Days 39 - 44

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We are now in a place called Townsville, about 3hours south of Cairns. We have just pulled up at the beach where there is a toilet and a few other campers, we are not really sure if we are allowed to camp here but we’ll see if we can get away with it - it will only be for one night. Today we did the day tour in Paronella park and it really was good fun, they told us all the history of the park; how it was built, who made it, how the public used it - it was basically one of the first holiday resorts of its time with everything from tennis courts to a ball room. We were also taken into this tunnel where some micro-bats lived, they were they craziest thing I have seen; they were just the tiniest things ever (I know, I know, the clue is in the name!) and they all cluster together on the roof for warmth. After the tour we sat on the patio overlooking the waterfall and had some lovely English tea and homemade scones with fresh cream and jam - delicious! After that we took a stroll around the park ourselves and then hit the road leading us to where we are now! Tomorrow we are heading for Airlie Beach because we are doing a 3 day sailing tour of the Whitsundays Islands and I cannot wait!

Days 40-44
We have now returned from our Whitsundays sailing trip and Oh My God was it brilliant! Some of you may have heard about the “Greatest job in the world” that was on offer and that is basically to live on one of the Whitsunday islands, and I can tell you the guy that got the job is one lucky dude! The morning we left it was raining which put a real dampener on things (excuse the pun). Luckily, by the afternoon it had all cleared up and it was just blue skies and turquoise seas for the rest of the way! There were about 25 of us on the boat, called “Anaconda II” with 2 crew members (Mitch and Leigh) and Captain Pete. The whole three days were the best we have had so far; the group we were with were all really nice and everyone gelled together pretty well. We spent the first day sailing around and stopping at various different places to snorkel, then in the evenings we would eat and basically get pretty drunk (even the crew and captain!). Andrew and a few of the other lads spent the last hour of light jumping off the front of the boat in various different formations, flips and somersaults etc, ready to be judged and scored by the girls! There were loads of Irish on the boat with us so on the first night we ended up staying up until about 3 in the morning listening to James sing Christy Moore songs and Lydia belt out a few Mary Black songs, it was really good fun. On the second day after breakfast (for those who could stomach it!) we were dropped off at “White Haven Beach” for the morning. The sand there is PURE white and so soft it feels like flour under your foot - it is 98% silica and is the purest sand in the world! After sunbathing all morning we got back on the boat for lunch and then headed out to sea again to another place to snorkel. In the evening we all sat around watching the sunset and then we were taken on “the shermanator” (the little boat) across to Mull island for dinner and a bit of a party with another boat. There was sort of a competition going on between our boat and the other boat but we blatantly won! The speaker came out to talk to us and tell us about some of the drinking games we were going to be playing, and then he mentioned there would be happy hour at 7pm.At this point our team started chanting “2-4-1, 2-4-1” and he gave it to us! So for one hour we got two drinks for the price of one! Result! After dinner the games began and the A Team won! (that is me and Andy by the way!) It is too difficult to explain without actions but we came first either way and won a pitcher of cocktails each so we were well chuffed! The next day we headed back out to Mull Island to do a 2k walk (not recommended with a hangover!) and after lunch did some more snorkelling but this time with turtles! They weren’t even fussed that we were there they would just swim alongside you - it was incredible! At about 4pm we docked back at the harbour and said our goodbyes to everyone (after the obligatory facebook trade). That night the tour finished in one of the local pubs where people from the boat got free beer and wine so we went there for a couple of hours after we had showered and cleaned up. We left Airlie beach this morning and are now heading for Bundaberg where they make Australia’s favourite rum!

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