept is great though mum never allowed it. I've always thought anyone can grown their own veggies of some sort and my Dad has taken tomorrow's and chillies recently, pretty successfully I might add. But anyway, I really enjoyed the whole veggie patch thing and am still set on having one of my own in the future. It also reminded me of my wish to be as healthy as possible and a key to that is knowing where you food has come from and the easiest way to solve that is grow it yourself.

Being healthy is something I enjoy and take pride in and how much I enjoyed creating this veggie patch today showed that. 

Just goes to show when you find something to enjoy you don't feel like your working. 

Even better if you can get paid for it. 

A Fun Weekend in Brisbane | The Travel Diaries

You may remember in my last post I said it was Jack's birthday on Monday just gone. We went into Toowoomba to try and have a nice meal for his birthday but everything was shut so instead we decided we'd go and watch the Wallabies first test match against France at Suncorp Stadium. As such we made a little trip back to Brisbane, or Brissy (as we've annoyingly picked up the Australian habit of shortening every word possible).

I really like Brisbane. It's a nice city, good shops, bars and restaurants but with areas like South Bank it means you don't always feel surrounded by the business of a city. It's a good thing.

So Jack and I did the four hour trip back to Brissy on Saturday morning with the accompaniment of a 2 litre bottle of Solo - the best fizzy lemon drink known to man but apparently not available in the UK, and a packet of salted Smith's aka Walkers ready salted. It's a long, pretty boring drive as Austalian roads a just very long and straight with a not a whole lot going on around. The most exciting part of the drive is a very steep hill coming out of Toowoomba headed to Brisbane and the views from there are pretty good.

Connor cooked us sausage sandwiches and luke warm beans on arrival which was lovely of him as we've found out Connor's cooking skills can be a bit hit and miss but this time I'd say they were a bit. Much to Jacks disapproval I dragged him to a shopping centre to buy new jeans as the only pair I bought with me are covered in horse gait due to spending most of the last week washing dishier raj from a horses rear end. After the debarcle of hunting for a decent pair of womens jeans and having a wee hissy fit because I couldn't find any I liked (I found some don't worry) we could actually start the weekend.

The rugby was really good at the stadium and atmosphere was amazing. It was my first time watching a rugby game not stood on the side line at our local rugby club so it was a new, but very enjoyable, experience for me. Jack's pretty adapted to the whole going to a live rugby match thing and has the getting through the crowds element down to a fine art so I was happy to follow and take it all in. A good game of rugby is definitely a good way to start a good night.

Of course we met with Connor and Laura after the game for drinks. No they're not alcoholics. And of course, as it was Jack's birthday on Monday a couple of drinks turned into a few drinks and a few drinks turned into a lot of drinks and by 2am we were in an all night pancake house Jack ploughing through steak and chips, Connor with a chicken burger and me and Laura on blueberry waffles/pancakes. The hour walk back from the city to Connors flat was not an enjoyable one despite being full up on amazing pancakes.

Sunday was just a chill/ driving day. Macca's for lunch (there's that annoying shortening habit again), the weekly food shop and then that four hour long drive back, but this time accompanied by chocolate and banana milkshakes, Starburst fruit gums and supreme cheese Doritos. 

So now back to reality. Farm work again this morning. Last night we did nothing but chat with Steve and Yo, skype my family and Jack went out shooting. So overall a pretty eventful weekend. 

3 weeks in | Travel Diaries

Current location: On the road from Toowoombah to Goondiwindi

It's been a while huh? I've been doing the Australia thing for nearly four weeks now and it's fair to say it's been rather busy and hectic pretty much the second from landing.

The first weeks was the most chilled of them all so far. After Jack met me at the airport we did a bit of exploring around Brisbane City and reaffirmed that Jack doesn't like crowds and my sense of direction is about as good as a goldfishes memory. Southbank was my favourite part of Brisbane but the museum was a pretty good way to spend a morning. 

Whilst in Brisbane we also journeyed up to the Sunshine Coast to the aquarium and for the gorgeous Noosa beaches. Noosa being high on my list for places to go back to already. We also enjoyed a meal out as we decided we deserved a treat after a three hour drive along one very straight, boring road to get to Noosa.

Connor and Laura introduced us (well me) to Aussie drinking antics and the Gold Coast. Both greatly enjoyed and, as I keep telling Jack, I want to go back to Gold Coast because those beaches are just dreamy. I'm missing the sea by the way.

We also won ourselves a job within two days of me arriving which is a definite success for the books. Apparently selling yourself on gumtree isn't as weird as it sounds and can actually be quite useful. So we're now heading into our third week of farm life near a little village called Toobeah, and when I say little I'm talking a population of 7 with a pub and corner shop to it's name. But it's near a bigger (but not much bigger) town called Goondiwindi, yes it's said as it's spelled, and me and Jack tend to spend Saturday mornings there doing our weekly food shop and seeing what we can find. We ended up in New South Wales on Saturday so at least I can say I've been there now even if it was a very brief encounter. 

The farm and the people are lovely though. We've been doing lots of exciting things, cattle herding, fence constructing, tractor driving (Jack not me), dead wallaby fishing and lots of other little things. We're really enjoying our time here and are having lots of fun. 

We're currently driving back from Toowoomba to Goondiwindi to get home after a quick, unsuccessful wander  around Toowoomba. Unsuccessful considering the 3 hour drive to get there and the fact we were intends on grabbing dinner. To celebrate Jacks birthday, but plans were scuppered, because everything, yes everything, was shut.

So we're heading home for burgers, ice cream and a movie in bed. 

Until next time, hopefully not another 3 weeks away. 

Don't forget to follow my Instagram @emilyjarvis93 for more regular updates and views of my Aussie life