We left Cairns and decided to head for Magentic Island, a small island just off the coast from Townsville. We took the first leg on the Greyhound, the coac ticket we had bought- even managed to book our seats on the morning of travel! We then got the ferry across and then the bus to Bunglaow Bay where we were staying. We rented a small wooden bungalow which literally had a bed and a fridge but was quite comfortable once we got over the fear of possoms breaking in and stealing all our food!

Magentic Island is really nice- lots of beaches- although swimming isn't encouraged because of jellyfish. They weren't wuite as nice as SE Asia though- i think once you have seen beaches with such white sand and clear water- nothing is quite the same again! Oh well- we know that there are better beaches to come on the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast! The first nioght we just chilled and enjoyed the campsite- there were planty of birds and animals around the site to keep us entertained and on our toes!!

The next day we went to the small zoo which was on the site. It was pretty cool asnd we both got to hold crocodiles. The guy told us that even though they are salt water crocodiles they only ever go into the sea to look for a new habitat. Also that there had only been something like 38 killings by crocodiles in the 200 years that Europeans have been in Oz. Still we were glad that even the small one we were holding had its mouth taped shut!! We also got to hold some cockatoos, a koala, some lizards and a snake! All very cool and we'll get the photos on soon. Koalas do smell a lot though!

We just relaxed for the rest of our day and booked our sailing trip to the Whitsundays- which we'll talk about next. Then we had a really good meal before taking part in the pub quiz that night. We came a very creditable second and could have won had it not been for Maria arguing that the Dong was the currency of Laos and not Vietnam- oh well i'll forgive her!!

Then it was off to bed ready for our journey onwards!!!