Fraser Island, Central Station
Card from Fraser Island
8/31/00
Thursday 6:25 PM
[Editor: Fraser Island is a UNESCO World Heritage listed island located along the southern coast of Queensland,Australia, approximately 200 kilometers (120 mi) north of Brisbane.]
Dingos
Now pay careful attention to this: dingos are not racoons, German tourists are f@#$ing rude, and Irish campers are F@#$ING NOISY!
This is what I have learned today. It’s 6:30, dark, I’m in my tent, and this camping trip is off to a rocky start. My most impending problem is all of the noisy car campers that have rolled in within the last half hour. Honking their horns, flooding the grounds with their headlights, yelling to each other. This campground just got a lot smaller. Second on my list of worries in the Land of No Worries is those damn dingos.
Dingo that ate Kevin’s bars
When I saw my first one this afternoon, I thought they were awesome. When one sat in the road and caused the bus to wait, I thought they were pretty cool. The next one I saw on the beach spoke to me of all that is Australia. The one that got away with 2 of my 3 Power Bars pissed me off. The damn thing didn’t wait for 10 minutes after I set my tent up. I knew to put my food in the locker in camp, but I didn’t realize I had to make it job one. Like an idiot I pulled my food out of my pack (I actually wanted to get the food smell out). Then I went over about 2 sites to a clearing to play with the Garmin (by the way, I’m 9000 miles from home). As I was filling my stove tank with the expensive gas I bought here, I heard a rustling noise. Looking up, I found a dingo with its nose in my food. To make a long story short, here I was, gas in hand, chasing a dingo across the camp, yelling at it, looking like an idiot. What a rookie mistake. Why couldn’t it have taken the 99 cent rolls? Oh, and did I mention the ranger office was closed? Office hours are 10-12. Bullshit. So now I have to wait until 10 AM to get a map and plan my route. “SHUT UP, IRISHMAN!” I need a beer.
Kookaburra
You know, these idiots don’t even have matches. They’re bringing glass jars of food, don’t know they’re ass from the fire pit in the ground, don’t even know a Kookaburra when they see one, and the dingo picks on me. Oh, yea, he’s been back. Nearly walked up to me as I was eating my stew. Thought I was going to feed it. Even layed down and started yelping at me. Made me look like an ass. I hope it bites that Irishman’s ass.
Sulphur-crested Cockatoo
But on to more pleasant aspects. The island is nice, if not crowded. Sitting outside my tent, hearing Kookaburras calling and watching Sulphur-crested Cockatoos flying overhead was a truly great experience. OK, even the dingo was cool. But now for the first time I am going to say something is missing. It’s not even 7:00 and I’m already in my tent. No fire, no beer, no marshmellows … no one to share it with. Marjorie should be here.
Anyhow, I’m going to save my batteries. I’m writing by “torch” (flashlight).
KC