I'm here I'm here I'm here I'm hjear I'm heare I'm heare I'm here I'm here I'm here I'm hear I'm ehat I'm hear I'm rhear I'm hear!!
After oh-so-many years of waiting (and not so patiently either), I've finally set my feet down on Australian soil. First thing of the plane in Cairns I noticed how muggy and humid it was! It was wonderful to put on the warm-weather clothes that have been buried in the bottom of my backpack for the past six weeks. I jumped right into the Australian leg of the trip by arranging a trip for my second day there aboard the Passions of Paradise boat, destined for the Great Barrier Reef. There was a lot of snorkeling and sunbathing (a little too much of the latter by the looks of my very red back), and I even tried out scuba diving for the first time ever, which was such a thrill...once I actually stayed below water anyways. When our guide indicated for us to let go of the rope beneath the boat and start swimming, I was good for about 10 seconds before I started floating back up to the surface, trying like mad to get myself twisted around to swim for the bottom. The guide was looking at me with a "what the heck are you doing? are you okay??" look. I found it difficult to remember not to talk or laugh with the regulator in my mouth (yep, can't shut me up under water either), but I raised my palms upwards and shrugged "what's going on?!" with a panicked look in my eyes. He swam after me and attached another weight to my belt, and I promptly sank to the bottom of the ocean floor (which was only 7 meters deep). We explored the reef for about half an hour, and it was amazing to hang out under water for that long.
After oh-so-many years of waiting (and not so patiently either), I've finally set my feet down on Australian soil. First thing of the plane in Cairns I noticed how muggy and humid it was! It was wonderful to put on the warm-weather clothes that have been buried in the bottom of my backpack for the past six weeks. I jumped right into the Australian leg of the trip by arranging a trip for my second day there aboard the Passions of Paradise boat, destined for the Great Barrier Reef. There was a lot of snorkeling and sunbathing (a little too much of the latter by the looks of my very red back), and I even tried out scuba diving for the first time ever, which was such a thrill...once I actually stayed below water anyways. When our guide indicated for us to let go of the rope beneath the boat and start swimming, I was good for about 10 seconds before I started floating back up to the surface, trying like mad to get myself twisted around to swim for the bottom. The guide was looking at me with a "what the heck are you doing? are you okay??" look. I found it difficult to remember not to talk or laugh with the regulator in my mouth (yep, can't shut me up under water either), but I raised my palms upwards and shrugged "what's going on?!" with a panicked look in my eyes. He swam after me and attached another weight to my belt, and I promptly sank to the bottom of the ocean floor (which was only 7 meters deep). We explored the reef for about half an hour, and it was amazing to hang out under water for that long.
Two days after that, a fellow Calgarian girl working at the desk of the hostel asked if I wanted to work the AJ Hackett Illuminescence party Saturday night. AJ Hackett is the bungee site she also worked at, and she was recruiting workers for the party. In exchange for working, we were to receive a day of unlimited bungee jumps. Done and done. Or so I thought! The bungee site was in the middle of the rain forest, with a lagoon and two rocky tiers where the party was set up. It was madness, I had never seen a party of this magnitude...over 600 people, two djays playing at once (all electronica/techno junk though) and a third stage for fire throwers, drum performances and laser shows. My task was to pick up bottles and cups...in general, clean up after people. Good practise for parenthood (augh! Take it back!!) but I would often take breaks and watch people giving 'er on the dance floor. Talking to some locals, I found out that there weren't many of them there...most were travelers. I figured that explained some of the 50-60 year olds that showed up. They must not have known what they were getting themselves into!!
So anyways, I was at the water station, switching the big blue water bottles, when I tried lifting one and felt something go in my back (ah, so that's what happens when you don't lift with your legs!). I lasted another half hour (until 3 am, when I was supposed to be there until 5 am), then I bailed (nobody sober should be up until 5 am anyways!). The next day I was a bed ridden mess. Painful back, head cold, and still sunburned from two days before. My day of free unlimited bungees went unfulfilled. I bet you're thrilled at that news, Mom!! :)
So anyways, I was at the water station, switching the big blue water bottles, when I tried lifting one and felt something go in my back (ah, so that's what happens when you don't lift with your legs!). I lasted another half hour (until 3 am, when I was supposed to be there until 5 am), then I bailed (nobody sober should be up until 5 am anyways!). The next day I was a bed ridden mess. Painful back, head cold, and still sunburned from two days before. My day of free unlimited bungees went unfulfilled. I bet you're thrilled at that news, Mom!! :)
Off to Townsville, where I did a little side trip to Magnetic Island, and was pleasantly surprised to run into two Irish girls on the ferry over that I had met on the Cairns reef trip. We spent the day beach hopping on the island, and koala hunting....since it's apparently the largest koala sanctuary in Queensland (or even Australia), we were sure we wouldn't be disappointed. We saw ONE!!! But it was cutest, sleepiest little gaffer ever.
I also had another first in Townsville: My first cockroach. I know, I am 25 years old and I have managed to go this long without seeing one, so it was about time. Maybe if I had seen them earlier in life, I wouldn't have reacted the way I did! I was strolling from the kitchen one night with a cup of tea in hand, when I saw something scuttling on the floor near the shelves where our food bags were kept, when it suddenly braked to a stop. I also stopped in horrified fascination, confirming that yes, that was indeed a cockroach, when all of a sudden the creepy little thing charged at me!!! It's like it could sense my disgust and went in for the kill (or heart spasm anyways). I literally jumped, raising a knee in defense and ran to the other side of the room, squealing "eeeeyAAAAAAA!" and leaving a trail of spilled tea in my wake. I turned to see who else was following suit...People on the patio craned their necks to see what the commotion was...meanwhile the girls lounging in the area, reading and visiting, looked at me, looked at the roach...looked back at me with disinterest, and a look that said "So?". I said "That's my first cockroach!!" and fled upstairs. On the way up to my room , I saw a girl sitting on the couch, with another roach climbing the wall just inches above her head. I didn't bother telling her. Because, you know, she's like pro at seeing them or something.
So, I've become more aware of just how huge this country really is, and I'm REALLY going to be motoring through...I counted out about 10 or 11 more places I really want to stop in at, so I can only stay about 2 or 3 nights in each place. I think I really could have used another month or so...
Cairns
With the Irish girls aboard the Passions of Paradise
With the fire throwers from the Illuminescence party...
Dude was scary!! It was weird to hear him talk, with his proper English accent...
From the top of Castle Hill, overlooking Magnetic Island...
...and overlooking Townsville
On Magnetic Island...obeying the "Swim within the stinger nets" signs
Coochi-cooing to convince him to jump into my arms
Cairns
With the Irish girls aboard the Passions of Paradise
With the fire throwers from the Illuminescence party...
Dude was scary!! It was weird to hear him talk, with his proper English accent... 
From the top of Castle Hill, overlooking Magnetic Island...
...and overlooking Townsville
On Magnetic Island...obeying the "Swim within the stinger nets" signs
Coochi-cooing to convince him to jump into my arms
2 comments:
Awesome blog entry C-Dub! Ah, it takes me back... I remember my first cockroach freakout. My Aussie companions looked at me the same way I would look at someone in Canada who screamed at the sight of an ant. Their disdainful look said "Do we really want to hang around with this guy?" and "Is he in fact a guy?" all at once. Now, just wait until you see your first megaspider....
Enjoy yourself!
Haha, thanks!!
I'm glad to hear I'm not the only Canadian cockroach fear-er.
But just you wait until the next installment of pictures...muah ha!
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