This is a gentle coming-of-age story about a college-aged boy becoming the girl he knows he truly is.
With the help of his two girl friends he becomes Susanna as they teach him all about life as a girl.
Please note this is a gentle, sentimental tale and although there is some sexual content it is inferred, NOT graphic and tagged where it occurs.

Will settled back down grinning like an absolute idiot mind you I had a daft grin on my face with the expectation of spending the next three weeks with these gorgeous guys. And I could see that the other girls were similarly excited.

As for the guys – well men are not all that good at hiding their feelings they were grinning like a cat that’s got the cream - and in a way they had.
We munched our bacon sarnies and simply chatted we found out everything about them and told them a lot about us.

Then Tank said, “You know girl’s I’m sure I’ve seen you somewhere before! But I’m buggered if I can remember where – you’re not famous are you?” I think it clicked with all of us girls at the same time the IPL!
As both Australia and New Zealand are sports mad.

Charley in her disarming way commented, “Famous? Us? Nah the only thing famous thing we’ve ever done is get stuck while we were driving Route 66. Well when I say we got stuck it was Susie who was driving! So she got us stuck.”
This distracted them and they started asking about our travels across America while I shot Charley a glare. It was like water off a ducks back as Charley simply smiled at me – but it had worked they were on another subject.

About noon we all decided to take a wander and explore. We girls headed to the rest room to ‘freshen up’ which in girl speak means discuss how we were going to handle things.
Which didn’t take much discussing as we all were quite taken by our gaggle of Kiwi’s (what is the collective noun for a group of Kiwi’s?) and decided to let things take it’s course.

Kelly said, “For the time being Rule 1?” Shoni and I agreed but Charley and Ceri hadn’t a clue what we were talking about.
Shonali explained, “When we were teaching Susie we made rule’s up, rule 1 means that we arrive together and leave together really we keep an eye on each other.”
Charley nodded commenting, “Makes sense – good move guys.” We also decided that we would keep the IPL cheerleader bit quiet too. Guy’s may get the wrong idea!

We joined the guys and set off. It turned out that they like the similar thing that we do looking at the attractions of the places natural and historic so it would seem we would get on well.

We went around Port Augusta and saw the attractions we insisted on paying our way, as it wouldn’t be fair on the guys – after all if they had budgeted like us cash would be tight.
But what is it about guy’s they ALWAYS argue about things like that even though it makes total sense it’s just this stupid macho thing!

So we visited among other places the Wadlata Outback Centre we went to the Flinders Ranges and Outback of SA in Wadlata's Tunnel of Time; which was fascinating.
The Augusta Water Cruises that followed the course of Matthew Flinders and was a unique cruise of the Upper Spencer Gulf and we saw dolphins at really close quarters.
Every third Sunday there was a flea market; which was pretty cool and the guy’s while I wouldn’t say enjoyed it they indulged us.

Every night we all chipped in and cooked something back at the tents then wandered to the local pub for a few tinnies (as they say). Then back to the tents and sleep and before anyone says anything we slept in our own tents!

Then it was time to pick the tour up, we packed up and soon we were ready for the off.
The guys weren’t as practiced as the five of us also their kit was bigger so we ended up helping them.
They were really jealous of our very sophisticated lightweight equipment as our five backpacks together weighed as much as two of theirs! Ceri’s was a bit heavier as she didn’t have the lightweight kit we had so we did spread some of her stuff around our packs.

We headed for the tour bus and met up with the other travellers that had joined in Melbourne after stowing our gear in the hold of the bus we started to get to know our fellow travellers.
It was a very broad cross section with an age range from late 60’s to us five who were the youngest.
It was assumed that we were travelling with they guy’s - but in a spirit of freedom we soon dispelled that explaining that we were travelling around the world.
And had already drove across America cycled around New Zealand and now were seeing Australia the easier way – and of course looking after these poor lost Kiwi guys.

This tour was serious money and took up some of our kilometre pass it was a 9-day trip to Perth. There we joined a second tour to Darwin, which was a 19-day tour passing through some of the best bits of Australia.

We picked the bus up then to Iron Knob (love the name) then we stopped in Kimba (Halfway Across Australia) for lunch.
Next we headed heading to Venus Bay and did a coastal walk spotting dolphins surfing in the waves.

That was the first morning!

In the afternoon we went to Talia Caves and the Lake Newland sand dunes for a fun ride! Coodlie Park was the farm stay for the night. And we went on a unique nocturnal spotlight tour to look for kangaroos, wombats and emus!

