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Sunlover By Starlight – Waking Up On The Great Barrier Reef

My heart skipped a beat every time I noticed a new little red notification on the Mail app on my iPhone. We’d been keeping close tabs on the weather forecast for Tropical North Queensland for weeks now, and it wasn’t looking promising. Every new little red dot had the potential to ruin our plans for the weekend… yet again.

We’d attempted the Sunlover by Starlight trip twice already – both times we were left disappointed by terrible weather conditions that prevented us from heading out to the gorgeous Moore Reef pontoon on the outer Great Barrier Reef to sleep in swags under the stars. Would our third attempt be a success?

Spoiler – it would.

MOORE REEF PONTOON

Scott and I arrived in far north Queensland early on a Friday morning, welcomed by the hot, muggy temperature and drizzly skies. Blanketed in a layer of cloud cover, the ride into the city of Cairns was a bumpy one.

Smiling to ourselves, we jumped on the shuttle bus straight from the airport, full of positive energy for our weekend ahead. We weren’t going to let wet, cloudy skies ruin our morning. After all, we’d already made a pact with the universe for perfect conditions for the next day when we were due to head out to Moore Reef. Now, all we had to do was keep channelling our energy and everything would be alright.

When we woke the following morning, we were excited to see just a thin layer of cloud, with the hot, tropical sun beginning to burn its way through. After a quick breakfast at a nearby café, we wandered excitedly to the Reef Fleet Terminal, ready to check in and begin our journey to the Moore Reef pontoon – our home for the next two days.

Once on board, we were introduced to the crew, and to the two lovely ladies from Minnesota who’d be sharing the unique experience of spending a night on the Great Barrier Reef with us. We were briefed on what to expect, and then Jake, the dreadlocked Starlight host and pontoon lifeguard, told us exactly what we didn’t want to hear – “There’s probably around a 90% chance that it’ll rain tonight, so we will have to make a decision whether to stay on the pontoon before the boat leaves this afternoon”.

I refused to let myself get disheartened and continued to channel my positive energy into the universe. Rain? I don’t think so. Nothing was going to ruin our third attempt at Sunlover by Starlight.

STOP – TURTLE TIME

After the boat had left the harbour and we were finally on our way to the reef, we ran into our old friend Pablo – one of Sunlover’s resident marine biologists. He took us on a snorkel safari on our first visit to the pontoon last year, and he was very excited to take us out again this time around. As soon as the boat docked, we were straight onto the pontoon and into the water with Pablo by our side.

Snorkelling is always fun, but it’s even more so when you have a passionate marine biologist teaching you about the reef at the same time. It was like being in a real-life documentary; Pablo would dive down or point out a section of the reef, or creature swimming by, and then he’d come to the surface and tell us all about it. I’d put my head under the water just enough to see but kept my ears above, so I could hear Pablo. It was incredible!

It wasn’t long before we saw our first turtle for the weekend. It was literal minutes after we’d jumped off the pontoon, and I was beyond excited to be the first one to see it. I spluttered “TURTLE!” through my snorkel and gestured wildly in the direction of the graceful animal, who was gliding through the water looking for something to eat. We swam up to her (we knew she was female, as Pablo had already informed us that all resident turtles of Moore Reef are ladies) and floated above her as she dug her head between rocks and coral in search for algae. Over the next two days, I’d spend the large majority of my time doing just this.

Our live-action documentary continued, and we swam around in awe as Pablo described different types of corals and their function on the reef. The staghorn coral for example, a very common sight on Moore Reef, grows about 15cm per year, meaning it can regenerate fairly quickly. Pablo dove down a few times and showed us exactly where new corals were growing, which was so cool to see.

A RARE SIGHTING

As we swam around the drop off, there wasn’t much to see in the distance apart from a deep shade of blue. Suddenly, under the water, we heard Pablo calling out, “Get back, get back!” Now, this isn’t exactly what you want to hear while swimming around a coral reef drop off in the middle of the ocean, and for a brief moment I started to panic…

I turned around in time to see a very large fish swim casually into view from the depths and realised immediately that this wasn’t a regular, or dangerous, occurrence.

It was a Humphead Parrotfish, and it was enormous. It had a large bulge on the top of its head, which it used with great force to bump into the coral beds before opening its mouth and devouring the coral with its large beak. The crunching sound you hear under the water while these guys are feeding is unbelievable! Think of the loudest eater you know and times it by a hundred – that’s the Humphead Parrotfish.

Can you spot Pablo and I in this shot? These HumpHead Parrotfish were massive!

We finished our snorkel tour and I headed back to the pontoon for a rest. Scott decided to stay in the water, and Pablo took another group on safari. I was standing at the edge of the pontoon when I saw Pablo gesturing towards Scott, who quickly swam over. Pablo then spotted me on the pontoon, “Courtney! Quick!” he cried. Without hesitation, I grabbed my snorkel and fins and jumped back into the ocean and swam as fast as I could to the spot where Pablo and Scott had gathered.

I arrived just in time.

Our new Humphead Parrotfish friend from earlier? He’d returned to the reef, this time with an entire school of his mates swimming alongside. There were up to twenty of them, maybe even more, and I watched in awe as they banged their bulging heads against the reef, absolutely decimating it as they all went in to feed, crunching and munching loudly on the coral. It was an incredible sight – and a rare one at that.

It wouldn’t be our only unique moment that weekend.

BYE, BYE BOAT

After an entire morning spent swimming on Moore Reef, we finally had to return to the pontoon and say goodbye to all the day-trippers who were leaving on the boat, headed back to the mainland. For us, our adventure was only just beginning.

By now, the sun had well and truly burned off the clouds, and we were left with a bright, sparkling and completely still afternoon. Scott and I couldn’t believe our eyes – after so long, we finally had what we’d wished for. Perfect conditions.

It was so still, you can barely see where the ocean meets the horizon!

Even the crew were gobsmacked. “We have maybe twelve days like this per year!” exclaimed Jake as he admired the stunning conditions on the reef. We couldn’t believe it either. All our positive energy and manifestations had actually paid off, and we were left with a still, quiet and absolutely beautiful afternoon. For the ten or so minutes before Andy fired up the pontoon’s generator, it was absolutely silent. There wasn’t a breath of wind causing the sound of tiny waves lapping against the pontoon, and no people yabbering away. It was fully, completely and utterly quiet. It was very peaceful.

We even saw a small black tip reef shark swimming slowly around the pontoon once the sound of the boat was nothing but a distant memory; he obviously only felt comfortable to emerge from the depths after all the humans had left for the day. Well, almost all the humans.

Needless to say, it wasn’t long before we all jumped back into the water again.

With the sun now shining bright, the clarity under the water was unbelievable. We spent some time snorkelling around the reef near the pontoon, chasing fish and searching for our turtle friends while Jake and Andy set up our swags on the pontoon. When they were done, Jake called us all in.

“Do you guys want to go exploring behind the pontoon?” he asked. We all nodded in unison. Of course, we did!

Along with Jake, and our new friends from Minnesota, Scott and I jumped back in the water for the millionth time that day, and as a group we ventured off into the still ocean. We followed the edge of the reef right around to the section of reef behind the pontoon, only accessible after the boat had returned to Cairns for the day. The sun shone straight down into the water.

It wasn’t long before we encountered another turtle. Despite losing count of how many times I’d swum with a turtle that day, it still felt like the first time. We watched her glide up from the depths of the ocean, the sun reflecting off the back of her shell. I always admire the grace of a turtle in the water; they move with such elegance and ease, and this one seemed so comfortable with us.

FALLING ASLEEP ON MOORE REEF

We emerged from our sunset swim completely drained of energy, but full to the brim of happiness and contentment. We were greeted back at the pontoon by Andy and an afternoon tea spread of fruit, cheese, crackers and nuts. We replenished our dwindling energy stores, and then headed off to one of the changerooms, which had been converted into a shower. A hot shower, I might add!

Our awesome accommodation for the evening.

After rinsing the salt from my skin with warm water, I changed into fresh clothes and joined the others back on the deck for dinner. With Andy and Jake in charge of cooking the BBQ, Scott and I enjoyed a nice, cold beer while we waited for our dinner.

Finally, our feast was ready, and it was one of the best spreads I have ever seen! I’d informed the Sunlover crew beforehand of my dietary requirements, and I was blown away by the amount of incredible vegan food they’d prepared for me. I’m not sure if they thought there were ten other vegans on board that night, but they provided so much food just for me it was insane! All of it was delicious, too.

After dinner, we were all well and truly exhausted. We sat on the top deck of the pontoon on the large beanbags and watched the giant trevally and other large fish dart around and chase fish in the water right next to the pontoon, which was lit up by lights. Eventually, our eyes just couldn’t stay open any longer and we all retreated to our individual swags for the night.

As I lay in my swag, I stared up at the bright night sky, illuminated by the enormous full moon rising over the ocean. It was hard to see all the stars with such bright light from the full moon, but I thought it was an even more beautiful sight with the moon anyway. Finally, I zipped up my swag and closed my eyes, dreaming of the adventures still to come the following day.

GOOD MORNING FROM THE GREAT BARRIER REEF

I was woken a few hours later by something wet on my face. I could hear something too, loud splashing noises right above me in my swag. I soon realised that the rain had arrived. Grabbing the top layer of my swag, which had been left open in the hot night, I quickly zipped it up over my head, protecting myself from the light, early morning shower. By the time I dozed off again a few minutes later, the rain had already completely stopped.

Around 6am, Scott whispered to me from his swag, “Court, wake up!” Groggily and blind without my contact lenses, I opened my eyes and unzipped my swag. Despite not seeing clearly, there was no mistaking that the sky was completely pink.

I ran down to the changeroom and quickly got dressed, popped in my contacts and washed my face. Then, I joined Scott back on the top deck of the pontoon to admire the beautiful sunrise. There was a low bank of clouds just above the horizon, which reached into the sky like giant, fluffy mountains. Oh, and the colour. So many different shades of pink and purple. Pure magic.

A sleepy, but very happy face.

After admiring the view from the top of the pontoon, we decided to head down to the water. Standing on the stairs, we let the small waves lap against our legs, smiling into the cool breeze. Suddenly, I saw a familiar face – a little, turtle face.

It was Linda!

She floated to the top of the ocean, and we could see her back, where she’d lost part of her shell. Linda swam casually around the side of the pontoon, lazily chomping on a jellyfish buffet breakfast. She hung around for a while, eating and swimming and floating around. It was a beautiful way to start our second day at Moore Reef.

DAY TWO IN PARADISE

It wasn’t long before Jake and Andy had prepared our next feast on the pontoon – breakfast. Again, they’d severely over catered for the single vegan on board, but hey, I wasn’t complaining one little bit. There was muesli, coconut yoghurt, an entire container of mango chia pudding, two whole litres of orange juice just for me, hash browns, toast, and fruit – it was hard not to overindulge and eat every last bite!

Once we’d eaten enough to fill our hungry tummies, it was time to get back into the water. By now, the sun was high in the sky and there was a light breeze, making the reef even more inviting. We grabbed our gear and jumped off the pontoon, ready to enjoy the last few hours of paradise without another soul in sight.

I’ll always remember this particular morning.

THE PERFECT MORNING

By now, my turtle radar was pretty bang on. I knew most of the spots on Moore Reef where the turtles seemed to prefer to look for food, so naturally this was the first place we went after we jumped into the water. It wasn’t long before we found Linda, yet again.

