Weds 12th - Sat 16th August - Sindy, the Last Greyhound and a Lagoon

Wednesday 12th August

Still on Magnetic Lsland. We got up and had our complementary english breakfast - yum! Then I went to go pick up our little topless Moke car (Barbie Jeep). It was really fun to drive! Felt so good to drive a car again too! Mokes are allowed around the whole island - too hilly they'd get stuck! But the whole island was only 12kms bottom to top, so it was easy to zoom around! Me and lil both drove but as Rachel lost her purse back in Agnes Water (whoops! - the hostel found it though and are posting it to her family in brisbane!) she didnt have her license! We hired out some snokel gear and stinger suits and headed up to Florence Bay. We are up in the north now so the sea is full of sting rays and jelly fish - they are out of season but still a risk! We parked up and it was a 2km walk to the bay - all up and down hill as well! I managed to fall out of my flip flops and get a black pinch on each big toe! The Bay was lovely tho and we got our snokel kit straight on and got in the sea. We were a bit spoilt with the tropical Whitsundays, the water here was a bit murky. However in the end we did manage to find a bit of reef, we also saw some stingrays lurking at the bottom! Lil and Rachel then saw some little jellys, so we quickly swam away from that bit! We then walked back to the Moke, 2km in the heat again was not too fun! Although we did see a koala in a tree with a little baby on it's back - was so cute! and amazing to see in the wild! That evening we drove to the top of the Island to Horseshoe Bay and watched the sunset on the beach (with a bottle of cider in hand). We have so many sunset photos it's ridiculous, we could publish a book 'Sunsets of the Eastern Coast of Australia'! We then took Sindy (that's what we named our car) back to the hostel, it took us a good 10minutes to work out how to turn our lights on! We covered her up for the night and had the hostel's BBQ. We stayed up for a bit and watched a drag competition - very funny! Then we went to bed.

Me and Sindy

A lookout on the way back from our snokelling

Me and Rach in Sindy

Thursday 13th August

We had an explore round the island, stopping at the little shops and sights along the way. I then took Sindy back, expecting a ride back to the hostel, and they wouldn't give me a lift! So I had to walk half an hour in the heat back to Base! We then had some lunch (Humous, Carrots and Crisps!), and hired Kayaks for an hour. The sea in the bay by the hostel was so calm it was like being on a lake! We paddled around for a bit and enjoyed bobbing along! Was different thing to do, did hurt our arms a bit! We then made some dinner and had an early night.

Us saying goodbye to Sindy!

Friday 14th August


We got up and checked out of our room. We got a shuttle to the Port, A ferry to Townsville and then a 6 hour Greyhound bus ride to Cairns. Our last Greyhound bus :o( . When we got to Cairns we could already feel the heat even though it was late, it's a tropical heat beacause of the rainforest. We had to wait ages for our hostel (BeachHouse) to pick us up, but we finally got there and got settled. We then got a voucher for a free dinner in Rhino Bar, I had Chicken Satay, it was quite a small protion as it was free - but perfect size for me!! We checked out the town for a bit, found a live band at one bar which was really good, and then headed back.

Our last Greyhound bus!

Listening to the band in Gilligans.

Saturday 15th August

We explored Cairns a bit and then booked some rainforest trips and hostels in Peterpans. We also managed to collect some more free dinner vouchers! Cairns is a real backpacker town so the bars compete with free meals - brilliant! We then lazed by the lagoon - a big outdoor swimming pool, with fountains, a beach and big grass sunbathe area, right on the sea front. You can't swim in the sea here because of the Crocodiles!! So you have to swim in the lagoon! The beach is pretty marshy anyway so you wouldnt want to sit there even if you wouldnt get eaten by crocs! There was a market at the Lagoon which we had a browse around, there was also bands playing which was really nice as you're sitting around the water! We then went in hunt of a supermarket to stock up on our supplies. We ended up walking for ages only to find out it's right near our hostel - idiots! We then got ready to go out and waited for the shuttle to take us back into town - we wern't walking again! We went to Gilligans, a really big hostel with a bar and club etc. We're moving there next week. There was a happy hour with 2-4-1 drinks so we took advantage by getting 3 drinks each - and 3 free! We nearly got chucked out as it's meant to be only 1 and 1 free per person! They lasted us for ages though! There was a famous Aussie DJ in, not my kind of thing but lil and rachel seemed to really like it, so i just bobbed along to the music! We had a good night and got back about 3am.

The lagoon area with market and live band.

Making the most of 2-4-1 drinks!