You can see that this tour was a full on affair and it was like this for the whole 8 days. The next day we were surfing and swimming at Bairds Bay the night was spent in a shared dorm.

Day three was spent crossing the Great Australian Bight heading for the Nullabor Plain camping at a homestead
The next day was spent crossing the Nullabor – it was huge with all sorts of interesting features.

Nullabore

And so it went on until we reached Perth stunned by this amazing country and the vast distances involved – we now realised how stupid we had been thinking we could cycle around this massive country!

In Perth we booked into the Witches Hat Hostel – well we simply had to as we were the Wacky Witches we got a 6 berth dorm for the three days before picking up the next tour. And the Kiwi’s decided to stay in the same place but they had 2 double rooms and a single.

Witches Hat

The first day we had a pampering day much to the disgust of the guys – but they didn’t complain when we had finished.
Perth is a beautiful city nestled on the banks of the Swan River and the best view of it is from Kings Park another thing is that it’s hot - apparently this is the warmest city in Oz!

For the rest of the day we explored the city window-shopping and people watching with a gaggle (collective noun is a Flock of Kiwis but I prefer gaggle) of moaning Kiwis in tow.

The next day the guys got their revenge by taking us to the Railway Museum at Bassendene followed by the Midland Railway Workshops. – Phew a day of trains!
But that night we got revenge on them by saying we were going to the Balthazar Bar (we left the restaurant off our description) so they were all up for it until we got there and they discovered it was a really nice restaurant.
Then on the third day we were joining our second tour to Darwin. Again this was by bus and was a 4000km trip. As with the first trip it was full on for the 19 days.

We went sand boarding then fed the dolphins at Monkey Mia Dolphin resort then we went to visit the amazing breathing rock formations 'Stromatolites' in the shallow waters of Shark Bay. Our accommodation was right on the Ningaloo reef.

Stromolites

We spent the whole day in Coral bay while we spent all day scuba diving seeing the Manta Rays and the amazing coral in the bay. The Kiwi’s went Quad Biking and a Jet boat and snorkelling tour meeting up with them for the short trip to Exmouth for a full day there relaxing.

We were having a drink with the guy’s and some others from the tour in a bar in Exmouth; where we were overnighting we had just finished scuba diving in Coral Bay - which was amazing to see the water so clear.

We were sat at a large table and Shoni and I were sitting with our backs to the bar and TV when Kelly’s face changed and I noticed everyone was looking at Shonali and I.
I had a quick look to make sure I was not accidentally showing anything I shouldn’t be showing - as my top was a bit loose! I was all tucked in where I should have been so all I said was, “What’s up?”
Kell simply nodded to the TV. I turned to see the screen then I blushed scarlet.

The pub was showing a DVD of the IPL cricket and the barman had spotted two cheerleaders and froze the picture – it was Shoni and I shaking our stuff in our skimpy uniforms!

Cheerleaders

Well the place erupted instead of being treated as outcasts we were instant celebrities. The DVD started playing and it wasn’t long before Kelly, Charley and Ceri were spotted everyone realised that they had half a cheerleading squad in the pub!

What a brilliant night we had, some of the women wanted lessons and all of the men wanted us to strut our stuff which with a few tinnies inside us we happily did making sure that guy’s were dancing too.
The Kiwi’s were made up that we were ‘famous’ none of us bought a drink all night!

I really won’t bore you with the next 17 days it is suffice to say that we saw a lot of this amazing country - Australia.
Some of the highlights were a visit to a place called Tom Price which is the highest town in Western Australia here the tour stocked up as we were going to the fascinating Karijini National Park.
And it was truly awesome it shows in stark detail 2.5 billion years of evolution and 40.000 years of culture.
We hiked the gorges, swam in secluded rock pools and stood under waterfalls then explored the rock formations including Hancock Gorge, Weano Gorge and the adventurous Handrail Pool, Dales Gorge, Circular Pool, Fortescue Falls, Fern Pool many, many more.
Then late on the second day we traveled further north to Pardoo Roadhouse where we camped under the stars.

Next to 80 mile beach close to Broome where we spent 2 days staying at a back packers hostel.
I don’t know how it got its name, as it’s over 140 miles long – oh and when you walk on the dry sand it creaks it’s really weird.

