The Whitsundays

23 July 2013
 
It's a grey and overcast day, although it's fairly warm - so we're catching up with internet stuff (had to re-book our flights to Samoa, the other ones were somehow deleted? cancelled?) - laundry - and the blog.

We're signed up for sailing and snorkeling tomorrow, and I hope we have a sunny day so I can get some photos of this gorgeous place - the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park has white sand beaches, turquoise-to-aqua water, and looks just like postcards of tropical beauty!  Absolutely amazing!

So, along with catching up on stuff, we did some grocery shopping - one of the stores we like is the Reject Shop, which is one of those stores that buys odd lots of things.  I've found shampoo and such, but even though it might be a brand I know/use, all the labels might be in Malaysian, or Thai, or even Greek.  Anyway, you know how pictureframes have a photo in there?  Well, in Australia the frame comes with a photo of an adorable KOALA!  

As long as we're on the subject of koalas as part of advertising or filler for a frame, check out the cookies in the supermarket:  koalas and friends (in two flavours, chocolate and honey!) - yup, koala cookies or, in Australian, bikkies (for biscuits).  Koala bikkies!

We bought a pack of the chocolate koalas - they look absolutely adorable, but we haven't tasted them yet.  I'll let you know how they are.  (Chocolate animal cracker dipped in milk chocolate - how could they be bad?)

There's a chocolate bear cookie that often is served with a cup of tea or coffee at cafés - it's customary for more posh places to include a little cookie (bikkie) or treat on the spoon next to the cup of tea/coffee.  So we often have the chocolate bear.  In New Zealand, the spoon often had a candy called a Jaffa - basically, a round orange-flavoured exterior with lovely chocolate inside.  So it's always a little surprise to see what comes with my tea or Richard's coffee.  Just an extra little treat.

Anyway, we're currently spending a few days in the town of Cannonvale, on Airlie Beach, in the Whitsunday region of the east coast/Great Barrier Reef.  Lovely small town catering to boaties and surfers and other beachy people like us.  We're having a nice time exploring the shops, services, cafés, etc.  There's also an artificial lagoon for swimming, as well as the natural beach.  And surprise little mosaics in coffee shops, or along the sidewalk (footpath, here) by the beach.

So we're having fun, being mellow, and enjoying a few days of down time before we go off sailing tomorrow.  Then Thursday we hit the road and head north again.  Cairns is still the destination, but we hope to get a bit north of the town before we turn in the camper - we have a week to explore Cairns before flying out.  

Two weeks of travel along some of the most beautiful beaches in the world!  Woohooo!!!