I'm going to go a little backwards here before I go forward. There were some things I got to see and do that I didn't get a chance to show you before I moved on physically. There's a lot of photos (as you can imagine) and, rather than try and cram all of them onto this tiny little blog area, I will post big ol' albums on my facebook account. The profile is set to private right now, so feel free to send me a friend invite if you're not already a friend. I have been checking my facebook account pretty regularly so if you send a request, it will be responded to. Promise.
Also, did you know that if you click on any picture I have posted on this blog that it will show an enlarged picture for more detailed viewing? It's true! Try it. I'll wait.
See? Pretty neat, huh?
Right now I am sitting up late writing in the relative dark while Lupe catches up on some sleep before our big flight to Melbourne tomorrow morning. We are on Hamilton Island in the beautiful Coral Reef View Hotel. Today we went snorkeling on the Great Barrier Reef. I cannot believe I get to say stuff like that now. "What did you do today, Dan?" "Well, Random Stranger, today I boated out to a pontoon chained to the Great Barrier Reef and snorkeled out over the largest living organism in the world for three hours. Did I mention this was my very first time snorkeling?" Yeah, so... yeah.
Hamilton Island is part of the Whitsunday Islands off the eastern coast of Australia. It's about a two hour flight from Brisbane out to the Islands where the airport consists of a schedule of ten or so planes that fly in and out of here on a strict schedule. This is much more of a holiday resort than "travel". This is where people come to play golf, eat amazing food, sit on a deck surrounded by Macaws while staring out over blue-green waters, and soak in the sun.
Except there wasn't much sun. The northern part of Australia is facing some pretty bad storms right now and although they have officially downgraded the cyclone to a measly little tropical storm, it still means some pretty scary weather. Luckily, Cairns is waaaaaaaayyyyy far north of here. But still, the weather has been mostly overcast, occasional rain that feels like you're taking a warm shower in your clothes, and wind. Lots of wind. The water was scary choppy on the way out to the reef on our Fantasea Cruise for an hour. Lupe got sick and it was sad. There were about eight cases of seasickness from various travelers on the boat while the waves crashed 3 meters high and winds buffeted the speed boat around like a roller coaster ride. Of course, since I don't get seasickness on the water I am now swimming on dry land with serious dizziness due to land-sickness. This has been a trial the entire time we've been traveling and while I do so enjoy being dizzy for no reason (wheeee!!!!), I would like to stop the world from spinning and get off this ride for a little bit. I lost my travel sickness pills somewhere in Brisbane so I'll have to pick some up at the airport tomorrow.
Whatever. It was all totally worth it. The Great Barrier Reef. Man, that's gonna be a tough one to top.
Lupe got some really great underwater photos with her underwater camera that we will get developed in Melbourne when we get there so I will have those up soon
Melbourne tomorrow. We will be there during Australia Day which is our equivalent to 4th of July. AND, the Australian Open is going on; so if you hear about riots in the streets of Melbourne on January 26th, that's where we are going to be. Should be a blast :)
Speaking of the Australian Open: I have never in my life ever watched so much goddamn tennis. I am so hooked on this crap right now. Some matches last well into the early morning, running 4 or more hours til it's 4 am or so. Insane. This country is fricking crazy for it. And now I am hooked, too. Right now, at midnight Aussie-time, Roddick is trying to tie up this match against Gonzoles to 2-2 and we are at the 4th Deuce of this set with the score at 5 to 5. Totally awesome, edge-of-your-seat, nail-biting craziness.
Must sleep. Still hafta pack. Porters pick up our bags in 8 hours. Sigh.
-d@n
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