She was exactly where we thought she’d be, and over the next hour we found ourselves in a little routine with our green turtle friend. She’d spend around five to ten minutes munching on the algae on the reef, while we patiently floated above her. Then, as she began to swim to the surface, we’d follow at a comfortable distance, snapping photos and enjoying such a peaceful interaction with her. She almost always swam right up to us, almost to the point of touching, and as she’d take a breath she’d frolic on the surface for a bit, letting us take photos and swim around her. It was almost as if she was posing for us!

Then, she’d swim back to the bottom of the reef and continue her search for food. Another five or ten minutes later, she’d swim back to the surface and we’d repeat our routine. At one point, the two ladies from Minnesota who were sharing our Sunlover by Starlight experience with us swam over to us, and we excitedly showed them that we’d found another turtle. They enjoyed swimming with and observing Linda, but after about five minutes they swam off to continue exploring the reef.

It was the moment that I realised I had a real passion for the reef, and in particular, the sea turtles that called it home.

I couldn’t bear to leave Linda. Yes, there was plenty of reef to explore, yet I just couldn’t and didn’t want to leave her side. I was absolutely entranced by her, and I knew I had to take advantage of our time together before the boat from the mainland arrived again, with hundreds of passengers in tow.

So, there I stayed, on the stretch of reef where Linda was hanging out, for almost an hour. We repeated our above routine many times, until I heard the voice of Jake calling us back to the pontoon. The boat was almost there.

Reluctantly, Scott and I said goodbye to Linda, with hope that we’d see her again that day. We swam over to the pontoon and stood upon the upper deck watching the boat arrive. It was a strange feeling to see the boat return, full of people. Instantly, our serene, quiet pontoon was a hive of noisy activity, and we felt like our private space was being invaded.

Unfortunately, though, we had to share.

BYE BYE, MOORE REEF

Over the next few hours, a heavy cloud cover came through, and we said goodbye to the sun for good. I was very thankful for our beautiful, sunny morning!

Looking like prunes and feeling like salt shakers, Scott and I had a break from the water and headed straight for the yummy buffet lunch while the others were all occupied with getting in the water. We were exhausted, but after a quick feed and rest, we headed straight back for the reef. There were only a few hours left, and we wanted to see Linda once again.

It didn’t take long to find her, and as expected, she was going between casually searching the reef for food and swimming to the surface to breathe. This time, however, she was wandering all around the reef rather than hanging in one spot, so it was fun to follow her around and see where she went, all while exploring the reef ourselves.

In the distance, we saw a massive storm starting to roll in. We decided to head back to the pontoon, dry off and get ready to head back to the mainland before it hit. Well, we had to have a few runs down the waterslide first!

Finally, it was time to leave. By now, it had started to rain as we sat on the top level of the boat, drying off while we sipped hot tea. I was sad to say goodbye to Moore Reef, but also excited to get back to the mainland for a shower and a nap.

THE END

I just wanted to say a massive thank you to Rachel, Jake, Andy, and the rest of the team at Sunlover Reef Cruises for what was truly one of the best weekends of my life. Another special thanks goes out to our mate Pablo, whose experience, passion and knowledge of the Great Barrier Reef is unrivalled.

I cannot recommend a visit to the beautiful Moore Reef with Sunlover Reef Cruises enough, and again I thank you all for a great experience! I spent two whole days playing in the beautiful waters of the Great Barrier Reef, with so much marine life at my fingertips. I swam with turtles for hours, I saw creatures only spotted on rare occasions, and I felt like I really, really lived.

It wasn’t just about swimming and playing and having fun. It was about learning more about the fragile state that the world’s oceans are currently in. When we got home, Scott and I watched the third episode of Blue Planet 2 – Coral Reefs. I strongly urge you, if you haven’t already, to watch this episode. The future of our entire planet and all the creatures on it (including us humans) is at risk. We are the only species who are contributing to this, and the only species that can stop it.

Photos by Scott Ruzzene.

DISCLAIMER – I travelled to Moore Reef as a guest of Sunlover Reef Cruises. All opinions remain my own.

March 28, 2018 4 comments

South Pacific Islands Travel

Mo’orea – An Island Life For Me

written by Courtney

It’s no secret that I’m a sucker for a good tropical island. When your favourite things in life are sunshine, sand and salt water, it’s not difficult to find bliss in the South Pacific. I’ve never been quiet about my love for the stunning islands that span the almost 162 million square kilometres of the great ocean and in August 2017, I added a new favourite to the list – Mo’orea.

LAUGHTER IN PARADISE

Our trip to Mo’orea began with the infectious laughter of our Polynesian taxi driver, who picked us up from the airport on the mainland of Tahiti after we’d driven back from Teahupo’o earlier that morning. We were greeted by her happy face, grinning from ear to ear as we approached her taxi in hopes of getting a ride to the nearby ferry terminal. As we threw our luggage into the boot, she gestured towards the doors, encouraging us to take a seat in the air-conditioned car. Scott, still not quite used to everything being on the other side in French Polynesia, went to jump in the driver’s side, mistaking it for the front passenger seat.

“Oh!” she chortled. “You want to drive, eh?” Realising his mistake, Scott chuckled and walked to the other side, jumping into the passenger seat. “He’s had enough driving on the wrong side of the road,” I told her. Without skipping a beat, she replied “Oh no, you mean the RIGHT side!” before exploding in her infectious laugh. It was impossible not to giggle along with the friendly Polynesian woman; her giant smile quite clearly matched her giant heart.

During the short drive, she told us all about the island of Mo’orea, claiming it to be the ‘most beautiful island in French Polynesia’. We’d later discover that her words were nothing but the truth.

JOURNEY FROM THE MAINLAND

Although the drive to the ferry terminal was short, my face was aching from the massive smile I had stuck on my face from the moment we jumped in the taxi. I was truly sorry to say goodbye to our new friend, who in a matter of minutes had left quite an impression. We headed up to the ferry terminal in high spirits.

After checking in, we headed up to the café at the top of the terminal, which overlooked the harbour. In the distance, we could see the island of Mo’orea standing tall amongst a light cloud cover. We ordered sandwiches and beers, and relaxed while we waited for our departure. As we sipped our cold bottles of Hinano, a familiar song came on the speakers – Kim Churchill’s Window to the Sky – which just happens to be one of my favourite songs. What makes it even stranger is that Kim is also grew up on the Far South Coast of NSW (same as me), so it was incredible to hear one of his songs playing on the radio on a tiny island in the middle of the South Pacific! We finished lunch, and before long it was time to get on board the ferry to Mo’orea.

After a thirty-minute journey, we arrived in Mo’orea – or was it Isla Nublar? I felt nothing but Jurassic Park vibes with the landscape; large mountain peaks sticking up high into the sky, surrounded by a thin layer of ominous cloud. As we disembarked from the ferry, I half expected a gang of pterodactyls to appear in the sky. Fun fact – Mo’orea actually means ‘yellow lizard’ in Tahitian, so my expectations weren’t entirely baseless!

The beach at Hotel Hibiscus, where we enjoyed many sunset cocktails

We jumped in our transfer car and began the drive around the island to our accommodation – the gorgeous Hotel Hibiscus. Yet again, we had a friendly and very knowledgeable driver for the journey. Her list of things for us to do during our stay was endless, and she kept us entertained with her stories about the history of the island. As we drove around the bends and curves of the stunning island, she pointed out the volcanos and craters, and told us that no Tahitians ever go to the top of the craters of the volcanos. “It is a very spiritual place,” she said, “Many Tahitians are buried up there.” I love meeting friendly locals when I travel; their insights and points of view are always so unique, and you’ll never find anyone more trusting than someone who loves their own home.

ISLAND LIFE IN MO’OREA

We woke on our first morning in Mo’orea to the sound of roosters crowing – an island staple across the South Pacific. Although it was a little drizzly, the air was warm, and the sun was trying desperately to come out from behind a thick layer of cloud cover. We had a quick breakfast before heading out for our adventure for the day – a quad bike tour through the middle of the island.

After meeting our tour group and our guide, Fred, we jumped on our quad bikes and go on the road. We zoomed past the sparkling lagoon on our left, and the emerald green jungle on our right. The rains came down again, dampening our clothes but not our spirits! The rains didn’t last long, and eventually we turned off the main road to start heading towards the centre of the island.

Me hanging in the pineapple plantation pretending like I actually drove the quad bike instead of hanging on for dear life on the back…

We ended up in the middle of a volcanic crater, which happened to be the home of a massive pineapple plantation. With the soil being super rich, it is the perfect place for the fruit to grow and flourish. As we admired the impressive view, Fred asked us how long we thought it took for the fruit to grow. “Six months!” shouted a member of the group, and Fred laughed. “Higher, higher!” he replied, gesturing up with his fingers. We all kept guessing until we got it right – it takes each plant two whole years to grow the pineapple, and only produces two at a time (although the second pineapple takes only ten months to grow). He explained that the pineapples grown on the island are for the locals and the surrounding islands only, as the cost to export the sweet fruit to other countries is too high. We were disappointed to hear this, as we later got the opportunity to taste the juice itself and it was bloody delicious!

We finished the afternoon at Belvedere Lookout – one of the best views on offer in Mo’orea. As we stood on the edge of the road admiring the incredible view of the mountain flanked on either side by both the bays of the island, we noticed a French family getting their picture taken. I glanced over just in time to hear the photographer shout, “Un, deux, trois, fromage!” before I exploded in a fit of giggles. For those who don’t know, ‘fromage’ is the French word for ‘cheese’ – hah!

A DAY IN THE OCEAN

The next day was also packed full of adventure – we’d organised a trip with Moorea Ocean Adventures to swim with humpback whales. That’s right, humpback whales.

Oh, how I envisioned this day. I was absolutely beside myself with fear at the thought of entering the water with a creature so large, in the open ocean, but I pushed my fear aside with the thought that it would be such an incredible experience that I would have no time to be scared.

After months of daydreaming about how amazing it would feel to swim with such a beautiful creature of the deep, I finally woke up on the morning our private tour was scheduled. Still incredibly nervous, I got ready and told myself that it was going to be a day to remember forever.

Over two hours later, we’d been battling extremely strong winds as we traversed up and down the northern coastline of Mo’orea, in search of the giant mammals. We were soaking wet from the spray of the water, but as I shivered and wrapped my saturated towel around me, I kept my eyes peeled on the water. I figured it would take a while to find them, I mean, they’re wild animals living in an ocean. Of course, it would take time, right?

It sure would, but it would take time we didn’t have, as our private tour was only supposed to be four hours long. Not once in my daydreams about swimming with humpbacks did it ever occur to me that we wouldn’t actually find them! I wasn’t deluded; I knew there was a chance we wouldn’t, but after stalking the Facebook page of Mo’orea Ocean Adventures, it looked like we had some pretty good chances considering they’d seen dozens and dozens of whales in the two weeks prior to our trip.

Not that day – we didn’t find any whales. I was disappointed of course, but hey, that’s life. The guys who took us out, Trevor and Ryan, were also devastated and did everything in their power to make it up to us. We did eventually find some black-tip reef sharks swimming in the open ocean beyond the lagoon, so we jumped in the water with them.

Mr Sharky

It was incredible and terrifying at the same time. I’ve had a long-standing fear of sharks ever since I first watched jaws as a ten-year-old and was afterwards too terrified to walk on the carpet in our house because it was blue, so believe me when I say it was a big deal to get in the water with these creatures! The feeling of sharing the water with these beautiful sharks was truly magical; the water was about twenty metres deep, yet so clear the bottom looked like it was mere metres away. I’d be watching one shark as it swam gracefully in the open ocean in front of me, then I’d float around and see another swimming directly at me, darting off as I turned to face it. They were so curious!

We also saw a lone lemon shark resting on the reef below; he must have been about two or three metres long. By this stage, I wasn’t scared anymore. I was just so happy to be able to experience such a beautiful moment in nature.

