The Great Barrier Reef

Following on from a couple of concerned comments about the waif-like Jordan, it became my mission to feed him up even more than he has been doing already!  It started in Mission Beach as on our final day we had decided to do the real ‘Aussie’ thing and have a barbie by the beach.  All over Queensland they have free public BBQs which are maintained by the council – would be completely destroyed in the UK but out here everyone seems to respect public places!  With the press of one button we had instant heat to cook our sausages which Jordan greatly enjoyed…

We finished the lovely lunch off with a stroll along the beach with ice cream in hand

It was actually a very delicious ice cream despite the dubious name!

From Mission Beach we headed to Cairns to stay at the Traveller’s Oasis.  This is possibly the best hostel we have stayed at, or joint 1st with the Friendly Hostel in Hervey Bay!  It is so chilled, really nice staff, pool in amongst palm trees and so clean!  Within half an hour of arriving at the hostel we had booked in to a day trip to the Great Barrier Reef for the next morning so after cooking some dinner we retired to bed.

Our day trip to the G.B.R was truly amazing.  As we are now certified divers, it only cost us $50 each for 2 dives, and we paid a little extra to get a ‘guided’ dive (who looked like Jack Black and dived in denim shorts and nothing else – crazy)!  Our first dive was at Hastings Reef and we saw some incredible varieties of coral although not as many fish as either of us expected.  After our first dive we went back to the boat for an hour or 2 for a big lunch and travelled to our next site called Breaking Points.

(This photo is a little dull (in reality water was bright blue and blinding sunshine) but I had to adjust the settings on my camera to that the reef would show up!)

Breaking Points was the most incredible dive we have done yet.  We swam with Green Turtles – they are stunning creatures and very cute!  We saw a couple of them on that dive which was great and also saw more beautiful coral and more fish this time too.  The dives were great value for money and we were both very pleased to have put our new qualifications to good use.  We also were treated to some complimentary wine, cheese and fruit on the trip home too – a great day out.

After a tiring day we needed a good feed (especially Jords) so we signed up for our hostel’s big Aussie BBQ (bit of a theme!) which was hosted at the ’sister’ hostel.  At this BBQ we were treated to trying Crocodile, Emu, and Kangaroo (not to mention huge salads plus fish AND sausages) – Emu was our favourite by far.  Jordan liked it so much he even went back for a HUGE second plate full, needless to say he could barely move after it!  After the BBQ we were entertained by our chef and a didgeridoo competition.  Luckily our names didn’t get pulled out of the hat but we still got to try it after the competition. 

Neither of us were very good though!

The party moved on into town where we had a few more cheap beers and then back to our lovely hostel for some much needed rest!

Our last day here has been mostly spent realxing and wandering around Cairns, which is much more like a town than a city, but it has been enjoyable all the same.  Tomorrow morning we fly to New Zealand, which we are both incredibly excited about, but on the other hand we are sad to be leaving behind the beautiful Australian weather in exchange for snow and rain!

Mission Beach

Well, so much for relaxation.  In our two days here at Mission Beach, we’ve somehow managed to clock up in excess of 25km on foot. 

In fairness, though our Fraser/Whitsunday’s week was hectic in the sense that we had no breather between the two, they were hardly the most taxing of trips.  As Anna made quite clear in our last post, pretty much all we did on the Whitsundays was eat and lounge about on a sundeck.  With some token snorkelling thrown in to ensure that the limbs still worked …

Mission Beach, for most travellers/backpackers, is merely an adventure stop, renowned for its beach landing skydives and highly rated rafting at the nearby Tully River.  Having haemorrhaged money in our short stay Down Under, we opted to put the adrenalin rushes on ice until New Zealand.  So, instead of doing the sensible thing (i.e. nothing – we did, after all, have 14km of beach to lie on), we decided to walk.  A lot.

As above, Mission Beach spans over 14km so we thought we’d explore a bit of it.  14km later …  No, just kidding.  We managed to conquer just over a 1/3 before getting kind of bored.  Which just shows how easy it is to become complacent in your surroundings out here – what would we give to have access to a comparable beach back home?!?  And look how empty it is – it was like this the entire way!!

So that was day one.  On our second day we took a ‘water taxi’ to nearby Dunk Island.  An upscale/quasi-exclusive resort island, all that Dunk had to offer us poor folk was some excellent walking tracks.  We took the ‘island circuit’ through rainforest and secluded beaches, affording us some awesome views and more mind-bendingly clear waters.

When we weren’t walking, we were reading (and making friends with the local pets).  If you’re not up for dicing with death, then Mission Beach doesn’t offer an awful lot besides.  Why did we come here, you rightly ask.  The accommodation was thrown in with our Fraser/Whitsundays package!  But it’s been pleasant.  And though not relaxing in all aspects (our legs hurt), it has been refreshing to have a couple of days not having to be somewhere or do something. 

