Vacation within a Vacation

Me, Emily, Connor, Courtney, Mary, and Brooks at Airlie Beach!

I have the incredible luck of getting a two week mid-semester break (what us American's call Spring Break) while at Macquarie. First stop? Airlie Beach to explore the Whitsunday Islands!

Courtney, Mary and I left early Thursday for Airlie Beach. We'd heard so much about how beautiful the Whitsundays were, but we had the misfortune of arriving during some bad weather. A lot of the boat trips were being cancelled, and most people were staying indoors.

Courtney and Mary,Braving the Rain

We tried to make the best of it and walked around the area, going for hikes and exploring as much as we could for the first few days. One day we tried to lay out outside and have a bit of a picnic, but it soon became a scene from Finding Nemo with all the seagulls crowding around me and my sandwich.

On Saturday, Brooks, Emily, and Connor joined us! They brought the sun with them, and we spent some time laying out in between the "lagoon" and the ocean, as well as strolling through the market.

Courtney and I by the Beach

The weather stayed beautiful for Sunday and we went out on an Ocean Rafting trip. The trip included snorkelling in a part of the reef and a lunch on the pristine Whitehaven Beach.

About to Jump!

On the boat I met two new friends from England who told me all about their adventures traveling. Everywhere we went there we met amazing people from all over the world who were exploring the world their own way on their own terms. It opened my eyes to all the different ways I could travel and helped me to think about how I want to continuing traveling for the rest of my life.

Courtney, Mary, Brooks and I

Snorkelling was a bit more foggy than it was in Cairns, due to the stormy weather they had been having, but we were close to the bottom, and much easier now that I'd had some practice. Whitehaven beach was extraordinary. It's made of silica and so it's supposed to be awesome for exfoliating your skin.

View from Our Lookout Point

The beach is literally white, and it reflects heat, so it's never too hot, but it means you can get burnt from the sun, water, and sand. Needless to say, I put a lot of sunscreen on that day!

Laying out on Whitehaven Beach

The boat we were on for the ocean rafting itself was a ton of fun. We were the few who got to sit on the edges of the boat and hold on to a special strap, we were flung all over the place and were sprayed by other boats, especially on the way back. The salt and wind tore my hair apart, but it was a blast!

The next day Mary, Emily, Brooks and I went on a jet skiing tour. Brooks and I rode one together, and I found out quickly how hard it was, especially on the ocean, to jet ski.

Me and Brooks! 

It was pretty rocky on the way out, and we were having a hard time keeping up with the ski directly in front of us while trying to stay on the actual jet ski. It was a rocky ride, but it was a ton of fun. When rode out to Daydream Island and enjoyed a nice lunch while chatting with the other people on the tour. While we were walking around I ran into a Wallaby!

What a cutie!

 We then went on a tour of the marine area of the Island where we got to feed massive fish, kiss and hold a shark, feed and pet stingrays, and hold a starfish.

We even saw Nemo and Dory! Brooks and I were flying on the way back, barley managing to keep up, and we returned with big smiles on our faces, exhausted after another awesome day, and ready for another dip in the lagoon!

Brooks and I after dinner

Tuesday we woke up to the news of the Boston marathon bombing. I had decided to block myself from facebook during my two week break, and I had limited wifi while traveling, so it was pretty nerve wracking to not know what was going on, and to be so far from home while disaster struck. I found out within a few hours that my family and friends in Boston were thankfully safe, and we tried to continue our trip, as positively as we could, even while the bad news kept streaming in. Soon news that someone I'd gone to high school with had passed away, there was an explosion in Texas, and a threat on OSU's campus all showed up on my twitter feed. I was thankful for the quick information of social media, but it was unsettling, to say the least. One of my greatest fears going abroad was that something would happen to someone I loved while I was away and I'd have to sit through the 30 hours of traveling in panic, or I wouldn't be able to come home at all. But this experience, like every day here, has been one of learning, and a reminder to tell my friends and family that I love them every chance I get.

We returned to Sydney to repack, and get a few hours of sleep before flying out to New Zealand. Although we didn't always get the best weather, I had a wonderful time exploring the Whitsundays and getting to laugh with my friends along the way!

Until Next Time!
Bethany

Time and Change Will Surely Show How Firm Thy Friendship OHIO