The Final Days

Today is the day. It is Great Barrier Reef Day, I am so excited. My recent passion for scuba diving is about to reach its peak. The chance to dive the Reef is a great opportunity. I know that the dives I did back in the Whitsundays are in the Great Barrier Reef but up towards Cairns are the reefs that you often see in the movies and what you think of when you think GBR. The boat is a big one and once we are all loaded on all I can think about are the dives. I have already signed up for both and have decided to rent a camera for the dives. This is also the first time that being qualified means a cheaper dive for myself and the few others on the boat who are also qualified.

The next day we have a great day out around the Atherton Tableland on a bus. We visit a number of sights including Babinda Creek, Josephine Falls, Crawford Lookout, Millaa Millaa Falls, the Curtain Fig Tree and Lake Eacham. It’s a great day that highlights some of the natural beauty of this country: a wholesome day spent in nature with beautiful views, friends and dips in a creek and waterfall or two. Some of the group seem especially taken with the Curtain Fig tree and I have to say it was a rather impressive sight. Even more so when you think about how old this tree must be considering the size of it. All in all a rather chilled and healthy day considering how hectic the last few months of my life have been. The day ended how it went, pretty chilled and wholesome. A group of us shared a meal and went to bed early.

Both of the dives are good, but I am not sure I could have a bad dive. I have a bit of a problem with the camera on the first dive at Hastings Reef, it seems to not be working but it's not the end of the world. To be honest the dives aren’t anything spectacular in terms of sightings. Don’t get me wrong, anytime I dive I find it exciting but I have learnt that most people aren’t that interested in a Moorish idol or Trigger fish or other more common fish. It is a good dive and interesting to see that, as the guide is clearly new and still in training, we are followed by a more experienced diver. This turns out well as it means I can stick at the back of the group and focus on a photo or two without holding anyone up. The second dive at Hastings Reef (Split Bommie & Stepping Stones) although also not having the best of animal sightings, is a place that has some amazing rock and coral sightings. After the boat trip it is a pretty chilled afternoon at the hostel ending with a Love Island themed club night in which the final couple was presented with a Split or Steal option for the money and, somewhat predictably, in my opinion, the man stole.

GBR diving

Magical – I can't believe I'm here

Babinda Creek

Blooming Bromance (Dan and I) at Millaa Millaa Falls

Josephine Falls

Chiara, Raphaela and me (team GTG) at Babinda Creek

At the Curtain Fig Tree

Charlie's drone shot of Lake Eacham

The following day I was partaking in an activity that not many of the group had signed up for, Bungee Jumping! It is Aron, Amy and myself who are taking the plunge. I have to say although exhilarating I find the whole thing rather more nerve wrecking than I expect. The skydive seemed to come easy but I suppose being the one that actually has to do the jumping is a little harder. I find that even though my brain is saying yes, my legs are saying ”what the f@ck are you thinking? Are you crazy! We are gonna die!.” However, I eventually build up the courage and jump and it is an amazing experience, I end up getting properly dunked in the water below. Aron and I like it so much we go again, this time facing backwards which is just as scary it turns out. Amy does not go again but that isn’t much of a surprise because just the fact she did the first one has thoroughly impressed me, as she was visibly shaking with fear as we walked to the platform. Once we are all back at the hostel we start preparing for our final bar crawl and white lies tee shirts. A simple concept: everyone wears a white tee and everyone else writes ‘white lies’ about the wearer on it. The bar crawl is a good one with plenty of drinks flowing and even a dance or two, a final fun bar crawl of my travels.

White Lies Tee Shirt Night

I do however pay for this fun the next day with a mean hangover. I end up spending most of the day in bed only getting out to head to the awards night. A fun little poll that has been going around where the group can vote for people to win certain awards like, best dressed or most tanned. I win worst drunk but am assured it is in terms of the person who drinks the most and that I am in fact a rather pleasant drunk. I’m also the most likely to leave a nice review, probably because I left a great one for for my first week tour guide. After the awards the group meet in the hostel club for some final drinks. These drinks turn into a club night for some of us, a club night that includes a wet tee shirt competition that a couple of the girls in our group sign up to and in fact go on to win. It is an interesting way for the tour to end.

Awards Night

The next day I am checked out by 10am and share a taxi to the airport with a few members of the group. We are all heading to Melbourne and funnily enough are on the same flight. After months of travel it is time for my next adventure. I am not quite sure I am ready to get back to normal life – rent, a job, bills and all that comes with a more settled life, but one thing I am excited for is sleeping in the same bed and a private room for the foreseeable future. Luckily I have some friends that have agreed to put me up while I get settled in Melbourne. For those who have been following along with the blog it is Rachel and Will, who I met in India. I told them I would take them up on their offer!

Some of us set off for Melbourne, as we all finally go our separate ways!

Anyway seems like for now my travels are over, guess we will have to see what the future holds for me… I have a feeling a settled life wont last long.