Well hello everyone,

I have experienced true Aussidom now, having been through a cyclone, yes a cyclone! Calm down everybody I'm still standing and able to tell the tale, but it was a little nerve racking (not during the storm, but beforehand when my mind was being a bit too imaginative.)

Saturday was when we learnt that the cyclone, named Larry, was heading our way, but at this time it was though to be quite a piddly little thing and not much to worry about. On Sunday a guy from my dorm left the room at 5:30 to go on his first of a three day dive, and returned to the dorm a little before 6am, very annoyed that the boats weren't going out. I was meant to be going on a boat trip to Fitzroy Island that day, so I got out of bed to phone the company, who said, "of course our boats are still going out." So I got ready and was down at the marina at 7:30am ready to board the boat, with only a few concerns running through my head (why are some boats going out and others not!?!)

I went to the counter and asked this very question and was told that the boats going to the reef had a lot further to travel and so hit the open water where as the ferry to Fitzroy didn't and was near to Cairns. Feeling quite confident therefore, I jumped on the boat. I was quite looking forward to the day, the engines started, the crew pulled the side shutters up and we were ready for the off, when a man ran on the boat to speak to the captain. Apparently a code 'yellow' had just been given, which meant the waves exceeded 3m, and the ferry usually didn't sail when waves were higher than 2.5m. We were given the option to go out on the boat until midday, though they warned us that we could be very sea sick on the way back and that there would be nothing to do on Fitzroy Island, as the residents would be shutting it all down in preparation for the cyclone. As such I just got my money back.

Strangely enough though today was one of the nicest days weather wise I have experienced in Cairns. In the morning I lazed around the lagoon, swimming and soaking up the sun, before going for the nicest breakfast I have ever had at Mango Jams. I had a little shop and then I went back to my Hostel and again lazed around by the pool with Adrien and Lyndsey. Unbelievably for me - being the slowest reader on Earth - I read 1/2 my book(I'm reading a James Patterson book - isn't he good!?!), but then I suppose I was reading from 8am until about 7pm, with a few breaks in between!

Anyway during the day the radios announced updates about the cyclone and as the evening wore on the warnings were getting worse. The cyclone had changed course and was heading straight for Cairns and now was classified as a category 4 cyclone (5 is the highest you get). The hostel sent letters around to ever room warning people of the impending cyclone and they put all tables and chairs in our rooms and locked the window/porch doors. They had said that they would keep the bar open (not for drinking) as a place to meet if people were not happy to be in their rooms. All food and drink was selling out of the shops; shops were closing up early and all signs and furniture was taken off the street.

In the evening I went to Adrien and Lyndsey's hostel for some drinks. Cairns was really quiet on the way back and many pubs had shut too, but there was no sign of a storm, as it wasn't due to hit until 6am.

Well luckily for us the cyclone changed course during the night, so that the eye didn't go over Cairns and we ended up just getting the tail end of the cyclone. Those in the eye, South of Cairns at Innisfail, experienced winds of up to 280km, where as Cairns had winds of 140km. I did wake up to the heaviest rain I had ever heard though, which continued for about 4 hours, as did the wind. In the morning the TV room was full of people who weren't venturing out!! Having had a walk around everything seems to be ok, though a few trees have snapped/fallen and there are leaves absolutely everywhere. Internet in most places has stopped working too! Well that's an exciting story for you all....

Oh also on Friday I went White Water Rafting, which was just amazing, though hard work. It was a whole day event and I was out of the hostel for nearly 12 hours in all with the transfers and such. We rafted on the Tully River, 12km in all, stopping for a bbq lunch. The weather was perfect and it didn't rain once! However not only did I get slammed into a rock in the first 10 minutes and not only did I have the rest of the people in my raft fall on top of me into the water, so that I thought I might drown (drama queen!!), but I also came home with several bruises on the insides of my upper arm and a very stiff back. I look like I have been scrapping! It was sooo much fun though; I would definitely do it again and I would recommend everyone else to do it if they got the chance.

That evening I celebrated St Paddy's day with a few others by playing drinking games which lead to me squirting beer from my nose...(oh so attractive!) It wasn't my fault though, we were doing a waterfall and Lyndsey burped into her can whilst she was drinking, which made me giggle! (I can't cope calling someone else Lyndsey, it's soooo weird!)

I am doing another trip tomorrow and then traveling by bus down to Airlie Beach on Wednesday (yuk, an eleven hour bus ride) ready to sail the Whitsundays on Thursday, which I am really looking forward to. I upgraded my boat, so I'm going posh.....we have a spa on board and canoes to use around the island....ooohhh....might even splash out and get some wine, rather than beer!!! My beer belly is growing by the second (literally, as that is how often I am drinking it!)

Anyway will write early next week.

Love to you all

Lynds x x

PS Happy Birthday Peachy for the 16th - did try to call, but couldn't get through. Hope you enjoyed your first birthday without me...sniff!