Thursday, November 5, 2015
Disclaimer: I'm quickly posting this without proof reading as we are leaving for China momentarily. I don't know if I'll have access to my website in China. So here you go. I'll proof and correct later and also add more photos. So check back on the Australia entry in a few days.
After a 10 hour flight (with a brief stop in Tahiti, two lectures, lunch, snacks, more snacks, naps and movies, we arrived in Cairns, Australia. An hour bus ride later, we arrived in Port Douglas where dinner and cocktails were waiting. Yet another feeding?? Well, I'm sure as heck not going to miss this one! No wonder my jeans are so tight.
We had a special guest tonight at dinner, Charlie the Koala Bear. He was just adorable. We didn't get to snuggle with him. A cute photo will have to suffice.
Our hotel, the Pullman Port Douglas Sea Temple Resort & Spa, was built as a retirement community. Don't know what happened to the retirees, and I'm not going to ask ... just in case ... you know. But it's now a hotel. Our rooms were actually two bedroom condos. Very nice. I had a lovely two bedroom condo with a spiral staircase leading to a 2500 square foot roof top deck overlooking the pool, equipped with hot tub, BBQ grill, (what a waste! Like I'm going to cook??) tables and chairs but perhaps most importantly, a washer and dryer. Thank God!! I was running low on clothes. I know what you're thinking ... don't they have people to do that at these hotels? Well sometimes it's just good to have a reality check and get back to basics. I did my laundry and then just fell into bed. The next morning, someone asked how I slept. I guess the best way to describe it was ... I felt like someone knocked me in the head with a brick. The minute my head hit the pillow, I was out like a light until the 7:00 a.m. wake up call. After the wine I had the night before ... it think I can feel where the brick hit me, too.
The Great Barrier Reef. How many people can say they have snorkeled here? It's a place I've always dreamed of visiting. Even though I've been to Australia twice, I've not been to the Reef. Well, today is the day!!
I was not expecting much since the SAMoa reef was supposed to surpass THE Reef. Well, whoever told me that doesn't know beans about it!! The Great Barrier Reef is ... well, what's a word greater than SPEC-FRIGGIN-TACULAR???!!!
I was blown away. The corals were absolutely amazing. If one was to take the most amazing thing they've EVER seen and then multiply that by 10, THEN they could imagine the wonders of the Great Barrier Reef. The colors were vivid, the shapes, sizes and varieties of the corals were just incredible.
The fish were like nothing you've ever seen. I could have spend hours in the water, but alas the boat was leaving and I didn't want to be that person who got left behind! So I took off my snorkel and fins and climbed back into the boat. This is definitely a place I could come back to. Who can look at something like this and deny the existence of God? Who else could have created something so wonderful, diverse and alive? I'm speechless!
On the way home from the Reef, we stopped at a Wildlife Habitat and I finally got to get up close and personal with a Kangaroo. Like I mentioned earlier, I've been to Australia twice before, but didn't get any "Roo" time. I can check that one off the list now.
We had a mediocre dinner at the hotel. Of course anything following the Great Barrier Reef would be mediocre in comparison. However, the company was excellent. Bruce, Gail, Pat and our new friends, Bruce and Evette. The food, with the exception of the french fries was pretty sad. Just a note for the record, this hotel has the worst service of ANY. They could take some lessons from the Samoans. Where are the dancers. Nevertheless, we had too much to eat and drink and then off to bed. We have another early wake up call tomorrow to leave for Cambodia.
I can't believe how much of the world we've already covered. Peru, Easter Island, SAMoa, Australia and now Cambodia in only 10 days. Much more to come. Stay tuned.
Disclaimer: I'm quickly posting this without proof reading as we are leaving for China momentarily. I don't know if I'll have access to my website in China. So here you go. I'll proof and correct later and also add more photos. So check back on the Australia entry in a few days.
After a 10 hour flight (with a brief stop in Tahiti, two lectures, lunch, snacks, more snacks, naps and movies, we arrived in Cairns, Australia. An hour bus ride later, we arrived in Port Douglas where dinner and cocktails were waiting. Yet another feeding?? Well, I'm sure as heck not going to miss this one! No wonder my jeans are so tight.
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| Meet Charlie, the Koala. Adorable!! |
Our hotel, the Pullman Port Douglas Sea Temple Resort & Spa, was built as a retirement community. Don't know what happened to the retirees, and I'm not going to ask ... just in case ... you know. But it's now a hotel. Our rooms were actually two bedroom condos. Very nice. I had a lovely two bedroom condo with a spiral staircase leading to a 2500 square foot roof top deck overlooking the pool, equipped with hot tub, BBQ grill, (what a waste! Like I'm going to cook??) tables and chairs but perhaps most importantly, a washer and dryer. Thank God!! I was running low on clothes. I know what you're thinking ... don't they have people to do that at these hotels? Well sometimes it's just good to have a reality check and get back to basics. I did my laundry and then just fell into bed. The next morning, someone asked how I slept. I guess the best way to describe it was ... I felt like someone knocked me in the head with a brick. The minute my head hit the pillow, I was out like a light until the 7:00 a.m. wake up call. After the wine I had the night before ... it think I can feel where the brick hit me, too.
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| Our vessel, the Poseidon on the Great Barrier Reef. |
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| Preparing to dive the reef. |
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| Ready to go. |
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| I can't post all of the photos of the Reef, but this one captures some of the beauty. |
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| Wonder if these are good sautéed with a little butter and garlic??? |
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| How would you like to swim with these guys?? (Photo borrowed from NatGeo headquarters.) |
On the way home from the Reef, we stopped at a Wildlife Habitat and I finally got to get up close and personal with a Kangaroo. Like I mentioned earlier, I've been to Australia twice before, but didn't get any "Roo" time. I can check that one off the list now.
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| Finally, up close and personal with a Kangaroo. Overrated, but fun. |
I can't believe how much of the world we've already covered. Peru, Easter Island, SAMoa, Australia and now Cambodia in only 10 days. Much more to come. Stay tuned.
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