This afternoon, we are heading up to Cairns, our final stop in Australia.  It’s been a short stay, but most definitely sweet …

Sailing the Whitsundays

For the past 3 days and 2 nights Jordan and I have been sailing around the Whitsundays, which consist of 74 beautiful islands, aboard the stunning Alexander Stewart.

We went for a package deal when booking Fraser Island and the Whitsundays so whereas we had scrimped on the Fraser tour we decided we wanted to sail in a bit of luxury.  After all, this boat would be our home for the next 3 days and 2 nights and we wanted to make the most of the experience.  I have to say that neither of us were disappointed when we strolled up and first viewed the Stewart – it is a stunning ship and it was worth every penny!  The crew consisted of the Skipper Tony, Deckie Ben and Host Stacey and they all looked after us incredibly well – especially Stacey with all the beautiful food she provided!

On the first day of our trip we enjoyed a couple of hours of sailing before we were dropped off for our first snorkel of the day (a bit of a theme of the trip)!  As it is still ’stinger’ season in Australia we had to wear some specially designed suits to protect you against the dangerous stingers and had to sign some forms confirming that if we died it was only our own fault – yay!  After this fun activity we jumped into our sexy stinger suits and took to the water.

Incredibles anyone?!  This picture was actually taken on the last day but only example of us donning the beautiful suits!

After a fantastic snorkel we hopped back onto the boat and we were treated to coffee, tea, biscuits and cakes.  Then there was time to enjoy some rays on our sun deck before having lunch although Jords did help out with some ‘deckie’ duties in raising the main sail. 

I swear all we did on this trip was snorkel, sunbathe and eat eat eat!  This was actually perfect for us starving backpackers though and we made the most of it I can tell you!  After lunch we were again taken to another site where we could snorkel and we saw a fantastic array of marine life.  Once back on the boat we enjoyed the last of the sunshine, some more sailing, and we arrived at our night spot in time to watch the sunset.

Whilst the sun was setting Stacey provided us with a huge bowl of chip and dip, crackers, cheese, celery, carrot, olives – the works!  These were our pre-dinner appetisers and we all tucked in with a glass of wine or beer in hand.  After dinner everyone got into socialising and drinking and we were all ready for bed by a respectable 10.30!  I had been a little concerned about how I would sleep on a boat but I found it surprisingly easy and went out like a light! 

The next day we woke at around 7am and within 15 mintues the boat was off to get us to our next destination – Whitehaven Beach.  I think I will let the pictures do the talking for us in this instance.

Thought we’d get out the way so you guys can actually see the beach…

Our guide (Ben) then took us to a secluded beach called Betty’s Bay which was around the corner from Whitehaven - not many people seem to know about this one!  We were the only group on this beach and we exploited that fact!

After Whitehaven we went back to the boat and gorged ourselves on Stacey’s cooking once again.  In the afternoon we went for another snorkel but there wasn’t as much to see on this snorkel (although Jords saw a stingray swim right underneath him – scary!).  On the upside, we were located on a beautiful beach (yet again deserted) and we chilled there for a couple of hours – Jords and the guys played some rugby and football whilst I strolled up the beach to take some snaps of the Stewart.

From the Stewart we did actually see quite a few dolphins and huge turtles and it was such an amazing experience to be able to see these animals in their natural environment – just awesome!!! 

We were lucky enough to have another beautiful sunset to enjoy on the second night too.

For our final night on the boat we did much of the same – ate delicious snacks, had a gorgeous dinner and then sat up on deck drinking some wine watching the stars. 

Our final day consisted of a bushtucker walk on a nearby island where we saw a Goanna (big lizard-like thing) but not an awful lot more!  Still it was nice to stretch the legs on land – I already had the bobbing sensation on land which did not bode well for when we actually left the ship for good!  We were able to sail a good deal of the way back to Airlie Beach with all the sails up – wish we could have taken a photo of the ship from afar with all the sails hoisted but sadly not!  You will just have to use your imagination!

Sadly, all good things have to come to an end, but this was possibly one of the best experiences we have had out here.  It was worth every dollar spent!!!  I am still trying to adjust to being on land (bobbing all over the place!) but we are now in Mission Beach enjoying some relaxation!

Mum and Dad

As per Anna’s Byron Bay entry, we travelled north to Hervey Bay, the easiest jumping off point from which to visit the famous Fraser Island.  Quite a contrast to Byron Bay, which was compact and bustling, we arrived in Hervey Bay to find a suburb-like community extending for miles and eerily quiet.  Our hostel was fantastic though.  Aptly named the Friendly Hostel, the building was set up into mini appartments, with 2 doublerooms and 1 4-bed dorm sharing a proper home-like kitchen and living room.  And the bed was INCREDIBLE!!

However, though we contemplated never leaving the above, we were here for Fraser Island and wasted no time in signing up for a 3 day/2 night ’self-drive’ tour.  There are quite a few different tour options.  The one we opted for (the cheapest, incidentally/surprisingly) saw us in a group of 9, sent off to the island with a sizeable 4WD vehicle and a load of camp gear. 

