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Hadn't slept too well as it was soo cold, but got up and washed my hair, checked out and got some breakfast, then waited with the girls as they waited to get picked up for their skydive. I had planned to just chill out by the pool (my bus wasn't till 2.45) till they got back, but the guy said I could go and watch so I decided to do that! My hair was wet and I wasn't expecting to go, but I grabbed a book and jumped in the mini bus! It was only a 5 min drive to the skydive centre, which was in North Mission, the main of the four villages that make up Mission Beach. It was a beautiful day and the village looked so nice, right by the beach, lots of shops and cafes and lots of people buzzing around having just skydived or getting ready to! When we got there, the girls had to fill in their paper work and I went down to the beach as someone had just announced a group were about to land! It was the perfect day for a skydive, no clouds in the sky and a stunning location. Looking up at the sky tiny white dots started appearing, the mini parachutes! They became bigger then the colours of the main parachutes filled the sky and started coming towards the beach. The cameramen landed first - the came in so quickly and did some impressive landings! Then one by one, people came down and it their reactions reminded me soo much of how I had felt after a skydive and I just wanted to do it again! Was glad I had a sore eye as I knew it would hurt soo much if I did, so it made it easy to accept I would just be spectating! Went back to see the girls who had sorted out their paper work etc, then we looked around the shops for a bit before going and sitting on the beach and chilling out. Got to see another landing, then the girls were called! They had a 25 min bus to the airport then it took 20 mins to fly up to the 14,000 ft they were jumping from, so I had time to kill. I found a cute little cafe and ordered a toastie and a milkshake, then sat outside with my book and enjoyed the sunshine! It was so lovely but it was quite busy and I was waiting and waiting for my order - was worried I might miss the girls jump! It finally came and it was delicious, didn't have to rush as I thought I had time. I then headed to the beach and thought I might have missed the, - no one was on the beach! I popped into the centre to check and realized I was ok when I saw the friend of another girl who was jumping with Lex and Beth! Went and sat on the beach and chatted to the girl and another girl who had jumped earlier that morning. Then one of the skydive guys came down and said they had just jumped! Took a while before we saw anything, then we watched them all come down. Ran over to Beth when she landed - I'm in her video, didn't realize they were recording! Lex had done it before but said this one was a million times better. They could see the reef from the sky and said landing on the beach was amazing. It was Beth's first time and she seemed a bit overwhelmed by it all! We went and sat in the centre as we waited for the videos to be done. Think the adrenaline had taken it out of the girls as they seemed so sleepy! Unfortunately Beth felt really ill afterwards so she was a bit upset about that :-( Was getting worried about getting back in time for my bus - still had to pack! - but luckily when I asked how long it would be they had just finished so at quarter past 2 the driver dropped us back at Scotty's where I had to quickly pack up and head to the shuttle bus! Was really glad I had gone with the girls, meant I got to see North Mission and was lovely to go the beach! Beth went to bed, but Lex came with me to the transit centre as that's where the supermarket is. The girl who drives the shuttle bus had to wait till the Oz bus arrived so she could take people back tot he hostel, so she waited with my bas while I went with Lex to Woolworths and picked up a few things. We then sat at the transit centre chatting to the shuttle girl; she was a bit scatty but nice and told me a few things about Cairns which was helpful! Eventually the bus turned up, so I said bye to Lex (they were at Mission one more night) and got on the bus! It was a small one again, but I got a seat near the front and the bus driver, Darkness, was so funny. Chatted to him a bit and also spoke to a guy who was from Farnham! Bumped into a crazy amount of people who live near me or who I know, or who knows someone I know! Darkness had asked if I needed him to book me a hostel in Cairns so I took him up on the offer - Team Travel had wanted me to stay somewhere I had never heard of so I was unsure about that, and the girls from Wales had said they'd reserve me a room in their place so I asked if he could book me in at Gilligan's, the main hostel and where the Welsh girls were. We stopped of for a toilet break when Team Travel rang me to say they had sorted me out a room - 3 of them were in one dorm and 1 was in the other where they had reserved a bed for me, so I stopped Darkness booking me in at Gilligan's and thanked