1:22 p.m. - 2003-10-19
dingo dongo
2003-10-19 - 11:37 a.m.
Hi all, I know I've been slacking. I�m in boring Hervey Bay. I just got back from Fraser Island. The world�s largest Sand Island (more sand than the Sahara desert). Rented an old Army truck and spent three days there. Went with the Belgium cyclists (Kris and Martijn), Steph and two Danes who gave Steph and me a lift here from Maggie Island. I didn't like them much; they were only interested in getting drunk and only wanted to see Lake Mackenzie. It's a pretty big island, 120km long and to get anywhere you really have to drive on the beach then drive inland. I saw a humpback whale, a HUGE huntsman spider, a bush rat, a dingo, a big lizard and a huge gecko all in one day. Amazing. The second night we camped at Lake Mackenzie, a huge perched lake. We arrived quite late to find the campground was full, but there was no way we were turning back; it had taken us over an hour to get there. So we drove in anyway and squeezed in someone else�s pitch. Luckily when they returned to find six extra people they were fine about it. They were Aussies afterall, luckily for us. After dinner (Steph made some great Burritos) the four of us went down to the lake. The Danes weren't interested in seeing it at night, but it was stunning. We sat and had a smoke, saw some really bright shooting stars and then the moon rose. It was magical; the lake was so still that the stars were reflecting in the water. It was the kind of sight that makes you rub your eyes in disbelief. Steph and I went for a dip, the water being warmer than the air temperature.
That night I set my alarm for 5.30am, my plan being to see the sunrise. I didn't get to sleep until 3am because of all the bush rats running around our tent, but I still managed to wake up at 5.29am (how does that internal body clock work?) but it was light already. I got up and went down to the lakeshore still wearing my pyjamas and sat on a rock. There was only one other person there, some German I keep bumping into taking photos.
I was rummaging through my bag looking for my Minidisc; when I sensed movement behind me. I looked round and within inches of me was a Dingo. Fraser Island is home to the purest form of Dingo in the world, there was an incident a few years ago where a seven year old boy was mauled to death by a pack of them. We�d been warned by the rangers the night before about how to deal with a confrontation, and not to go to the bathroom alone. Of course I dismissed any possibility of actually seeing one, but at that moment I had to deal with one all on my own. So I jumped up, my heart rate rapidly speeding up, and crossed my arms to make myself look bigger. I stared him out and after 30 seconds he walked off giving me a few backwards glances. He walked up the beach and began howling. When I felt safe, I realised I�d missed a prime photo opportunity. I suddenly felt a lot braver and crept up as close as I would dare. He didn�t seem interested by me and I got a good shot.
The lake looked stunning, surrounded by enormous sand dunes and trees. I took a whole role of film and walked to a hidden spot and just sat and took it all in. The German had gone and it felt amazing to be left with something so beautiful and to be the only human on the planet to be looking at it on that morning. The sun was so bright and the lake was so still. I couldn�t believe it.
I must have been there for at least two hours when I saw Steph and the Belgiums in the distance. I went over and we went back to the campsite to make breakfast.
By lunchtime Lake McKenzie was packed with backpackers drinking beer and taking photos of each other. It looked like a different place.
Kris� crush is becoming more evident. It is annoying me, I keep avoiding eye contact but I think that may give him the opposite idea. Everyone else keeps leaving us alone which doesn�t help. It�s been going on since Maggie Island. I did think he was cute when I first got to know him, but now he just irritates me beyond belief. He�s always hanging around like a needy child. I do understand how he feels, but he really should be more pro-active about his feelings. He doesn�t have much confidence around women, which is a shame. Unfortunately that is usually one of the attributes that a female looks for in a man.
