activities in Cairns
So the Great Barrier Reef was amazing. I’m honestly at a lack of words for it. Nothing I can say could even begin to explain what I saw…but I can tell you what I felt. When I first got into the water I was a bit anxious. Anxious about breathing out of my mouth and anxious about fish swimming around me. They still kind of creep me out. After kicking around a bit, I was thinking to myself, “This is it?” I was a bit unimpressed. But I picked my head out of the water and noticed the rest of the snorkels were not very close to me, so I started heading towards them and I was taken away by what I saw. It was so beautiful I almost cried. It was very similar to how I felt when the train I was on pulled into Bern Switzerland and I saw just the tips of the Alps…incredible. I understood why I was such a fish as a kid, never wanting to get out of the water, the feeling of gliding through the water came back to me all too quickly. I felt so at peace with myself and the world floating around looking at the reef, not thinking anything, and hearing nothing but my breathing (which had slown down by then). I took a ton of pictures with an underwater camera, so I’ll mail that back in the middle of February before I leave Australia-so whoever gets it will see the pics before I do!
That night I went out with my Irish roommates to a local backpacker bar, the Woolshed. Needless to say, I drank quite a bit and was out until 3. I had to be up at 630!
I woke up on time and feeling not too bad, but not too great either. I was picked up for Uncle Brian’s, a rainforest walk/tour at 730. We walked through some rainforest, swam in a few water holes, played under a waterfall, slid down a natural rock waterslide, and swam in a volcanic lake. Once I got in the cold water my hangover disappeared instantly. Gotta remember that one! I pet a python in the wild too! The tour wasn’t just learning, sweating, and swimming. We did a lot of singing and played some games…what a great day. But I had to come home (back to the hostel) to pack my backpack. It was an early night.
Now I’m sitting in a hostel in Alice Springs in the middle of the Outback. Who else can say that they were in a rainforest one day and the desert the next?!?!
Tags: Australia
lauracat
Hey Laur, just read about the great barrier reef, I am trying to picture it. sounds like you are having the time of your life!!! I am trying to feel the warmth of the sun burn you have, I am jealous . Phil was saying this morning how great it would be if you could catch a flight to Maui when we are there. We would have a great time, Hiking and spending alot of time at the tikki bars!!! You could get your zzz’s in our room we have a pull out!! Talk to you soon!! Love Aunt EIleen
it’s so tough to carry all that gear in the water when you’re snorkeling! i bet it was worth it though. i hope your pictures do the reef some justice. sounds like you’ve been a swimmin’ fool. are your irish roomies traveling on with you? can’t wait to read about the desert. ;D
So, you pet a python! I don’t like snakes, but I have heard that pythons are cuddly. You don’t want the full “Monty”, however. I’m looking forward to seeing your pictures. Since we came from the water, it is natural that you should feel at home there. Did you know that there is the same percentage of salt in our bodies as there is in the ocean?