Heading south...
My Lords, ladies and gentlemen, good moro.
What an exciting couple of weeks I've had. Just now you're reading text typed by a PADI qualified SCUBA diver. After a few days of diving on the Saxon and Hastings sites on the Great Barrier Reef and working out 'Actual Bottom Time', a bunch of us can now dive anywhere in the world. And I say to you all back in rainy UK simply - Ha!
We got some cracking weather so out came the tan-hunter...
A few dives later and we're qualified!!!...
PADI certificates in hand, we head out for a few beers. We meet a couple of lads Mitch and James from Bristol - quality lads. Next thing we know, we're on a bus heading for Cape Tribulation. 7 of us arrive in the rainforest to be greeted by the heaviest rainfall I've ever seen. It's raining cats, dogs, camels, horses - maybe even a few Cassowries too. Our tour guide smiles and points out that 'if it wasn't for the rain, it'd only be a forest' He has raced the bus away before we stop and realise that, yes, we're in the middle of a rainforest, yes, it's pissing down and....YES there's a bar!
Backpackers being backpackers we hit the bar at 1pm and by 1:15pm we're all pretty jolly. By 6, we're jolly....and a mess. A night tour throught the forest is booked, and we pile - half cut - on to the minibus. We're greeted by our tour guide Andy...
Now to say that Andy is slightly wacky is an understatement. This guy is a few wafers short of communion. He persuades us to walk in the complete darkness through the oldest rainforest in the world (it survived the ice age) in our bare feet. Erm hello? Obviously with our beer trainers and raincoats on, we're more than happy to oblige. Next we're poking at poisonous spiders while trying not to touch trees so the scorpions don't fall on us. It's fair to say that tour as one of the most exciting things i've ever done...
A few more beers are in order when we get back to our forest huts and we slowly drop off one by one, despite various drinking games such as 'pressup or die', 'tequila or die' and 'I'm going to bed or I'll die'. I think every single one of us woke up 4 hours later and didn't have a clue where we were. Rainforest? What rainforest? We jump back on the bus to take us back to Cairns, and go croc spotting for an hour - oh oh, time for the tourist pose...
After that it was back to Cairns via bus and boat, and I spend the next few days in bed. Then came the moment we were all dreading. Time for Millar and I to leave Cairns. There were tears, and Millar and I were really really sad to say bye to the boys one last time. For those of you who don't know Ross and Phil, they're the lads Chuck and I have become best mates with. Lads - we will miss you loads, see you back in the UK! Chuck and I leave behind Mitch, James, Ashley, Ross and Phil - we hop on the McCafferty's down to Magnetic Island, and away from Cairns.
After some crap film on the bus about a guy and some butter, we jump on the ferry over to Maggie and spend a couple of nights at a place called Arkies. Not bad at all, but our room, I saw, hadn't been used for over 5 weeks and had recently been fumigated. I got beaten in the pool comp by some dodgy English guy who tried to claim he was Scottish. But it was ok, the place had a bar...
Maybe that's why I couldn't get out of my bed for the next few days. Another bus journey takes us to Airlie Beach, where I sit just now. In a few hours, we're off sailing round the Whitsunday islands on a beautiful old boat called Solway Lass. 3 nights sailing and diving on the Great Barrier Reef, get in there!
Next time, expect some absolutely beautiful photos of the reef. Before I go, a huge good luck to GHA in their battle to stay in Premier 1. 'Mon the boys!!!
Take care,
Mick
M + P - Cheers for the phonecall, always good to hear stuff from back home.
V + B - Mhairi M working at the Eden Lodge?? What the hell is going on??
Rod - Cheers for the money bod, 80 brake no bad, 88 miles and hour squire jim
Brian - BC you think I can get away with that?
Phil and Ross - What can I say? I could quote Shakespeare but nothing rhymes with Smeagle or thumbing. We miss you guys loads already.
Ashley - They better be missing us back!! Tossers!
Ross - Gail Porter?! Tremendous! Mail me and tell me what a key grip, dolly grip and best boy is on a film set, have always wanted to know that.
Colin - I bet you are still awake just now.
Louise - Will probably see you in 5 mins!
Bob - That's one joule....
Loy, Steve, Chris - Curlers in September mate, good luck!
Greg - Cheers for the email mate, will give em a bell.
Andy - Be safe?? Moron!
Boydy - hows life goin boss? Will be down in Syd for a beer before heading off. If not see you in the Shed!
Chazza - No Chazza Please!
Caz - Wie comme ich am besten zum Bahnhoff, Gunterwent?
Faisal - Type R??!? TRULLY IMMENSE.
Kimmy G - Waiting for reply!
Mike D, Erin B - USA sucks ass! :D
Paul, Brian, Nikki, Greg, Brad, John boy, Kyle, Everyone at Insight - Heard that recluse Rick is back working again???
Richie, Glen, Kristy - Meeting in Brisbane folks? Maybe even see psycho Brett?
Emma - Can't wait for Brissy!
Dave W - Whitsundays mate, probably see you on the reef!
Adam Ant - Supporting the boys away mate?
