Tuesday 16th January 2007. The Gold Coast. Queensland, Australia.

This morning I am feeling very sick. On Sunday I had a couple of cuts on my ankle following my bush walk at the nature reserve. However these bled all day yesterday and this morning I am in quite some pain.

The others head off to Wet and Wild water park, but I have to cancel my booking and instead I am off to the doctor's. It turns out that I have two deep bites on my ankle that are infected. The doctor though cannot tell me what from. I am given a prescription and I begin treatment straight away. I will need to dress the wound twice a day and I am told that if I develop a fever I need to go straight to the hospital.

Next stop is breakfast at Toscani's before a gentle stroll home to the hotel.

Despite the concrete sprawl of the six largest city in Australia, Gold Coast City is actually the country's most biologically diverse city. With vegetation ranging from mountain rainforest to coastal wetland there are 323 bird species, 72 mammal species and 71 reptile species present. A city with over 70km of beach and an average water temperature of 22 degrees celsius the city is also home to 25 species of fish and 34 species of amphibian.

This afternoon Lesley and I have wonderful coffee's at the Delano Hotel before heading back to dinner at the resort and a quiet drink in the bar before bed.