Whitsundays and more fun!

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I'm now in Cairns and finally get a chance to scribe another blog before I head off very early tomorrow for 3 days to the outer reef for my advanced diving course. cant wait!
So, arriving in Airlie Beach, it was spitting with rain, but not to be put off, i went to check in at Koalas hostel and found that my shared room smelt of urine. lovely. I did however have a bottom bunk, so kind of a result. i decided to go for a wander instead and breathe deeply while I had the chance. Lovely cooked breakfast after my tiring journey and checked in at Oz experience for the sailing on the Kiana the next day. Basically, there was little else to do here. It was still spitting and there are no activities whatsoever here of any fun or interest. Take note! It is simply a port for the Whitsundays, so I returned to my room to read, then when I opened the door, it was suddenly too late before I remembered and i was hit with that god awful smell again. I couldnt take it and there was no way I was going to stay a night in there. so i asked to be moved and found myself in a rather better conditioned room, altho the bathroom nor toilet doors shut or locked. It did have air con and 2 lovely guys called Terry and Josh. I also met up with Zona and James from Fraser. All good and early night as early start.

The boat was amazing, as you can see from the pics. There was 12 of us and a nice number. I thought the group from fraser was gd, but these guys were brilliant! I had such a blast and the crew were superb. Freshly prepared food x3 a day every day and snacks etc in between. The diving we started on the 2nd day and was great to get back in the water and i was gaining in confidence with every dive. I did 3 in all, 2 that day and 1 the next as the visibility was not brilliant at about 8 metres then down to 3-4 m only on the 3rd day. We saw huge hump headed parrot fish, turtles, loads of stingers (jelly fish), beautiful coral, a sting ray and lots of other fish I am not yet able to ID! We kinda broke down but didnt, on the way back and were delayed by about 3 hours, so I decided to try out a new function i found on my camera the previous night, ie continuous photos, which wiled away the time, as well as a few beers. Strangely though, although it rained on leaving and just as we returned to port, the weather was fantastic and the sunsets were amazing. such a gd 3 days. (weirdly when i got back to the Koalas, the room was much better and in a different part of the camp, but Terry and josh were in it as well from the last time I was there.) My group all went out in the evening and had a blast and have no idea what time i went to bed but had to get up early the next day to catch the 9am courtesy bus to the coach station. I somehow managed to haul myself out of bed, and dragged my bags to the front of Koalas, where I dropped them onto the floor, knocking over the huge metal sandwich board sign advertising the hostel, all the way down the front steps, landing very loudly in front of several shocked backpackers, as I stood there dumbly looking at it. Thankfully this guy took pity on me and retrieved it. My saviour! bless him. The journey was not ideal but manageable with lots of water, arriving in Ayr 3 hrs later. It really is in the middle of nowhere! I got my ride there, but due to the winds, they were uncertain whether they were going to do the dive the next day as planned, but that was OK as I had booked 2 nights just to make sure. I was here to dive the SS Yongala and I was NOT leaving until i had.

Quick history. It was made by the same company as the Titanic...so I think you can see where this is going already. It was sailing from Brisbane to cairns and ironically was to pick up a radio upon arrival, as it did not have one on board at that time. Not many ships did. It missed the cyclone warning by the lighthouse and sailed directly into it of winds up to 150 knots. It sank with all 122 passengers and crew on board. It was not found until 1940's and again left until later on, when they were sweeping for mines after the war. They found 77 bodies but left them all there as a mark of respect and the site is untouched and a graveyard to this day. Its positioning of 12 nautical miles from shore and is between the reef and shore and at a maximum depth of 30m, provides a rare open water man-made reef. It is unquestioningly regarded as one of the top 10 best dive sites in the world. there was a guy who had been at the hostel since the tuesday (it was now thurs) waiting for news to dive it. I arrived and a few hours later, we were told that the winds had dropped and it looked gd to dive the next day!!! A few more people arrived, including Leanne (who I met up with later on Magnetic island) and the next day, 8 of us set out on the power boat for the dive. There were 4 of us who had not done a deep dive before so we had to do some training for it (open water divers can only dive to 18m). The water was ROUGH! 6 divers and 1 crew were sea sick, but it allowed me and Leanne to be gracious enough to eat their share of the betweeen dive snacks for them. It was very tasty! I cannot tell you though how amazing this dive was. Words simply fail me to describe the utter beauty of the coral on the wreck and the marine life that have made this their home. It is so varied that you really dont know where to look. You feel greedy absorbing the swarming shauls of fish and watching sea snakes moving gracefully around you; huge fish swimming straight towards you, then veering off last minute; and I swam with a turtle!!!! OHMYGOD!!! a dream come true. Then theres the wreck itself. You can make out the 1st class toilets; the anchor, the letter "A" of the Yongala name and a part of a femur, which reminds you that this is indeed a very beautiful memorial. The pictures say it all. (the one of me with arms outstretched is at the very front of the ship as I somehow managed to perch myself there for the pic!! just amazing.

