After a two day ride up to Airlie Beach we were looking forward to do a sailing turn to the Whitsunday Islands. By that time we recovered from all those annoying march flies from Fraser Island and could not wait for the pictures landscape - white sands and turquoise water. We also met two Irish girls, Eithner and Andrea, who were in our 4WD Fraser group. Coincidentally they were booked on the same sailing ship as we were; an old three mast boat that has been operated by an Italian cook. The boat left Airlie beach in the afternoon and because we had not enough wind we started of using the engine. We spent the afternoon sailing towards Whitehaven Beach, yet anchoring the boat about two hours away to spend the night. We had delicious dinner, talked, had a couple of drinks and were all fascinated by Flipper (a dolphine :) that was circling, jumping, and dancing around us for about half an hour. The first night not many of us slept on deck but I took my matress and squeezed it in the front on deck. I made myself comfortable, listened to music, thought about Melbourne a lot and how much I missed it, and enjoyed the stars in the sky. It was totally dark around us and the Milkyway is just incredible. At 7a.m. was served and soon after we went to our first snorkeling destination. Before we jumped into the water though, we had to put on our funny looking stinger suits because of the jellyfish which are quite nasty in that area. I saw a couple but all that stinger suit wearing is more an insurance issues. I was driving everybody crazy about snorkeling and how cool it is but all three snorkeling sites were rather disappointing after having been to paradise at the Perhentian Islands in Malaysia. But Whitehaven
Beach made up for it and we spent all afternoon there, observing thousands of little crabs that were digging themselves into the sands once you got to close to them. Swimming was not really possible because also here you needed the stinger suits. After enjoying the incredible scenery we went back to the boat, had dinner, jumped of the mast - really shaky and scary up there - had a social night and went to bed again, this time almost everybody was on deck. The next morning we snorkelled again and went back to Airlie Beach were we stayed another night partying, going bathing into the lagoon and later to bed. From there it took us up to Cairns where we again met up with Andrea and Eithner.We were really lucky getting to Cairns without any problems because everybody we met further south told us about the huge amount of rain they had and that they were stuck in Cairn because the roads were closed. One thing was sure, it would be very humid up there. The first night we slept in our campervan but the next Nina left for New Zealand to see her hostfamily and I booked myself into a hostel. Dinner was included and served at P.J.'s (Irish Pub). Waiting for my food I went up to the bar to order a drink and could not believe what I saw. Behind the bar was that good-looking blondgirl working that was working only three weeks earlier at P J's in Melbourne - it is just funny where and when you meet people again when you travel. After dinner my two Irish girls and I went to the Wool Shed, the 'IN' bar there with a wide variety of girls waiting to get picked up...I had to get up early the next morning to catch my boat to my 2-day-1-night diving trip I was so excited for. On the boat I met this Irish girl Sinead and I knew my destiny - I would never get rid of those Irish (remember, I worked also with Irish girls in Melbourne; where are your boys? :-). Sinead and I got along quite well and so we decided to body up for the six dives we had, three the first day and three the second. We dove on two different reefs, Hastings and Normans Reef. Diving to me is just something so incredible and I enjoyed the underwater world at the Great Barrier Reef a lot. The most comfortable thing was that the water is really warm and there is pretty much no fish that can do you harm. We saw so many different kinds; Maorie Wresses (see picture below), sharks, clownfish (my favorites), other colored fish, rays of any kind, and on our night dive even a big sea turtle. If ever you get a chance to dive, to it!!!! After the sixth dive we had lunch and had to get ready for the ride home. They offered boomnetting on the way home. If ever you get a chance to do it, DON'T!!! I swallowed as much salt water as during the six dives or more. They spread out a net behind the boat and you pretty much hold on to it and enjoy the salty taste in your mouth.
The next day I flew back to Melbourne, excited to see all my friends again. The two German girls I met in Byron Bay txted me two days before that they would also be there - wow, I was just a lucky dude :) Because everybody had to work I mainly spent my time with Hannah and Loosie. Luckily Tess, my Melbourne-special, found some time for me and together with the Irish girls (Mary and Bob) we went for breaky once.Before I took of to Auckland I organized a job for my German ones at World. They wanted to stay till the beginning of March and as I found out lately, yesterday, in the middle of April, was their last shift. It felt good to know, that I was not the only who got stuck at World - it is a good place, it makes addictive, and does incredible things to you!!!
