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MAGNIFICENT AUSTRALIA
Well, it's been a while but only because we've done so much since our last blog and haven't had a chance to get to a computer.
We left Thailand (right in the nick of time it seems) and boarded a plane to Australia along with Mr Australia himself-Rolf Harris, who was kind enough to pose for pictures. Lauren looks like she is bursting into a fit of laughter as Rolf whispered rude nothings into her ear-can you believe Rolf?!!
After a night in Cairns, we boarded Taka-a large boat, along with 28 other passengers and 12 crew for a 5 day liveaboard trip to the Outer Great Barrier Reef. The experience was breathtaking. We spent four days diving 14 times in total. We watched a Shark feed from 10ft away on a reef wall, swam with Bull Ray, Turtles, Potatoe Cod and multi-coloured coral, we could gone on but we'd be typing all day! The marine life was spectacular and the trip was almost certainly a trip of a life time. We experienced drift diving, more night diving and being dragged along by the motor dingy boat at the end of some dives which was a ride we both loved doing! The crew were fantastic, really friendly and great guides too. Irish Ed was a larger than life, tooth missing character and literally screamed if we ever found anything underwater to look at which was pretty much every 30 seconds! Steve the trip director was an experienced diver and really pushed to get us to the best dive sites. One we dived, Rapid Horne, was a site that he hadn't even dived in the 12 years that he had been going to the Gt Barrier Reef so we really appreciated all their efforts to get us out in the water and finally Captain Colin, with over 30 years sea experience who never slept! He was just a legend and really knew his stuff. We also met some great people aboard who were also diving, including a guy from Luton which was quite a funny coincidence. Our underwater camera housing worked a dream and we went a bit snap happy but we couldn't help ourselves as everything was worth capturing. Steve's Bommie, the Shark Feed and Rapid Horne were our favourite dive sites and we would go back and dive them again if we ever get the chance.
After arriving back to land (we spent a few hours walking around looking like we were drunk) we met up with the crew and some of the other fellow divers to have a celebratorary drink. Lets just say the crew let their hair down and we got to see them enjoy themselves instead of running around trying to find missing divers!
The next day we started our great coastal road trip in our very own campervan. It's our little home on wheels. We've got a double bed, fridge, cooker, microwave and sink. It's everything we need in one little van. We love it. We headed straight to Cape Tribulation, about 150kms north of Cairns stopping at Port Douglas to have a quick nosey at how the other half holiday! It was a really plush but Aussiefied resort, quiet, lots of Golf courses and just beautiful. We arrived in Cape Tribulation in the dark after having to cross a large croc inhabited river on a tow bridge. It's quite amazing that that is the only way to get to Cape Trib. We pitched up at Cape Tribulation Camp site, right on the beach and we met the manager, David, a really laid back Aussie with his own phrases such as "too easy", "ehh" and "far out". He tempted us into booking a kayaking tour with him around the Cape and so at 8am we got into our twin kayak and followed David around, what we thought, was the best way to see the Cape. Eagles glided over us and caught their breakfast, jumping Archer fish on the ocean as we kayaked past and turtles came up for air right by us. Along the rocks, crabs scuttled into their hiding places as we admired the Cape from the water. Ben jumped off the kayak and snorkelled around with the turtle whilst Lauren kayaked the rest of the way back (arms of steel!) Later we found out that that week a large croc had been spotted in the reef where Ben had been snorkelling which was slightly worrying....After our morning exercise we headed to Imogen creek, a fast flowing creek that can't be crossed in a little motor home so we just had to look at the picturesque suuroundings, all the time keeping our eyes out for crocodiles!
All the crocodile warnings had given us a taste for finding these terrifying reptiles so we booked a tour on the Wilderness Cooper Creek, a private creek that crocodiles are regularly spotted at. As we meandered down the creek with our eyes peeled, we had lost all hope of finding one until Alan, our boat driver and guide mentioned calmly that there was a croc on the waters edge. My goodness, it was a beast. A 4 metre male, watching over a female croc who we spotted in the water. It was amazing. He stayed on the bank for us to admire him and opened his mouth to warn us that if we came any closer he would eat us! The female stayed in the water and finally swam off and submerged into the water as we left. The sight was incredable. We both left Cape Tribulation with large smiles on our faces. All this dangerous wildlife spotting is addictive!
Back in our van we headed down to Mission beach and parked up for the night. The next morning we explored the lengthy beach and headed to a local swimming hole, Alligator Forest. Lauren steered clear, the image of the croc still haunting her and Ben enjoyed a refreshing dip but returned with a lovely leech sucking on him. That takes us up to today and we're staying in South Mission beach where we've been lucky enough to come across the territories regional animal, the Cassowary- two adults plus three babies. We feel very lucky as they are nearly extinct. They are a prehistoric type bird quite like a Emu that have tallons and a bone like mohican. They are stricking. Tomorrow we're heading to Townsville and Magnetic Island for possibily more diving but this time to look at SS. Yongala which has been lying at the bottom of the Ocean for 90 years and whatever else takes our fancy.
Until next time......
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