So, where were we?

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Sorry about that - it took me a while to find a stable connection. Had to go to Malaysia! Anyway - this is what I've been up to:

After a few hours watching the surfers, swimmers and posers doing their thing on Bondi, I headed up to the promenade to grab some late lunch. I ordered mussels and fries in 'Nicks' which overlooks the beach. The idylic setting and gorgeous food was offset by a 'band' sitting behind me. No idea who they were, but they quite clearly felt that they were 'somebody' - all they did was yap yap yap about how great they were and told 'top that' stories. Clues to their identity don't add up to much - American, $20 a night tickets and maybe had an album called 'The Circle' which they thought would be their break. To be googled!

After lunch I headed back to the hotel and finished off the rest of last night's dinner and watched TV.

Tuesday, 24th Feb

Its an early start today - the pickup for the trip is 7am. The Blue Mountains are very impessive with amazing views of the valleys and rainforest. We spent the morning travelling through the mountains, stopping at various lookouts to take photos and appreciate the size of this landscape.

After lunch at a nice hotel, we head to a Wildlife Sanctuary where I see more kangaroo than anyone needs to - there are also koala, wombat, snakes, spiders, bats and another saltwater croc. I got my visitors passport stamped and am happy.

Dinner tonight was meant to be in chinatown, but I missed it and ended up yet again in Darling Harbour (all roads lead there it seems!). It was really pretty at night and very lively. I treated myself to some seafood pasta and when I was all full up I headed back to the hotel, packed up ready for check-out tomorrow and and slept like a log.

Weds, 25th Feb

Today I leave Sydney and fly to Hamilton Island. Coming into land was amazing - the reef looks just like the magazine photos. At the resport it is all very organised - I check in and get driven in a golf buggy to my Palm Bungalow - no.33. Its very well furnished and looks like a boutique hotel room (lots of strategically placed cushions) albeit in a large garden shed.

They gave me a map but I can't figure out where I am (I wish they'd put a cross on showing my bungalow). I can't figure out the map so I venture out, I'm feeling a bit anxious because it feels quite remote. Turns out its not remote at all, about 3 mins from the main pool - clever use of palm trees makes it all very private - v cool.

The pool is lovely, and has a bar in the middle - my arrival conincides with happy hour so I have myself a fruit fizz which is really strong and not particualrly fruity or cheap so I think my budget will limit my cocktail intake while I am here. The sky starts to look a bit stormy so I head back to the bungalow... just in time, as I get there the heavens open and I have myself a tropical storm.

Its amazing here - there are parrots and cockateel flying all around, and I take the opportunity to sit on the verandah and read in the cool and watch the rainstorm.

After dinner in the steakhouse (huge scotch fillet steak with baked potato) it got dark really quickly - its only 7.30 and its pitch black. I walk back to the bungalow and I am feeling a little tense as I don't like the dark and I'm not 100% sure of my bearings yet. I can hear the birds screeching and crickets singing and the shaddows are a bit unnerving... then I recognise a moving shape in the shaddows - its a wallaby! It hopped right past me! Another early night for me... I am enjoying reading my book too much to go to the bingo night!

Thursday, 26th Feb

Today I booked myself some activities for the next few days and hopped on the shuttle bus that tours the island. I take another day at the pool - how lazy am I... anyone would think I'm on my holidays or something! Tonight is my first trip... its a Safari BBQ down on the beach. We get taken to the cove in a big jeep - good job too because its very steep and bumpy - proper off-road terrain... loads of fun!

When we arrive the campfire is already burning and while the steaks are cooking we head down to the beach for our appetizer.... freshly cut oysters straight from the rocks - wow! The BBQ was great - as well as the steak, we had king prawns, noodles and salad. After we'd eaten we all sat around the campfire and played games, sang songs and had a laugh. I had a go at a digaridoo (excuse spelling) but I didn't make it sing... just splutter.

