gubster's Diaryland Diary ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- THE GREAT BARRIER REEF THE GREAT BARRIER REEF I rolled into Airlie beach with Timmy McGraw singing in my ears. I was on yet again another overnight bus. ( 'The sky is blue and the sun is shining ....I feel like a bum with a pocket full of diamonds') Airlie was very similar to Harvey bay in that its mainly a service point to one of the islands . So basically its a big tourist trap and u come here .....well ....to get to someplace else. It was full of backpackers , hostels , souvenir shops cafes and the most travel agents I have ever seen in one town . It has some amazing beaches but u cant swim there on account of the deadly and legendary stingers ( box jellyfish) . If you want to brave it and take �oure chances with these creatures u can wear a very attractive stinger suit ( kinda like a wet suit). The kind of heat here is the kind of heat that hits u like a bat over the head when u go out the door. A/C is a must. And it is a way better idea to sit indoors with the A/C turned on that swelter outside in the heat. There ant that much to do here and so I decided i needed a break from airlie. I went to see the islands The Whitsunday's islands off the coast of Arlie are magnificent.They are at the heart of the great barrier reef .All in all there are a group of about 74 tropical islands. They all have fabulous scenery, but they are all unique and each has its own atmosphere . They have great names like Day Dream island and Hook island. But the most impressive beach would have to be Whiteheaven beach, on the main Whitsunday island .It was just amazing. I cant describe it . It needs to be seen. I couldn't afford the famous sailing trips that every body here takes so i opted for something a little different . I went ocean rafting and got a glimpse of what all the islands have to offer in one action packed day. It was amazing. For many reasons . Because the crew where crazy out....the raft went way too fast so i thought i was going to drown....but mainly because i went snorkeling on the reef. Yep my swimming skills are improving that much !! I put on a stinger suit and jumped in to the deepest water i have ever been in ...( i think). How can i begin to describe the whole other world that lives under the sea. I have seen fish that look so unbelievable that it seemed like a dream .The amazing coral reefs where so alien . I was so amazed by the scene unfolding before my eyes that the 80 minutes of snorkelling passed like it was just one minute. And before i knew it i was back on the raft swapping stories of what we spotted. And here my travels came to an end. While most ppl do the full east coast and head to Cairns I have run out of cash and so i return home.......my ozzie home that is . yep I'm back in Sydney 10:38 p.m. - 2004-02-05 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
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