John Cornhill

Hello again had a great trip on a catamaran around Whitsunday Islands with about 60 others. The islands are all shapes and sizes covered in trees with lots of beaches. Went snorekling twice a brilliant experience to see all the different coirals blue, all shades of brown, white, gold and the fish! you are swimming in amonst them sometimes shoals of them very close all colours, patterns and sizes. I followed one fish for about 5 minutes it went up and down a bit and round in circles but it didn't seem to moind my close presence sometimes less than a foot away.(300mm if you are under 40!) Also saw 1 turtle! Accomodation on South Molle Island in a chalet. Some of the chalets are right on the beach lots of facilities for visitors. bliss. long legged birds walking round didn't find out their name saw another big white parrot. at breakfast there were 100's lorakeets (squeakys)pinching bits of egg and bacon. 3 landed on my wrist and cup and started drinking my orange juice as I held it bin my hand. They are beautiful birds but a nuisence there. Met Karen who runs a backpacker hostel in Amsterdam called Piggies and her friend Siska who is a psychotherapist working for a unit that is an call for emergency situations a bit like the AA or fire brigade but for psychological crises she is also on call to travel anywhere in the world to collect and bring home dutch travellers who have breakdowns while abroad, usually under insurance situations. I think the dutch might be ahead of us in this area. The trip also Went to Whitehaven beach glorious 8km almost pure white sand very fine another paradise. Some visitors came by seaplane watched one take off. Back to chalet, walked along beach and nature trail to next beac and along causeway to next island tide coming in just met accross causeway as I walked (quickly) back. Went to water the horse under a tree on way back heard a noise listened more carefully heard it again think it was probably a snake hissing at me it was getting dimpsey couldnt see it but sounded quite close and still had to retrace steps along nature trail so didnt hang about. brown snakes had been seen in the area and they are very dangerous some snake bites kill in 5 minutes so every one very careful. Some of the others came accross a snake on the path through the chalets. Met Arastou who is Iranian working in Adelaide spoke english better than most english. Food on boat very good and plenty of it. A few people sick off back of boat when it got rough but otherwise everyone had a great time. Host was Jamie from Canada Skipper australian applying to join south seas coastguard which is highly rated job due to russian and korean factory ships illegally fishing; apparently its a war zone down there between aus and antarctica. Saturday morning now, just arrived in Hervey Bay going whale watching this afternoon then a 2 day trip on Frazer Island recommended by lots of people. I do like Hervey Bay it even has a township called Torquay within it and a very long beach which I am about to go and sit on. All the Best, John John Cornhill