Afterwards, we took the boat back into the lagoon and spent an hour or so swimming in the shallows with more black-tip reef sharks, and also stingrays, who certainly do not understand the concept of personal space. I squealed in what only can be described as half joy and half fear as the rays would make their way up the side of my body, trying to get a morsel of fish from my fingertips. All were so cool, calm and collected around people, and while obviously they were used to us being there and also used to getting fed, the sharks and rays could definitely have done some damage if they wanted to. It was yet another ‘pinch me’ moment where I couldn’t believe how lucky I was.

Just casually floating in the lagoon with multiple sharks and rays behind me!

BYE, BYE MO’OREA

We spent the next couple of days enjoying the island; from hiring kayaks and paddling back to the lagoon where we’d met the sharks and stingrays, to drinking pina coladas as we watched the sun set over the Pacific Ocean. Mo’orea had stolen our hearts, and we knew that we’d have to come back soon…

For now though, here are a few more snaps from our adventures:

The road just after it rained while we were on the quad bikes… such vibrant colours!

The stunning water in Mo’orea

Enjoying the sunshine at Hotel Hibiscus

Staying very calm as a sting ray crawled up the side of my body

January 31, 2018 0 comment

South Pacific Islands Travel Uncategorized

The 47-Hour Day

written by Courtney

It started at 5:30am on Friday, 11^th August 2017, with the soft sound of ‘Dela’ by the Beautiful Girls playing from my phone. I opened my eyes to complete darkness and immediately hit snooze on the alarm. What could I possibly have to do at this ungodly hour of the morning? Oh, that’s right…

My face when I remembered why my alarm went off at 5:30am

It was time to travel to French Polynesia – a moment I’d been waiting months and months for. And by ‘months and months’ I really mean ‘my entire life’. Anyway… after splashing my face with cold water while simultaneously ignoring the glaring stare from my cat Oscar (he knew something was up – he hates when we go away), I was awake.

Scott and I then ventured into the main house, and were greeted by his parents. I laughed at his dad John, dressed in his work clothes, and teased that I wasn’t going to have to go to work for two weeks. Laughing, John gave me a hug and wished us a good time. He’s much nicer than me.

I then said my hardest goodbye – to Keiko – whose tail was wagging furiously with excitement at all the people up and awake at such an early hour. I smothered her in kisses as I hugged her tightly, whispering into her ear that she’d be the only one that I’d miss (sorry, Oscar). Then, it was time to go.

PART ONE

As we drove up Mount Ousley, the sun was beginning to rise, and we were treated to a spectacular display of colour over the city of Wollongong en route to the airport. Varying shades of pink, orange and yellow lit up the entire sky over the ocean, and the colours continued to glow until we reached Sydney.

We arrived at the airport three hours early, said goodbye to Scott’s mum Karen, who so kindly drove us there (thanks Kaz), and despite recent security tightening, we breezed through check in with plenty of time to spare. It was now 8:00am – time for coffee.

Our caffeine fix was granted by Joe and the Juice, and I’m not sure if it was the early morning, or the excitement of travel, or it was just bloody good coffee, but my soy latte from their branch at the International Terminal in Sydney was probably the best coffee I have ever had in my life. Seriously.

After an overpriced yet rather tasty airport breakfast, we headed to our gate to find that our flight was delayed. This made me slightly anxious, not only because I am a little bit of a control freak, but also because we only had an hour and a half layover in Auckland before continuing on to Tahiti. Once I reminded myself that there was nothing I could do, I relaxed a bit…. kind of.

Not long after we took off (about an hour behind schedule), an older woman in the row across from us was unwell. The crew did a fantastic job of looking after her, and she seemed to be okay. Once we landed, however, we had to wait for medical personnel to board the plane to check on her before anyone could disembark, which took about twenty minutes. This was when we really started to freak out, since our international flight to Tahiti was due to take off in less than an hour and we hadn’t been checked in yet.

Luckily, the Qantas crew grabbed our passports, and ran across the airport to check us into the flight while we were stuck on the plane. Once we finally got off (the woman was totally fine, by the way), we were rushed through to our gate and made it just in time for our connecting flight – phew!

Five hours, one movie and a new TV series addiction later (has anyone else watched Riverdale?), we arrived under a starry sky in Papeete, Tahiti. It was 1:00am local time – Friday, 11^th August had started all over again…

PART TWO

We didn’t make it to bed until about 3:00am after landing in Papeete, so when my alarm went off at 6:45am it was immediately snoozed. Several times. Okay, it was snoozed for almost two hours. We were exhausted, and after fifteen hours of travel (time travel, if we’re being technical), we just couldn’t get out of bed. The bright, Tahitian sunshine that flooded our room, however, helped bring us back to life.

It was time to drive down to Teahupo’o, about an hour and a half south of Papeete, where the 2017 Billabong Pro Tahiti was being held. We excitedly took to the road, before realizing quickly that in French Polynesia, they drive on the other side of the road.

Scotty driving on the right (wrong) side of the road.

Luckily, Scott was behind the wheel, not me, so that made the journey a little safer, even though he managed to travel at least a few minutes on the wrong side, realising only when another car appeared in the distance directly ahead of us. Just short of yelling obscenities out the window, Scott quietly merged into the right lane and we started laughing hysterically. Hey, we were very sleep deprived!

The drive down to Teahupo’o was stunning; the Pacific Ocean was a strikingly turquoise blue, and the recent rainfall had ensured that the island was covered in a brilliant display of green in just about every direction. The mountains peaked high into the sky, with clouds hovering just above the tip, looking both ominous and incredible at the same time.

We finally made it to Vanira Lodge, our home for the next couple of days, at around lunchtime. We checked in, quickly fell in love with the gorgeous little mountainside hotel, then made our way to ‘The End of the Road’, home of the famous Teahupo’o.

As we ate our lunch from a shack on the black sand beach, we watched in awe at the kids surfing near the shore. The waves weren’t as large as the ones further out, but they weren’t exactly small either. It was pretty cool watching the future generation of local surfers learning to ride the waves, and perfecting their turns!

It was too late to head out on a boat to watch the Billabong Pro Tahiti comp from the channel, so we made plans to head out the following morning and decided to head back to our bungalow for a nap, because we were bloody tired. We were probably only a minute or two from our turn off when we saw a few hitchhikers on the side of the road, thumbs out in earnest. What the hell, right?

Our new friends consisted of a dad and daughter duo from England, and the daughter’s partner, who was American. They’d missed the bus heading back to Papeete, and needed a ride to the bus interchange about twenty minutes up the road. Always in need of extra good karma, we happily drove them there, swapping travel stories along the way. When we returned to Vanira Lodge, there was not one, but TWO dogs waiting for us to pet them – an instant return on our good deed!

Barely able to keep our eyes open at this point, we hopped into bed with a book each, but only managed a few pages before we were knocked out for good. The 4 or so hours sleep the previous night was really taking its toll, and we snoozed until the late afternoon sunshine woke us a couple of hours later. A light tropical rain shower greeted us as we left the bungalow for dinner, and we enjoyed a Hinano beer as we watched the sun set for a second time on Friday, 11^th August 2017.

Watching the sun set for the final time on Friday, 11th August 2017 from Vanira Lodge.

What was the longest travel day of your life?

August 28, 2017 0 comment

Personal Travel

How Travel Has Changed My Life

written by Courtney

It was about halfway across the Pacific Ocean when I realised what I’d done. I was nineteen, and I was en-route to Los Angeles on my first overseas adventure; I’d hopped on a plane, all by myself, to live and work in an American summer camp for four months. I’d only just left my family home a few months earlier, and I could barely wash my own clothes or cook my own dinner, let alone look after other people’s children all day every day.

What if it was a huge mistake, and I ended up on the first flight back to Australia with my tail between my legs? I’d never travelled alone before, nor had I ever been overseas, and I was full of a sickening, nervous excitement that just didn’t feel right.

Luckily, my freak-out only lasted a couple of hours, and by the time I landed in sunny L.A I was so captivated by the new world I found myself in that I’d completely forgotten about my fears. I’ll never forget that feeling – the moment I realised that I had discovered something that would change my life forever. I had just gotten my first taste of a very expensive addiction…

A week into camp with no worries in the world! Let’s all take a moment to be grateful that I no longer look like this…

Travel has since become my first true love, and it has also become my favourite teacher in the grand school of life. Over the past ten or so years since that first trip, I’ve become a different person. With every new adventure, I learn something new about myself. Here are 5 ways travel has changed my life:

#1: It has taught me how to be independent

Growing up in a small town on the Far South Coast of NSW in Australia, I always relied on my family and friends to support me through the tough times. With plenty of schoolmates and an extended family that stretched across half the town, I never lacked in finding someone to look after me, to allow me to lean on them in times of need, or to simply keep me company when I was lonely.

The first thing I learnt from that first trip overseas was independence. I wasn’t used to doing things on my own, and by stepping out of my comfort zone by going on my first overseas trip alone made me feel liberated and free. I realised that I was capable of looking after myself, no matter what.

I also learnt how to be content with my own company. During my last week in the States, I found myself in San Francisco, all alone. My travel buddies from camp had all left to go home or travel elsewhere, so I was by myself. I’m not going to lie – that week was my least favourite part of the entire trip. I hated being alone, unable to share my experiences with someone else. However, as the week went on, I began to feel more comfortable with my own company, and actually began to enjoy myself!

These days, I love exploring on my own!

#2: It has allowed me to experience new cultures

Travel is all about experiencing new cultures, and seeing firsthand how the rest of the world live. We are all humans, but we couldn’t be more different in our ways of life. For example, we all eat and drink, and obviously, we all need to use the bathroom. I’ll never forget the first time I visited Asia and experienced their squat toilets. Terrified about falling in, it took me a few encounters before I worked up the courage to give it a go. Afterwards, I couldn’t stop laughing at how unusual it was, and I’m sure there are Asian travellers who visit my home country and laugh at how unusual our toilets must seem!

Another hilarious cultural difference I have experienced on my travels was Australian English versus American English. Until I went to the US, I had no idea how different our languages really were. The first (and last) time I asked a bunk full of 12 and 13-year-old campers to “grab their thongs”, I was met with shocked faces and uncontrollable laughter. It took me a few minutes to realise that the word ‘thong’ had a very different meaning in the US than it does in Australia!

Learning about new cultures is what helps us understand them, and if everyone understood each other’s cultures, perhaps there wouldn’t be as much hate in our beautiful world.

Japan is definitely a cultural experience to remember!

#3: It has given me new, lifelong friendships

Some of the most incredible friendships that I have developed over the past few years have been because of my travel experiences. I’ve met some of my closest friends in hostels, at summer camp orientation, during study abroad, or simply out and about during an adventure.

There are countless faces without names forever embedded in my memory, from the couple I shared steins with at my hostel in Munich during Oktoberfest to the two girls I joined for a picnic at an outdoor cinema in Houston. I may not remember their names, but I’ll never forget the experiences we shared.

As for those I have kept in touch with, our friendship is cemented by the memories of the best days of our life, and the special bond we share through our love of adventure will never be forgotten. I still keep in regular contact with my girls from summer camp, and my boys from exchange, and have no doubt that we will always be in each other’s lives.

These guys were my best mates on exchange at the University of Colorado at Boulder!

#4: It has given me a passion and a love of experiences

There’s something amazing about having passion. Regardless of what you’re passionate about, the feeling you get when you immerse yourself in something you love is the closest thing to pure happiness.

If my love for travel didn’t exist, I honestly don’t know what else I would be doing. I have other interests, but travel is something so close to my heart that it is often all I can think about. It’s something I truly enjoy, and something I am so passionate about that I have dedicated all my spare time to creating a blog about it!

