LIBBY GREENHALGH

Up crack of sparrows again for a toast, done on a BBQ, and vegemite breakfast which always starts the Marmite vs Vegemite great debate. There is never a solid conclusion especially when arguing with Australians about this matter. Anyway after breakfast our guide Matt has his  disappearing hour, he does this twice a day once in morning once in evening and no one is quite sure where goes what he does how to contact him or what we are meant to be doing. Rest assured he always reappears. We all chuckle and are our day begins. Today we are exploring the waterfalls of Kakatu and they are really quite amazing. This is the kind of thing you often imagine and see in films but never imagine you will have a waterfall pool to yourself. In flood a lot of these waterfalls cannot be accessed due to hope much the water rises but also the incoming of the Salt water crocodile, so luckily I picked a good ish time of year to come. But even one of the waterfalls we were due to go...

From the moment I step out the aeroplane,  yes I made it after some discussion and a very kind check in man,  you are hit with that decidedly warmer humid air of the tropics,  the jumper and trousers I have on are wholely inappropriate. Here is where it feels like the temperature doesn't change but when it's firing up to 40 degrees and the down to 28degrees that is actually quite a range. I get to my hostel for 2200 and hit the sack ready for my 0600 pick up for 3 days in the National Parks Kakatu and Litchfield. In the morning we are greeted with a 4x4and trailer with bench seats in the back and I manage to hop in the front of the car as we set off to Corroborre Billabong Billabong? the clothing company. No,  it's another word for oxbow lake only these lakes have crocodiles in them. Salt water crocodiles are so called because they excrete salt from their tongue glands unlikely freshwater but have nothing to do with what flavour the water is. The biggest ...

I woke up this morning feeling like my whole body just wanted to stay in bed.  I did have a late night to be fair up doing my washing until gone 2200. BOOM and there you have it that reason I was wondering about, as to why 35+ year olds can't hang out with youngsters!  But after however many days I don't care about that I am most excited about having a clean towel as it had reached the point of not being able to dry me due to its state of salty dampness and the collection of Suncream coffee and tea spilt upon it was definitely not helping either. However it might not have been my late night, it might be the massage I had where I am sure the lady was trying to crush the life of of my lungs and push my calfs off my legs I am not sure where she wanted them to go but definitely not where they are and belong! Anyway I got picked up this morning by the swankiest coach ever leather seats reclining and a fairly full coach,  those single seaters savagely protecting their spare ...

You know it's going to be good hostel when you are greeted at 0530 in the morning by nothing more than a ginger cat proudly sat there on reception to check you in.  Fraser is his name and turns out he is a biter. Having walked to 20 mins to the hostel through a very serene Cairns past their lagoon, much like Airlie Beach,  I am promptly delivered on a free bus back to where I came with my snorkeling kit (the wet towel, bikini and shorts from yesterday and factor 50) to join my exclusive..... 75 people... boat to head out to the great barrier reef. The shoreline here in Cairns is like that of the Whitsundays and you can begin to imagine a mountain range,  now long submerged,  that extended south.  It's an hour out to the reef and on the way I am briefed on my try dive. Remember to breathe- now this is tricky as I like to hold my breath under water And actually that's the only thing I can remember and decided it was the most important. I have always wonde...

Meet your co-pilot Miss Elizabeth Greenhalgh she will be ensuring you of absolutely nothing regarding flying the plane or the safety of the plane,  she will be doing her utmost just to resist playing with all the buttons and pedals in front of her,  which may impact upon our flight !! One scenic flight of the Great Barrier reef,  my first contact coming up,  I will be joining the millions of people before me who have done this,  congratulations, way to make us feel special pilot-guide Onboard we have 4 Japanese people who when asked where they were from said '4people', must be a very small place, a French couple and an American couple and me. With hardly a breath of wind well 110 04,  according to my headset, on the runway. We lifted up smoothly and over the Whitsundays (which I find haven't told you apparently should be could Monday as they got the days wrong,  at least that's what someone in my hostel said so must be true!) and out to the Grea...

Money saving overnight bus where the air con is on so cold that yet again I am thankful for my sleeping liner which comes into its own despite having trousers and Jumper on. I arrive in Airlie at about 0715 and I am off Ocean rafting at 1000, so I toddle along to my hostel in the middle of town it is called Magnums and proudly presents itself as Australia's biggest party bar open until 0230......whoooooo hooooo. Not sure how my 2100 bed time is going to work. So I go to drop my bags off for now as I can't check in.  However,  despite already paying to stay there that night there wasn't to charge me $2 to look after my bag where the rib is opened for strictly 5 mins at approximately the following times. Work that out!  In the end I got it it free of charge but could aid to find out the cost of using a toilet there when I hadn't checked in so went off to find my OCEAN RAFTING FUN.  A big yellow 30 seater rib that the driver carved around the ocean making many ...

It has become apparent that after 35 years old something happens,  I am not sure what though in theory I have made the transition.  But suddenly you can no longer hang with those younger than you and your options become more limited, and after 40 you have to be aware that swimming and snorkeling may over exert you...... Holy chap. Anyway it made me question if ever asked what age do I say but also what do you wide to having done without giving away your age,  or is my grey hair already producing a lost battle.  I love to think people just see the lovely dry straw  blonde I apart to be going in places. So after my Fraser Island tour I returned to my hostel at Rainbow Beach. Fraser of rainbow beach which is actually one and the same as dingos, so if you are going book don't be fooled,  and this time there is a full house in my dorm. Two German girls travelling together, one is either upset or ill or both, but they are both smiling and chatty and by the mo...

After another buffet meal,  it's no wonder people put on weight traveling..... Sit on bus.... See sight..... Sit on bus.... All you can eat..... Sit on bus..... See sight.... All you can eat He he well today we set off to Lake G with a 45 min walk through the sand and the forrest and then suddenly boom it opens up and there are these green or brownish coloured fresh water lakes with steep sided dunes and no one there.  Fresh sand for our feet to leave their imprint on.  These lakes have small fish and cat fish so felt a bit creepy to swim in but plenty warm enough There are 40 of us on our tour of a cross section of groups, that kind of fall into the following categories 1 The retirees- at least two of them remind me of mum none of my dad and have reassured me it's OK to travel by myself their children do it too! 2. The couples -  all shapes and sizes but most seem to have a campervan and are wanting to actually become Australian citizens and the girls wea...