Sailing on the Whitsundays!
Door: Jelle
Blijf op de hoogte en volg Familie
11 September 2011 | Australië, Sydney
Hi there, northerners!
Today it's 10 years ago the world trade center was destroyed, and it is the 3rd day of the Rugby world cup in New Zealand. I have to admit that when you are travelling, you aren't really involved in either of those things. But the funny thing is that you don't miss it at all when you are not keeping yourself informed. I guess news is quite a depressing thing after all..
I'll quickly write a story about my past week, which wont be too depressing I expect, 'cause it was wicked! After the town called 1770, where we did the scootaroo and chilled for a day or two, we went on to airlie beach. Airlie is a place almost entirely meant for tourists (backpackers mostly), because it is the place where everyone boards their sailing boat to sail the whitsunday islands. So airlie is actually just one street where you will find pubs, hostels, more pubs, tourist shops, atm's, fast food restaurants and more pubs. During the day there is little to do, so Anko and I went on the internet, took a look at the lagoon/harbor and bought some dinner. At night we went out with our roommates: an Italian guy and two english girls. During that evening we met quite a few people that we had met before on our way up the coast. Australia is huge, but since everyone goes to the same touristic places, you keep meeting the same people again and again. Which is really fun, because everyone experiences the same things differently, and you can exchange stories.
The next day our boat left at 2.30pm. We went on a boat called the Clipper. Quite known as a party boat, and a bit notorious for the sex games played on board (patience, i'll get there:p). Which we obviously didnt know when we booked it. There were about 40 people on board, amongst which the Italian guy we had met the night before. The first day the boat sailed to a spot where we spent the night partying and getting to know the other people on board. There were a few american guys on board, whom we tried to teach the map of Europe. On the second night they would draw it again from memory, on which they failed terribly. Although he kept excusing himself for being so ignorant :p. There was a jacuzzi aboard the ship, in which Anko and I jumped first when it was still pretty cold. Crazy dutch people...
The second day we went off the ship, to whitehaven beach. One of the most beautiful beaches in the world, where the sand is really pure. 97,8% silica, which makes it really white and fine. In the water we spotted some sting rays, and we went to a higher lookout point, from where you could see the whole lagoon. Magnificent view!
In the afternoon I went scuba diving. Here my PADI diving license whioh i got in Thailand really paid off, because me and another guy could go straight to the good diving spot, while everyone else got a sort of introduction lesson close to the beach. We saw loads of fish, including nemo's, and a giant 1,5m fish called Elvis, which is so used to divers you can just touch it. Diving is still one of the coolest things i have done in my life. Can't wait to get to Cairns, where the reef is supposed to be even brighter!
Back on the boat we had a delicious dinner prepared by Erica, the cook. She was definitely my favorite crew member!
At night it was again party time. This time the crew had prepared a few of the games we heard so much about. First we all had to change in a crazy outfit from a bix dressing chest. Everybody got on the dancefloor, and when the music stopped, you had to group up with people in groups of 4 or 6, and for example do a rowing act sitting on the ground. Other games were sex positions, human pyramid, etc. And then there was a game that made me understand all of the stories: in teams of 4, one person had to wear as many pieces of cloth as possible, and underwear counted for 5 points. Luckily I was out of the game already when that happened:p Well, no need to explain the sight of that, but it wasnt suitable for prude or weener-phobic people..
Next day I made another scuba dive in the morning, and around twelve we already went back to Airlie Beach. Anko and I were completely devastated, because of the two days on the boat, so we went to bed quite early. Although halfway through the night I woke up from two people doing it in the shower, i guess that kind of stuff happens as well in hostels...
Next morning we took the bus to Magnetic Island, a beautiful island close from townsville. Townsville is known as the sunshine capital of australia, because it has the lowest amount of rainfall on the continent. And they havent been lying, we had spot on weather for the past few days!
We were in a hostel on the beach, which was more like a resort. Again we met a lot of people that we already knew from Fraser Island or the Whitsundays. That evening there was the full moon party, a big event, really cool. But im talking too much about parties again, so i wont bother you with too much detail!
