Whitsunday Islands

Our trip began Wednesday afternoon and ended Tuesdays evening...it was outstanding. It was a girls trip of: Sally, Sarah, Frankie, Kaydee, Claudia, and myself. We based ourselves in Airlie Beach where we stayed the first night in a hostel called Waterfront Backpackers which had an average of 17 guests per room. It was fairly nice and in a good location on the town. The next morning we made our way to the marina where our boat was docked. Our sailboat was called S. V. Whitehaven and included a total of 24 passengers on our trip plus the three crew members: Andy, Jesse, and Leon. We were on the boat for 2 days and 2 nights and traveled from Airlie Beach around the Whitsunday Islands. Activities included snorkeling, sailing, and relaxing on Whitehaven Beach. On the ship we relaxed with drinks and met people from around the world: Scotland, Germany, Switzerland, London, and France. We saw sea turtles, dolphins, coral reefs, dozens of species of fish, and a stingray (although I was not the most skilled at witnessing all of these spots). Sleeping on the boat was more than relaxing. Sally and I slept outside both nights despite the chilling wind...however, I cheated by sharing Jesse's "swag" (another word for sleeping bag?) both nights. Our day at Whitehaven beach was breathtaking. We dropped anchor just off the island and took a small motor boat in. A short bushwalk through the trees, a few fly bites, interesting trees, and eaten ants later we arrived at Whitehaven. The water was a mix of light and dark blues, all clear, and the sand was fine and white. The prettiest beach I have ever seen. We stayed there for the day and fried under the sun. The rest of the evening was spent having spaghetti dinner and garlic bread on the boat and listening to the stories of backpackers and world travelers. I came here abroad on my own which I thought was brave...but some of the crew members and backpackers live amazing and intriguing lives. Some picked up and left home to establish themselves and work in Australia and some were hopping from country to country. The thing I admired most was along the way each one found themselves, had a story, or found love along the way. I've found that coming here originated with a desire to find myself, find out what I wanted, and differentiate who I was and who I can be. In Texas we have such a drawn map...a checklist you could call it. Get an education, find work, establish yourself, settle down with a husband, and begin a family. Despite my longing for such things, my new exposure to alternatives, to mystery, and spontaneity have made me think about my plans for after college and even how I finish these last two years in school. The boat ride came to an end and a night out in Airlie was in order for the entire group. All 24 of us, Andy, Jesse, and Leon had a night out at the bar "Beaches" where we all had cheap drinks and made priceless memories. After the boat voyage was over I spent the majority of my time with one of the crew members named Jesse and Sally. We explored Airlie, went fishing (attempted fishing), and had a movie night with his "flat mates" at his house just outside of town. I stayed with Jesse the majority of nights where he lived with five other people who also worked on the boats or islands. The tenant of the house was a "far out" fisherman who had his catches displayed throughout the house. Also, they had two pet spiders that looked similar to tarantulas (freaked me out a little) and a friend arrived during the movie with a python he had caught earlier that day. The house was filled with people who take life for what it is and live it to its fullest potential each day. Jesse moved here from New Zealand by himself to work the boats at the age of 20 and is an amazing photographer, he has been a diving instructor, participated in volunteer work with beached killer whales, and had more stories of hunting and fishing than anyone I've met combined. These people truly live life rather than watch it pass them by. All in all, the trip was amazing, beautiful, I met some people I truly enjoyed spending time with, and learned a lot. No regrets, only experiences to learn from and memories to never forget.

Update: I will be going to New Zealand November 12-19

However, of course I have 3 finals before then...

November 8: Australian Marine Sciences

November 9: Australia's Terrestrial Environment

November 11: Australian Art History

No Journalism final

Today will simply be a day of recovery and catching up on sleep in the lovely city of Brisbane. Later tonight a few friends and I will be watching a good old fashion Disney movie, cooking Mexican food, and making brownies. Finals work begins tomorrow.