Forgetting your shoes

I decided on taking a tour after all, and chose one that cruised around the Whitsunday islands and stopped for snorkeling on the fringe of the reef and at the beautiful Whitehaven beach.

My boat was the "Camira", a type of catamaran that only had about 25 other guests on it. The front of the boat had a section where canvas had been stretched across from one side to the other, like a non-bouncy trampoline, and you could lounge around on it, or lay down and listen to the sound of the water passing beneath you. It was a really beautiful sailboat with two tall sails, and it was such a relaxing, intimate way to travel. Whitehaven beach truly was spectacular, with miles of pure white silica sand and blue seas. I met two other girls traveling on their own, one from Germany and one from England, and the three of us befriended each other and banded together against the three perils of traveling alone: no one to talk to, no one to take your picture, and no one to put sunscreen on that one part of your back that you just can't reach.

When you board Camira, the first thing you must do is lose your shoes. One of the crew holds a big canvas bag, and everyone must drop his or her shoes into it as she passes. At first you are surprised, thinking, "Surely I must need my shoes at some point today..." but then you quickly forget all about them. Roaming the boat, sitting near the front, relaxing or eating in the inner lounge, swimming in the ocean, exploring the sands of Whitehaven beach.....all are accomplished without the slightest recollection that you once had shoes and thought you needed them. You feel free and relaxed all day long, and hang your feet over the side of the sailboat as you watch the green islands slide by. You breath fresh air and watch as the sunset changes the sky. You feel loved and protected by God just for being, and feel like a child again. And as the crew of the Camira had warned us (and I had laughed at the idea), many nearly forgot to retrieve their shoes as they left the boat. You forgot you ever had shoes, and it was only as you left that you suddenly remembered to find them. You reluctantly pull yours out of the pile, wishing you didn't have to put them and all the cares and worries you also had left behind for the day, back on again. I want to forget my shoes way more often.

Life in northern Queensland

I'm all settled in here in Cannonvale, a little town right next to Airlie Beach, and about 15 minutes from Proserpine, where my friend Matt teaches grade 3. My traveling to get here was pretty uneventful. I decided to spend my Sydney overnight between flights in the airport, to save money and ensure I didn't miss my early morning flight by getting too far away. While they close the airport at 11pm, there is a no-mans-land in between the terminal and the elevators that take you to the train station that they don't kick you out of. I had asked around about it, and was told to get there "early" to snag one of the comfy chairs. I settled in around 5:30 pm, did some reading and napping, and woke at midnight surprised to see that I was far from the only one taking advantage of this little slice of airport - there were 60 other cheap travelers like myself camping out on the chairs and floors, some with sleeping bags, one backpacker couple even washed their clothes in the sink and hung them to dry on their own clotheslines they had rigged up. I was next to a sleeping asian man with a facemask and earplugs, and across from a nice german guy who was on his way home after spending 10 weeks backpacking and rockclimbing the famous areas in Australia, on his own. He watched my stuff for me whenever I went around the corner to use the bathroom. What a guy. :-)

So now I'm in Cannonvale. My first weekend we went out with Matt's friends and girlfriend to Airlie Beach to explore the nightlife, and had a fantastic night. I spent one evening with one of his teacher friends, Bess, who invited me to a girls movie night with wine and cheese. I really like her a lot, hoping we can hang out again next weekend. This week I'm on my own a lot, at Matt teaches during the day. This is the last week of the term, then he'll have his easter holidays. I've been doing some exploring of the towns and neighboring towns, relaxing and reading at the Airlie Beach Lagoon (basically a free pool on the beach, there is too much danger from jellyfish stings to swim in the water), and relaxing at home - the apartment in Cannonvale, where I have my own room and bed!! You start to appreciate these things more when you don't have them for a while, ha ha)

There are so many amazing things to do here if you have the money....I'm still debating if I'll take one of the days tours out to the reef or one of the islands....is it worth spending another 150 bucks?? Or should I find cheaper or free things to do?? Hmm....maybe I'll do just one tour. After all, my room and board are basically free, so why not? We'll see. I am enjoying the freedom and relaxation a lot even just staying here on the mainland. I've got one more week here - I'll check in again at the end or once I'm back in Sydney!!