Travel has also taught me how to cherish experiences over material possessions. Experiences are just so damn rewarding, and the feeling I get when I travel just cannot be compared to how I’d feel buying a house or a new car, or an expensive dress or pair of shoes. I love giving experiences as gifts, because the memory of an incredible moment is worth so much more than any material item.

Swimming with a turtle on the Great Barrier Reef on my birthday is one experience I will never forget!

#5: It has made me more humble and grateful

Finally, one of the most important ways travel has changed my life is that is has made me a much humbler, grateful person. While I am in no way wealthy nor well-off by Western terms, it wasn’t until I travelled to countries poorer than my own that I realised how truly lucky I was.

Riding horses through La Romana in the Dominican Republic and watching people scavenge through the waste to find food or other items of value almost broke my heart. Being harassed by spruikers who wandered the beaches in Seminyak, Bali, trying to sell cheap bracelets and sarongs may have seemed annoying at the time, but at the end of the day, they were just trying to feed their families.

It is only when you put yourself in their shoes that you are able to comprehend the struggles that so many people in our world endure every day, and it is then when you are able to appreciate your own way of life.

I am also so very grateful that I am able to travel as far and as often as I like. Sure, I’d love an endless supply of money or a job that took me around the world 24/7, but at the end of the day, I have a comfortable, flexible job, little living expenses, almost no debt (let’s pretend my HECS doesn’t exist, shall we?), and a partner who loves to explore the world just as much as I do. That, my friends, is the luckiest life I could hope for.

Travel has changed my life in many ways, but the biggest change has been to my perspective. My perspective on life, and on the world, will forever be challenged by the experiences that I undertake through my travels.

For that, I will always be grateful.

How has travel changed YOUR life?

This post was originally featured on Hello Raya as a guest post.

August 2, 2017 2 comments

Personal Travel

Ultimate Travel Bucket List

written by Courtney

Everyone has an ultimate travel bucket list. Some people may have one or two destinations on their list, others may be three or four. For me, my ultimate travel bucket list is never ending; there are just far too many unbelievable places in this world that I would love to visit. There are, however, some travel destinations that I have spent most of my life dreaming of going to. The world is a big, wild place, and while I have explored a solid chunk of it, there are still so many places that leave me wanting to visit so very desperately!

One of those places was Bora Bora, an island in beautiful French Polynesia, and as much as it still feels like a dream, I will be visiting this exotic paradise later this year (eeeeek!) With one of my ultimate bucket list destinations getting ticked off, I got thinking about the others on the list…

So, where else am I dreaming of visiting one day?

ISHIGAKI ISLAND, JAPAN

When you think of Japan, I’m sure sparkling turquoise waters and sandy beaches are the last things to spring to mind. I almost choked on my coffee one morning as I was reading the news and discovered that just over 1,950km south of the mainland city of Tokyo lies a collection of beautiful Japanese islands, as tropical as can be!

I’ve been to Japan twice, and absolutely fell in love with the country; from the food to the culture and customs, the Asian nation fast become one of my favourite travel destinations. Imagine my joy when I discovered that these stunningly beautiful islands, closer to Taiwan than Japan, fell under the red and white flag.

Upon my discovery of Ishigaki, I immediately ran to my smartest friend, Google, to learn as much as I could about the possibility of a beach holiday in Japan. I found incredible photos of the beaches; white sand and blue water, complete with lush, green vegetation surrounding the shores – scenes you’d usually associate with south-east Asian countries like Thailand or Vietnam. Add in a semi-tropical climate and plenty of natural beauty, and I was sold!

The gorgeous waters of Ishigaki Island, Japan!

SITKA, ALASKA

Ever since I saw the 2009 rom-com ‘The Proposal’, I’ve been dying to visit the small Alaskan town that Ryan Reynolds’ character called home. Now, as difficult as it is to remember anything else from a movie where Ryan Reynolds gets his kit off, I do remember immediately adding the beautiful Sitka to my travel bucket list.

To me, Alaska feels like it is one of the last true wilderness destinations on the planet. Sometimes, when I’m daydreaming, I picture myself arriving in Sitka; stepping off the tiny plane to views of ice-capped mountains standing tall above the small city and glassy harbour. Then, Ryan Reynolds greets me with a passionate kiss before whisking me off to his family’s stunning waterfront mansion, where we then get married and live a long, happy life together…

But I guess a trip to Sitka without the whole ‘marrying Ryan Reynolds’ thing would be great too. Maybe.

Oh, Alaska. You are almost as beautiful as Ryan Reynolds’ half naked body…

TROMSØ, NORWAY

I first visited Norway, specifically the seaside city of Kristiansand, way back in 2012. One of my mum’s best friends lives there, and myself, my brother and my mum all went to visit her family together. After three wonderful weeks in the scenic Scandinavian country, I was in love.

Ever since that trip over five years ago, I’ve desperately wanted to go back and spend time in the north, specifically Tromsø. I am so fascinated by the way the seasons work, especially the whole ‘always daylight in summer’ thing. I’ve actually had dreams where I’ve been there, standing in the sunshine on top of a cliff overlooking the ocean, laughing at my watch which reads 2:00am. Is it weird that I’ve has this dream more than once?

I’d also love to visit Tromsø in the winter to try and see the northern lights. To witness the bright, dancing lights of the aurora would be an absolutely unforgettable experience, and I turn into a little green-eyed monster whenever someone I know gets to see it – Matty, Dina and the Mogstads… I’m looking at you lucky buggers!

Have you ever seen the incredible Aurora Borealis with your own eyes? Tell me in the comments!

KENYA, EAST AFRICA

Oh, Kenya. You’ve been on my travel bucket list since the dawn of time. As an avid animal lover, I’ve longed to see my favourite animals in the flesh, in their natural environment and free from the restrictions of a zoo. I can only imagine the rush one would feel seeing an elephant herd casually wandering across the savannah, or to see a lazy pack of lions resting in the shade!

When I was a kid, I used to be a bit of a dork. Okay, I was like 85% dork for most of my adolescence. Okay, I am still like 85% dork. Anyway, my point is, I used to be obsessed with Sim games. You know, like SimCity, SimTown, SimTower, the Sims… the list goes on. I had SO many Sim games it was a bit ridiculous! One of my favourites, however, was SimSafari. The point of the game was, obviously, to build your own safari park in Africa. I used to spend hours playing, trying to perfect my safari park, all the while dreaming of the day I’d get to visit one for myself!

“My favourite thing about Kenya is how unexpectedly quiet it is in the grasslands. National Geographic and those shows make it look like lions and cheetahs are always dramatically chasing prey, or wildebeest are always stampeding. But it can be surprisingly serene out there.” – Gabby from PacksLight.com

CINQUE TERRE, ITALY

Sei bello, Cinque Terre! Visiting the land of pizza and pasta has long been on my bucket list, but this particular region has always had a soft spot in my heart. I am yet to meet someone who wasn’t enchanted by the five tiny villages along the Italian Riviera.

I can imagine myself wandering aimlessly along the rugged coastline, stopping in at the villages along the way for a gelato. I can imagine the smell of the sea; a strong, salty scent rising from the sandy shores of Il Gigante in Monterosso al Mare. I can imagine the taste of the Sciacchetrà wine of Manarola; the sweet drop tasting better with every sip.

I can imagine the burn in my legs as I ascend the Scalinata Lardarina as I mentally egg myself on to finish climbing all 382 steps with charming Corniglia waiting as my reward. I can imagine sitting by the coast in Riomaggiore, pointing out which colourful building I’d like to call home. I can imagine the view from Doria Castle, a 15th century lookout tower used to protect the village of Vernazza from pirates.

I can imagine that one day, when the stars align, I’ll actually get to go to Cinque Terre, and it’ll be even more magical than any dream I’ve ever had. Can you tell that Cinque Terre is the number one destination on my ultimate travel bucket list?

One day, one day.

ULTIMATE TRAVEL BUCKET LIST

There you have it – my ultimate travel bucket list. I’m sure this list will change and evolve many, many times in the years to come, and I can only hope that one day I’ll be able to tick each and every destination off!

What places are on YOUR ultimate travel bucket list? Tell me!

July 3, 2017 4 comments

Australia Travel

A Week In Cairns

written by Courtney

Anyone who knows me will understand that I am a sucker for a good bargain, especially when it comes to a flight deal. I can’t resist having a little peek every time I get an email from my go-to airlines, and am always tempted to book something just because it is cheap! Plus, travelling is my passion so when I find an opportunity to do it more often for less money, I’m going to take it.

So, when I found $100 return flights to Cairns from Sydney during the week of my birthday, I just couldn’t resist the bargain… and that’s how I found myself in Cairns, QLD for my birthday with my partner Scott and his parents, Johnny and Kaz.

A WEEK IN CAIRNS

Our week in Cairns began at the ungodly hour of 4:00am on a Sunday morning. There’s not much that’ll get me out of bed this long before the sunrise, but a trip to the airport to fly to tropical North Queensland for the week is definitely one of them!

The trip was rather uneventful, other than keeping myself amused by taking photos and videos of an unsuspecting sleeping Scott, and laughing deliriously to myself during the flight. We landed mid-morning, and found our clothes were definitely not suitable for a north Queensland winter. Sweating in our hoodies and long tights, we quickly got our hire car for the week and hightailed it to our apartment to get changed and begin our week of exploring the beautiful city of Cairns.

Welcome Bay, Fitzroy Island

FITZROY ISLAND AND THE ELUSIVE SEA TURTLE

We woke the next morning to a clear sky, full of sunshine – a far cry from the overcast, windy morning we’d become accustomed to in the lead up to winter on the south coast of NSW (yes, I know, we are sooks). Lazily, we got out of bed and began our Monday morning with a coffee on the esplanade, and a tourist guide to figure out exactly what we were going to do that day.

We learnt that Fitzroy Island was located just a 45-minute via boat from Cairns, and was a stunning tropical island covered in a lush rainforest and surrounded by its own fringe coral reef system. It only took a few sips of my soy latte to decide that was where I wanted to spend the day.

An hour later, we were boarding the Fitzroy Fast Cat en route to the island, with nothing but idyllic beaches, tall palm trees and plenty of sunshine waiting for us at the other end. Immediately after arriving, we headed straight to the beach on Welcome Bay, walking carefully across the scattered pieces of mismatched coral to a spot under a large palm.

I SEE A SEA TURTLE

Eager to try out his new Sony A6500, complete with an 8-inch dome port and underwater housing (special thanks to our mate Hippy from Salty Surf Housings for the loan), Scott made a beeline to the salty water with his snorkel and fins. Johnny, Kaz and I decided to relax on the beach for a bit longer, taking in the delicious sunshine.

After a while, Johnny decided he wanted to join the snorkelling fun, so after renting another snorkel set from the nearby beach shack, he came past our towels and generously offered me first use of the snorkel.

“Nah, I’m all good, Johnny! You go first, and I’ll head in once you’ve had enough” is what I replied.

Worst. Decision. Ever.

Within a mere two minutes of Johnny entering the water, we were interrupted from our sunbaking to hear ‘Turtle! Turtle!” We glanced up, and Johnny was waving his arms indicating that he was, in fact, in the presence of a sea turtle.

For as long as I can remember, it has been my dream to swim with a sea turtle. I’ve swum in some seriously incredible waters, such as the Cook Islands, Fiji, the Bahamas, the Dominican Republic and even on the Great Barrier Reef off Airlie Beach, but never have I ever had the pleasure of swimming alongside a sea turtle. In the Cook Islands, I came close to realising my dream, however the turtles were so far in the distance I could barely make them out with my poor eyesight. Needless to say, I was bloody annoyed!

