A Snippet of Life

  Well aren't I a lucky girl! After a day full of gorgeous salads (yes an actual proper meal), sunshine , failing to beat H at spit (card game, not competitive AT all) and a tub full of ice-cream we left Townsville and headed for Airlie beach. Still having seen zero old buildings: everything is so modern, everyone is so friendly and everywhere has beautiful weather! Apart from mishearing a guy on the platform, thinking he said "alright bitch" and giving him a 'piss off' face, when actually he said "Airlie beach?", a friendly question, we arrived without any bother! And so excited for it all! The first night was tame...a huge ass meal, free bevvie, spot of TOAD RACING (no that's not a typo!) and then bed, ready for the rest of it!    Day 2, and a day full of chillaxing, money saving, and prepping for our big night out. We hit happy hour at every pub (experts at this game!) and it was all going well, until two friendly Aussies joined us...friendly ...

  Surprisingly enough, we made it to the 7am train from Cairns! Such a beautiful and relaxing journey too: comfy seats, inboard tv entertainment, a pack of chocolate biscuits (within budget) and the most amazing scenery, for 6 hours! Beautiful sunshine the whole way, and it did stay with us to greet us on our arrival at Townsville. A slight dip in the day when we found our walk to the hostel was about a billion miles long, in mid-day, blistering heat - HELL. But, we made it! Dropped bags off and straight to the beach! Followed by THE most delicious cocktail looking over the sea, can you think of a better way to spend a day?   Day two we hopped on the ferry over to magnetic island! Basically paradise. Full of beautiful bays, sun, sea and sand, and very little amount of civilisation, perfect! The walk from our base (ironic that our hostel was actually called 'Base') felt like we were literally walking through the desert with one shop every 2km!!! The hostel itself was the be...

Harriet (number 2) arrived !! And haven't the Australians/ everyone we've met found that so funny- hilarious! It's really not, but easy enough to introduce "we are the Harriet's". Makes us sound like a famous double act doesn't it? HAVENT YOU HEARD OF US! Anyway...train scenario still at a low, and not at all sorted (I know, I too thought it was), we decided to just forget about it for a while and get on with our day. After having THE most amazing ice cream that I reckon there is on the planet, a bit of wandering in the sun (YES SUN IN CAIRNS) we headed back to the backpackers, met some lovely people, one of which got us a taxi two blocks away (we are NOT lazy) to our free meal! Wehey! Bangers and mash, in true British style! And then for the pub crawl. Most of which was a bit of a blur, but success in that I had lots of picture memories, one pub was an Irish pub (always a good laugh), we found our way back to our room, and at the end of the night we had ...

  Today the clan left me, and headed reluctantly on their homeward journey! I was left a lovely apartment for three nights, so I could clean the smell of the jungle off everything (including myself) and relax before the backpacking began. Unbeknown to me how hard that would be. Made me think of home, missing everyone back there, and missing the clan. I saw my first Australian tramps, and was approached by a few! But it's all part of the adventure. The weather didn't help much either- RAIN, "welcome to the tropics" they all told me! Put it this way, I am just extremely eager for my friend to arrive, so that we can head onwards on our travels and find some sun!!!   Wednesday: nice little start to the day, sun beginning to come out, me feeling chirpy, head to the train station to ask about our ticket...WE HAVE THE WRONG TICKET! Minor insignificant detail, I kept telling myself...whilst hyperventilating in a complete panic!! ...all sorted though by the following day (...

