Stalked by Elvis

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Well its that time again folks - you know the part where i tell you what a horrible time i'm having in this god awful country (He he he!)
I'm sitting in an internet cafe in Airlie Beach trying to type but having trouble focusing on the keyboard as i have just stepped off a boat and feel like i'm still on it (and no i'm not drunk). I took a little trip out to the Whitsunday islands (so called because they were discovered by Captain Cook on Whitsunday - see its worth reading this you learn so much!). I set off on Saturday afternoon on a catamaran called the Pride of Airlie and we sailed for about 3 hours before we arrived at what would be our base for the 3 days we would be out there, South Molle Island. There are 74 islands in the Whitsundays so i can't say i've seen them all but the ones i have seen are really amazing. The Ocean is really calm and you almost feel like you are sailing on a lake the water is that still and then all of a sudden a little island will appear on the horizon all lush and green (they all kinda look like the islands you see in the movies that tend to have very angry tribes living on them) and with the most beautiful white sandy beaches you are ever likely to see.
On Sunday morning we headed out early to get to Whitehaven Beach. That place was stunning. The sand is unlike any sand i've seen before. You sort of feel like you are walking on baking powder rather than sand and the wet bits are like warm dough. And of course the water is beautiful and clear. After sunning ourselves for a bit it was back on the boat to sail to hook island for some snorkelling (note to Laura - never snorkel in the Great Barrier Reef there are hundreds of fish swimming round you and you would hate it - i loved it). I actually managed to use the snorkel properly for the first time in my life so i got to see some coral up really close ("Its an anem...an..anemone"). Plus there were some seriously hhuuugggee fishes but thankfully no sharks (Dave our captain reckons you only get vegetarian sharks in Oz anyway but i wasn't ready to take any chances if i saw one!).
I really enjoyed the snorkelling and its kind of got me itching to do a proper dive course but i don't think the funds will allow that at this time so i'll just keep as a mental note for the future.
We hopped back on the boat and got stuck in to some booze. We had all taken the B.Y.O on the ticket a little too literally. We had two eskies full of beer and goon (goon is that really cheap wine that you get in boxes. The problem with cardboard is when it gets wet it gets soggy so you tend to see a lot of backpackers walking around with what looks like a very large urine sample but is in fact the plastic bag from inside the box of wine). So we just relaxed with our drinks and got nice and crispy in the sun (ouchy!) before we got back to South Molle just in time for a shower and some grub. Followed by more drinking. I sat there most of the night holding back the urge to get on the floor and start singing "we are sailing" a la Men Behaving Badly ("Bed? Beds for sleepy people. Let's get a kebab and go to a disco". Sorry to those who have no idea what i'm talking but trust me Drunk is a very funny episode)
Another early start this morning as we headed out to another great place for snorkelling. Deeper water and even bigger fishes this time including a rather large green fish who has got used to being fed by people so he just makes a beeline for you as soon as you get in the water - this guy is the size of a very large dog and his name is Elvis (he has a little quiff). Unfortunately i couldn't get a picture of him as i had been a bit over enthusiastic the day before with my water-proof camera and used up all 27 shots in about a minute. That is also why this blog doesn't have any piccies - haven't got them processed yet so you guys will just have to wait till i get home i'm afraid.
Nice smooth journey back to Airlie and a little bit of dolphin spotting. We think we saw one but it was just a tail coming out of the water so who knows. All in all i have had a fantastic three days. Met some great people and saw some unforgettable sights.
So i'm back in Airlie for one night before i head over to a little place called Kroombit (a cattle station) and then Hervey Bay. Have the after cruise party tonight but will have to take it easy as i've gotta catch my bus in the morning. Anyway i'll post again soon.
Love to all x

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