argh frustration!

i dont know what to do next. i have exactly 2 weeks left in australia and im stumped. I could spend $400 and go see byron bay and noosa like my sort of original plan but i dont know if it'll all be worth it. not only will it be $400 but its a pain in the ass to get to both places (melbourne - brisbane, brisbane - byrone bay, byron bay - noosa there are easier ways but this is the cheapest)both of those places are beautiful beach resort type towns. Noosa is a bit more posh and byron is a bit more party (not that i will be partying much while there)so i think i may just skip byron and head right up to noosa. Meet chris in brisbane a few days before he heads out (if he ever calls me! HINT HINT!) and then make my way up to noosa. BUUTT what do i do until the 21st of may? It is now the 16th and im in melbourne at the WORST hostel i have ever stayed at. 16ppl per room...this means that someone is up at everytime during the day....or night. and it stinks. The only cool thing is free coffee and tea and breakfast AND internet! I could check out friday morning and figure my way out through the tram station to a nicer hostel (recommended by simon, my pommy buddy) called base out in a suburb of melbourne called st.kilda and spend a few more days here doing some shopping (i hate my clothes)....but i am limited because i have given myself a $25/day budget on daily spending(this does not include accommodation or big travel expenses). and its $15 to get to the airport....this limits
things a bit i think. Maybe i'll look into that a bit deeper tomorrow.

I am also bothered by my weight gain....incredibly bothered by it. It was at about 11lbs back when i checked in bundaberg..last time i checked (in adelaide) i was up 18lbs! i feel terrible. not only do i feel like i look terrible i also feel terribly lazy. im afraid of people seeing me in a bikini in noosa and bali. im also afraid i might not beable to loose what ive gained before i get home and have to face my friends looking different. i feel so uncomfortable in my skin its unbelievable. not only that, ive pretty much lost my tan - stupid australian winter.

on the upside (sorry for being a downer guys) i saw probably my #1 or #2 favorite thing now in australia. today i went on a tour of the great ocean road. it was just so amazing. so beautiful - its up there with the great barrier reef (i love great things, what can i say?)but...to bring the upside down...we had and old man (between 55-63 id say) who was australian on our tour and he would not shut up. he could and would talk about absolutly EVERYTHING and he was old and experienced so he knew many things. he didnt take the time to learn the tourguides name so everytime he spoke to him he would say 'excuse me...did they widen the road with steam rollers OR WHAT!?' many things he would ask would end with 'OR WHAT!?' i seriously plugged my ears because his voice annoyed me so much. and he was sitting right behind the passenger seat (which was my seat) so he would shout the the driver and id be in the middle of it. sooo annoying. but the tour itself was beautiful. we drove 550km in about 12hrs and walked through a rainforest, saw the loch ard gorge (really beautiful! i have great pix, the 12 apostles (some big rocks sticking out of the water), and, of course the great ocean road. one of the most magnificent things ever created. the idea was based on hwy 1 in california so i think i may do a road trip down that area one of these days....well not anytime soon obviously but one day.

so now....i will try and sleep....and tomorrow i will take advantage of free breakfast and then go for a jog...and try and figure out what to do next.

getting kicked off my computer so gtg

love much

alia