Photo Credit to scottruzzene.com

Scott managed to swim over to Johnny in time to capture an incredible shot of the gorgeous sea turtle (find the shot available for print on Scott’s website here). When they returned from the water and I saw the photograph, I was even more devastated. Was I cursed? Why didn’t I accept Johnny’s offer to take the first snorkel? Did I give off an anti-turtle pheromone or something? Would I ever swim with a sea turtle, or was I destined to live the remaining days of my life without ever experiencing the one thing I have desperately wanted to experience?

I SEE NO SEA TURTLE

After a yummy lunch at Foxy’s Bar, we went for a quick walk over to Nudey Beach on the other side of the island. Following a gently hilly walking track through the tropical rainforest for about ten minutes, we emerged to find a small beach with white sand and startlingly aqua water. It looked like a real-life postcard, and all I could do was visualise a giant ‘Greetings from Paradise’ banner across the bottom corner of my view.

Nudey Beach, Fitzroy Island

As beautiful as it was, it was a bit too windy to relax on Nudey Beach, so we made our way back to Welcome Bay for the afternoon. As we resettled on the jagged coral beach, something caught Kaz’s eye in the water.

“Look,” she said, “Is that another turtle?” We all cast our eyes to the spot she was pointing toward, and low and behold, it was the back of a sea turtle coming up for air! “Quick, get in the water!” everyone cried as I hastily grabbed the snorkel and fins while Scott put his camera gear together to follow me out to the water. I walked awkwardly down the slippery coral in my fins, creeping closer to the water’s edge before launching myself into the salty sea and started frantically swimming in the direction of the turtle sighting.

Spoiler alert: it wasn’t a sea turtle.

It was, however, a buoy. A buoy that was suspiciously turtle shaped. It wasn’t until I got close enough to see the rope and the concrete block holding it to the sea floor that I realised that my turtle dream was not going to come true that day. I swam forlornly to the ocean trampoline a few metres away (yes, it was as awesome as you’re picturing in your head right now), and sat on top, too disappointed to even bounce off the side.

I returned to the shore after a few moments on the ocean trampoline, and swam as quickly as I could through the masses of tiny stingers, whose presence in the water went unnoticed on the swim out. As I got back to the shore, I took off my fins and stepped cautiously on the coral sand, thinking to myself, “Am I actually cursed?” Cue sad face.

BADA BING, BABINDA BOOM

What a view! Babinda Boulders.

Waking up the following morning, I was instantly reminded of the lack of turtle sightings I had the day before. In an attempt to shake off my disappointment, I got out of bed, had a delicious breakfast and got ready to head south of Cairns for a day of exploring in nature.

The four of us jumped in the hire car and began travelling south towards the famous Babinda Boulders – a stunning section of rainforest with huge, naturally formed granite boulders found along Babinda Creek. We arrived mid-morning to find few others exploring the area, making for a quiet, serene environment. We wandered through the well-groomed picnic area until we found the shore of the still creek, hearing nothing but the chirps and hums of native birds and insects in the distance, and gobbling of the bush turkeys who called the surrounding area home.

The gorgeous creek at Babinda Boulders.

After admiring the view, we began to walk down the sealed footpath leading to the lookout points for the boulders. As we made our way down the track, we began to hear the ferocious roar of the water surging through the large granite formations, and eventually found the first lookout. We stood and watched the thunderous water as it rushed between the boulders, admiring the incredible patterns on the rocks that had been forged by the creek over time. It was beautiful.

Continuing down the path through the rainforest, we came across another lookout point, and it was here that we couldn’t stop staring. There was a short, cascading waterfall which relaxed into a gently flowing stream of cool, clear water across the granite formations, surrounded by luscious, green rainforest. We spotted a few Ulysses butterflies fluttering between the trees, their strikingly bright blue wings contrasted against the colour of the rainforest. It was such a peaceful, beautiful moment.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME

As my eyes flickered open the following morning, something felt different. I sat up in bed, drowsily wiping the sleep from my eyes as I tried to figure out just why things just didn’t feel quite the same. Scott rolled over next to me and grinned as he whispered, “Happy Birthday!”

Oh yeah, it was my birthday! No wonder I woke up feeling a bit different, I was a whole year older (28, if you must know). I immediately ran for the big curtain draped across the window of our bedroom and dramatically pulled it open. It was cloudy; the birthday gods had blessed me with an overcast day. I can’t say I was surprised, considering that our overnight Sunlover by Starlight trip with Sunlover Reef Cruises had been cancelled the day before due to poor weather conditions, but I was hoping for some kind of miracle. Little did I know that there would be a miracle later that day…

BOUND FOR MOORE REEF

Despite our much-anticipated overnight reef sleep being cancelled, we were still heading out to Sunlover’s brand new pontoon on Moore Reef for the day. I was beside myself with excitement at the prospect of visiting the Great Barrier Reef for the second time, and even more excited to be visiting Moore Reef. We had previously visited the Great Barrier Reef via Airlie Beach, and were left a little disappointed.

We were greeted at check in by the lovely Karina, who escorted us on board and introduced us to marine biologist Pablo, who would later take us on the best snorkel safari of my life. We got settled into our seats, and began the rough boat journey out to Moore Reef. The trip was bumpy, and more than a few unlucky souls got very seasick, but luckily for us we’d had ginger tablets about half an hour before getting on the boat. Even if you don’t get seasick, I’d recommend having the ginger tablets (which Sunlover kindly provided free of charge) beforehand.

Snorkel safari gang at Moore Reef

After surviving the bumpy boat ride, Scott, Johnny, Kaz and I were the first ones off the boat and onto the pontoon; we were quickly decked out in wetsuits and snorkels by Pablo and within minutes we were sitting on the edge of the pontoon ready to dive into the water. Kaz hadn’t really ever snorkelled before and was a bit nervous, but Pablo managed to talk her into joining the snorkel safari, despite the rest of us being unable to convince her. We jumped into the cool water; our eyes were wide, and we were ready to catch a glimpse of any of the abundant marine life found on the Great Barrier Reef…

THE MIRACLE

Unbeknownst to the rest of the group, I was teeming with a combination of excitement, nerves and fear. I was still incredibly anxious to see, let alone swim with, a sea turtle, and I didn’t want to get my hopes too high in case my ultimate dream wasn’t realised. I figured, however, that with a guided snorkel tour by someone who knows the reef very well, plus a bit of good old-fashioned birthday luck, the universe would come together and deliver to me the greatest birthday gift of all.

Then, it happened.

Pablo began gesturing calmly towards the left, and as I got a bit closer I realised that there was a green sea turtle floating casually just mere metres from us. I began squealing excitedly into my snorkel as I swam closer to the beautiful creature. Her tough shelled body was close enough to reach out and touch, and it took all my inner strength not to pull her into a tight embrace. This was it! It was happening! I wasn’t cursed, there was no anti turtle pheromone. My wildest dream, the one thing I’ve wanted to do since I first learned about the existence of sea turtles as a child had come true. All within ten minutes of arriving at Moore Reef!

I felt like I was floating on air, despite actually floating in the ocean. We all came to the surface after our turtle encounter and I was able to squeal with joy without the restriction of my snorkel. “Take me home,” I cried, “I’ve already seen exactly what I came here for!” Pablo chuckled as we dove back under the water, changing our direction to explore more of the gorgeous Great Barrier Reef.

THIS IS ME SWIMMING WITH A TURTLE

GOOD OLD BIRTHDAY LUCK

I happily floated through the choppy ocean, staring through my snorkel mask at the mesmerising world under the surface, the memory of my turtle encounter still ever so fresh in my mind. I saw what I came to see, my dream had come true and a sea turtle had been swum with. What more could I wish for, right? Well it was about then that we saw our second turtle of the day, swimming a couple of metres away from the coral we were floating above. Again, excitement took over as we watched the creature swim slowly through the reef. A touch too far away to swim alongside, we admired the second sea turtle from a short distance before continuing our snorkel safari to another section of reef.

Alas, the fun was not over! Yet another turtle had graced us with her presence, and to our surprise she came right up to Pablo, basically running into him as we swam closer to her. Her name was Linda, and it turned out that she was quite close with Pablo. You see, Linda lived on that particular section of reef, and Pablo had noticed she wasn’t feeding properly. In an effort to help her, he began spending time showing Linda how to find algae on the reef, and was careful not to support her too much in case she began to rely on him solely for food. When we came across Linda, our third turtle for the day, Pablo hadn’t seen her in about a month, so he was excited to see that she was back on the reef, well and thriving.

OUR LADY LINDA

The section of reef where we’d found Linda the green sea turtle was deep, and we watched in awe as Pablo dove down to the coral near the ocean floor, carefully showing Linda where to find the delicious red algae she needed to eat for breakfast. It was incredible to watch her swim right up to Pablo and almost take the algae from his hands, especially considering that she is a wild sea turtle. Unfazed by the five humans swimming around her, Linda swum through the salty water, gracefully gliding alongside the coral as I watched in amazement from above. This birthday luck was really something!

Linda swimming towards Pablo

We saw another two sea turtles on our way back to the pontoon, and my excitement didn’t waver slightly, even after the fifth sighting. My wildest dream was to swim alongside just one sea turtle, and my dream had come true five times in total, and I couldn’t have been happier. I don’t think the smile left my face that entire day. In fact, I don’t think it has left my face at all since that day. It was my best birthday ever!

THE LAST DAY IN CAIRNS

Our week in Cairns was coming to an end, and on our last day we found ourselves driving up a windy mountain road heading for Kuranda, a sleepy rainforest village at the very top. The sky was gloomy and drizzling with a light shower of rain, and the smell of the rainforest in the wet was delightful. We quickly found a place for breakfast and coffee, and devoured both before setting off to explore the tiny village.

Though quite small, Kuranda was a bustling hive of energy, thanks to the natural beauty and relaxed atmosphere of the village. Markets and little shops adorned the streets, and there was definitely not a lack of things to discover. Kaz and I decided to check out the Australian Butterfly Sanctuary – a magical world full of beautiful tropical butterflies. The largest butterfly aviary and exhibit in Australia, the sanctuary offered us the chance to get up close and personal with the colourful creatures, and we loved wandering around the enclosure learning more about the butterfly’s life cycle and behaviour!

Barron Falls – it would have been spectacular in full flood!

After our little butterfly adventure, we regrouped with Scott and Johnny and decided to check out the nearby Barron Falls, one of the most famous waterfall lookouts in North Queensland. The view was incredible, and we could only imagine how impressive it would be during the wet season, when the falls are in full flood and at their mightiest!

UNTIL NEXT TIME

After an amazing week in Cairns, including the most magical birthday ever on the Great Barrier Reef, it was finally time to head back home. We were exhausted, having barely spent any downtime during our trip, but I couldn’t have been happier. As we walked through the terminal ready to begin boarding the plane, I knew that it wouldn’t be long until we came back. After all, we needed to reschedule our Sunlover by Starlight trip with Sunlover Reef Cruises!

DISCLAIMER – I travelled to Moore Reef as a guest of Sunlover Reef Cruises. All opinions remain my own.

June 14, 2017 0 comment

South Pacific Islands Travel

Smiling Samoa

written by Courtney

On our first morning in Samoa, we woke to what we thought were the sounds of gale force winds tearing through our tiny island resort. As we lazily got up from our bed, Danni and I realised that the sounds were actually of the ocean, only metres from where we slept in our beach bungalow. The sun was hovering just below the horizon, so we sat on the balcony as we watched the bright ball of light slowly rise over the water. The tiny beachside bungalow that we would spend the week calling home was everything I’ve ever dreamed about living in. Located just metres from the sandy shore, our little fale was perfect in every way. However, as much as we could have spent every day hanging out in our new home, there was plenty to do on the island of Upolu in Samoa, and so it was time to explore…

Our adorable little fale.