We returned for a barbie and the rest headed off, while I had my coach the next day, but as you can see from the pic, this hostel was amazing. It was the one for the Yongala experience owned by Heather and was more of a furnished flat than a hostel and only $25 p/n. it was so nice to stay there and I will again. I was just enjoying my tranquility (it really is very difficult getting time alone, despite travelling alone and its precious) when 2 Swiss gilrs arrived. So there were 3 of us in a room with 3 bunk beds. Now that suggests to me that you take one bunk bed each right? apparently not. one girl did but the other took the bunk above me. I did try and subtly mention that no-one else was staying and so we had a bunk bed each, but that did not deter her. Nor did me asking outright as she clambered up the steps to her bunk, whether she wanted her own bed? she replied that she was just settling herself. I asked again, but she just didnt take the hint and I was subjected yet again, to a night of being wobbled and shaken around by a strangers every nightime move. I can wear an eye mask to avoid the light; i can wear earplugs to avoid sound, but i aint got no stabilisers and boy are bunk beds sensitive to the slightest bit of motion!

So i was getting the 12.30pm coach from Ayr to Townsville for Magnetic Island, so had a morning at the hostel which was lovely...and I met another Jennie!!! amazing I know! she worked there while she was training for her diving master. Paul who also works there had previously mentioned that if I wanted to continue with my diving, I could do the same! how cool would that be??!