In the club

Sunday 16th August

We checked out and moved hostels, we booked one more in town. We're now at Global Palace. The rooms are ok, the hallways are a weird combination of a museum, an old boat and a law firm - very strange! But they have cheap internet and quite fast computers so im happy! We had a walk around the town, much easier now we're already in the town! Lil bought another pair of sunglasses - about her 4th pair - she keeps breaking them!! And I got some sandals as my flipflops are about to fall to pieces! We sat by the lagoon again which was nice, plus there was a band again too, this time a jazz band. We got a free meal voucher for P.J. O'Brians, so we all had a bit of Spag Bol. Tonight we're having quite an early night. Getting picked up at 7am tomorrow for a 2 day trip to Cape Tribulation. Right in the rainforest, we're doing some walks, jungle swinging (looks terrifying), a midnight bush walk (again looks terrifying), and the girls are doing a horse ride (I dont do horses!). Should be good fun...or terrifying!

Will write again soon. Only 2 weeks to go, looking forward to seeing everyone!

H xx

Weds 5th - Tues 11th August - Scooters, Islands and a Birthday!

Wednesday 5th August

In the morning Lil got her hair coloured, with some of her bday money! We had fruit and bananabread for breakfast, yum! We sat round the pool for a bit nd then me and lil went on the ScooterRoo tour. It's this bloke, that looks like a skinny Hulk Hogan, who has loads of scooter bikes but all done up too look like proper hogs! We went and got our leather jackets and helmets, n then got our bikes. There was about 25 people on the tour, we all rode in convoy was so good! At the start you get a bit scard doing 20kph but by the end we were doing over 70 kph, it was so much fun!! We went round the little town of Agnes Water and Town 1770, we stopped to see some kangaroos on the way, and take pics of ourselves on the bikes, of course! Then we watched the sunset over Town 1770, whilst eating wedges. A few of the girls fell off so were riding with the guides, but dont think they hurt themselves that much, luckily they are such little towns there arent many cars! We went to ride back after the sunset, and my battery was dead! So I had to ride alongside the guide as I had no lights in the dark! Lil was behind me being very careful in case I hit the brakes! We had such a good time, it was a really different way to see the towns. I sang 'Wild Thing' full volume a few times whilst zooming along at 70! I don't think anyone heard me over the scooters! They would definately think i was a loon! We then went back to the hostel and had some $5 Spag Bol, and got ready for our bus ride. The bus came at 9pm and we began our 10 hour journey!

Getting ready for our ride!

Me on my hog!

Thursday 6th August


We arrived in Airlie beach at 7am, at least we saved paying for a night in a hostel! I had a bad headache from the bikes so I didnt have a great trip, but it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, we all had 2 seats so we could spread out a bit! Luckily our Hostel in Airlie Beach - Magnums, let us check in at that time. I went straight to sleep for a couple of hours! We then sat around the lagoon, big man made pool in the town, where everyone sits round, really picturesque! The hostel was also very nice, a bit like our favourite hostel in Byron Bay. We had an 8bed cabin with own bathroom. There was little pathways through tropical trees to each part, and it had it's own outdoor bar area and restaurants etc. It ended up all girls in our dorm and they were all really nice, we went out for a few drinks with them and ended up all dancing in a club (Mama Africa) until 2am!

At Airlie Beach Lagoon!

Girly Dorm night out!

Friday 7th August

The whole dorm room slept in till about 11am! We spent a lazy day by the lagoon reading our books (We are all addicted to reading the twilight books! But we have to take it in turns so gets frustrating sometimes!) We then made sure we were ready for our Whitsunday Islands sailing tour the next day! No zipped bags allowed (because of bed bugs apparently!) so I had to buy a fabric carrier bag thing. We then went to 'Opal's' for a free didgeridoo lesson, was really funny! We were rubbish! Then we packed up for the boat and had and early night.

Me trying to play a didgeridoo and failing miserably!

Saturday 8th August


Lil's birthday! We got up and checked out. Me and Rachel gave lil cards and then Rach took Lil to the Lagoon while I got the rest of her pressies and sat on some random steps wrapping them up! She was really chuffed, loved them! We got her loads of her favourite sweets, two vest tops and a voucher for CityBeach (cool shop we like). She loved it, even tho it was a low budget Backpacker Birthday! I also had to make her a sash to wear on the boat, the post office only had 30th, 50th, happy retirement or merry christmas! We stored our backpacks, went and got some goon (we got 2 boxes for $16, that works out a pound a litre!), and headed for the marina. We boarded our boat - The Atlantic Clipper, at 2:30pm. It was a lovely boat, about 50 people on it and no shoes allowed so we all had barefoot! As we were getting on I didnt think there would be enough room for all of us, but there was lots of space in there! We sat around on the top deck as we pulled out of the marina (me fully stocked up with travel sick tablets!) and had a talke about what we do etc. We then got designated cabins, we got the one right next to the crew! It was a seperate bit to all the other passengers and we had to walk through the cockpit to get there! Felt very special! We decorated lil up with her makeshift sash and Rachel wrote on her arms in eyelinet 'It's my birthday 23 today!'. Everyone was really friendly and she got lots of birthday wishes! The crew even bought out a cake with candles after dinner! We anchored in between Hook Island and Whitsunday Island for the night. We then played some drinking games and chatted to people. I even watched a bit of Oceans 13 with some of the crew! Was really good night, although one scottish bloke threw up down some stairs! Luckily I didnt see it!! Us three then squeezed in our special little cabin and went to sleep!