KITTENS AND SWIMMING HOLES

Before we’d even left home, Danni and I knew there was just one place we absolutely had to see while on our Samoan adventure – To Sua Ocean Trench. Our constant email exchanges in the months leading up to our departure were full of stunning photographs of the iconic Samoan landmark, both of us not quite understanding how something so beautiful could possibly exist.

Then, we visited it for ourselves.

TO SUA OCEAN TRENCH

From the gorgeous photographs, we were expecting the trench to be within a lush, rich rainforest, with a long tunnel stretching towards the sea. When we arrived, however, we were surprised to find a vast, open space, full of tropical plants and a view of the ocean from the cliffside. We paid our 10-tala entry fee, and began to wander around the beautiful grounds, eager for our first glimpse of the ocean trench. Then, in typical wet season fashion, the skies opened up and the rain began to pour. Seeking cover in one of the nearby fales, Danni and I decided to admire the incredible ocean view until the rains had passed.

Our kitten friend.

Before long, a tiny orange kitten had appeared from under a nearby fale, meowing in earnest for a cuddle and a treat. Not one to deny a kitten a snuggle, I coaxed him onto my lap for some warmth. The kitten, however, had other plans. Ignoring my desperate pleas for him to join me, he insisted on giving his attention to Danni, who couldn’t have cared less for his love. I was overcome with jealously as I watched him snuggle into her lap, and Danni smiled smugly as she scratched his tiny head.

TIME FOR A SWIM

Thankfully, it took only about ten minutes for the rains to finally pass, and so we said goodbye to the little kitten and made our way to the ocean trench. As we wandered carefully down the narrow staircase, we caught our first glimpse of the sparkling aqua water through the lush vegetation surrounding the swimming hole. The entire trench came into view as we reached the thirty-metre ladder which extended down to the water. Holding on tightly, we descended the slippery ladder, hoping not to slip and fall into the water below.

After safely making it to the bottom, we put our towels on the small deck area and jumped straight into the salty water. There was no-one else in sight. As we frolicked around in the stunning swimming hole, we began to hear voices. Another swimmer suddenly emerged from one of the darker ends of the trench, and it was then that we realised we weren’t quite alone. The girl was swimming by herself, snorkelling her way around the trench when a huge splash startled us all.

The incredible To Sua Ocean Trench.

We looked up, and realised that someone had jumped into the water from high up on the ladder. Another person was up there too, getting ready to jump. It was then we figured out that these people were with the girl who’d been swimming alone, and they’d swum through the rock tunnel from inside the trench out to the Pacific Ocean. As they swam closer to us, we recognised the young couple from our flight the previous day.

Being the friendly people that we are, Danni and I began chatting to the couple, who were accompanied by a local Samoan tour guide. Their names were Lachie and Kara, and it turned out that they were both from Canberra, ACT, where Danni also lives. Not only that, but we soon realised that Kara worked for the same department as Danni – what a small world!

TAG-A-LONG TOUR

We spent a bit more time swimming and chatting with our new friends and their Samoan tour guide, Sili, before they invited us to check out the blowhole on the cliffside with them. We happily accepted, and the five of us made our way back up the slippery ladder.

We ventured toward the edge of the gardens and made our way down a path which lead to the coast. We scurried over the black, volcanic rock, admiring the views surrounding us. Sili took us toward the edge of a large rock, and pointed down to a hole a few metres from it. “Watch,” he said, before he jumped off the edge into the water. We watched as he floated underneath us and his smiling face appeared in the hole. A few moments later, he emerged from behind us, dripping wet and laughing. “Your turn!” he said.

Nervously, we all jumped into the water and began to swim under the rock. The water was a stunning electric blue, which almost glowed against the dark, black rocks. As we swam toward the back of the cave, Sili told us to hold our breath. Sure enough, a wave then rushed through the cave, causing the water level to rise for a few moments. Laughing and spluttering as the wave left as quickly as it came, we swam out and climbed back up the rock, politely refusing Sili’s offer to jump again.

Sili taking the leap off the rocks.

We walked back up around the ocean’s edge, staring out toward the Pacific with smiles on our faces. As Danni and I said our goodbyes to our new friends, we made plans to meet them at their hotel later that afternoon for cocktail hour.

NEW FRIENDS AND NEW ADVENTURES

We joined Lachie and Kara for cocktail hour and dinner at the Saletoga Sands Resort, about a 45-minute drive from our own resort. Over a few pina coladas, we made plans to pick them up the next day to explore the southern part of the island together. Hooray – we’d made friends!

SAMOA IN A DAY

After scooping our new mates from their resort the following morning, we set off to the south-east part of Upolu, which is famed for its spectacular beaches. With our eyes peeled, we looked for the perfect place to stop for a swim, and when we reached Tagiilima Beach, we knew we’d found it. After paying a few tala to park at the beach and sit in a fale, we eagerly ran to the shore and dived into the crystal clear water. Now, I know I’ve mentioned ‘crystal clear water’ in just about every island post I’ve ever written, but I honestly believe that the water at this beach in Samoa had THE clearest water I have ever seen in my life. Seriously.

It was absolutely stunning, as you can see by the pictures, and we enjoyed splashing around in the perfectly tempered ocean for about an hour before we decided that it was time for lunch. Not far down the road was brightly coloured little shack with the word ‘restaurant’ plastered across the side, so we decided to head on in and see what it had to offer. With incredible views of Lalomanu Beach, we figured it was as good a place as any to enjoy some food and a few drinks!

Stunningly beautiful beaches.

Our friendly (and not to mention fabulous) waiter gave us his recommendations for menu items, and more importantly, the best cocktails. I settled for a strawberry daquiri, but everyone else decided to try the ‘Wake Me Up, Sweet Jesus’ cocktail, which appeared to be the Samoan version of a Long Island Iced Tea.

WAKE ME UP SWEET JESUS

Oh, boy. I am still so glad that I only had one drink, because after just two ‘Wake Me Up Sweet Jesus’ cocktails, the rest of the gang were wasted. If I too had enjoyed one, we would’ve been stranded at that restaurant until we sobered up, which wouldn’t have been the worst thing in the world considering it was next to one of the most gorgeous beaches I’ve ever seen, but we had plenty of exploring to do!

I rounded up my drunken friends, and off we went to continue exploring the island. We decided to drive all the way around to the north side, and found ourselves cruising up and down the windy mountain roads. Coconut palms were scattered across the low valleys we drove past, and everywhere we looked we could only see green. It was the perfect scenery for a road trip, so we pumped up the tunes and admired the incredible views.

Finally, we made it to the other side of Upolu, just as school was letting out. The side of the road was full of young, bubbly schoolchildren making their way home. As for us, we were searching for the entrance to the Piula Cave Pool, which we’d heard was not only beautiful, but one of the most refreshing places for a swim on the island.

Piula Cave Pool.

After driving up and down the same stretch of road twice, we pulled over to enlist the help of the schoolchildren for directions. Taking cover under a shady tree, I couldn’t stop laughing as a drunken Danni tried to ask a group of young Samoan boys how to get to the cave. Between giggles, they eventually managed to point us in the right direction!

CAVE POOLS AND SLIDING ROCKS

We reached Piula Cave Pool to find a few locals splashing about in the water. We wasted no time before we jumped in, escaping the heat of the afternoon. We were surprised to find the water was actually fresh rather than salt, despite the pool being right next to the ocean. We swum inside the cave, and marvelled at the colour and clearness of the water. It was much cooler than the ocean, but it was so bloody refreshing!

Papase’ea Sliding Rocks – we slid down the far one!

Our last stop of the day was the famous Papase’ea Sliding Rocks, located not too far from the centre of Apia, Samoa’s capital. Again, we got a bit lost trying to find it, thanks to the lack of signs in Samoa in general! When we arrived, we made our way down the tall staircase and found ourselves at the top of the sliding rocks. It was steep, and the small pool of water at the bottom didn’t look too deep. Needless to say, we were all pretty nervous about sliding down, and no-one wanted to be the first to do it. Luckily, a group of New Zealand travellers arrived shortly after we did, and it became very obvious that they’d done this before! We watched them slide without fear, and Lachie soon become the first of our group to give it a go.

After watching him slide down the steep, bumpy rocks without dying, I figured I’d give it a go too, and soon realised how much fun it was, despite how much it hurt my butt! We all made it down the few different sliding rocks, and laughed and screamed the entire time – it was so much fun! All good things must come to an end, however, and so it was time to head back to our resort.

Smiling Samoa!

SUNSETS AND SMILING SAMOA

After dropping Lachie and Kara back to their resort, Danni and I began the journey back to our own resort. As we travelled through the tiny villages, we saw all the Samoan families getting together and playing sports; cricket, rugby and volleyball were the top choices, and the golden sunset sky cast an incredibly beautiful glow over everything. There was magic in the air, and as we passed each village, we waved furiously at the locals, laughing and smiling happily with every wave and smile we got in return.

May 25, 2017 1 comment

South Pacific Islands Travel

Journey to Samoa

written by Courtney

In hindsight, sharing a bottle of cheap red wine before a red-eye flight to a new country probably wasn’t the smartest idea. However, as Danni and I giggled our way through boarding, covering our purple teeth with our hands as we passed other passengers, we didn’t care – the journey to Samoa had begun! Resisting the urge to continue drinking red wine on board, we relaxed as the flight took off in the darkness of the night; knowing that when we landed, we’d be in beautiful Samoa.

DARKNESS AWAITS

We arrived at Faleolo International Airport in the dark at about 5:00am local time. Delirious due to lack of sleep, we slowly stumbled our way through immigration and baggage claim, relying only on the excitement of our arrival to keep us awake.

After clearing customs, we rubbed our bleary eyes and headed outside the terminal. We were a good couple of hours early to pick up our hire care, so we figured we’d chill out in the airport until the car rental place opened. As we wandered aimlessly outside, we realised that there was no place to chill at the airport; there was nothing but taxi drivers, airport transfer drivers and tour operators, all with eyes glued to the arrivals gate waiting to pounce on their next customer.

Suddenly aware of the many eyes upon us, Danni and I played it cool, and walked confidently through the tiny arrivals section of the airport like we knew exactly where we were going. I grabbed our car hire confirmation from my backpack and realised that luckily, the rental place was open and we could pick up the car early – phew!

ON THE ROAD AGAIN

By 6:00am, it was still completely dark, but we’d managed to get our hire car – a white Toyota Yaris – without any trouble (despite a few minor language barriers with the Samoan Avis attendant). We put our bags in the back of the little car, then took a step back and stared at each other. “Do you want to drive?” Danni said cautiously. I didn’t want to, but replied “Yeah, sure, but I can’t see very well in the dark”. That was enough for Danni to grab the car keys and take position in the driver’s seat, ready to take us to Apia, the capital of Samoa. It only took us about 5 minutes of cruising down the road to realise we probably shouldn’t have been driving…

We were quite sleep deprived, but the conversation went something like this:

Danni – “How many suburbs until Apia?”

Courtney – “They’re called villages, not suburbs. Also, I can’t read the signs in the dark”

Danni – “My eyes keep dripping”

Courtney – “Gross”

We were bloody tired. With finding coffee as our new biggest priority, we picked up the pace and increased our speed from 35km/hr to a modest 40km/hr, and trudged along in the darkness, watching ever so patiently for the first glimpse of sunlight.

