All I could do is just be a tourist at this point and might
as well enjoy it while I am here and hopefully once a while just go to
someplace no one at the tour agency nor any backpacker’s mentions.
Have you heard of xxx ???
Nope … wheres that ???
That’s where I will be going next. Alas that’s what I hope
to do but with time running out in Australia it was safer to stick to the
well-trodden path.
When Hostels are Fully Booked ….
So Airlie beach was fun since I had Noah as company. It’s
amazing how the simple things can be more exiting with a little company
especially company that you have been through the formalities of asking where
you are from , what you do, what you plan to do, where are you going, bla bla
…. More substance and idiotic conversation please.
I almost panicked for Airlie beach but decided to rely on my
instinct instead. Well the night before reading Airlie Beach, Noah and me was
drinking away at Agnes Waters waiting for the 9pm bus and while waiting decided
to check out hostelworld for hostels in Airlie Beach. Apparently most of the hostel
that I saw a few days earlier was now off the list since they were fully
booked. Most hostel that was still on the list had only one night left for
maybe one person. Deciding to abuse my free skype power I called a few hostel
and the horror reply of FULLY BOOKED was rendered upon us.
Sometimes you just have to trust that everything will turn
out well ….. else just sleep on the footpath like a homeless hobo
Waking up at Airlie beach at 730 as the greyhound bus pulled
to a stop Noah and I had a long wait and walk before we could check in the
hostel. For me I still needed to find a hostel. As we started walking towards
town a nice old Irish Guy stopped his car and asked us where we were going and
also gestured us to hop on before we could say anything. His car did have large
banners of Waterfront Backpackers but he was not really concern if we stayed
there or not. 7.30am in the morning and he was a kind soul.
I told him I did not know where I was staying and would not
mind staying at waterfront if they still had space for I remembered in the
hostelworld website it was fully booked. Walking up the reception it was AUD 20
a night with free wifi (although the wifi was broken the entire time I was
there). I booked my stay for the night and with Noah accompany me trying to
find a cheap boat to hop onto for wit-Sundays, so in the end I succumbed into a
2 days 2 nights boat as value for money goes it just makes no sense. The
Waterfront hostel also threw in a free night accommodation and free luggage
storage if I booked with them so I reluctantly parted with AUD 350 for a
sailing tour hoping I would keep my guts for that 2 nights and not puking away
from the seasickness …
I have just locked myself onto a boat … The Condor ...
(Noah was on another boat so we parted ways for a while on
separate Sailing Tours)
Wit-Sundays - CONDOR
Wit-Sunday 2days 2 Nights on the Condor boat is a large Maxi
kind of sailing boat and was surprisingly nice. Almost everything was manual on
this sailing boat save for the fact the boat was fitted with an engine and
motor if one decided the wind is not good enough. Still it goes to say that if
the captain really wanted this boat could do without an engine and sail like
the good old days.
There was only 3 crew member and a captain but there was
nearly 28 of us on board the ship. Sailing time we were to help with hoisting
the sail which was basically the brute force work while all the preparation,
knot tying laying of rope and positioning was done by the crew. Still it was an
insight on how sailing is like. Most of the time thou we just lay on the boat
sun bathing as the ship cruise by to the next anchor destination.
Wit-Sunday was a pleasant difference from all the party
tours I had gone over the years. This was a relaxing one although judging by
the alcohol people brought I could tell they wanted a party. I on the other
hand brought no alcohol for the fear of seasickness was enough to intoxicating
oneself. Snorkel, Sunbath, Sail, EAT …. Boat food was awesome where the crew
made all our lunch dinner and breakfast. We were fed the best 3 days of my
journey. It’s nice not having to worry about food. It’s one of the downside of
traveling, always thinking where is the next place to stay and what to eat.
The main attraction of course was White haven beach where
the sand was 99.9 % silica making it pure white and so fine that even under the
hot sun it would not burn up and stayed cool. The view itself was magnificent
but I had no camera. (Sorry … you can Google it thou)
We saw loads of turtles, humongous fishes, two dolphins,
reefs, loads and load of stingrays and the best star gazing spots at night
where out in the open sea no lights was there to contaminate the sky.
Sometimes you just got to do the tours ….
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