Day 57 – South of Brisbane, Australia – 12:58 PM

I’m on an Australian Greyhound bus once again.  Lately, a number of my posts have opened with me on a bus traveling from one location to the next.  Today, I’m continuing south to Byron Bay after four days in Noosa.

Noosa is your stereotypical beachside community.  However, this is not a negative description whatsoever.  There are two primary beaches in Noosa: Main Beach and Sunshine Beach.  My hostel, Dolphin’s Backpackers is a 5 minute walk from Sunshine Beach.  A number of restaurants, shops and cafes have situated themselves near both beaches.

During my stay, I had the opportunity to sample restaurants near both beaches.  My second night in Noosa, I reconnected with a couple from my Whitsunday cruise and we ate a quick meal near their accommodations on Main Beach.  I ordered the classic fish-n-chips dinner.  Two filets of fried Barramundi were placed over a bed of “chips”.  Yes, in Australia, and many countries I have learned, they refer to “fries” as “chips” and “chips” as “crisps”.

The following day, following my day tour on Fraser Island, I joined two hostel mates and dined at a burger establishment close to Sunshine Beach.  A half-pound slab of ground beef was layered with caramelized onions, blue cheese, cooked pear, lettuce and tomato.  This delicious combination was held together with a sesame seed bun.  For the second night in a row, my meal was partnered with an abundance of “chips”.  As I’ve said in the past, the miles on my feet under the weight of two packs justifies the not-so-healthy meals that I occasionally eat.

Yesterday, I decided to take a walk through Noosa National Park, a popular location among locals and visitors.  Depending on which track you follow, you are rewarded with stunning views of the coastline or thick forests lush with vegetation.  I decided on the Coastal Track, a 3-4 mile trail that snakes its way from Sunshine Beach around the tip of Noosa and proceeds southwest until it terminates at Main Beach.  The approaching rain clouds, strong winds and my late start to the day resulted in me only covering just over a mile of the Coastal Track from Sunshine Beach to Alexandria Bay.  Even during that short time, I was taken aback by wealth of craggy cliffs that dropped into the windblown seas.

I am pleased with my four days in Noosa.  Dolphin’s Backpackers was very relaxed and did not have the frat-house atmosphere that is present at many hostels. My fellow hostel mates were welcoming and friendly and interested in continuing conversations well into the night.  I managed to squeeze in a swim at Sunshine Beach the day I arrived.  The currents and swell made it both fun and challenging.  From Noosa, I also embarked on a day long tour of Fraser Island, the largest sand island in the world.  A very successful, yet manageable, stay in my opinion.