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After a long day spent on planes, trains and automobiles (except the automobile was a bus), I arrived in Airlie Beach on Thursday. I checked into my room and went to check in for the boat trip, only to find out that my boat for the next day had been cancelled! They tried to fob me off with a trip starting on Tuesday, but I had plans for Fraser Island the next week so managed to get myself on a boat leaving on Saturday. On Friday I had to shift hostels, so headed towards Koala Backpackers about 100m down the road. When checking in I repeated my name about 3 times to the Swedish lady on reception, but I watched as she went ahead typed in my name as Kevin Johns. I think about 80% of the people I've introduced myself to since I've been here think I'm called Kevin! Though it's probably because I never correct them.
On Saturday I headed down to check in for the boat at the marina. Turned out I'd left my ticket in the bag I'd put in storage back at the hostel, so had a fun little hour trying to get that
Whitehaven Beach
View from 'the lookout' back! The boat wasn't the finest vessel I've seen, but it was ok, there were about twenty or thirty other people on there. We set sail pretty late in the day, so it wasn't long before the sun set and the stars came out. Without any light pollution it was amazing to look at the stars, you could make out the haze of the milky way and see so many more stars than at home.
In the morning we stopped off at Whitsunday Island and got to go down to Whitehaven Beach, which is the nicest beach I've ever seen. The sand there is unique, its a really fine white powder that is made up of tiny particles of quartz, and it's so pure that NASA used it to make the lens for the Hubble Space Telescope. A couple of hours later we stopped off in a little cove to do some snorkeling and diving. We got stinger-suited up (the deadly box-jellyfish is still in season) and had a snorkel about. I don't think I've properly done snorkeling before so it was great, the sea was so clear (and warm compared to back home!). There were tropical fish everywhere
Eagles at sunset
Not the best photography, but believe it or not, that is an eagle you looked among the coral, and things like rays and sea clams. The scuba dive was awesome, found it a bit weird having to breath constantly though. That night we sat around drinking goon (wine) and I spent ages trying to convince this Spanish guy on the boat that even fish and ants have brains, but he wasn't having any of it. Some eagles came in over the boat, and later at night we saw some sharks chasing fish around the boat (only little ones though).
Next morning we went out snorkeling again, this time in a location which is apparently where the rich and famous come to snorkel. You could see why, this place was loads better than the first place, you'd kick off about 2 metres from the shore and fish would be everywhere. The skipper from our boat went around throwing bread at people so that the fish would swarm around them. One of the funniest things I've heard were these girls scream/laughing through their snorkels as the fish nipped at them. Also spotted a massive fish in a cave and a giant sea clam. The rest of the day was spent slowly making our way
Snorkelling spot
The second place where we went out asnorkelling back to Airlie Beach. After all the early mornings on the boat I conked out pretty early that night.
With a couple of days left till my Fraser Island trip, I took a night bus down to Hervey Bay and have just been on the beach here most of the time. This morning the tide was well out and there were hundreds of these little blue crabs on the beach. Tried to get a photo but as soon as you get anywhere near them they dissapear into the sand! Also spotted some trees filled with bats which I found a bit weird, I thought bats preferred the dark but these trees were metres from the beach. The towns not that exciting, I did get stuck in the middle of some cops chasing a shoplifter last night but that was only for about ten minutes.
Got to head back to the hostel now, we're getting split into groups and briefed for the 4x4 trip tomorrow. Some Irish guys I met on the boat in the Whitsundays said it was brilliant so I'm really looking forward to it now. Since I've got a licence I'm allowed to drive it, but
Hervey Bay Bats
I thought they were some kind of fruit at first! They're actually called 'flying foxes' not sure if I'll admit that or just sit back and enjoy the ride!
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Will Scott
Aah, the beautiful goon!
Hey Gavin, it's Will here of Fairland Church sunday school fame! Reading about your adventures in the Whitsundays brings all the memories flooding back. Sounds like you're having an amazing time, and no doubt it'll get better as Fraser is your next stop. That was definitely one of my highlights - hope you give it a go driving on the beach, and watch out for those pesky dingos! Keep living the dream dude, from a wet and miserable Wymondham!