Caught the coach and arrived in Townsville 2 hours later. It really has grown as a city since the last time I saw it about 5 yrs ago. I had a fabulous squid lunch at this cafe by the coach station. (yes Justin, i finally got my squid meal. by hook or by crook, or by whatever country...!) It's Greek and I highly recommend it. I then waited over 30 mins for the bus to take me to the ferry and decided to catch up with mum and dad at HQ in Portugal! I had decided to do the "Steal deal" which gives you 2 nights at Base hostel on MI, with free sea kayaking, (altho this is b4 2pm), x1 free hot breakfast and return ferry included. all for $79!GD steal! they also paid for the bus there from the ferry to Base. all gd! checked in and as i went to the room 106 (it should have been 101....wait for it) 3 german girls also went in and we found that there were only 2 beds free. problem. back to reception. so they were upgraded but i was to stay there...mmm. ah well. dorm room of 8 but i nabbed a bottom bunk so result!! also met up with james and Zona again and Leanne from the Yongala dive, so thats was nice. I chilled out and went for a walk to the shops, some 10 mins down the road, as this was the nearest shop and I did not fancy an all you can eat for $15 which i thort expensive anyway. The full moon party was the previous night and most people were still recovering, despite it being Australia day. When I got back I chatted to the german girls and sat with the others and started playing drinking games....lots of fun, esp when a guy who looked like Jesus started chatting me up and was relentless. He was also very arrogant so Claire and myself had immense fun in taking the piss...unbelievebly he just kept coming back for more. I dunno. top night tho and a top hangover the next day as well. luckily it was a rare opportunity to actually have a lie in..if it werent for being wobbled awake by one of my 7 roomies.
I was just wandering around making enquiries as to the sea kayaking and hiring a moped for the day, when the german girls asked what I was up to and whether i wanted to hire a car with them. gd idea and was cheaper for me. I managed to get the last car on the island altho it was an automatic. when the lady arrived to collect us, she told us it had broken down and they only had a Moke...you can see what that is from the pic, but basically it consisted of a bare metal frame, the largest steering wheel I have ever seen and a gear stick. that was all! and it was fabulous! it was exactly what we wanted and off we went, me designated driver...and if you are reading this girls, it was definately the 2nd gear that grinded like that and NOT me!!!! ha ha. off we went and 10 mins into it, just as I was geling with the Moke 55, I was speed gunned by a copper. gulp. i wasnt stopped and im not even entirely convinced that the NMoke was able to speed. so that trial over, we headed towards Horseshoe bay. the island is only 12KM from N to S and we were surprised to find ourselves there within 8 mins! stopped for an ice cream and a wander then on our way back down the island, when I pulled over for a random breath test!! dear lord. i was a little anxious admittedly as I had consumed a fair amount of alcoholic beverage the previous evening, and grabbed the bottle of water in a vain attempt to dilute anything that mite still be there. He came over and asked if id consumed any alcohol within the last 20 mins. i replied that I hadnt, altho I had had an ice cream, altho it wasnt rum n raisin...ha ha ahem. i breathed hard and got the all clear. and so off we went again on our little journey. we had decided to go and see a wreck in Cockle bay. we had some diff in finding it and then realised that the Moke wasnt allowed down that road we wanted so had to park up at the golf course and had to walk the rest of the way....in the blazing midday heat. It was boiling!!!! and we were literally physically melting. this wreck had better be good! we finally came to a little beach with a private residence on it and started into the water to find no wreck! I asked this chap who was casting nets where the wreck was and he said we had to wade out a bit to see it but it was there. so off we went but were warned to watch for the sting rays...which were lovely and huge hermit crabs oh and sand flies and yes I got bitten, lil buggers, but luckily i had some tea tree oil with me...i never leave home without it!!! anyway, he then asked whether we wanted to be taken out there. definately! so he got his mate brian, from Surrey as it happens, and his dog and we all set off in his little boat to the mangled bit of metal that was the remains of this wreck, altho nature had as usual taken over and it is now the base of some quite beautiful mangroves. This is a common occurance with nature and wrecks and esp mangroves (cf the wrecks off Port adelaide). anyway, we all got chatting and they invited us to stay for a few drinks on the veranda while they cast some nets for bait for their fishing the next day and a lift back to the car! so sweet and very gracious. we gratefully accepted and wandered over to meet their other friend and had a gd ole chin wag. the pic of the palm trees is the view from their veranda and is simply exquisite. so few drinks and a lift later and we're back in the Moke and off on our journey back north this time to find a lil cafe for a cuppa tea...we came to Arcadia and saw what we thought was a cafe overlooking the beach, so we stopped, which was a lil diff as there were no brakes to speak of, despite the slow pace of the vehicle. anyway, we got out and poked our heads around the door, to find some hugely built men drinking beer. we looked and saw that it was the life savers club. oops! as we turned around, we were called back and invited in for a few beers. oh, OK then! as it turned out they were having a reunion and just finished a BBQ (damn it) and were now having a few beers (fab). I explained i cudnt drink as i was driving but oh Ok i'll save one for later! so we stayed for a bit then they told us of the rock wallabys just round the corner. so off we went in the Moke and pulled up to find about 50 wallabys all feeding away. so cute. then a wedding party turned up quite randomly and started taking their wedding pics! what a lovely day! the girls, Nina, Ria and Francie, all then made me dinner to thank me and then shattered, i went to bed...to find that someone had taken my bed!?! just as i was pondering this unusual event, a guy walked in and looked at me and the bed and I asked him whether hed taken this bed. he said yes he had. I infomred him hed actually taken my bed, but really if he wanted it that much (and it was obvious it had been slept in) then I will have the fresh bed on top and he can have my slept in bed. some people. we had decided to leave together as we were on the same bus, so met up and off we went. They were heading to Mission beach, but I was going to cairns. I then arrived in Cairns, to unpack, to find I did not have my toiletry bag. #$%ing brilliant. i def put it in and i saw it before we left MI, as I was searching for the the tree oil, so either it somehow fell out (unlikley) or someone took a fancy to it. not gd. not gd at all. It was 8pm 28th jan. I was tired and just stood there repeatedly saying " i cant believe it. i just cant believe it". after saying that for approx 78 times, I thought, right deal with it. what do i need now. toothbrush, toothpaste, hairbrush etc and set off to sort it out. luckily i had left tues (today) to sort out any stuff i needed and what a gd job I did! so today I have been wandering around the whole of Cairns replacing all my stuff, thinking what was in there. I lost my little reading light that was a present from J and of course the bag itself which was a present from Rob and the necklace that was a present from Chris and am of course very upset about these. On a positive note, it could have been worse. It has also afforded me the opportunity to really consider what I do need with me and to stop hoarding things I may or may not need in the future, like 3 months worth of tampons for example!! they really were getting in the way. I am a minimalist afterall and i def am now! I have the following: shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, moisturiser, hairbrush, nail scissors (do not bother with a nial clipper. scissors are far more useful); foot scrub pumicy thing (really is essential when you do so much walking. you cannot overestimate the care of your feet); cotton buds; toothbrush and toothpaste; aloe vera gel and tweezers (many uses). anything else i need later i will buy then. you def get into the habit of buying what you need when you need it. I've also prob lightened my load by about 1 kg! It also allowed me to go to the pub for the first time on my own for a drink to drown my sorrows and got bought several drinks by this Aussie guy called Dave. so every cloud......
actually i am having probs with my feet. after the sprained ankle, i walked to adelaide gaol and managed to secure 2 huge blisters on my big toes. very painful, then my Reefs, which have always been so comfortable have been rubbing my feet quite cronically and i cannot wear them. i actually left them behind in disgust on MI and am having to wear my trainers which isnt ideal, but comfortable nonetheless. Thongs or flipflops rub my feet too, would you believe, so any suggestions, email me. i wont need anything while diving anyway, so will deal with it when i have to.
I also purchased some shorts and x2 tops today as my shorts really are far too big for me. I plan to leave them here when I go tomorrow, so im leaving a little bit of me wherever I go it seems!!! (will add more pics when im back as run out of time!!)

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