Airlie Beach and the Whitsundays islands

  Airlie Beach, Queensland, Australia
Friday, April 10, 2009

10.04.09: We drove to Castle Hill in Townsville, which has an incredible view on the bay, the town and the marina.
We drove straight to Airlie beach as the weather was bad. On the road, each time you cross another Wicked camper van, you flash your lights and wave! I love the great community feeling! When we arrived in the holiday park, it was packed for Easter weekend. Kids everywhere.

Drivin Marilyn

11.04.09: Easter week end is usually rainy in that area, apparently. Not the greatest time to visit the Whitsunday islands! We were on a nice boat, the crew was really funny. We noticed that in Australia, they take very seriously all the safety issues on board. We had to sign in each time we went back on the boat and we got a speech before we went to the water. What a change from Central America and Asia! We had a good bit of rain and big waves. 3 at of 10 people puked (and the Japanese still stuffed their faces at lunch even if they were puking before and after---egg mayo on a boat, hello???)

the new skipper

We stopped at White Heaven Beach lookout for a great view. When the tide is low you can see the small islands. The Ngora people used to say they were a huge snake's eggs. We had to wear stingers suits to go in the water (yeah, super sexy). A yellow shark swam just just next to us. We had a great lunch on board and chatted with the other tourists. After lunch, we went snorkelling (others went diving). The great barrier of reef is really impressive: various sorts of hard and soft corals of many colours.

Whiteheaven beach

The fish we have seen were not different has the ones we saw before. The thing we did not enjoy is that you could see jelly fish when you were swimming. They were very small and see-through near the beach so you only could see them at the very last minute when they were in front of your very mask!! The ones a bit further away were bigger, so when we went back to the boat, I swam on my back not to see them nor the big dark deep!

great colours despite the weather

In the evening we took the van through a "drive through bottle shop". Yes, a Mc Drive for winos! here the off license is called a bottle shop. I think it is funny. We met some Irish girls back at the holiday park and had a good chat.