I stopped at this unusual water park on my detour through Bli Bli. It's the coolest park I've ever seen. Like a snow-ski lift, the rope swings 'round to pick up the next person and then takes the skiier on a fun circle around the lake.

Journal and photos by Nancy Olson

I got up at 0800 and watched the news, a rare luxury. It was raining when I left at 0930. I went to an Internet cafe in town, but it wouldn't connect to my mail server, so I ate a sandwich at the neighboring bakery and left.

The coast was very hilly, but my momentum from decending one hill always helped me get up the next, and I had fun zipping down the coast. The rain stopped early in the morning, but it was very, very windy. The weather was hot and humid, much like Cairns.

I had to take a detour away from the coast and through a town called Bli Bli, because bikes are not allowed on the motorway that cuts down that part of the coast. On my detour, I saw the coolest park ever! It was a water park where water skiers, skurfers, and wake boarders were pulled in a big circle around a small lake for some boatless fun. It was an ingenious setup. The rope went around on a cable ski lift-style, and the skiers could do a beach start from a platform or a water start at the start of the "ski-lift" area. It was so cool. I've never seen anything like it. For $28 you could play for two hours. Too bad I'm broke!

As I was leaving the water park, the rain started to pour down, big-time. I was drenched. I pulled into Maroochydore and inquired about camp ground prices. Whoa! This tourist mecca is pretty spendy! A dorm bed at the local backpacker hostel was $19, and I had no option but to stay there. I had avoided hostels for my entire trip, but high prices forced me to give it a go. I locked my precious Santa Cruz and my B.O.B. trailer to the stair case and moved into the dorm.

As I was unpacking my stuff and getting ready for a shower, I realized I had left my bag full of photo CD's and other computer stuff at the Internet cafe in Noosa! I don't know what's wrong with me. I've turned into a moron. That's moron with a capital MO. MO-ron.

I showered in a panic and headed to the nearest bus station. A ticket back to Noosa cost me $7.10 and one hour of precious time.

I jumped off the bus at the Internet cafe (Travel Bugs) after sitting on the bus for what seemed like ever, felt my hip pocket, and realized my wallet had fallen out. I sprinted down the street like a crazy person, waving and screaming at the bus to stop, but my doggone flipflops made me too slow to catch it before it sped of down the street. I ran into the Internet cafe and asked the nice girl inside to call the Sunshine Bus Co., explaining what had just happened. She talked to the dispatcher and was told the bus would be coming back in a few minutes after circling through town. I grabbed the stuff that I'd left at the Internet place and ran off to the bus stop where they told me to wait.

My bus was the second one, and it felt like an eternity waiting for it. The driver handed me my wallet and told me the bus back to Maroochydore would be the next one. Whew. I had all my things. I cannot tell you how relieved I was, nor can I tell you how stupid I felt.

I was back in Maroochydore by 1720, and the rest of the day went quite well, with my three-hour detour completed and my money and photos safe. Thank goodness. I went to McDonald's for a Diet Coke and won a Big Mac in their Pictionary peel-off game. Cool!

I went to bed early, and my doorm mates were quiet and considerate.

Mileage:
Weather: Rainy
Final Location: Maroochydore

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