The next morning we got up around 10, because we didnt want to waste the whole day in bed. There was a koala sactuary on the island, which was really nice! I have held loads of really weird or not very petlike animals, like a koala, snake, bird, some reptiles. And especially for my oncle, I held a reol loife crocodoile! But maybe not the size you would be impressed by.. Ill try to put on the pictures soon!
This morning we went on to Mission beach, known as the adventure capital of the east coast. You can do rafting, skydiving and other wild stuff here. Only thing is that its all screamingly expensive (is that an english expression?). Anko and I decided we will do a skydive in New Zealand, but we are not sure yet about the rafting. Furthermore, some people from the group I flew to Sydney with are hanging out here in Mission Beach, so we are gonna try to meet up with them tonight.
Hope you are all doing well back home, it is good to read about whats going on at home. Sometimes I wish I could be home for just one day, and then go back out here, but I guess thats not really realistic.. Anyway, I'm still having an awesome time out here, experiencing so many things! I'm glad I'm writing all of it down, cause if I get home and someone will ask me how it was or what I did out here, I will either be talking for a full day straight, or i will have forgotten every detail about it and just say: awesome.
Cheers!
Today it's 10 years ago the world trade center was destroyed, and it is the 3rd day of the Rugby world cup in New Zealand. I have to admit that when you are travelling, you aren't really involved in either of those things. But the funny thing is that you don't miss it at all when you are not keeping yourself informed. I guess news is quite a depressing thing after all..
I'll quickly write a story about my past week, which wont be too depressing I expect, 'cause it was wicked! After the town called 1770, where we did the scootaroo and chilled for a day or two, we went on to airlie beach. Airlie is a place almost entirely meant for tourists (backpackers mostly), because it is the place where everyone boards their sailing boat to sail the whitsunday islands. So airlie is actually just one street where you will find pubs, hostels, more pubs, tourist shops, atm's, fast food restaurants and more pubs. During the day there is little to do, so Anko and I went on the internet, took a look at the lagoon/harbor and bought some dinner. At night we went out with our roommates: an Italian guy and two english girls. During that evening we met quite a few people that we had met before on our way up the coast. Australia is huge, but since everyone goes to the same touristic places, you keep meeting the same people again and again. Which is really fun, because everyone experiences the same things differently, and you can exchange stories.
The next day our boat left at 2.30pm. We went on a boat called the Clipper. Quite known as a party boat, and a bit notorious for the sex games played on board (patience, i'll get there:p). Which we obviously didnt know when we booked it. There were about 40 people on board, amongst which the Italian guy we had met the night before. The first day the boat sailed to a spot where we spent the night partying and getting to know the other people on board. There were a few american guys on board, whom we tried to teach the map of Europe. On the second night they would draw it again from memory, on which they failed terribly. Although he kept excusing himself for being so ignorant :p. There was a jacuzzi aboard the ship, in which Anko and I jumped first when it was still pretty cold. Crazy dutch people...
The second day we went off the ship, to whitehaven beach. One of the most beautiful beaches in the world, where the sand is really pure. 97,8% silica, which makes it really white and fine. In the water we spotted some sting rays, and we went to a higher lookout point, from where you could see the whole lagoon. Magnificent view!
In the afternoon I went scuba diving. Here my PADI diving license whioh i got in Thailand really paid off, because me and another guy could go straight to the good diving spot, while everyone else got a sort of introduction lesson close to the beach. We saw loads of fish, including nemo's, and a giant 1,5m fish called Elvis, which is so used to divers you can just touch it. Diving is still one of the coolest things i have done in my life. Can't wait to get to Cairns, where the reef is supposed to be even brighter!
Back on the boat we had a delicious dinner prepared by Erica, the cook. She was definitely my favorite crew member!
At night it was again party time. This time the crew had prepared a few of the games we heard so much about. First we all had to change in a crazy outfit from a bix dressing chest. Everybody got on the dancefloor, and when the music stopped, you had to group up with people in groups of 4 or 6, and for example do a rowing act sitting on the ground. Other games were sex positions, human pyramid, etc. And then there was a game that made me understand all of the stories: in teams of 4, one person had to wear as many pieces of cloth as possible, and underwear counted for 5 points. Luckily I was out of the game already when that happened:p Well, no need to explain the sight of that, but it wasnt suitable for prude or weener-phobic people..
