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Hell everyone, I'm back. Apologies for the absence but the last few days have been a bit crazy!
OK where I left off was Townsville. Obviously I survived the night with many crazy creatures I'm happy to say no injuries. On the 1st we went to Magnetic Island off the coast by ferry, it was muchos fun. Hired a small topless car called a moke, and guess what we got a pink one woop woop. They are so much fun, zipping around the island in what is essentially a souped up golf cart! Went to a koala sanctuary place which was ace. Saw massive crocodiles and held a (v small) one with a plaster holding his mouth closed, oh dear. Held a lizard with a blue tongue and a boa constrictor and, the best part, met and 'cuddled' a koala called Bernie. He was so sleepy as koalas sleep 23 hrs a day (fab life) Apparently they can be really vicious but no one was injured :-) He was v nice, but v heavy and you can only him for a few mins, but we couldn't come to Australia and not cuddle a koala!
Slept on a v nice beach for the afternoon then tootled back to the ferry on our moke (I love that word!) Hostel is s***, so not too bothered about leaving for Airlie Beach.
Got to Airlie the next day, it looks pretty but our hostel is again pretty crap, the shower leaks hot water constantly so the bathroom is like a tropical paradise, I am convinced a saltwater crocodile will be moving in any day now! We are also sharing with 4 Irish girls who act like they own the room. They have left us all the top bunks and no space to put any of our stuff...they are basically pains in the arse! But backpackers have to suffer I guess. Had a bit of a down day when we arrived, missed home a lot and Charlie, and got another cold so feeling a bit rough. Went to the lagoon, and its pretty impossible to be depressed in Oz for too long coz once you lie by a beautiful lagoon for a few hrs with the sun shining your mood tends to lift :-) Ate a good dinner of bege lasagne, also very welcome after cooking for ourselves for the last few days and got an early night (well tried too...god damn the irish girls!!!)
Ok on the 3rd we had a much deserved lie in and then trotted over to the lagoon again. Airlie beach funnily enough doesn't have any real beaches, and anyway the beaches in Oz are so bloody dangerous it's a bit frightening trying to swim in the sea! The lagoon is man made and makes you wonder why we can't build anything in England without it getting wrecked, coz the Oz mentality is so different. Briony cooked herself and is now affectionately referred to as 'burns unit' as she is really really red in random patches over her body, including her feet and hands!
Up at half 6 on the 4th (dear god) to go sailing on the whitsundays! Excitement was definately in the air. The yacht is goregous, millions of dollars and lilac! Big sails etc, and took 80 people so it was pretty big. Sailed around the whitsunday islands, which are some of the most exclusive and beautiful places in Oz, went snorkelling off Hook Island which was a bit crap as apart form a few fish only saw a jellyfish, and then sailed to Whitehaven beach (voted the best beach in Oz!) It was gorgeous, although we had to be shade crumbs!
The food was possibly the best bit about the whole trip, they just fed us constantly and also there was a free bar. BBQ, afternoon tea, cakes, prawn cocktail....the list is endless. I haven't eaten so well since I came away. Sunbathed on the boat a lot, and got chatted up mercilessly by the Aussie men... they really don't know how to take no for an answer! I think we may have to resort to violence. They have so much confidence, they just come up to us all the time and sit down and start talking, not like in England. Another highlight was a near miss between our yacht and its sister ship as we sailed back into harbour, the other captain nearly caused an accident. We thought the captains might fight so we hung around to watch but no joy :-)
Drank wine and mountain dew (delicious combo) with pot noodles for tea...again!!!! Then went on our first Airlie night out. Clubs and bars were great apart from the usual hassle from the men. I think Aussie men are told from birth how wonderful they are, because they seem to have a really hard time understanding that we have boyfriends and don't think they are god's gift!!!! But some are a good laugh. Danced a lot then got a chicken schnitzel on the way home (don't ask!) and ate some more pot noodle.
Checked out this morning with a vicious hangover and am now waiting the 6 hrs for our overnight greyhound!!! Oh the joy of having no money, staying in dorms with millions of people, eating pot noodles and spending half our lives on a bus...I would't trade it for anything right now, these are experiences everyone should have. Rock on Hervey bay and camping on Fraser Island for 3 days with deadly creatures and 8 other people driving a 4 wheel drive over beaches....just pray they aren't irish ;-)
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