The beautiful harbour opposite the Sheraton at sunrise

HELLO, APIA

As we slowly navigated our way through the Samoan villages, first light began to appear, giving us a better sense of our surroundings. Huge mountains appeared on the right side of the island, remaining dark against the glowing dawn sky, and we could finally see the Pacific Ocean quietly lapping the shore to our left.

As we drove through the quaint Samoan villages, we waved at the early rising locals walking along the road, no doubt on their way to Sunday church. We continued down the road at a modest pace, and we began to notice our surroundings getting larger in size. We soon came to realise that we were approaching Apia.

While not a large city by Western standards, the capital of Samoa was quite populated for the small Polynesian island. We navigated our way through the streets, relying on a small map in Danni’s Lonely Planet guide, until we reached the Sheraton Samoa Aggie Grey’s Hotel & Bungalows. Overlooking Apia Harbour, this colonial-style hotel looked like the perfect place to grab a coffee, so we parked our little Yaris across the road and wandered sleepily in the front door.

Comfortably seated in the beautiful marble lobby, we breathed a sigh of relief. We were in Samoa! We had coffee! We had free WiFi! The sun was rising! Sipping our delicious lattes, we quickly sent messages to our families letting them know of our safe arrival to Samoa, then relaxed until the sun had fully risen over the island. It was time to head to our home for the next week, Sa’Moana Resort Beach Bungalows, located about an hour away on the south side of Samoa.

Whitey standing proud outside the Sheraton

JOURNEY TO SAMOA

Once we’d been sufficiently caffeinated, we left the Sheraton en route to the other side of the island. We’d been given another map by one of the friendly staffers at the Sheraton, so we felt a bit more confident in where we had to go. Since the sun had risen, it was my turn to take the wheel of our little car, who we’d affectionately nicknamed ‘Whitey’ (very original, I know).

As we made the return journey along the same road we’d driven into Apia, we realised that we were in a whole new world. Where we’d driven in near darkness was now fully lit in a vibrant display of colour, with everything appearing bright and animated. It was hard to concentrate on driving when I was surrounded by lively, yellow-tipped hedges, deep burgundy shrubs, and countless green coconut palms.

The locals we’d seen earlier in the morning were now making their way home from church, and waved at us with enthusiasm; huge, friendly grins decorating their happy faces. Waving at the locals wasn’t just a novelty for us, and was something we got pure joy out of during our entire stay on the island. Everyone just seemed so happy, and the feeling was contagious!

After a few wrong turns and driving past the turnoff we needed to go down a couple of times, Danni & I had finally made it to the Cross-Island Road, one of two major roads running straight down the middle of Upolu. If you’ve ever visited Samoa yourself, you will know that the whole street sign/signs in general thing hasn’t really taken off yet, so trying to navigate your way around with nothing more than a tourist map is quite the challenge. Even in our sleep-deprived state, we found it to be an adventure, and we laughed every time we went the wrong way (which was almost every time).

Danni checking out the amazing infinity pool at Sa’Moana Resort

SA’MOANA RESORT

Eventually, we made it to the turn-off to Sa’Moana Resort, which luckily, was actually signposted. The road to the resort was a six kilometre, unsealed dirt path with plenty of chickens, pigs with piglets, and locals milling about on the sides. We carefully navigated each and every bump, and finally made it to the coast, where the shoreline was dotted with coconut palms – the signature of a tropical island. Noticing the colourful bungalows lining the beachside, we cried out in happiness – we were finally there.

Upon arrival, we immediately jumped in the volcanic rock infinity pool, and washed away the past 24 hours in the cool ocean water. We’d made it; the journey to Samoa was complete.

March 24, 2017 0 comment

Australia Travel

24 Hours on North Stradbroke Island

written by Courtney

As I rolled over in my hotel bed, my eyes slowly began to flutter open. Despite the blurriness caused by my terrible eyesight, the first thing I saw were the pretty, fairy floss colours decorating the sky. I sat up, ignoring my slight headache (which no doubt came from the red wine I had overindulged in the previous evening) and checked the time – it was 5:30am on North Stradbroke Island.

I crawled out of bed, and quietly made my way out of the room. I walked outside the Straddie Pub and wandered down the short path leading down to Cylinder Beach. The air was cool, and the pink horizon had cast an inimitable light over the ocean, turning the water into an incredible shade of turquoise. Smiling to myself, I slowly made my way down the stairs towards the sand.

Sunrise swims are the best way to wake up!

A MORNING TO REMEMBER

As I reached the bottom of the wooden staircase, I sunk my feet into the cold sand, and closed my eyes. It was nearing 6:00am, and the sun was just about to pop out over the headland to my right, so I tossed my belongings onto the nearby rocks and made a beeline for the water. The warm, salty ocean welcomed me with open arms as I tossed myself under the waves. I swum beneath the surface for a couple of metres before emerging behind the break, feeling invigorated. Any remnants of my earlier headache had been washed away by the salty sea, leaving me feeling fresh and awake.

I floated on my back as I watched the sun appear; the bright, early morning sunshine flooded the shores of Cylinder Beach, lighting up the crystal-clear water like magic. I dove again under the waves, this time towards the shore. As I emerged from the warm, salty water and felt the heat of the sun on my skin, I had a bit of a moment. A smile crept across my face once again, and I took in the moment in all its glory; the incredibly warm ocean, the glorious sun beaming down upon me, and the fact that not a single other soul was sharing the beach with me. “I’m so glad I got out of bed for this”, I thought to myself, and not a second later I spotted a fin darting through the water.

From my spot on the shore, I watched as about ten dolphins made their morning commute past the sandy beach just metres from where I stood. A couple of them began chasing fish in the shallows; whizzing through the water at rapid speeds, while the rest casually navigated the waves. I watched in amazement at the sight before me; I’d never seen dolphins so close before. Fear was the only thing holding me back from running back into the surf and joining the dolphins on their voyage, but to be honest I was just as happy to observe from the shore!

Magical mornings on North Stradbroke Island

As the dolphins continued their journey up Cylinder Beach, I gathered my things and made my way back to the wooden staircase. I looked over my shoulder back towards the ocean, and knew that this would always be a morning to remember.

24 HOURS ON STRADDIE

Waking up on North Stradbroke Island was something I’ve wanted to do ever since the first time I travelled there for a day trip back in May last year. Realising that a day trip just wasn’t enough time on the island, my soul sister Kobi & I decided to spend the night this time around.

We arrived on North Stradbroke Island (or Straddie, as it is affectionately known to the locals) late on a warm Friday afternoon. We’d opted for the vehicle ferry, meaning we’d have the freedom of a car during our time on the island, rather than relying on public transport. As we disembarked in our questionably coloured hire car (rust orange, anyone?), we trusted our memories of past day trips to get us to our home for the evening – the Stradbroke Island Beach Hotel, a.k.a the Straddie Pub.

Our humble but comfy hotel room at the Straddie Pub

The Straddie Pub is located right next to the gorgeous Cylinder Beach, and offers spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean from its position on the headland. Upon arrival, we promptly checked in before heading up to our room to get changed. Then, we headed straight down to the Wave Bar to sit back and relax with a much-needed Friday afternoon cocktail.

The view from the Straddie Pub at sunset was simply stunning. As we sipped our fruity drinks, we watched in awe of the ever-changing colours of the sky; switching from glowing yellow to pastel pink, then finishing with a deep indigo as the sun retreated for the night. I don’t think I’ll ever tire of watching the sky transform like magic at the beginning and end of each day!

We then continued our evening in the Manta Ray Bistro, laughing together as we caught up on each other’s lives while indulging ourselves with some delicious food. The vibe in the restaurant was lively and energetic, and the service was quick and friendly. After finishing our dinner, we headed downstairs to the bottle shop, grabbed some red wine and continued our festivities in the hotel room.

Cocktail hour!

BREAKFAST FOR TWO

After a quick nap following the incredible morning I described earlier, Kobi and I left the Straddie Pub to find some breakfast. Last time we visited the island, we’d had a great meal at The Blue Room, a quaint, quirky café at Point Lookout, so naturally we returned for another.

The Blue Room is exactly what I’d love to have if I was to ever own a café. With incredible views, diners can watch over the blue ocean in the hope of glimpsing a whale passing by while enjoying brekky. The tables and chairs were of an eclectic style, and no table was the same. Have you ever been to a café, bar or restaurant and instantly felt as though you were home? That’s what it was like at The Blue Room – a welcoming, homely place with plenty of quirk and fun, not to mention the food was incredible! Check it out if you’re ever on the island – you won’t regret it.

STRADDIE BEACH CRAWL

As most of you probably already know, I am absolutely obsessed with the beach. It is, and always has been, my favourite place to be, which is why I was so excited to explore some of the beautiful beaches of North Stradbroke Island.

After breakfast, Kobi & I were fuelled and ready to spend the rest of the day beach-hopping across as many of Straddie’s sandy shores as possible. We headed toward Main Beach, and found a cute little cove between the headlands to explore. We threw our towels on the hot sand, and rushed immediately to the water for a refreshing dip. The surf was big, and we dodged, ducked, dipped, dived and dodged the walls of blue water smashing against the rocks, each wave dousing us with the warm, salty ocean spray.

Some of the clearest water in the world!

SUNSHINE AND PUPPIES

After our swim, we retreated to the sand and enjoyed the sunshine; the cove was protected from the wind and we could lay back and enjoy our surroundings. There were plenty of others on the beach, many with dogs (much to our delight). It was a great place to lie back and people watch, and I wondered how many were locals and how many were visitors. I daydreamed about being a local on an island like Straddie; the lifestyle was something to envy, and the stunning natural surrounds would be like living in paradise every day of the year.

Finding myself feeling a bit restless on the sand, I decided to climb up the rocks on the headland. With my camera tossed over my shoulder, I scampered up the sharp rocks like a monkey, carefully avoiding the wet, slippery sections like a pro. Once I reached the top, I observed the view from above, like a queen watching over her salty kingdom. The water was incredibly clear, and even from my position atop the rocks I could see the ocean floor as clear as if I was floating above it. It was obvious why this place was such a popular swimming spot!

A BEACH TO OURSELVES

After a while, we decided it was time to explore another beach on the island. We headed back up toward Point Lookout, and wandered along the headland. From there, we saw a long stretch of a secluded sandy beach that was just screaming for us to go and check it out. Noticing that there was next to nobody down there, we decided to investigate.

Frenchman’s Beach, as it turned out to be, was just a short walk down a wooden staircase accessible from the top of Point Lookout. As we strolled down the steps, we took in the spectacular view before us; we could see glimpses of the strikingly blue water and white sand through the ponytail palms, resulting in a colour contrast that will always remind me of paradise. The surrounding bushland was luscious and green, and we could hear the chirps and cries of the local wildlife coming from every direction.

Frenchman’s Beach

When Kobi and I eventually reached the bottom of the stairs, we headed straight for the water. Sinking our toes into the wet sand, we walked the entire length of Frenchman’s Beach, admiring the colour of the water (seriously, it will never cease to amaze me) as we battled the wind, heading to seek protection from the rocks at the other end. Finding a relatively wind-free spot below the rocky headland, we made camp.

The next couple of hours were spent swimming in the salty waves, sunbaking on the sand and exploring the many little rock pools that call Frenchman’s Beach home. We had one of those conversations where you talk about your dreams, but in the way that makes them seem like a real possibility right there and then. We discussed how we’d move to Straddie, we’d open a business, and we’d live in a little shack on the headland that we’d passed earlier in the day. Our dreams felt so real in the moment, and for a second I didn’t think we’d ever actually leave the island. It was too perfect.

