Hi everyone, Well this will be my last email from Oz, as we leave nice n early tomorrow to go to New Zealand. Im going to miss Oz loads as we really have had the most amazing time. WE have seen so many beautiful places and met some great people. I am actually looking forward to slowing down a bit over in NZ though as we’ve heard it’s a lot more chilled out and slower paced! Sam and I are all partied out!!!! WE need lots of early nights and comfy beds ;-) hehe. I’ve put all the photos up from Airlie Beach and our Whitsunday’s Sailing trip. That trip was definitely one of the best we have done. I loved every minute of it. WE stayed in a grotty hostel on our first night in Airlie Becah, but it was all we could afford, boo hoo I know! But it was full of yucky little animals in our ROOM!!!! WE found a frog, a mouse, bed bugs and just teeny little lizards running around everywhere, but hey, we managed. WE did a 2 night, 3 day sailing trip on our boat, “Condor” which was a Maxi Sailing boat and has been around the world 4 times and won every time! How about that hey!!! The first time Sam and I saw the boat we were like…….” How small is that boat, how are 26 of us going to fit on it”???!!!! But it was soooooo much fun, and although it was a little crammed, and we slept on hard wooden like beds, the experience was incredible! We all helped with the crew and I even helped to put the sail up. On the 2nd Day Sam and I stupidly volunteered to help put the sail up ( Up until then it had been all the guys helping as it required lots of hard work and us girlies were far too busy sunbathing) so Sam and I got up and we had to spend a good 15 minutes doing this “grinding” thing which is like pedaling but with our arms!!!! Ahhhhhh it was painful, my poor little arms, I actually thought they were going to snap! But a good workout anyway! The actual sailing part was the best thing ever! There were times when the boat was tilted at a 45deg angle and my god it was scary! We were all just at one side of the boat hanging on for dear life, haha and getting soaked! I really did think the boat was going to go over but it didn’t and we were all fine. The weather was amazing too, clear blue skies and we just spent the days cruising along, having the BEST lunches and dinner (fresh fruit and salads, BBQ;s etc) and stopping off at gorgeous beaches. White Haven beach was by far the best beach I have ever seen. You can see how pretty it is from the photos. The best part for me though, of the trip was undoubtedly snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef! I was so proud of myself that I did it, right in the middle of the ocean, I was so scared but there was loads of us who stuck together, and right before we got in on the first day, we spotted 2 sharks!!!!!! Eeeeek I was so scared but after being told that they are more scared of you, I went in! Great advice hey, ha, It didn’t take much to get me in the water though, I loved every minute of it and saw the biggest, and most colorful fish! I even found Nemo!!!! Was so happy about that. The water was so clear and it was all just fantastic! WE had to wear these really hideous stinger suits though as so many people get stung by the jelly fish. WE all looked super sexy in them ;-) Sleeping on the boat was great fun, we all just spent most of the eving drinking LOTs of goon, and sharing stories, oh and playing drinking games, which then lead to playing a game of Hide n Seek on the boat????!!!! Yes we were tipsy and yes it was soooooo much fun, I felt like I was 12 again!!!!! Not that there was that many places to hide as the boat was tiny, but great fun! On the 2nd night we slept on the boat there was a pretty bad storm as I honestly thought the boat was going to go over, even the crew looked a little scare, the rain was crazy and the winds…..well, it was scary!!!! We didn’t get much sleep that night. Poor Sam was really sea sick on the last day ( check out her photo, hehe) and she also came back from the trip, COVERED in bed bugs, poor girl, so we’ve spent most of our time in Cairns at the doctors as they are pretty bad!!!! But they seem to be getting better., The Whitsunday’s were so amazing though, and I loved sailing!!!! We didn’t get to shower for 2 days though which wasn’t too great!!!! Cairns has been good fun too. Its really hot, but also seems to rain lots!!!! WE did a 2 day trip up to Cape Tribulation which was fun. We went trekking in the rainforests which was good, but sooooooo hot and sticky!!! And then went for a river cruise along the Daintree River and saw a HUGE crocodile! Stayed in this random hostel called PK Jungles? Has anyone stayed there? I am sure you stayed there Nicola? It was in the middle of nowhere and had mouse droppings everywhere, esp in the kitchen?????!!!! We really have stayed in some great places hey, haha. I’m putting it all down to the traveling experience ;-) So 5 weeks in Oz has almost come to an end. We are going to have a few glasses of wine tonight which will hopefully knock us out and then we have to be up 3am to get our taxi to the airport! I am a little worried as NZ is a lot cooler, and in many places cold, and I have too many vests n shorts, and no trousers or winter struff???!!!! Oooooops, oh well. So no more tannage for us either!!! We’ve also met lots of people in Oz who we’re going to meet up with in NZ too. And of course, we cant wait to get stuck into all of the Extreme sports!!!! Haha, well maybe a just a few light ones for me. The thought of throwing myself out of a plane scares the living daylights out of me but I might try and see how I go??!!!!! Love to you all. Missing everyone lots!!!! Loo. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx