I felt that it was about time to update
you all on my big adventure I have not long returned from. As you will
remember, I posted earlier in the year about my
plans to visit Australia... well I did it! I made the long, 26 hour
journey all by myself and was greeted by one of my best friends. The journey
wasn't too bad however; the day after arriving I did feel rather tired. That
didn't stop me from exploring though. It takes a lot more than jet lag to hold
me down.
After a month away I have so much to
share with you all so I thought the best place to start is at the very
beginning...I know, call me crazy?
My first major stop was Uluru or as
it's more commonly known as Ayers Rock. Also here is the formation known as
Kata Tjuta (or the Olgas). Both were rock formations which were forced out of
the ground but in two different ways which account for the two differing looks.
They also have great significance with Australian aboriginals. All around Ayers
Rock there are indentations and marks in the rock which represent a number of
aboriginal stories. The rock is a sacred site to aboriginals and has a number
of fascinating stories. Kata Tjuta has a number of stories to it also but is a
lot more private and there are even certain parts of it you are not allowed to
visit due to how sacred it is for the aboriginal people.
What is rather amazing about both is
the sunrises and sunsets - the rocks and sky change colours throughout both. It
truly is something magical to witness.
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| Uluru and Kata Tjuta |
After that I headed out to the coast
(after a rather big party night in Brisbane) and began my time at the
Whitsunday Islands and then up to Cairns. I must say that I had one of the most
amazing times in my life while there. I spent a night at sea, stayed on South
Molle Island as well as scuba diving in the Great Barrier Reef.
Time out sailing was pretty amazing and
peaceful. Sleeping in a little cubby hole, so to speak, with the ocean waves
rocking me to sleep was so nice. I then was able to snorkel and get a taste of
some of the sights I would be able to see when I went scuba diving. That same
day, I made my way to South Molle Island and stopped by Whitehaven Island in
the Whitsundays. Honestly, Whitehaven was one of the most stunning islands I
have ever visited, the sand was just perfect and the calmness was so
refreshing. While I was on South Molle for a couple of days, I took the pleasure
of lying and relaxing. The group I was with for this part of my journey, mainly
stayed around the pool which meant I was the only one of the beach. This in
itself just felt magical, I lay and took in everything around me and thought
how lucky I was to be experiencing what I was, from the lapping ocean to the
bright sunshine... it felt like paradise.
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| Queensland Coast - Whitsunday Islands and Sailing |
After time on the island, it was back
to the mainland and a place called Airlie Beach, to start the bus journey up to
Cairns. My first impression of Cairns, I have to admit, was that I wasn't so
keen. It all seemed very commercialised and that was something I had forgot
while away on a quiet island. But, in the morning sunshine, things changed when
I set off on my scuba diving adventure. I was extremely scared about scuba
diving as what if I touched the coral? What if my breathing mouthpiece fell out
my mouth? What if I just panicked? All these thoughts were in my mind but I
pushed through it as I knew I would not be disappointed and I wasn't. After
having too many weights on my for my first dive where I promptly began to sink
and had to work extremely hard to stay away from the bottom, the second dive
went perfect. It was just me and the instructor; we made it 8.9 metres below
sea level and saw the most amazing sights by the coral reef wall. Being
underwater was just wonderful. I could hear my breathing and just had this
feeling of calm and awe all in one. With being one on one with the instructor,
he was able to show me so much and would even take my hand to guide me around
the reef. In total, we were down for about 50 minutes and I could have stayed
down longer. After the awesomeness of scuba diving, myself and the group had a
night to party in Cairns before I headed back to Mackay the following day ready
for another Airlie Beach visit.
Now you'll have to wait for Part 2...
