Chapter Six

After living in a lot of places in the UK, I am heading further afield to begin chapter six. Keith will be coming with me...that's him in the picture

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Keith's photo of the day (9th November): Stunning White Haven Beach

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Keith's photo of the day (8th November): Sailing around the Whitsundays

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Keith's photo of the day (7th November): Rainbow around the sun, Airlie Beach

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Relaxing in the rainforest

Three days in Cairns and it was time for me to move on. Rather than travelling by campervan, I am doing the east coast of Australia like a proper backpacker - hostels, budget and buses. Some bus journeys will be overnight and long, but the first one was just a two hour hop down to Mission Beach.

Mission Beach is nothing more than a small village, but it is known for its high population of cassowaries - a bird I hadn't even heard of before I arrived in Australia, but one I was now eager to see. The cassowary is an emu sized, flightless bird with razor sharp claws, a crest made of bone on its head and a vicious streak to match. Arriving at the rainforest treehouse I was staying in for the next two nights, I had already heard lots of stories about how cassowaries can be seen all around the place, even visiting the hostel grounds from time to time. Despite all the talk, I never actually saw one in the flesh, which was very disappointing, but being able to relax in an idyllic rainforest treehouse in glorious sunshine was compensation enough.

So, what's the best thing to do after two days of relaxing? Move on to a picturesque island with nothing to do but relax in the sunshine, of course! And that's exactly what I did, with another bus trip to Townsville before a short ferry ride to Magnetic Island. Magnetic Island is just 52 square kilometres and so called because of the effect it had on Captain Cook's compass when he first sailed past it. There's not a lot to do on the island, but there are plenty of places to explore nature. Over half the island is national park and home to all kinds of creatures from koalas and rock wallabies to snakes and tropical birds. I decided to join some friends and walk through part of the national park. What I didn't expect was the steep and rough terrain this walk would take us on. But, as with most things in this country, the effort was well worth it. From the top of the mountain, we had a 360 degree view of the island with its numerous beaches and forests.

Relaxing in the rainforest has been great, but it was time to continue down the coast and tick another place off the bucket list. Next stop, The Whitsundays!

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Keith's photo of the day (6th November): Boats on a beach

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Keith's photo of the day (5th November): Crazy tree on Magnetic Island

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Keith's photo of the day (4th November): Relaxing in the rainforest

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Keith's photo of the day (3rd November): Paradise at Mission Beach

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Keith's photo of the day (2nd November): Goodbye to Cairns

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Where rainforest meets reef

There are a few extraordinary places in the world that have been honoured with the title 'World Heritage Area', many of which I have had the privilege to visit over the last year. At Cape Tribulation, two of these areas meet - the Great Barrier Reef and the Wet Tropics - making it a place I really wanted to visit. So after a long day of diving, I was up early again to journey even further north into the Queensland Rainforest.

On the way, I passed the Daintree River, where I was told wild crocodiles could be spotted in the undergrowth...it was time to go and find some! The river was brown and muddy, the weather was hot and humid and the tour guide was full of stories of giant crocodiles that had been sighted on the river - not a relaxing boat trip by any means. But when the boat started to slow and veer into the undergrowth, I knew it wouldn't be long unit I saw my first wild crocodile. And there he was, half submerged in the water and doing a brilliant impression of a floating tree trunk. We saw a few more further down the river before it was time to move on to the main event of Cape Tribulation itself.

Now I knew that our destination is where the rainforest meets the reef, but I didn't know what that would actually look like. Unsurprisingly, it looked exactly as it sounds. The rainforest makes its way right down to the water's edge and, in some cases, even into the water, where the reef is ready to meet it. We hung around for a few hours walking through the rainforest, sitting on the beach and wading through the water. It was a great place, but not really one I could enjoy to its full extent. I know I was in the hot topics, but the weather was unbearable. Hot and humid with no breeze to speak of at all.

I'm glad I got the chance to visit Cape Tribulation, but I was even more happy to be back on the air conditioned bus making my way back to Cairns. Next stop, Mission Beach!

