Hi guys,

Well where do I start it has been one hectic and amazing week! Met up with Pete at Sydney airport after both of us having very long and tiring flights. We then flew up to Cairns and picked up our camper van which is really brilliant, its really easy to drive and we have a fridge and cooking facilities. On the first day we drove up to Port Douglas, the drive up was amazing with the tropics meeting the water and golden sand.

The next day we went to Cape Tribulation which was a great drive and had amazing views. The beaches were really tropical and it was just lovely to sit and be a million miles away! We got the chance to scuba dive in Port Douglas, it was brilliant, they made a mistake with our bookings so we ended up with two dives which was good as on the first one we were both really nervous but got the hang of it on the second. The reef is beautiful, the colours are so vibrant and the fish are amazing. We saw a turtle just basking in the coral and got to sit on the sea bed and put our hands in a giant clam shell which was about 1m in length, as you put your hand in it it started to close and felt like velvet!

That night we drove to Cairns to do a hot air balloon ride, this was stunning and we flew above the atherton tablelands. The landing was really fun as on the second time the basket tipped over, although the retired americans were not amused and I quote them saying "we didnt pay for that!" We then had a champagne breakfast, before heading to Kuanda to hold a Koala (Pete - which Hel was so excited about, I swear that's the only reason she's come here!) and feed the Kangaroos, there is so many of them hoping along the road. Although, that afternoon, Pete couldnt resist eating a kangaroo burger! Which I have to agree with Pete it was quite nice!!

From there we travelled down to Mission Beach and completed a skydive this morning, it was the most nerve wracking thing we have ever done but the adrenaline it gave us was amazing, and the views of the reef and the coast was fantastic! Pete adds, it was the most terrifying thing I've ever done, or likely to do!

We are now in Townsville and heading to Magnetic Island tomorrow, cant wait, the pic is one of the beaches there.

Will try and put some photos on but this internet is really slow.

Hope all are well.

Love Hel and Pete x