After our trip into the rainforest things got a bit slow in Cairns due to cyclone Oswald and the fact that the trip are so expensive we limited ourselves to two. We ate at the hostel cooking our own food and hardly went out again due to price. However, it was all worth it as we eagerly awaited our next trip to the great barrier reef!!!! In preperation for this trip we rented out an underwater camera which was $45 but well worth it to capture the moment.
We went with a company a friend of mine recommended called 'Passions of Paradise' which has won loads of awards. As we pulled up t our first dstination the crew members got everybody suited and booted for either snorkelling or diving. Now, for those of you who know me well, know that
1) I am terrified of open water and deep water
2) I am terrified of sea creatures/water creatures (the majority- I do like crocodiles, seals, otters and ducks)
3) I am not an animal person (apart from cats)
So why go on this trip I hear you ask. Because I thought it would be good enough to float on top of the GBR in the boat whilst Mike goes in. As everybody was diving into the water and going off to have this once in a lifetime experience I stood at the back of the boat watching and beating my self up for being such a scaredy cat. The next thing I know I have a huge weight around my neck and shoulders, a huge, sweaty, clammy, damp weight around me. It was the arm of a middle aged man whos name I can't remember so lets call him Bruce. Bruce was enquiring as to why I wasn't going in the water. After explaining my reasons he decided he wasn't taking no for an answer and before I knew it I was in a wetsuit and having flippers put on my feet. He told me he was taking me around the reef, just me and him, and he wouldn't let go of my hand at all and when I wanted a break I could have one. This was so kind and I was so lucky to have the one on one experience as he took me to the best bits whilst others were just swimming around in circles. He kept bringing me up to tell me about things and what they were etc. If it wasn't for Brucie I wouldn't have gone in so I'll always remain grateful.
The sights were truly amazing. Out of this world! I have never seen anything like it. The water is crystal clear and as soon as you dip your head under the surface the quietness hits you. The colours are so vibrant with thousands of different textures and surfaces. You feel so peaceful and relaxed. The fish activity is massive! So many different species, colours, shapes and sizes. One fish was bigger than me nearly but the majority were little fish. Finding Nemo- the Disney film, really does get it right! The photos do it no justice at all and in reality the colours are a lot more vibrant.
We took over 670 photos so above are just a select few of many wonderful pictures!
After I found Nemo, Cairns was a bit dullsville! However we did meet two really nice people; a lady named Michelle from England (yaaaaay) and a guy called Tom from Denmark (who we hope to meet up with in NZ). It ws just a shame we met them towards the end of our time in Cairns. Before that everyone that came and went from our dorm was German and onced they realised there were 5 other Germans in the room they didn't bother with two English folk (myself and Mike). There was one amusing German woman who was in her 60's and was deemed crazy by everyone that met her. In fact that was her nickname....'Crazy' and that is one of the only things we bonded about with other room mates. She would spend her time cleaning the hostel, talking to herself and interrupting our private conversations. She also turned her bed into a fort of towels she had liberated from past guests that had discarded them, tried to give away clothes she found in the dorm, told people to shut up when they were getting up in the morning, claimed that a certain plug socket was hers so no one else could use it etc. CRAZY. The talking to herself was the most disturbing. I wish I understood German!
After Cairns we headed to Brisbane which unfortunately was rubbish. This is due to cclone Oswald in stronger form in Cairns. It induced major flooding and fierce storms. The major on news urged us all not leave our homes unless we absolutely have to etc. It was severe rain and winds and the only activities to do were outside. W couldn't even go to the cinema apart from on the second to last day as we weren't meant to travel on the roads in the weather. So as you can imagine, being cooped up for a week with terrible weather wasn't the most interesting of travel experiences. We eventually managed to get a day where the storm had passed (the second to last night) so we headed out to watch 'Django'- the new Quentin Tarantino western film about bounty hunting and slavery. AMAZING FILM!!! A warning though- I nearly walked out 3 times as it was hard to watch the racist violence. It nearly had me crying a few times but it is definately worth sticking it out till the end.