After we'd exhausted the guitar player, he took us back down onto the beach where I can honestly say I have never seen so many stars - ever! The guide pointed out some constellations and explained that tonight we could actually see the whole of the milky way - from top to bottom! It was absolutely amazing and totally unexpected.

After saying farewell to my new facebook friend and birthday girl, Carol - we headed back to the resport. Got another early start tomorrow... I am going on a cruise of the Whitsundays - Cook Island, Chalkies, Tongue Bay and Whitehaven Beach.

Its a wild ride on Reef Rider II - I thought Tauranga was choppy... when we pick up speed and hit the waves stright on we all get a soaking! Its great!

Our first stop and we are given a warning about highly poisonous, tiny translucent jellyfish that swarm the Whitsunday waters during the warm summer months - marvelous, as if I didn't have enough reasons not to get in and snorkel! Everyone dons themselves in protective stinger suits, flippers, masks and snorkels and I watch them all flapping around from the safety of underneath a palm tree on the beach. After 5 mins they are all coming back in as the visibility is really poor - so nothing missed there then.

The next stop is the same so I guess I won't be facing any fears of swimming with fish on this trip after all... shame ;-)

We visit the other beaches and as we are heading out from Chalkies a sea turtle pops up right next to the boat for some air. Its so cute - I am now officially fascinated by all things sea turtly! No time to grab a camera so I will have to commit his smiling round face to memory.

The final stop - Whitehaven Beach has been voted top 10 beaches of the world. A beach of pure white sand stretches for 5k - totally uninhabited island and when we arrive we are the only people there. Its quite something - the sun is shining, the sky is blue, there are killer invisible jellyfish in the water but hey - can't have everything! I take my life in my hands and go for a paddle and its lovely - the sand is 90% silicone so I have myself a self-applied exfoliating spa treatment before heading back to the boat for the bumpy ride back.

I am pooped after my busy day so I get a pizza delivered for dinner and stay in and read for the evening.

3 x days by the pool follow - highlights include more yummy food - seafood especially and learning how to snorkel. On the 3rd evening (Monday) I have my final activity booked - its sea kayaking at sunset. Amazing - the sea is really calm and I see sea turtles in the distance with the backdrop of the island and the sunset its so beautiful. There are 10 of us altogether and when we reach the other side of the harbour we secure our kayaks together and our guide pops the bubbly - such decadence... its great! While we sit andf drink our wine we see shoals of whitebait jumping out of the water - their silver backs all in synch searching for their dinner.

My legs were like jelly when I got out - I was steering with pedals as well as paddling and it was quite a workout! I grab some fish 'n' chips for dinner and take them back to the bungalow but this evening I am joined by some uninvited beasties... first I spot a huge yellow cockroach and then a big fat termite - I guess every creature eats well around here!

After a day resting at the pool, my final day on the island was spend visiting another island - Daydream Island. Its much smaller than Hamilton but the welcome was impressive... a serenade by a group with guitars and a lady giving out garlands of shells. Another unexpected treat was 'castaway beach' which was a pool full of fish, rays and sharks all swimming around in the open. It was like something out of a Bond film - although without the sinister undertones. It was really peaceful watching them swim around although I did wonder whether I was witnessed shark abuse - surely they need more space i.e. an ocean. It was pretty shallow so when the sharks swam past, their fins were out of the water... I'm no marine biologist but I don't think sharks like to sunbathe. So on that thought I headed to the pool for a dip - I need water to keep cool too!

I was looking forward to lazing by a new pool but was put off when an iguana (about 2ft long) crossed the path in front of me. So my swim was fairly short - I was imagining all sorts but mostly being joined by Iggy the Iguana... not my idea of fun! At least the lizards on Hamilton are small and cute - well, relatively cute.. for reptiles.

This evening I pack up and get ready to leave sunny Hamilton and luxury travel for the next part of my adventure... backpacking through Asia! To be continued.....

Big hugs to all - feel free to email me with your news!

M x x x x

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