80 mile beach

After Broome we headed up to Windjana Gorge where we saw our first fresh water crocodiles. Not quite as big as the salt water variety.
Then we travelled to Silent Grove, Mount Elizabeth; El Questro then to the Bungle Bungles, which is the strangest landscape I have ever seen we travelled around this in 4 x 4’s as I think anything else would have been destroyed!

Bungles

Our tour was now nearing the end and the final place before Darwin was a visit and a cruise on Lake Argyle that is Australia’s largest man made lake.
The final day was heading towards Darwin via the stunning Nitmiluk National Park with towering cliff walls and meandering streams and rivers. We visited Edith Falls arriving in Darwin in the early evening.

Our accommodation throughout the tour was a mixture of camping sometimes we stayed in safari tents which were worlds apart from our teeny weeny tent there were also some great hostels - and yes once we got to know the guy’s a lot better I think it is true to say we all had sex with our respective hunks.

After being with these guys for over a month it was sad saying good-bye. They had been good company and perfect gentlemen respecting our space until we gave indications we were ready for a more intimate relationship.
Then once the relationship had been formed none of them were possessive they were the perfect foil for us five.
Of course we all exchanged phone numbers and addresses; promising to keep in touch (as you do) but as usual life get’s in the way – or does it?? But before we went our separate ways there was one more night!

Darwin; before visiting my uncle we spent the night at a back packers hostel the Dingo Moon Lodge just off Mitchell Street we got ready then hit Mitchell Street for a night out with the Kiwi’s.
We hit most of the bars and pubs namely Kitty O’Shea’s; Fox Ale House the Deck Bar and finishing up at the Discovery Nightclub! (I think the only one is Darwin but no doubt I’ll be corrected if I’m wrong)

Needless to say we had a great night was an understatement but it was a great way to say farewell to these great Kiwi’s and needless to say we had a final night of passion!

Darwin now this deserves a mention, as not only is it a lovely quaint city but that aside my mention is due to the bigoted attitude of the asshole of an Uncle I never knew I had! As far as we are both concerned wish we had never met.

However I will say that his wife was really nice. We managed to stay in his company for about an hour before the five of us had endured as much as we could stand.
He hated me for what I had become and soon reduced me to tears with his cutting comments.

Because we were travelling alone he thought the five of us were below contempt ‘harlot’s’ he called us – this is the 21st century he was in the 19th century.

His wife Bindy who was an Australian tried to stem the flow of vitriol but got told by Kelly, “Bindy, thanks for what you are trying to do but we’re not hanging around this asshole he is so bigoted! I really feel sorry for you and pity his small narrow minded world!”

With that we picked up our gear and headed off to the bus station to get a bus to Alice Springs and ultimately Uluru.
Even though Darwin looked a nice place we simply decided that we were not even going to remain in the vicinity of that creep of an uncle of mine.

We were lucky as the bus left at noon arriving about nine in the morning the next day.
We had enough time to grab some food before the bus left Darwin also to buy munchies and drink for the trip and finally catch the coach.

I must admit I was very upset at the reception my uncle had given us and composed a long email to my Aunty Val. The rest of the girls comforted me, but I was hurt and wounded by his hatred to me – I felt very low.

Charley and Ceri sat each side of me and Charley put things into perspective by saying, “Look Susie us two haven’t known you as long as the other guys but please believe us when we tell you that your little toe is worth more than that bastards whole body. You are a kind considerate girl who certainly didn’t deserve all that abuse.
Just think about all the nice people you’ve met and that should make you see things in a different way.”

I sobbed, “But they didn’t know about me. He did and hated me!”
It was Ceri’s turn very softly she said, “Everyone else saw what you are – a very pretty loving young girl. I personally think you could have met that bastard as a man and he’d still have found fault. He’s a sad specimen of manhood – and I personally wouldn’t piss on him if he was on fire!”

Coming from Ceri this was a first! And her use of words made me giggle in spite of myself.
I felt a bit better and said to the two of them, “Thanks guys I feel better now, let’s get on with life and forget that asshole.”

While we were on the coach we took the opportunity to fully charge our phones and ipad. This would give out trusty stove some respite.
I finally got a reply from the clinic in Thailand the news was mixed. They were still closed for business but had refunded my deposit for my operation.
As far as the flat was concerned it had been cancelled but I had lost my deposit – which wasn’t too bad I suppose.

There were a few stops on the way to break the monotony and soon darkness fell and we all snuggled down to sleep.
These coaches are wonderful places to sleep even though parts of the road were a bit bumpy – well some of them were a lot bumpy.