Next day I made another scuba dive in the morning, and around twelve we already went back to Airlie Beach. Anko and I were completely devastated, because of the two days on the boat, so we went to bed quite early. Although halfway through the night I woke up from two people doing it in the shower, i guess that kind of stuff happens as well in hostels...
Next morning we took the bus to Magnetic Island, a beautiful island close from townsville. Townsville is known as the sunshine capital of australia, because it has the lowest amount of rainfall on the continent. And they havent been lying, we had spot on weather for the past few days!
We were in a hostel on the beach, which was more like a resort. Again we met a lot of people that we already knew from Fraser Island or the Whitsundays. That evening there was the full moon party, a big event, really cool. But im talking too much about parties again, so i wont bother you with too much detail!
The next morning we got up around 10, because we didnt want to waste the whole day in bed. There was a koala sactuary on the island, which was really nice! I have held loads of really weird or not very petlike animals, like a koala, snake, bird, some reptiles. And especially for my oncle, I held a reol loife crocodoile! But maybe not the size you would be impressed by.. Ill try to put on the pictures soon!
This morning we went on to Mission beach, known as the adventure capital of the east coast. You can do rafting, skydiving and other wild stuff here. Only thing is that its all screamingly expensive (is that an english expression?). Anko and I decided we will do a skydive in New Zealand, but we are not sure yet about the rafting. Furthermore, some people from the group I flew to Sydney with are hanging out here in Mission Beach, so we are gonna try to meet up with them tonight.
Hope you are all doing well back home, it is good to read about whats going on at home. Sometimes I wish I could be home for just one day, and then go back out here, but I guess thats not really realistic.. Anyway, I'm still having an awesome time out here, experiencing so many things! I'm glad I'm writing all of it down, cause if I get home and someone will ask me how it was or what I did out here, I will either be talking for a full day straight, or i will have forgotten every detail about it and just say: awesome.
Cheers!
-
11 September 2011 - 09:39
Tim:
A.w.e.s.o.m.e! Trouwens, voordat ik het vergeet: Nieuw Zeeland? Say what? Sinds wanneer ga je daar ook heen!? Damnit, sounds like you're having a whale of a time mate! Wat betreft die boot, ik geloof er natuurlijk niks van dat je niet wist wat er daar allemaal plaatsvond:p. Geniet er nog van vriend! Snel een keer skypen??? p.s. it's not the size of the croc that counts, it's.... what you do with it? ofzo.. -
11 September 2011 - 10:43
Dad:
So you did some diving! Awesome! WARNING, like I did when you were in Thailand: stay away from the Portuguese Man o' War (Physalia physalis) also known as Portugese oorlogsschip. -
11 September 2011 - 14:35
Oom Rob:
Good for you mate, better one crocodoile in the hand than ..
Do you think that clothing game would be something for our local Bingo evenings? -
11 September 2011 - 18:31
Mama:
Good to read that you're still having a great time! I must say that I cannot quite follow the details of the clothing game, but it sounds exciting. We are looking forward to the pictures of you and the crocodile, the snake and the koala. We want to see them all!! -
12 September 2011 - 09:42
Mama:
Thanks for the pictures, mate! They're great! -
13 September 2011 - 07:04
Dad:
Nice zoo pics! Next I 'd like to see a picture of you hanging out a kangaroo's pouch. -
16 September 2011 - 18:29
Eduard:
The reverend recently said to me:
Wine is men's enemy, but the bible says: love thy enemy too..
Reading your stories, I would say that you've no need of a good religious advice.
I like your style of writing, very vivid with a touch of Jaap.
Life is long when it's filled, so keep filling. (and I don't mean the alcohol here...)
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Je kunt nu ook Smileys gebruiken. Via de toolbar, toetsenbord of door eerst : te typen en dan een woord bijvoorbeeld :smiley