On the Atlantic Clipper (with birthday decorated Lil)

Sunday 9th August



I woke up early to take a travel tablet! Unfortunately I couldnt eat much breakfast as I felt a bit sick! We then anchored up again and got taken on little speed boats to an island. We did a little bush walk and got to a lookout point over Whitehaven beach, It was beautiful, the sand was white with bright turquoise water, and islands of green in the distance, it was amazing! We then went down to the beach, had a walk and then went in the sea! It was so clear it was lovely, bit chilly, I got in quite quick! We then got back on the boat and headed to Blue Pearl Bay. We squeezed into some stinger suits and did some snokelling. The coral was a mazing, so colourful, and the fish came really close. At one point one of the crew was throwing fish food at me so they were right in my face, theat freaked me out a bit buit it was funny squealing through a snorkel! We were really lucky and saw loads of fish. I had a little waterproof disposable camera, so I hope some of the photos come out! Rach and Lil then did a scuba dive, I didnt fancy it so I went to the boat and had a hot shower. Plus when the dive instructor knew I had asthma he assumed I wasnt doing it, so I took that as a bad sign! They said it was brilliant, they went about 5 metres down, although lil said she kept floating to the top! They got to stroke a big grey fish that the crew called Elvis! When they got back I was sitting with a group of girls chatting and stuffing my face with cake and cookies! (What else would I be doing?! haha!) We then had another good night, drinking goon and chatting. The crew then started the bite the box game (Where you have to pick up a box from the floor with no hands, every round it gets smaller) the twist was that if you couldnt do it you got smacked on the arse with a diver's flipper! The girls got out on the 2nd round and had to hit each other, I got one futher but then face planted the floor, I had the sick scottish guy hit me with the flipper. It hurt so much I can't even explain it! It was like a teatowel whip x 10! It was a really funny game though, and everyone was it stitches for most of it! Later a few of us were below deck in the saloon/eating area. And the crew bought out some ballons, so we made balloon animals!

Lookout point - Whitehaven beach

In the clear sea at Whitehaven

Ready for snokelling at Blue Pearl Bay. The beach was all hard coral rock - hurt your feet soo much! Also I look like a giant in this photo - not sure why!

Monday 10th August

They woke us up at 7am again (they like you to have full days which is good!). And I found I had a massive bruise accross my left bum cheek from the flipper! (It has since got darker and is currently nearly black!) We were due to go to a different bay for some snorkelling/diving but the weather was bad and the sea was too rough so we went back to blue pearl bay. Most of us were too chicken to got out in the cold so we sat on the top deck chatting and looking at the amazing scenery! We had hotdogs for lunch and got back to land at around midday. We spent the afternoon getting our backpacks back to normal and chilling out at Magnums backpackers again. We then met up with the boat passengers and crew in Pheonix bar and had a few drinks, we then went onto Mama Africa again and had a dance. Was a good night, althoI think I had a few too many!

Group pic on the boat - we are over to the left kneeling.

Tuesday 11th August

We got up to check out (my head thumping), and got our Greyhound bus at 9:40am. We were on the bus about 5 hours and then arrived in Townsville, then we hopped on a ferry and came to Magnetic Island. We are staying at Base Backpackers, it seems really nice and we have little cabins again, although these arent as nice as our ones at Magnums! We walked to the shop and then made jacket potatoes, went into our room! And our friend from magums was in there! Tal was in our dorm for our girly night out and now shes in our dorm again! It's really weird, everyone is doing the same trip! We've hired our a little Moke buggy car (Lil and Rachel requested it in pink so it looks like a little barbie jeep!) for tomorrow, we'll explore the island and maybe do a bit of snokelling again!



I havent got long now, we're here for 3 nights, then we have 2 weeks in Cairns. Looking forward to seeing you all but will be sad to leave here, I think coming back to the real world will be a big slap in the face! From a sailing boat to the smelly tube!


Will try and upate again soon! Miss you all!

H xxx