Well we left (or escaped!) from rainy Rocky on a train at 11:45pm and the journey was OK - eveyone was zonked out when we got on so we fell asleep too and arrived at Airlie in the morning to more rain!!

It just really showers here though between the sun so it's not so bad.

We are staying in a camping park not far from the town bit in whats called a "Camp-o-tel" - which is a permanent tipee tent thats got a double bed, light, table and chair - quite a bit of room really!! Only one problem - is that it's a bit like a giant sauna at night because of the heat and there's obviously no air con - but we are acclimatising to it!!

It's called Airlie Beach but the beach is a bit shingley and you can't swim in the sea as there are lots of deadly jelly fish - but there's a big purpose built lagoon which is really nice so we have been hanging about there chilling most days.

We have bought all our food in and are having quite nice backpacker meals by Chef Charlotte - packed lunches too, trying to save the pennies!!

Yesterday, in town we found a cool bead shop where you can sit and make all your own jewlery for quite cheap so Iain made a bead neck choker and i did an anklet and necklace - good fun!

We have now checked in for a sail tomorrow where get onboard a catamaran boat for 2 days and 2 nights and sail through the Whitsunday Islands and make lots of stops at the Great Barrier Reef - Iain is going for the deep sea scuba diving with oxygen tank etc but i am only doing snorkelling coz of my mega hyperventilation - i would definately have a panice attack with a mask around my face!! We saw the boat at the marina today - all ready and waiting for us and 18 others!! - looks nice with an outdoor spa but quite small! We paid extra for a private cabin so that we don't have to share with others so hoepfully it'll be good fun and i won't get too sea-sick!

Adios for now - but we will blog when we get back from the sail before we head up to Townsville and across to Magnetic Island for the weekend.

Bye

C & I xxx