Noosa

26-28 February 2010

Spent a couple of days in Noosa, a trendy beach resort with posh restaurants, stylish boutiques and riverside mediterranean-inspired apartment blocks. Nothing much to report since we mostly just relaxed on the beach, occasionally braving the crashing waves for some bodysurfing - although this activity was brought to a halt rather abruptly when I popped up after a particularly big wave and my bikini top neglected to follow suit!

In fact, the most exciting news from Noosa is that we were robbed...in the communal kitchen of all places!! The hostel had a system whereby if the guests want to eat off anything other than their hands, they must pay a deposit for a black canvas bag containing a shabby set of plastic dishes and cutlery. We parted with our cash and were merrily cooking away; we turned our backs for a second and the bag disappeared. I went to reception to explain and was helpfully informed that "you have to keep an eye on the bag or someone will just take it." A ridiculous statement on two counts. First of all, I was in no doubt as to whether someone would hypothetically take the bag - they had already taken it. Secondly, I was "keeping an eye on it" but if I never left it alone, I would find it very difficult to cook anything which would defeat the point of having the bag in the first place. I can only assume that she was suggesting I surgically attach it to my body to prevent someone taking off with it while I was draining my pasta! Sensing I was fighting a losing battle, I just kissed my deposit goodbye and didn't even bother to point out that such mishaps are bound to happen when twenty people are cooking in the same kitchen, all "keeping an eye" on twenty identical black canvas bags!

Unfortunately, the hostel did not improve since we arrived back from the beach the following day to discover that bedbugs had been found in our room. Luckily, they hadn't been found in our beds (they are either incredibly lazy or incredibly selective since they don't like top bunks apparently) but we went on a bedbug-spray-spree nonetheless....just to be sure...