A Backpacker's Sweet Revenge

Mission Beach is a small, hippy town stretched along 14 kilometres of beach. It’s a main stop on the backpacker route between Brisbane to Cairns, where tired backpackers relax on the beach while the more adventurous travelers sky-dive or river-raft the mad Tully River. I came to Mission Beach from Townsville after an incredible diving trip on the outer Great Barrier Reef. Still getting my land legs back, I checked into Scotty’s Beachhouse hostel to chill out for a few days.

I pushed through the open and airy saloon-style doors of the Nunnery, the suitably-named all-girls dorm, and picked a bunk by the door. Bella, who I met on the dive boat, dumped her backpack on the next bed. Full of spunk, Bella came to Mission Beach to white-water raft. I, on the other hand, just wanted to dig into a good book.

After an afternoon by the water, we headed to the hostel’s bar: really just a shoebox with a black-light, watered-down drinks and bad music. I managed to stay for an hour before heading back alone and crawling into bed. Using my sarong as a sheet, I was out as soon as my head hit the pillow. Little did I know, my brief presence at the “bar” that night put a huge target on my back.

A few hours later, I got a strange feeling and opened my eyes. Bella was leaning over in her bed. She whispered to me for the second time: “Dude, someone just stole your clothes!” We both took a second to rub the sleep out of our eyes, and then Bella sprung into action and raced out the door.

I sat up and looked at my backpack, still sitting beside my bed. Thoroughly confused, I wracked my brain to find something that was missing.