The storm before the Lull

I awoke at around 6.30am when Claire screamed but I wasn’t too alarmed. It was a lizard scream rather than an intruder scream or anything serious. Claire had got up to make herself a cup of tea and opened the cupboard to get a cup out and was greeted with Mr Lizard. I think I heard a second scream; that must have been the lizard. It must have frightened the poor lizard half to death, first by opening the door and second to have Claire’s screaming face in the cupboard door. I had to get up to get her a cup; great start to what is supposed to be a relaxing day, I had my book by the side of my bed ready for inaction, all spoilt now.

It was a grey day completely overcast even though the forecast was for sunny days for at least the next 5 days. We went for breakfast at around 7.30am as we had no milk and Claire was gagging for a cup of tea. The breakfast is free and you get cereal, fresh fruit, tea or coffee, bread and honey or jam, and our favourite driver Patrick was just getting some cinnamon cobs out the oven. I said that it was amazing what he was learning on this job. Patrick looks and sound like Ben Fogual that does that program “Extreme Dreams”, where a small group go off on an adventure to change their lives.

It was a really humid day and even though I had a shower before brecky I felt like I needed another one already when we got back to our room. I took the laptop back to the breakfast area to enter yesterday’s blog and get the next one ready when it started to rain so had to find cover quickly. Its very slow wifi so you won’t get many photos for a while. I will post one tomorrow morning then you want get one for 2 or 3 more days as there is no internet on a sailing boat but I will write them if given time ready to post when we get off on Monday evening. We intend to drive to Bowen after we get off the boat as we have seen Airlie now. As it was raining we had a drive through town heading east towards Shute harbour. It’s about 12km from town and the main road just turns into a car park and the only way you can go is back the way you went in; strange. The photos never look the same without the colour of a blue sky; you can even see the rain landing on the lens.

We stopped back in town to check in with our Whitsunday Island Tour Company called, “Whitsundays sailing adventures.com” where they handed us a bag each and explained the rules. You can only take on board what you can put in the bag and no alcohol should be taken onboard, you have to buy everything from them. All food is included on the tour except breakfast the first day so best get some before you meet at 8am in the harbour. I managed to get special dispensation and am allowed to take my laptop onboard; no way I will let Claire put her water bottle in my bag this time. Before that we must pack the car up with the rest of our luggage (almost all of it from the size of the bag), park it somewhere and walk to the harbour. Breakfast doesn’t start until 7.30am at our place so we will have to buy some fruit and yoghurt to have in our room before we go.

It’s been showery all day today, ever time we go indoors it stops and every time we go out it rains; never mind as long as it’s nice for the next few days. It’s just so humid here today all you want to do is get inside with air con even though it’s not that hot or sunny it’s uncomfortable. We got back from town and got the air con straight on again in our room. You can’t take the air con key off the ring as it’s welded on so if you want to lock your front door you have to switch the air con off on your way out. Claire shouted me because there was a small kangaroo outside so I dashed out and got a picture of it checking me out. It gradually crept towards me then all of a sudden made a mad dash straight towards me, sidestepping at the last minute and disappearing between our cabin and the one next door. At least I managed to get a picture of it this time; I love the way they bounce along but it looks so unnatural. They have two parrots which fly off now and then but always come back for Patrick’s cinnamon bread when it’s put out for them. We have this cane type tree outside our deluxe cabin which has fruit that looks a bit like unripe pistachio nuts. The further north we seem to get the more wild life we seem to be encountering, Claire’s really looking forward to Townsville.

We popped into town for some supplies and to have a look at the lagoon in the rain, grabbed a takeaway pizza to eat back at the deluxe cabin at Bush Village Boutique Backpackers www.bushvillage.com.au and to pack our little bags ready to face the raging storm.

One final twist to our backpackers deluxe room just happened at 5.30pm when the adjoining door between our cabin and the next opened and in walked another couple into our kitchen; apparently we have a shared kitchen and bathroom. They also have a 15 year old child staying in the same room; I wonder if they would mind if we bring a little drummer boy lodger. Nobody mentioned that when we moved in; it’s a good job they hadn’t walked in 30 minutes earlier. I don’t think that Claire will be staying in any more backpackers ever again. Roll on Townsville; rock on Parkway Drive and see you again in three days if we survive the storms, we are going on holiday!

Geoff and Denise will be flying off this weekend while we are on the boat so have a good trip guys and don’t forget your skis!