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Published: October 7th 2008
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Cairns! - Oz experience final stop
On the way to Cairns we stopped off a a crocodile sanctuary where I got to hold a baby crocodile. My god the skin is so smooth and soft! The sanctuary was set up to home crocodiles that have been caught and taken out of the wild because they have eaten someone or killed a cow or something like that. The sanctuary breads crocodiles and sells the skin of crocodiles to people like Gucci and Louis Vitton. Although it sounds barbaric it is apparently the most humane option as it stops the black market trade. Once again the Oz Experience pulled out another amzing compulsory stop. I got to hold dingos, birds and crocodiles.
I witnesses the feeding of the crocodiles really close up. Which was real fun. Again.... could I give u everything and work on a crocodile farm do you think? Possible...
We arrived in Cairns and checked into JJ backpackers - we decided to finish in style and book a twin room instead of a dorm. The hostel was great - and yes clean! But not only that there was a free shuttle us into town, breakfast was
free and every night we got vouchers for a meal at the Woolshed - the pub that EVERYONE goes to. Result!
I had booked a bungey jump for the first day in Cairns. Leyla did a jump in New Zealand and so didn't bother. But I had decided that if I was going to go traveling I should do something crazy and illogical. Leyla was really good and came along with me. She gave me some pretty good advise which was - make sure you don't think, that you jump one three and you don't look down. which sounds ridiculous but it was dead right.
First of all was the shock of how much I weighed - upsettingly I have managed to increase in size some what... But hey I'm having fun..
So.. back to the bungey. I climbed the millions of steps up to the top of the tower and walked across to the centre of the bridge. Mistake number one - I looked down.... The pool where Leyla was sat looked miles away - and I mean miles away... Balls..
No more thinking, no more thinking - kept thinking to myself. The two guys at the
top were trying to talk to me but I didn't want people to distract me. The rope was tied really tightly around my legs - which was good. I wigged to the edge of the bridge and waved at the camera. I stared out at the horizon - a really beautiful view. The dude at the top counted down and then I just jumped. No thought I just jumped out up and out to the horizon. For a split second you don't move and you feel as though you are suspended in the air like the cartoon characters that run off the edge of cliffs. And then I felt it.... gravity. My stomach was the only thing that remained in the air. I screamed - well I am only human. My eyes were so fixed on the horizon and the the fall came so quickily that I did not prepare myself for hitting the water. OH MY GPD IT WAS AMAZING!!! I bounced back up and down and hung upside down for a while. I was lowered down onto a boat where a lady unbuckled me. I was dazed and very confused she was talking to me and I was
just smiling and laughing. She kept saying to me, "just pop your nipple back in for me"... "you might just want to adjust your top. I just smiled and laughed - it was only on the third attempt that I actually looked down and saw the mole on my right boob looking up at me... oh my god the horror...
I was also told that the mascara from last night was all over my face. I ran to the loo to wash everything off my face. For some reason I could not get the mascara off one of my eyes... Leyla then pointed out to me that the darkness was not mascara but was in fact a black eye!!! The shame!!!!
I decided the only thing to do was to go shopping and buy myself some Ugg boats (and some make-up!)
For our last day in Cairns we took a boat out to the Barrier Reef and did some diving. The water was really choppy which made it a bit harder - but it was worth doing the dive just to see the Reef. On the way back from the reef we had cheese and champagne - well
Bungey jump
(Kind of worrying really...) that was it what a brilliant way to end the Oz experience trip! I swear to go I died and went to heaven. For our last night up the East coast we went out for a nice plush meal - not a typical back packer meal but then I am not your typical back packer.
Once again I was very happy because in trying to find a bottle of wine that we wanted to drink we were given a couple of glasses to taste. I kept all of the unwanted glasses and polished them off as well as the bottle that we finally settled on. It was the perfect end to our trip, our Oz experience bus driver told us that the journey from Sydney to Cairns was like the journey from London to Moscow. Wow!!!! What a journey it has been so far. We spent the night talking about the trip and the people that we had met along the way. It had been one hell of an adventure and for me it was not even over.
I was really upset to leave Leyla and to carry onto Sydney alone. With every group that we met I felt
as though I built a mini family life with them and it was hard to say goodbye to people. Which unfortunately is very much a part of traveling. This was even more true with Leyla. We had spent everyday together for the last month and I felt so comfortable with her. Not once did we argue, every day was amazing and just so relaxing it was easy and effortless to be in each others company. - So thank you Leyla for potentially the best month of my entire life!
I can honestly say that I can not remember a time when I was so happy and so content with life. I was really sad that the Oz Experience trip had ended but I was uncontrollably excited about heading off to Sydney on my own and then off to Melbourne to see Kirtow.
Eeek - Still so much to see and do!
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Holly & Joe x x x
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Oink oink!! x x
Helllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllo my gorgeous girlie!!! So we have just spent the last 2 hours of Friday night catching up on your blog!! Its fantastic! so pleased to hear your having a great time and catching up on the mischief! we miss you here lots- the fridge is full of mattress and randomnly cheap red wine which seems to be back in favour! Keep having a great time! miss you love and 'just pop that nipple back in for me' :) nearly wet myself!x x x x x