Our snorkel boat, Ocean Freedom
I snorkeled! Look at that enthusiasm.
Daniel (aka Hanz) snorkeling
Sherissa and Daniel with their dive certificates.
We were lucky enough to see wales (on this trip and our sailing trip which was pretty amazing) but I couldn't get a good photo so you get to see the splash.
From Cairns we went up to the Daintree Rainforest where we went on a crocodile river cruise and stayed at this amazing hostel on the beach called the Beach House. The beach is pretty unique because the jungle spills out onto it and there are all these weird creatures everywhere. I could show pictures but my camera ran out of batteries just before I saw the weirdest looking thing I’ve ever seen.
We got up to watch the sun rise over the ocean. We're still half asleep.
It was much more magical looking from the back.
Sherissa and I rocking a bridge over the Mossman River.
Daniel and I jumped in and it was FREEZING!
A croc. They were huge and they were close! So crazy to see a creature that's been around for so long.
We made our way down to Port Douglas next and rented beach cruiser bicycles to ride down 4 mile beach. Our roommates at the Parrot Fish Lodge were these German guys who joined us on a crazy night on the town and together we drank about 4 boxes of Stanley “goon” (goon is the Australian Carlo Rossi and comes in 4 litre boxes that have their own little pour spout which makes it very easy to scull (australian for chug) ).
Me, Sherissa, Daniel
Aspen's competition but don't tell her! This dog had the most amazing personality and you could see straight to her soul through her eyes! Awwww...
Purple toungues after too much Stanley
I met a couple guys from Byron Bay and we ended up building a campfire and staying up to watch the sunrise over the ocean from the beach. It was totally gorgeous. After Port Douglas, we went back down to Cairns where we did a skydive over the reef and the farmlands of Queensland.
From there it was on down to Airlie beach where we met our Whitsunday sailing crew of “the Card”. We ended up with a really small group of six passengers and four crew members but managed to get in some trouble anyway. This also meant we were able to make a couple special trips that are not possible with larger groups so that was pretty cool. This trip was only three days but I fell in love with sailing and would love to possibly learn more about it and go around the world someday because it was that beautiful!
The "card" is the one on the right. It sleeps 25 people and was pretty huge.
Our Captain being cheesey.
This is sign language (snorkel style) for "we're REALLY good"
One of our island stops. Whitehaven beach...total paradise
This was our group on the Card
Sherissa, me, Mari (France), Michael (Holland), Phil (the signature annoying American)
I did a flip off the front of the boat but the girl had really bad timing so let's just say I can walk on water.
I tried again for the video but did a back flop instead. OUCH!
South Mole Island where we spent one of our nights.
Sherissa cracked a coconut and we got fresh milk and meat.
Parrots. They were all over the island and they were so beautiful!
Another highlight of the trip was camping on Fraser Island, the biggest sand island in the world. We were put into groups of 12 and then loaded up with enough food and booze to last for three days and sent on our way to go four wheeling all over the island in our rigged Toyotas. I drove for the first time on the other side and even managed with a stick shift! We were lucky to be out there on a full moon and it was cool because all the trucks found each other when it came time to set up camp and everyone ended up partying together. We went to this amazing lake with turquoise water and a white sand beach which was one of the most beautiful beaches I’ve seen.
Our entourage of yellow tops making our way to the ferry to Fraser
In the triangle (from the bottom left) : Ross (Ireland), Daniel (Germany), Kiernen (Ireland), Sherissa, me, Jo (England)
McKenzie Beach. "One of the most beautiful beaches I've ever seen" (and it was a fresh water lake)
Jo, Kiernen, and me cooking dinner for everyone
These boys came by our sight and started an illegal fire. They were stupid enough to hand out business cards to all the girls to call them on so when the sheriff came by in the morning, we were off the hook because we just gave them their card.
One of the many dingos that kept harassing us. Daniel took this awesome shot.
We also got to go to this lookout spot called Indian head (it looks like an Indian Head with a big headpiece on from far away) which is this huge cliff that overlooks the ocean. From here we sat in the sun spotting whales, dolphins, stingrays, sharks, turtles galore. I could have sat there the rest of the day and then some but we had to head off to set up camp for the night. On Fraser there is also this really cool old shipwreck on the beach which was pretty fun to explore.
Indian head
me and the dutch girls
Our caravan
We made it to Brisbane for a couple days and explored a bit but had to be back down to Melbourne for the architecture inspired fashion show at the Incubator. Sherissa had made a dress inspired by the MCG (Melbourne Cricket Grounds) and the two of us had helped Jenny Bannister create a dress (it was actually more of a sculpture) modeled after Federation Square. Both buildings are huge Melbourne icons. Daniel stayed on and journeyed down to Byron Bay. If I could have I would have stayed away longer. Australia is so big and there is so much I want to see before I leave!!! I’d like to do a west coast trip from Perth to Broome, and see Ayer’s rock and Adelaide, and of course Byron Bay. We’ll see if I can check ‘em all off my list!
A brisbane sunset
Sherissa and I struggling through life on Magnetic Island
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