Great things and Cruel Abandonment

We dived on the Great Barrier Reef!!!!

It was so cool. Like being in a nature programme. Originally we all said we'd just snorkel but the boat company (called Poseidon out of Port Douglas - fantastic copany, can't recommend them enough) said that we could make our minds up about diving when we got on the boat.

So, we snorkelled first. We saw parrot fish, a ray, a baby shark, coral, more fish, big fish, little fish, red fish, blue fish... so many beautiful fish! Then we went for it. Martin and I are PADI divers but I'm a nervous one. This meant I got to hold the hand of the lovely young Divemaster who accompanied me (woohoo! Being a coward has some benefits). Seriously, he was great and really made me feel comfortable. It's so amazing to be swimming with all these fish and through coral gardens. So we dived twice and on the second one I did it all by myself. Woohoo!

Sarah had NEVER dived before. So she took the plunge and did it. They hold on to the introductory divers all the time and manage all their gear for them. She LOVED it.

I won't bang on but wow, it was so magical. No offense meant, but it was better than seeing 2 great crested newts in a quarry in Wales!

Night Walk
So we finished that awesome day out and hot footed it to Cape Tribulation, where the rainforest meets the sea. We did a night walk through the rainforest. We saw a dragon up a tree (big lizar thing with pretty colours), 2 little yellow baby robins asleep on a branch (how cute!!), loads of spiders (huntsman but not the nasty kind), frogs that look like leaves, cane toads, and lots of crickets. We also learnt a lot about the trees in that area. I was shattered as it didn't finish until 11pm but it was worth it.

Oh, also at this hostel in the rainforest, Sarah and I worked in the kitchen to get free dinner. I'm doing it again tonight.

All by myself...
So, we arrive at our hostel and Martin asks about kayaking. He's been trying to do some since NZ but the weather has never been that great or it's been too pricey. Anyway, the next trip was a 2 day one that left this morning at 7.30... Sarah was up for it too, so that is how my husband has run away for 2 days with another woman!

I need and like my sleep. So I opted for a long lie in this morning and am off to do anti-Martin things like visit cultural centres, sit still and read, and sort out our bags.

Can't believe we're into the final stretches of our time in Australia...Japan, here we come!