This type of tour, being the cheapest, has a reputation for attracting 18 year olds enmasse.  Which concerned us a little.  And sure enough, within the first hour we had been dubbed Mum and Dad.  Our cause wasn’t helped by the fact that Anna and I were 2 of 3 named drivers – you have to be 21 to get behind the wheel. 

So, with the kids in the back, we hit the road and got on our way.  Or should I say hit the track – roads as you and I know them are few and far between.  When in the interior of the Island, tracks dominate – never flat, never straight and never free of potholes.  It was a bumpy ride.  Anna had won the coin toss to drive first so it was her responsibility to navigate us (safely) to the Island’s East Beach.  And she did a great job – I felt guilty taking over on the beautiful flat beach after all her hard work.  I soon got over it though because driving on a beach is a lot of fun!  That this particular stretch of beach is considered a highway by law obviously helped – bombing down a beach at 80kph with the roar of the ocean in your ears is an exhilirating experience!

Pretty much all we did on the first day was drive.  Because of the tides you only have a relatively small window in which you can drive on the beach – generally between 9/10am – 3/4pm.  So, within a couple of hours of being on the Island we had to turn our attention to finding a good spot to pitch up for the night. 

The tents were very easy to assemble (don’t be fooled by the photo of me looking clueless below – I was merely surveying the terrain), the rain cover sheets not so.  Which was a bit of an arse as the weather was sadly not the best.  We gave up on the first night, the result being that I woke up to find my wallet taking a bath.  The irony of my last post’s title hasn’t escaped me!

Anyways, tents up, there was little else for it but to get cookin’ and boy were we good at that.  Our attempt at a barbeque was pitiful – everyone of the 1,000 sausages pictured below ended up skinless, in at least 4 pieces and garnished with tin foil.  Delightful.  Then we got pissed!  (Not very responsible parents, I know.)

The next day featured much of the same – a lot of driving, camping, cooking (more successfully, this time) and drinking.  We did get to see some of the Island, however.  The highlight on this particular day being our visit to Lake Wabu, a freshwater lake set against rolling sand dunes.  Being the old boy of the group, it was no surprise that I was the last to reach the water (below).  Which, by the by, was a bit smelly and not quite so fresh.  Unlike the water of Lake McKenzie, a world apart …

The jewell in the Island’s crown, Lake McKenzie was simply breathtaking.  Look at that water!!!!!  I don’t know what else I can say. 

 

And that was our final stop – a perfect way to end what had been an immensely enjoyable 3 days.  As I mentioned earlier, we were a bit dubious about taking this particular tour but didn’t want to pass on the opportunity to drive, camp, etc.  And we have no regrets – we loved every second and our group, below, was great.

Byron Bay

Firstly I’d like to say sorry for the lateness of this post – I have had it written for ages but computers were NOT liking my picutures for a while! We’ve done quite a lot since this post – pretty much on the move for the past week but Jords and I will update you accordingly! For now….this was Byron Bay!

So after a nice relaxing time in Brisbane we decided to head to the coast to enjoy a little of what Byron Bay had to offer.  This turned out to mostly a huge stretch of beautiful beach, cool shops to browse, and lots of ice cream to sample!  Below is the beautiful beach of Byron Bay – lovely!

After 4 hours on the bus we wanted a chilled afternoon so we mostly strolled around the shops and cashed in on some good deals with a subway coupon – buy one get one free (not loving the budget eating)!  However, we made sure we left room in our tums and wallets for some delicious ice cream from a place called Pinks and in our 2 nights we got through yummy creme caramel, violet crunch (choc ice cream with bits of crunchie-like stuff broken in), hokey pokey (basically vanilla ice cream, violet crunch, mashmallows I think too), mango and macademia nut, white chocolate, snickers, bounty…the list goes on!!!  I am surprised we’re not the size of houses by now but we were very conservative with the food in the day!

Our first full day (and last day in Byron) we decided to have a beach day so we headed down early to enjoy some rays.  After some fun in the sun we decided we needed some exercise (work off the junk food and all that ice cream) so we made it our mission for the afternoon to walk to the lighthouse.  It took us a good half an hour to walk to the lighthouse, and the views were spectacular. 

We also made it to the most easterly point on mainland Australia which was pretty cool!  On our walk back to Byron Bay (which was considerably longer than getting UP to the lighthouse!) we saw some awesome wildlife – this is just an example…

How cool is he?!  He was massive too – crazy! 

Slightly wonky photo here but taken with our ‘Gorilla Pod’ in the wind so it was the best we could do!

After a good 2 hour walk (all told) we were ready for our big Aussie BBQ run by our hostel and it was pretty darn good!  We have also developed a taste for the Aussie beer Tooheys which is quite delicious – enjoyed a couple taking advantage of happy hour!

The next day we were set to leave Byron Bay to get our bus back to Brisbane at 8.10am and we arrived at 11am ish!  We then spent some time organizing the next few bits of our travels and boarded another bus at 2pm bound for Hervey Bay.  Some 7 hours later, we arrived and I am sure Jords will update you in due course!