the girls - they told me where their hostel was and said it was really good - even better, only $15 a night against Gilligan's $22! Kept on driving, saw some amazing views as the sun set behind some huge mountains. Got into Cairns about 6.30 after a couple more stops (had to get him to stop as I was desperate for the loo! Then he needed more petrol) and Darkness dropped me off at Global Palace, my hostel! Helen was on a phone interview so I couldn't call the girls but Sarah had said she would meet me at reception. I was the only one from the bus checking in there and the guy didn't have a record of me being booked in there! Sarah wasn't anywhere and there was nothing I could do! Started to worry just as Sarah came round the corner and sorted it all out :-) Was soo good seeing her! She helped me carry my bags up and to the room, where Amy and Emma were waiting! We all chatted for a bit, and then Helen came back! Was sooo good to be with them all again, had worried things wouldn't be the same but they were so lovely and seemed happy to see me. We headed straight out to PJ O Brains, an Irish pub where guests of Global Palace could get a meal AND a drink for $5!! We sat outside and when our food came it was soo good, I had a proper roast dinner! Was so yummy and lovely to sit outside catching up with the girls. Recognized a few people out and about too, people tend to stick in Cairns a while as its the last place on the East Coast so that was cool! After dinner we finished our drinks then headed to the Bottle-O to get some goon for that night. Being Friday 13th, our hostel were having fancy dress on the balcony (where everyone goes to drink - its not got a bar so you can bring your own alcohol and drink it without having to be sneaky about it which is brill). Me and the girls all got dressed up and ready for the night! I wanted to be a pirate so I could wear a patch and cover my bad eye, which was still looking horrible and red, but couldnt find an eyepatch! So, made use of the cowboy hat I have been carrying around with me since Kroombit, borrrowed Sarahs shirt and went as a cowgirl with my hair pulled over my poorly eye and my hat worn low, think it worked!! Amy was a little girl, Helen and Sarah were pirates, Emma was a geek - think we all looked pretty good!! Went out on the balcony which was pretty packed, sat down with some people the girls had met who were all really nice and amongst them was Haydn which was a surprise! Then Antonio came along to say hi, another surprise! Didnt know either of them were in Cairns. Sat on the balcony, played some drinking games, was really good fun!! We then headed back to the room for a bit when the closed the balcony at 10 with the girls and Joost, Steven and Connor, 3 of the guys we'd been drinking with. After we finished our goon we went out. Headed to Gilligans. It was $10 to get in as it was a Saturday!! The girls had 4 free entry vouchers which you can use again and again but handed it back didnt work as theyput the date on it when the let you in, so the girls split the price with me which was really nice of them :-) Gilligans was huge and looked amazing! There was a balcony bit at the top, the mian room with a huge dancefloor and then another bar behind that with different music and some places to sit, then a balcony behind that bar, outside, with more places to sit and some pool tables and a view of Gilligans amazing pool. Looked amazing lit up and there were cool fairy lights and stuff, very cool place indeed. We got some drinks and sat down in the middle bar bit, it was really busy but not too lively at that point. Sat and had our drinks then went to the main dancefloor where we danced for a while, I saw Alex and Chris and that lot from Airlie Beach! Was really cool to see them, and their crazy dancing as always! Were in there for a bit then moved onto Woolshed, which was awesome. Had a pub feel to it but then came alive at night, There were two floors, both were open for food during the evening then they close the bottom floor, clear all the tables and everyone dances on the tables upstairs. Theres a dancefloor bit too and a balcony, its only a small place compared to Gilligans especially but a really fun place, play fun music and evryone has a laugh. We sat down at first with our drinks then after a while we got up on the tables and danced our socks/cowboy hats/geek glasses off! Amy went home early as she was really tired but the rest of us stayed. Moved off the tables and onto the dancefloor and I saw all the Canadian guys from my Fraser Island trip! That was awesome to catch up with them, the girls were heading to McDonalds but I wasn't hungry so stayed in Woolshed with the guys while they went. Music was really good!! The girls met me at Woolshed after they went to McDonalds and we all went back to the Hostle. Sarah, Emma and Helens room was empty so I got ready for bed and shilled in their room for a while chatting then headed back to my room (where Amy was asleep) and went to bed. :-)
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