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THE BEACH
Of course I've saved the best for last ... the beach. This is the main reason Noosa gets 1.7 million overnight visitors a year. By the way, 10% of those are international, mostly from New Zealand, the UK and Germany. You'll be happy to know that the sand is soft and clean. The beach is deserted in the early morning but by midday it's packed with families. The Noosa beach has something every beach should; two beautiful women in tiny bikinis, cruising up and down the beach in an ATV, towing a snow cone machine. I'm a sucker for snow cones, so I didn't need the added temptation but it's a great marketing ploy. These girls driving the Pineapple Crush were constantly being flagged down by me and you should see how fast they could whip up a fresh delicious treat for $3. They were so efficient that New Yorkers would appreciate them.

SURF LESSONS
Next up: We visited the Information Center directly across the street from the New Zealand Natural ice cream shop. (If you go, be sure to get the Hokey Pokey.) Inside, the center has all kinds of brochures and helpful volunteers. We inquired about the best things to do in Noosa, besides hiking the National Park and were told we should get a surf lesson. Noosa is famous for surfing lessons, as the break is shallow, the water is warm and even when the weather is bad, the waves roll perfectly.

NOOSA SURF LESSON
We signed up with Merrick's Noosa Learn to Surf School for a $55 for a two-hour lesson. The owner, Merrick Davis, a World Pro Am surfing champion, greeted us but was running out on an errand so he had one of his instructors teach us. We put on our tight surfing shirts, grabbed a long soft board and walked down the tree-covered path to the beach. There were three groups of six with mostly pre-teen girls. We all made a circle around our instructor, a funny and animated French guy.

ATTACK OF THE KILLER SPIDER
As I was sitting there, half listening and half dreaming about a tasty snow cone, I felt something fall from my hair onto my leg. I looked down to see a black spider, which, including its legs, was about the size of a quarter. I didn't want to seem like a wuss since I was the only guy in our group, but I couldn't help wondering if it was one of those poisonous spiders I'd read so much about. I flicked it off and it landed about a foot away in the sand. I didn't want to kill him, so I let him be. As I was trying to fight off my A.D.D. to learn the beginner surf positions, I couldn't keep my eyes off of this spider, which, by the way, I could totally tell was pissed off as he made his way over the sand mounds to me. When he climbed back onto my board (I think he was looking for one of his legs, which might have come off midair), I moved back. I could hear the instructor saying, "OK everyone, time to take your positions." There was no way I was going to lay down on my board with that spider on it! When everyone but me was in position, the instructor looked at me the way my ninth grade algebra teacher used to. I pointed to the spider and asked, "Is this thing poisonous?" "Maybe," he said, and without the slightest bit of fear, removed it with his bare hand and covered it in the sand.



SURF'S UP
Fast forward 30 minutes and we were all in the water, achieving what was promised. Everyone in our group got up on their board and surfed. The instructor was great and encouraging, especially with those that weren't strong swimmers. A really great experience for beginners. It was a lot of fun and I was even able to flash the 'hang loose' sign to the photographer in the water who was taking photos, then selling CDs with the images for a reasonable $25.

At the end of the lesson, as I was putting my board away, I told another instructor about the little black spider that had been on me. "Ah, don't worry about them, mate," he said. "It's only the ones with the white spot on their backs that you need to watch out for!" Panic-stricken, I said, "That's what was on me!" He asked if it bit me and I shook my head ... I didn't think I had been bitten. These spiders rarely bite, he told me, but if they do, you're sure to feel it immediately. I shook my head, thankful to be alive and thought ... just another adventure-filled day in Australia! Merrick's Learn to Surf School -- highly recommended.

OVERALL
I enjoyed my brief stay in Noosa but to me, it just didn't live up to the hype. Since so many people had told me how incredible it was, I was expecting so much more. Plus, I found it to be way overpriced, especially the restaurants. Next time I go, I'll go grocery shopping and make good use of the Sebel's in-room kitchen.

VIDEO
Here's a short Johnny Jet video of my trip to Noosa. We also have all the Johnny Jet videos ever made on You Tube’s servers.

NEXT WEEK
Next week we visit a nearby island that is so amazing, it was just listed as one of the best islands in the world by National Geographic Traveler Magazine.



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Happy Travels,
Johnny Jet

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Note: This trip was sponsored by Australia.com.




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