Hugs & Kisses With Nature

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“It’s awesome buddy!”

After swimming with Nemo we thought it a good high to leave Cairns with. We moved on to our next stop – more a stop over – in Townsville. Now this place is like a ghost town on a Sunday night, I’m talking tumble weed and whistling wind! We got there late in the afternoon on Sunday and we’re thankfully out of there early in the morning of Monday.

One thing Townsville did offer us was a spectacular view of the town and the islands further ashore from a look out point. It was an excruciating 2 hour hike in the blazing afternoon sun – I mean hike as well not a leisurely walk but a hike in like 30+ degrees heat with no let up until you get to the top. The views do make up for it though. You see the whole town, the sea and islands in the distant.

From Monday we had three days and two nights on Magnetic Island. This island admittedly is not the hype of activity of partying; it’s more a retreat from city life with lush greenery and coves for snorkelling. Our overnight stay was in another get down with nature hut. A small place but during the day set in a spectacular nice green setting. By night it transforms into the wildlife’s playground. We heard untold night creatures getting up to mischief outside our door and on the roof – I don’t think Poonam slept very much on night one! Lol

We did get right in there with nature and hug a Koala bear called Barney, take a photo with a very cute baby Koala, hold a baby Crocodile, wrap a snake around our necks and have a Black Cockatoo feed from my mouth (Poonam didn’t seem to want kiss the bird but I jumped at the chance!) :P We even got out in the wild to feed some wild Rock Wallabies – a cross between a kangaroo and possum.

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