  An hour flight from Hamilton Island to Cairns,brought us to our shiny, silver 4X4 which was taking us to the jungle! After we had listened to the typical Aussie accent "turn right, mate"for 2 hours, we too a short pit-stop at Mossman Gorge, where our Aboriginal guide, Rosie, was to show us around the Rain-forest (among the bugs!) It really was very interesting and she had a good sense of humour, which made it a whole lot more fun- a very inspirational lady indeed. She gave us 5 philosophies of life, of which I have forgotten all (memory like a fish),however she did keep telling us to LOVE and BE STRONG!  So... we arrived and walked among the trees to our cabin. 3 bunk beds and a double inside effectively a marque with walls, covered in mesh- basically a big mosquito net! All beds were surrounded by a mosquito net as well, which seemed daunting at first (me being the complete paranoid fool that I am), but became quite cosy, away from the wretched bugs! In the corner of the...

  After a 2 hour flight up the coast of the same country (there is no such thing as 'popping' to anywhere in Oz!), we arrived, with beautiful sunshine and heat welcoming us with a smile. A taxi waiting outside to  take us to our apartments all seemed well and good until we climbed inside to find that we had to endure a 30 minute journey listening to possibly the two dumbest English girls, about my age, who were "travelling" but clearly not in my backpacking, find the cheapest accommodation and decide between food or beer each day, sense of the word! Are you with me? Yes, they came out with some corkers! On the way, we passed some sugar cane, and the driver pointed out that is where a lot of the sugar is produced for this area..."OH MY GOD, does sugar come from this far away all the time?", piped up the brown haired, big Boobed, bimbo..."no, mainly the Middle East", her friend chirped in ( and the whole time I'm thinking BURY ST EDMUNDS SUGAR B...

  So we arrived. It was a scorcher! Bags down, straight to get a cold beverage! Stepped out onto the street and there was an Ibis just strolling casually along the path...WHAT?!! Very odd but It's lovely. Everything so tall, enormous and new. Very clean too, in fact I have not seen a single piece of litter the whole 3 days I have been here! No dogs either, well we saw two but they were both being carried...bizarre! No cats either, and I mean NO CATS. Everyone so friendly. The modern art gallery full of aboriginal art- I love it! Walked outside and looked up to see the most colourful parrot just chilling with his mate in the tree. I mean, a parrot, in the middle of the city? So surreal, but absolutely beautiful.    Everything is so lovely but the highlight had to be the Koalas! They are just the most cutest cuddly things on Earth! Sleeping 20 hours a day, leaving them only 4 to eat their leaves! No wonder they are so tired! And the best thing of all, I got a cuddle off...

  (Completely random post but dad keeps on about it, and it is rather funny!)  So, having heard story after story of the strict Australian government, I knew I had to be extra cautious! Upon being handed the declaration form for the FIRST time I practically ticked yes for everything. If it had asked "do you have 5 heads and 6 toes" I would have probably ticked yes, I was being ridiculous. However, after a thought as to whether Paracetamol classed as a forbidden item ( we decided 'no'), dad requested another form! This time I was slightly more sensible with my answers, but I did take 'If in doubt click 'yes' to the extreme! In the queue for customs I kindly gave a lovely Australian officer a good laugh! "So you've ticked 'yes' for bringing plants herbs etc in, what is it madam?" Tea bags. "And what is the   Mud you are bringing in?" Trainers. "And you've been in the wilderness within the last 30 days?" I went...

  After a day of mostly crying (!! I know, what the heck, you ask?! I'm off to Australia...but I have a few special people who should have squished in my bag!), a posh Jag with my swag Dad and lovely driver pulled up to begin my adventure. The usual English weather that makes you so smug upon leaving the country and miserable upon your return-RAIN. We arrive at Heathrow, drag my 'lightly packed' but a 'b**** to carry' bag to check-in. And then, the palava of security- HAVE YOU ANY BOMBS, knives, swords?! - I mean seriously who do they think we are?! ...but anyway- after a few hours of chilling in the departure lounge, anticipating the flight of my life and we are off!!   So it's 10:05pm here, 8am there and Christ knows the time in Singapore, the half way point! All I knew was that I had a 12 hour (yes half a bloody day) long flight ahead of me.     With my owl (of course) neck pillow, I cannot keep my eyes open, and with a few food breaks here and ther...