Alice Springs was our goal. Then we planned to get a local tour to see Uluru at it’s very best that is at sunrise.
We had booked into the Alice Springs Haven Backpacker resort for 4 days. As there were 5 girls we went for an all female dorm, this cost us Aus$26 a day with free breakfast.
The place had Internet connection; pool; air conditioning in the rooms; beer garden; luggage store; communal kitchen.
It was a great place to stay and as usual friendly and clean and they hired bikes at $30 a day so of course we hired them for the first day, the second day we booked a trip to see sunset at Uluru.

Uluru

To go and see Uluru was an expensive business. If we had wanted to see the sunrise over Uluru - the best tour we could get was $500 so we got the cheapest we could find $200 which was a one day tour all inclusive including a bar-b-q but this really stretched our finances from now on we were going to have to camp as we had very little money left for this leg of our trip.
We still had about 8,000km left on our Greyhound travel pass, which should get us back to Sydney.

Uluru (aka Ayres Rock) is a very special place. Many of the other places we had visited had also been special but this was totally different it was awe-inspiring of course; serene yes very much so - but the overwhelming feeling of the place was sacred it felt sacred and very special.

The final day we spent simply at the pool in the hostel and getting ready for our next leg of the journey This was a complicated trip we went from Alice Springs back to Tennant Creek then we changed bus to go to Mount Isa where we changed bus again to get to Townsville at least that was the idea.

We got the bus back to Tennant Creek and waited for the next one to take us to Mount Isa.
We were sat waiting and of course talking when I said, “Guys when we get to Avon Downs there a camp site there opposite to the police station how about we have a wander around the outback?”
After a discussion we decided that this would be a good idea Ceri was really happy because as a zoology student she knew and loved the outback and couldn’t wait to show us ‘the real Australia’ – what a decision this turned out to be.

We stocked up on supplies at Tennant Creek for at least a two day stay at Avon Downs including some (lots) of bottled water there was water at the camp site but this was not really potable but with the police station opposite we reckoned that the guy’s there would look after five damsels in distress. (Again the power of women)

We got the bus and were dropped off at the police station at 2:15am asked at the police station about the campsite. The guy in the station not only showed us where the campsite was but illuminated the area with the lights on his police truck. He also told us that there was a shower and stuff at the site but to watch for spiders and snakes!

Next morning we soon woke up; as the sun was very hot. After making our breakfast we set off for on ‘walkabout’ or at least our version of a walkabout.
Ceri was in her element I had never seen her so animated pointing out the unusual flora and fauna or at least the tracks made by the few animals around the place which seemed to consist of lizards, snakes and spiders.
It was hot even in the Australian winter the temperature was mid 30’s C were we glad of our bush hats as usual the fly’s were relentless. We were great at the Ozzie wave.

We walked to a lake (billabong) where a flock of budgerigar’s took flight – it was amazing especially to us that associated this bird with cages they were hundreds if not thousands of them.

Budgies

A nice steady walk back to the tents then we cooked supper and charged our phones then sat back with the guitars mouthorgan and singing to spend a very pleasant evening we were joined by a couple who were using the rest they had a camper van and beer!

The next day was a repeat we packed a light lunch and set off in a different direction. It was then disaster struck as well as a snake. Kelly gave a scream Ceri who was close by uttered “Oh My god” we hurried across to where Kelly was in time to see a brown coloured snake disappear into the grass.

Eastern Brown

Ceri took immediate charge asking who was the best runner. This was without a doubt Charley so Ceri told her to run to the police station and tell them that Kelly had been bitten by an Eastern Brown snake she emphasised the name.

Charley shot off - like the proverbial greyhound. “Right you two keep Kell still while I put a pressure bandage onto the bite.

Having been fed on a diet of westerns I stupidly said, “shouldn’t we try and suck the venom out?” Ceri looked at me saying, “Susie that’s a load of crap the best thing we can do is to keep her still and apply a pressure bandage around the wound and up above the site to try and stop the spread of the toxins.”

It seemed an age but finally we heard the sound of an engine and the police Land Rover pulled up the guy leapt out saying, “You sure it was an Eastern Brown not a King Brown?”
Ceri assured him saying, “Yep it’s an Eastern, when it struck it was arched, about a metre and a half long mid brown with a light belly and orange spots.”
She then went onto describe more about it’s scaling and other features of the snake.
The officer asked if Ceri was certain and had not mixed the snake up with a King Brown.
Ceri assured him that she knew what she was talking about, as reptiles were her speciality.
All this questioning took less than a minute but once he was sure Ceri knew what she was talking about administered some anti venom then we got Kelly into the truck and he called for medical evacuation.

