Well, congratulations Australia. I've been travelling for about 6 months now, through some pretty poor countries, but Oz has all but equalled them with some pretty crappy hostels in/around Cairns! I'm now on my second infestation of bed bugs so a bit fed up. Been to pharmacist and got a different remedy this time, so hopefully the incessant itching will cease soon! Despite less than salubrious sleeping arrangements have been enjoying myself on the reef! Went to Fitzroy island. Never have I seen such a run-down resort with so many big-fat bugs crawling on the matresses, but the snorkelling off the beach was pretty good. Spent a couple of days at Fitzroy, killing time before an exciting dive trip to a reef several miles further out than the main Great Barrier Reef....in fact 17 hours of choppy seas in an old rickety boat, involuntary feeding of the fish and green-looking faces! (Plus, guess what, my cabin has bed bugs!). But it was all worth it. The crew were great and the diving is better than the main reef as visibility is 30-40m. Saw lovely coral formations and the highlight was the dive with SHARKS yesterday! Before we even got in the water they were chucking bits of fish over the side. I have never seen such a feeding frenzy, and we were going to join them! They positioned us all on the bottom of the ocean (having given us extra weights so we didn't float off like a bit of food!) and then lowered a giant fish kebab from the boat! Never seen so many hungry sharks so close! But it was great!! Fortunately no tiger sharks came along ... a diver got bitten clean in two the other day on the Great Barrier Reef by a tiger shark! Phew. But I lived to tell the tail and have counted my fingers and toes. Came to 20. Off to Brisbane tomorrow to meet up with an Aussie guy I met in Mexico, then off to Sydney for my birthday! Love to all Jo xx