19/3/09: We arrived in Townsville at about 7.30 and walked to the hostel where they had left a key for us. The hostel was really nice and we had a room we with 2 other people with an en-suite, fridge, television- luxury!! We showered and then headed out to explore- it is a lot livelier than Mission Beach- there is a strip where every other shop is a bar/pub. We grabbed something to eat and then went back to the hostel.

20/3/09: We got up early so we could have the free breakfast- it included value bread for toast, value jam, value peanut butter, value cereals and value cartoned milk- but i guess we are backpackers! Then we checked out and booked in there for tomorrow. We walked to the harbour and caught the ferry over to Magnetic Island! Wow!!! We caught a bus from the ferry terminal on Magnetic island to our hostel. It is right on the beach and has a pool and bar, etc. We checked in and dumped our stuff- our room is a little wooden hut by the beach. Then we walked up along the long sandy beach to the bay where we'd caught the ferry to. On the way we saw several big, white parrots in the trees- I was looking for Koalas because there is meant to be lots here. Then we got the bus to a bay on the other side of our hostel. It was such a hot, sunny day!! I dont think I have ever been so hot. There was a stinger net on this beach so we could go swimming to cool down. We were the only ones on the beach most of the time!! Then lil alex had great fun climbing up and around the rocks until he fell and hit his knee. We walked back to the hostel- absolutely exhausted but saw several different parrots and eagles, etc- a bird watcher would love it, but no koalas yet! We had a cold drink on the decking by the sea when we got back. We went to the room and had showers. got chatting to a guy in the room called Peter from Aberdeen who was quite cool. We went to the bar with him and had dinner- i had a vege burger, chips and salad. Then we had a few drinks- I had a Magners!!!! But at $7 I wont be having many of them!! Then me and lil alex shared a jug of cocktail! The hostel was alright but it is a bit of a meat market- we were the only couple here. We went to bed then a few hours later got woken up by a drunk girl bringing back a guy in our room. Then a while later her mate brought someone back too!!!! Still no koalas but we did see a possum carrying a baby possum on its back around the huts- it was the cutest thing I've ever seen and it was so tame!! It was a lot smaller than I thought it would be.

21/3/09: We were woken up early by the two really ignorant girls in our room. We got ready and checked out. We had a nice cooked breakfast at the hostel on the decking by the beach- another gloriously hot sunny day! Then we sat on the beach for a while but it was too hot so we had a drink at the bar in the shade. We got the bus back to the ferry at 1pm and caught the 1.35 ferry back to Townsville. We mooched to the hostel and checked in- we had a result- we only had to pay $20 instead of $24 for the room because the air con is a bit loud (but compared to the noises last night it is nothing). We walked to the high street but most shops were closed because its a Saturday?! We went to the supermarket and stocked up on some supplies so we can stop spending as much on food and drinks- lil alex brought 4 pot noodles so that will keep him going! I chilled with my feet in the pool and read for a while. Then we went to the room and had showers and made tea- which we ate on the terrace watching the world go by. We went to buy some alcohol to drink on the terrace but everywhere was shut so we ended up in the room watching Home Alone 2 and the result updates from the election they had here yesterday. Then lil alex watched Tomb Raider- he assures me it wasnt so he could perv on Angelina Jolie. We were the only ones in our room all night which was cool.

22/3/09: Happy Mothers Day mum!! We got up and had the free breakfast then checked out and went to the high street where they had a market on. We mooched around the market and then come back to the hostel and chilled on the terrace reading but it was too hot- I dont know how anyone could live a proper life in this heat. We went back to the market and lil alex had a sausage and onions in bread and I had a jacket potato, plus we had a drink. We got the bus at 3.30 to Airlie Beach- it was a 4 hour journey but we did stop for a half hour snack and toilet break.