Just as we got her into the truck Kelly vomited and her bowls evacuated she was totally out of it.
We made our own way back to the campsite as worried as hell arriving just as the aeroplane landed with the doctor.
We decided that Ceri would go with Kelly as she was a relation and saw the incident while we followed with all our gear.

We all were really shaken by this incident and asked the police where Kelly had been taken to. It turns out she had gone to Camooweal Hospital which was the base hospital for the RFDS.

RFDS

The policeman offered to take us the 70km to Camooweal so we broke a world record packing our gear and piled into a quite smelly Land rover.
An attempt had been made to clean the interior but is still stunk of vomit and pooh! Poor Kelly!

On the drive to the hospital the police office really cheered us up by telling us that the Eastern Brown Snake is the second most venomous snake in the world.
He also told us that we were lucky to have a zoologist with us (well that was stretching things a bit but we knew what he meant) who gave him a rapid identification of the snake so the correct treatment was given improving Kelly’s chances of living greatly.

I was quietly crying as I felt it was my entire fault – after all it was me that suggested the stop over. If we had stayed on the stupid bus Kelly would have been ok.
I was weeping partly for me (being a selfish cow) but mainly I was absolutely devastated worried sick about my best friend Kelly.

We got to the hospital and were shown to where Kelly was, the three of us simply stood at the foot of the bed in fear and apprehension as to what the future may hold.
Kelly was ashen there were drips going into her lines coming out and she was on a ventilator with all sorts of leads monitoring her.
Ceri noticed us and hurried towards us now there were four of us huddled together for mutual support and comfort.

Ceri then told us what was going on. We were lucky that Ceri specialises in reptiles that’s why her identification of the snake was accepted and why she and the doctors knew exactly what treatment to give Kelly.
Brown snake venom has a very potent presynaptic neurotoxin - which apparently isn’t good!
She had to put in into layman’s terms as none of us had a clue what she was talking about when she told us in technical speak.

The venom interferes with messages from the brain to the nervous system and muscles causing a shut down of the body.
Blood refuses to clot and this is shown by a low platelet count. Ceri further said that there could be problems with the lymph nodes and renal failure.

All in all Kelly was one sick girl.

Ceri had phoned her mum who was going to phone Kelly’s mum so they could get to Australia to be with their daughter.
While Kelly was stable she was very poorly and was being transferred to Adelaide that is the major hospital in the central area.

We all panicked that we would be separated again and were working ourselves into a state when we were told we could travel with her this calmed us a lot as we didn’t want to be separated again.

When the time came to load Kelly on board the plane it was obvious that there wasn’t enough room for us all.

We had a quick discussion and decided that Ceri and Shonali would go while we would follow as fast as we could go meeting them at Adelaide.
Hurriedly we moved stuff between backpacks so Charley and myself would have everything we needed for our journey then tearfully we said goodbye.

As we watched the aeroplane taxi for take off Charley looked at me and said, “Well Suzie it’s the two of us now let’s haul ass girl!”
I grinned at her and hauling our backpacks onto our backs we set off towards the nearest coach stop.
Luckily the coach from Townsville to Tennant Creek stopped at Camooweal but we had seven hours to wait this would take us to Tennant Creek where we cold get a coach to Adelaide.

We got a nice meal inside us; for as Charley said when I said I wasn’t hungry, “Susanna I know you’re upset but you must eat you’ll be no good to Kel if you collapse.”
I thought about Charley’s dad and how much his comrades admired him – Charley was in the same mould quiet most of the time but decisive and confident when the sh1t hit the fan.

The bus dropped us off in Tennant Creek at 2am. Luckily we had just over an hour until the coach to Adelaide arrived the journey to Adelaide took about 30 hours!
This part took us to Alice Springs arriving at 9:15 am. The next coach took us to Adelaide arriving 0730 the next day.

It was a long journey punctuated by sleep eating and worrying, on the leg from Alice to Adelaide we had the same drivers we had been with previously and they asked if we all had had a bust up.
We told them what had happened and they apologised profusely but we were too far-gone to take any offence after all how were they to know.

Finally we arrived at Adelaide and phoned the girls, Charley got Ceri who was having a snack at the hospital while Shonali was with Kelly.
All too soon we were reunited having a group hug before going in to see Kelly.