Hi all

Well i managed to escape out of bundaberg, i survived the night bus on saturday night, and got all the way to Airlie Beach at 9.30 the sunday morning.  I checked into a hostel called magnums, cool place, we stayed in an 8 beded lodge with onsuite bathroom, well it was sort of onsuite - the bathroom and toilet doors were not the full size, so anyone in the room could hear everything that went on in that bathroom, nice!  Maire and Sophie (a couple of fellow inmates at cellblock) arrived later that day.  We were only apart for 4 days but had so much to catch up on, god knows what me and marie will be like after 7 weeks apart!  Anyway Airlie beach was a great place, buzzing all the time, day and night, probably like being somewhere in the med!  Myself and Marie booked a day sail out to the whitsundays.  The catamaran was purple, and you couldnt miss it.  We had free soft drinks and beer all day long, a gorgeous 3 course dinner, so you can imagine a few people took advantage of the free beer.  I didnt because i dont like beer, so i remained very sober, which was probably a good thing as the weather was really bad.  All it did all day was rain and was very windy, i had to do my usual and stay outside as couldnt cope being inside.  Many people were not well on the boat, i am so glad i am not staff, dealing with all those sea sick people!  The good thing about the wind was that we had the sails up all day long, so we were actually sailing the whitsundays.  We managed to spend an hour on white haven beach, with the sand whipping up at our faces.  We had a chance to go snorkelling in the afternoon, but i chose not to as was too cold and didnt think the visability would be any good.  Anyway it was a good day all in all, the weather didnt dampen our spirits.  A group of us all went our for dinner in the evening with a family, because he wanted some adult conversation.  He ended up buying strawberry daquaries for 4 of us X2.  The drinks bill came to $150 and he didnt want anything to it, so we didnt complain!  myself and Marie met up with one of her friends who works on the boats, ended up going back to her place, had a bbq and relaxed in the hammocks.  Now that was the life, lying in a hammock with an amazing view out on to harbour.  The same day i bumped into vicky from home, someone we all know from scouts, she is on holiday for 3 weeks and we just bumped to each other in the marina, how small is this world.  While we were in airlie beach, we also met up with 2 girls from cellblock who had a left a week before.  After spending 4 days in airlie beach i took another 10 hour bus journey up to cairns where i will be for a couple of days just chilling out and relaxing before my big adventure starts.  I am staying in the same hostel that i stayed in when i was here 4 years ago, it doesnt feel any different, a bit strange really.

 Anyway must go for now.  I promise i will get my photos uploaded in the next day.

Bye for now

Sharon