BootsnAll Travel Network



Townsville, Magnetic Island and Cairns

Townsville was my next stop after the Whitsundays. I hitched a lift with Becky and Lucy – who i had travelled with up to Byron Bay –  in their Wicked camper. These are an institution on the backpacking circuit; camper vans with awesome paint jobs which range from simple eye pleasing designs to more politically motivated slogans and pictures. George Dubya features on quite a few, invariably with a pun on the word Bush. After a journey which traversed the borders of hair-raising (whenever Lucy overtook – she usually forgot to get back in the correct lane), disaster movie (invasion of the green ants), and lastly, chilled (watching the sunset over some spectacular scenery) we arrived in Towsnville where i left the campers and met up with Gemma and Claire again. We only stayed in Townsville, which should be renamed Snoresville for one night before we took the ferry to Magnetic Island.

Maggie is very isolated, sparsely populated (2000 people i think), with one small food shop and a bar or two. I’m glad i came when i did, a commercialisation programme is currently udnerway which will completely change (read ruin) the atmosphere and feel of the island.

We stayed at Base which was in the middle of nowhere but thankfully right on the beach. One of the best hostels we’ve stayed in. The rooms are all self contained little huts perched on the granite rocks just behind the beach or lying on the the steep, rocky banks of a creek that was in the middle of the hostel grounds. The hostel was a series of low-rise buildings, huts, a pool area, bar (with a huge veranda and ocean views) etc. all in beautiful landscaped gardens and palm trees. Most of our time was spent in the hammocks reading and chatting.

All in all a great place for some ‘R and R’ before continuing the journey up the East coast where my last stop would be Cairns.

Cairns is, for most people who travel in Australia, the end (or the beginning) of their trip as the East coast is the most popular route undertaken by backpackers. So it was that within five minutes of checking into my hostel i had bumped into a host of different friends from my travels. Though Cairns is commercialised, uninteresting and geared around scummy backpacker bars (the Woolshed being the best/worst) full of Brits with various Union Jack items of clothing i knew i was going to have a good time meeting up with people whom i had shared many great experiences with, from Perth all the way up to the Whitsundays.

I travelled up with Gemma and Claire who had become my longest travelling buddys. We booked into Gilligans, a five star, uber-deluxe hostel. The Ritz of the hostel world. As usual these big, modern hostels are largely impersonal and unfriendly – Gesellschaft springs to mind (History degree friends should know what i mean) – but if you already have a group of friends it is well spectacularly equipped, clean and well maintained. We even got a fresh, clean, fluffy white towel on arrival. Having spent the last three months using a very handy but ultimately unsatisfying travel chamois using a real towel was blissful luxury. Backpacking fosters a deep appreciation for the small pleasures in life as will no doubt develop further when i reach deepest Asia!

Cairns was uneventful other than some fantastic nights out…thankyou Charlotte (from Fraser Island), Claire and Gemma, Mirthe and Becky (Surfers Paradise), Jen and Naomi (Townsville) Mark (Byron Bay) and finally, but by no means the least, Zita and Kirsty who i last met up with in Melbourne and who i’ve missed greatly.

The only redeeming feature of Cairns was my trip down the Tully River. White water rafting!  The Tully is one of the best places in the world to white water raft. It was one of the most fun thigns i have ever done. I’m just glad they told us three people had died in the last five years when i had got in the boat and not before.

We hurtled down the river, screaming as we plunged down rapids, paddled ourselves head first into huge rocks that then span us round and thrust us down the next one backwards. On quiet sections we were allowed to jump out and gently drift down the river. Then we tried body surfing where we individually threw ourselves head first into a rapid and it would hold us in the same spot riding the current. Other highlights included rafting under a waterfall (which felt like being pounded by rocks until eventually you found your head was between your feet), jumping out the boat and being sucked down a short, steep, natural water flume, and cliff jumping. A great day out!

Here are some pics:

Boat goes down…i scream

boat1.jpg

Boat comes up…i scream

boat2.jpg

Not sure what i’m doing with my oar in this one…screaming though.

boat3.jpg

Next stop – Alice Springs.

 



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