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Keith's photo of the day (1st November): Swaying stick bug in the tropical north

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An underwater garden

Diving in the Great Barrier Reef is one of those 'once in a lifetime', 'bucket list' things to do...today was my day. After a flight from Auckland to Sydney, then a flight from Sydney to Cairns and a pretty awful night sleep in a hostel with no bunk beds (it was basically one big mattress in a room...or might as well have been), I was up early to board a boat out to the reef. My trip would take me to three dive sites with the promise of colourful fish of all shapes and sizes, turtles, sharks, eels and an underwater garden like nothing else on earth. I was very, very excited! The journey out to the reef took a while and it was actually strange to be heading to a place that you can't see above the water. But there was no real time to think about it because we had a dive briefing to attend. I've snorkelled before, but this would be my first dive, so I needed to be prepared. We were taught how to put on the equipment, how to regular the pressure we would experience and how to move effectively underwater.

Before I knew it we were at the first dive sight and sitting at the back of the boat ready to take the plunge. Once in the water we made our way down to the depths and began gliding though the reef. It was truly spectacular and like nothing I have ever done before. The feeling of being able to breath underwater was really odd, but I got used to it quickly, probably due to the beautiful place I was in. It sounds strange, but when I pictured what it would be like diving in the Great Barrier Reef, the actual reef did not feature...but it was just stunning. All different shapes, colours and textures, with so many places for fish and other sea creatures to hide, just like a scene out of Finding Nemo.

For the rest of the day, I spent more time in the water than out of it...two more dives and plenty of time for snorkelling. On one of the snorkel trips, I decided to follow the edge of one reef to see where it would lead me. As I rounded one corner, I was met by a white tip reef shark....only a small one, but undeniably a shark. It didn't seem to mind me being there, despite my frantic picture and video taking. Until it seemed to get bored of swimming in circles looking for food and darted off....an awesome experience.

All too soon it was time to turn tail and head back to Cairns. Needless to say with all that swimming, it was a quiet journey back with everyone sipping the tea provided and struggling not to fall asleep. It was an awesome day with so many amazing experiences crammed in. A brilliant start to my east coast trip. Here's hoping the rest of it is as spectacular and fun as the first day!

Next stop, Cape Tribulation!

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Keith's photo of the day (31st October): The underwater garden that is the Great Barrier Reef

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Keith's photo of the day (30th October): Cairns waterfront

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Keith's photo of the day (29th October): Back in Coogee for one day only!

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In hot water

I had planned to drive around the east cape from Gisborne, but time was not on my side...I needed to be back in Auckland in two days. So, instead I cut inland to The Bay of Plenty and then took the coastal road along to The Coromandel Peninsula. It was a nice drive, but I didn't have the chance to stop anywhere to really appreciate it. Oh well, another time! Once in The Coromandel, I made my way straight to Hot Water Beach. As the name suggests, this is a beach with hot water...let me explain. Between the rocks and the sea, under the sand, runs a thermal river with very hot water. Visitors are encouraged to dig for the hot water and create their own pool on the beach - lovely. Unfortunately, I arrived too late to try this on the day I got there, so I got an early night so I could get up early to experience this phenomenon for myself...another sunrise it is then! As planned, the following day I got up before the sun and, armed with my shovel, headed down to the beach. Even on the walk down I could see the steam rising from the streams and as I got onto the beach, I could feel the sand heating up below my feet. There were already a few people there, but I was able to pick my spot and started to dig. Within about two shovels, the water started to fill the hole I had made...and it was hot...too hot. Thinking on my feet, I moved closer to the water edge so the cool waves could crash in too. So there I was, sitting in the morning light in my own natural hot tub waiting for the sun to rise - it was amazing. And the sunrise did not disappoint either...a perfect start to the day.

After about an hour of soaking it up and then wandering around taking more photos, it was time to leave the now packed beach and head up the road to Cathedral Cove. It was turning into a beautifully sunny day and the walk down to Cathedral Cove was a long but enjoyable one...and well worth it! Cathedral Cove is a massive rock separating two beaches. Due to years and years of coastal erosion, however, a giant archway has been created in the rock linking the two beaches. And the effects of the waves and wind was also evident in the islands and rocks out at sea. It really was a magnificent sight.

I wish I'd had more time to explore this area, but I needed to hotfoot it to Auckland to get on a flight back to Australia. My time in New Zealand has come to an end and I feel very sad about it...so much so that I have decided to come back in the new year to work out the rest of my visa :-) But for now, it's goodbye New Zealand and hello to Australia's east coast Next stop, Cairns! (via Sydney)

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Keith's photo of the day (28th October): Sunshine at Cathedral Cove