Michelas Cay (or something like that) where the birds did their business on my flip flop. Part of the great barrier reef experience!
That brings me to the end of my time in Oz. Next stop: NEW ZEALAND
We went with a company a friend of mine recommended called 'Passions of Paradise' which has won loads of awards. As we pulled up t our first dstination the crew members got everybody suited and booted for either snorkelling or diving. Now, for those of you who know me well, know that
1) I am terrified of open water and deep water
2) I am terrified of sea creatures/water creatures (the majority- I do like crocodiles, seals, otters and ducks)
3) I am not an animal person (apart from cats)
So why go on this trip I hear you ask. Because I thought it would be good enough to float on top of the GBR in the boat whilst Mike goes in. As everybody was diving into the water and going off to have this once in a lifetime experience I stood at the back of the boat watching and beating my self up for being such a scaredy cat. The next thing I know I have a huge weight around my neck and shoulders, a huge, sweaty, clammy, damp weight around me. It was the arm of a middle aged man whos name I can't remember so lets call him Bruce. Bruce was enquiring as to why I wasn't going in the water. After explaining my reasons he decided he wasn't taking no for an answer and before I knew it I was in a wetsuit and having flippers put on my feet. He told me he was taking me around the reef, just me and him, and he wouldn't let go of my hand at all and when I wanted a break I could have one. This was so kind and I was so lucky to have the one on one experience as he took me to the best bits whilst others were just swimming around in circles. He kept bringing me up to tell me about things and what they were etc. If it wasn't for Brucie I wouldn't have gone in so I'll always remain grateful.
The sights were truly amazing. Out of this world! I have never seen anything like it. The water is crystal clear and as soon as you dip your head under the surface the quietness hits you. The colours are so vibrant with thousands of different textures and surfaces. You feel so peaceful and relaxed. The fish activity is massive! So many different species, colours, shapes and sizes. One fish was bigger than me nearly but the majority were little fish. Finding Nemo- the Disney film, really does get it right! The photos do it no justice at all and in reality the colours are a lot more vibrant.
After I found Nemo, Cairns was a bit dullsville! However we did meet two really nice people; a lady named Michelle from England (yaaaaay) and a guy called Tom from Denmark (who we hope to meet up with in NZ). It ws just a shame we met them towards the end of our time in Cairns. Before that everyone that came and went from our dorm was German and onced they realised there were 5 other Germans in the room they didn't bother with two English folk (myself and Mike). There was one amusing German woman who was in her 60's and was deemed crazy by everyone that met her. In fact that was her nickname....'Crazy' and that is one of the only things we bonded about with other room mates. She would spend her time cleaning the hostel, talking to herself and interrupting our private conversations. She also turned her bed into a fort of towels she had liberated from past guests that had discarded them, tried to give away clothes she found in the dorm, told people to shut up when they were getting up in the morning, claimed that a certain plug socket was hers so no one else could use it etc. CRAZY. The talking to herself was the most disturbing. I wish I understood German!
After Cairns we headed to Brisbane which unfortunately was rubbish. This is due to cclone Oswald in stronger form in Cairns. It induced major flooding and fierce storms. The major on news urged us all not leave our homes unless we absolutely have to etc. It was severe rain and winds and the only activities to do were outside. W couldn't even go to the cinema apart from on the second to last day as we weren't meant to travel on the roads in the weather. So as you can imagine, being cooped up for a week with terrible weather wasn't the most interesting of travel experiences. We eventually managed to get a day where the storm had passed (the second to last night) so we headed out to watch 'Django'- the new Quentin Tarantino western film about bounty hunting and slavery. AMAZING FILM!!! A warning though- I nearly walked out 3 times as it was hard to watch the racist violence. It nearly had me crying a few times but it is definately worth sticking it out till the end.
Michelas Cay (or something like that) where the birds did their business on my flip flop. Part of the great barrier reef experience!
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