WHEN HUNGER CALLS

Our plan to ditch our real lives and live a life of leisure on the island was rudely interrupted when we realised that we were very, very hungry. You see, when you spend your day in the glorious sunshine, soaking up that essential Vitamin D, swimming in the sea and lounging in the sand, you tend to work up a bit of an appetite. So, we left the gorgeous Frenchman’s Beach in search of the only thing that could wake us from our daydream – food.

We grabbed lunch at a little café in Point Lookout before making our way back to the water for our last couple of hours on the island. We wanted to go back to Cylinder Beach, the place where I had spent my magical morning, but when we arrived it was absolutely blowing a gale. The idea of trying to lie on the beach while sand whipped us from every angle wasn’t appealing, so we decided to head back to the protected cove next to Main Beach.

Heading down to Frenchman’s Beach

The enormous waves from that morning had settled, and we found the cove to be even more delightful than before. It was calm, and the afternoon sun cast a warm glow over the beach. Again, I threw my stuff on the sand and went straight towards the ocean. As soon as my feet hit the water, I ran as fast as I could through the waves, diving under those too big to pass through. I made it behind the break, and again found myself floating on my back with the sun in my face, feeling more at home in the ocean than I do anywhere else.

BYE BYE STRADDIE

As the sun began its descent, it was time for us to leave North Stradbroke Island. We drove back along the main road towards Dunwich, where we’d then board the vehicle ferry and begin our return journey to the mainland. It was, as it always had been each time we left, a bittersweet farewell. We vowed that next time we’d spend even longer on the island, maybe a day or two or a long weekend.

Our crazy dream of moving to the island, despite being mostly hypothetical and unrealistic, still lingered in the back of my mind as we watched the ferry depart from the dock. As I watched the sun go down over the ocean, I knew that I would soon return to North Stradbroke Island. The next time, however, I may never leave…

February 27, 2017 0 comment

Rarotonga South Pacific Islands Travel

Living like the Locals in the Cook Islands

written by Courtney

The sand felt cold beneath my toes. The sun was slowly sinking below the horizon, painting the sky with beautiful colours. I allowed my feet to sink into the sand as I wandered closer and closer to the ocean, observing the rocks and coral glittering beneath the crystal-clear water. The smell of salt in the air intoxicated me, as did the sound of the waves rolling softly against the shore. I closed my eyes and inhaled, taking the salty air into my lungs. I was home.

The first time I visited Rarotonga, the largest of the fifteen Cook Islands, I felt a strange connection to the small island nation; nothing I’d ever felt before in my travels. I could picture myself living on the white, sandy beaches; spending my spare time collecting sea shells and drinking from fresh coconuts, with sun-kissed skin and wild, untamed salty hair. I still picture this, even now.

The second time I visited the island, all those feelings that I had experienced three years earlier came rushing back to me in dancing waves as I stepped off the plane and walked out onto the tarmac in the early morning haze. The recognisable smell of the island crept up my nose, and I inhaled the musky scent in a long, deep breath. As I looked around and took in the view of the luscious, green jungle behind me, and the strikingly blue lagoon before me, I knew again that I was home.

LIVING LIKE A LOCAL

On that second trip to Rarotonga, we decided it was time to give the whole ‘living like a local’ thing a go. Scott & I found a charming little self-contained unit on Airbnb called Manuae’s Accommodation, and booked a three-week stay. While many of you might think that three weeks is a long time to spend in one place, I must admit that it wasn’t nearly enough time for me. I could’ve spent months in that little unit, living like the Islanders do. In fact, if someone had given me a job, I’d probably still be there.

Manuae herself met us at the airport in the early hours of that first morning, the sun having only just risen as we touched down. We recognised her giant smile from pictures on the Airbnb listing, and the beautiful, fresh frangipani lei’s in her hands indicated that she was our host for our time on the island. As we approached, she embraced us both with loving arms. Within mere minutes of meeting us, she’d already welcomed us as part of her family, and we’d already given her a nickname (Raro Nonna, after Scott’s beloved Nonna, whose loving smile matched the loving smile on Manuae’s own face).

Manuae, in her tiny yet oddly spacious van, drove us down a familiar road, heading south east from the airport towards Arorangi. We passed many recognisable places, and memories from my previous trip to the island came flooding back. I smiled to myself as I thought of those memories, and the memories that we were yet to make.

Our gorgeous boy Chewy

AN ISLAND LIFE FOR ME

Upon arrival to Manuae’s Accommodation, we were greeted with enthusiasm by Shalom, Manuae’s beautiful granddaughter, and the family pup, Chewy. As we pulled into the driveway, we realised in an instant that we’d made the right choice. Our simple unit had everything we needed; a huge bowl of fresh, tropical fruit welcomed us in the kitchen, a shelf full of books stood proudly in the living room, and the lagoon was located right across the road.

As we settled into island life, Shalom was the perfect combination of host, friend and relative. Her infectious smile and friendly nature made us feel as though we’d known her forever, and she was always making sure that we were comfortable and happy. We often came home to fresh fruit sitting outside the front door of our unit; juicy mangoes, fresh coconuts and starfruit by the dozen. I quickly discovered that the island life was something I could get used to!

Now, like I mentioned earlier, three weeks in one place seems like a long time; especially in a place as small as Rarotonga, whose main road circles the entire island for just 32km. So, how did we occupy our time? Luckily, Rarotonga, despite its size, is full of opportunities for adventure…

HIKE, HIKE BABY

Both Scott & myself are both naturally drawn to the great outdoors – there’s nothing better than experiencing all the sights and smells of nature; especially in a tropical place like Rarotonga. We took advantage of the numerous hikes and treks available on the island, trying our best to spend as much time outside as possible.

The view of Mt Raemaru from our unit

RAEMARU

Hiking has always been a hobby of mine, and admittedly I don’t do it as often as I’d like, despite living near several great hiking tracks. In Rarotonga, the island is littered with glorious, tall mountains, most of which have spectacular and unique hiking trails. Shalom suggested we try Mt. Raemaru, as the start of the trek was close. With a flattened top, Mt. Raemaru is easy to spot, and we were lucky enough to have a pretty great view of it from our unit.

One afternoon, Scott & I set off to tackle the hike, which Shalom had told us was reasonably easy to do. We started walking inland towards the inner road of Rarotonga, following the directions we’d been given by Shalom. Chewy, who had quickly become our shadow, decided he was going to join us. Since Shalom had advised us of Mt. Raemaru’s relative ease, we decided to let him join us – not that we had much choice! So, we set off as a pack of three, ready to tackle the mountain. Along the way, we met a few other island dogs, some of whom joined us on our adventure. Laughing to ourselves, Scott & I realised that we’d become the ‘pied pipers of dogs’ – a title I was proud to own! Most of the dogs dropped off by the time we reached the start of the track, and it was just the three of us again as we began the ascent.

Climbing Mt Raemaru

It was about fifteen minutes later when we noticed that poor Chewy was starting to struggle; despite being about seven years old, Chewy’s fitness wasn’t quite matched with the ‘reasonably easy’ hike. His puffing and panting worried us, and without much water between us, we decided to take him home, abandoning the hike altogether.

It was later in our trip that we decided to try again, this time without Chewy in tow. As we passed the spot at which we’d turned around on our previous attempt, it became obvious that Chewy was never going to make it to the top! Ropes and chains met us near the summit, meaning we had to climb our way to the very top. Once we got there though, the views were spectacular. The flattened top meant that we had a view of almost the entire island; from the lightly coloured turquoise blue of the lagoon, to the deep, navy blue of the ocean. We could see the main road, the town, and all the little homes scattered across the island. It was incredible.

MAUNGATEA BLUFF

Another hike we decided to do during our time in Rarotonga was the Maungatea Bluff. We’d heard nothing but great things about the trek, and the view from the top was said to be unrivalled. Excited and determined, we took off on our scooter one morning in search of the track.

Now, the entry to the track was probably the first sign that this wasn’t an ordinary hike. Hidden behind a sow’s pen (complete with little, black piglets), the entrance was shrouded in overgrown flora, the only sign that we were in the right place being a faded yellow marker on the of the trees. Despite this, we continued; ducking, diving and crouching under wild branches, shrubby bushes and low hanging trees. If it weren’t for the markers leading the way, you wouldn’t even believe you were on a hike!

Life in the Undergrowth

About an hour in, we noticed the jungle getting denser, the darkness of the surrounding trees and bushes made it appear as though the sun was beginning to set, despite being mid-morning at the time. It was here that we had to crawl quite literally on our hands and knees (and stomachs), scrambling through the thick undergrowth of the mountain. Now, anyone who has seen David Attenborough’s ‘Life in the Undergrowth’ will understand my concern as we crawled through the darkness; I was just waiting for a creepy crawling with a thousand legs to start nesting in my hair!

As we made it through the undergrowth and pushed away the thought of having to go through it all again on our return journey, we continued up the mountain. The faded yellow markers were getting less frequent, and we took several wrong turns along the way. The mountainside got steeper and steeper as we climbed higher and higher, before we eventually lost track of the markers altogether. Not wishing to pursue the hike without a GPS, we decided to head back down.

It was disappointing to not have reached the summit of Maungatea Bluff, especially considering the effort we’d made to get as far as we did. Next time, however, I’m confident we’ll conquer it (with a guide or GPS by our side, of course).

YOU & ME BESIDE THE SEA

If you’ve followed me for a while or if you know me personally, you’ll be more than aware of my love for the beach. A water baby my entire life, I’ve always sought to be as close to the ocean as humanly possible, so you can imagine my joy at being surrounded by a beautiful lagoon with white, sandy beaches in Rarotonga for three weeks!

The stunning Black Rock Beach

BLACK ROCK BEACH

Black Rock Beach was one of the first places I ever went swimming in Rarotonga, and I’ve loved it ever since I first laid eyes on the spectacular black volcanic rocks nestled amongst the pure, white sand. The contrast of colours is amazing, with the rocks, sand and beautifully turquoise water perfectly complimenting each other in the visual description of the word ‘paradise’. I spent hours lying on the beach, surrounded by rocks and coral, just staring out to sea, trying my best to catch a glimpse of a sea turtle taking a breath, or a dolphin dancing above the waves. I soaked my skin in the delicious sunshine, cooling off with a refreshing dip every ten minutes because it was too hot to do otherwise. I created towers in the sand from the round, flat rocks and mismatched pieces of coral. I took about a thousand photos, because you can never have too much of a good thing. If I ever had to describe my own, personal version of heaven, it would be Black Rock Beach.

MURI LAGOON

On a calm, clear day, Muri Lagoon is the place to be. Surrounded by four tiny islands, the lagoon at Muri Beach is the perfect place to enjoy water activities, such as swimming, snorkelling, kayaking, paddle-boarding and canoeing. Scott and I decided to hire a double kayak to paddle across to Koromiri, one of the small outer islands off Muri Beach. As we made our journey across the sparkling lagoon, we kept our eyes peeled for signs of the abundant marine life that called these waters home.

Channelling my inner mermaid at Muri Lagoon

We parked our kayak on the shores of Koromiri, and set off to do some underwater exploring. As I dived into the clear water, I did what I always do whilst in the ocean – I pretended that I was a mermaid. Chasing the colourful fish around the large coral, I tried my best to swim as gracefully as I would if I had a tail; legs together, rolling my torso with my hands by my side as I navigated the lagoon floor. Video footage would later prove that I certainly did not move with the grace of a creature whose entire life had been lived under the sea, but hey, I tried.

We spent a couple of hours playing around in the lagoon, swimming beneath the surface as we followed the fish or examined the beautiful coral. We floated on our backs, our bodies buoyantly soaking up the afternoon sun as we watched the clouds move behind the mountains. We stared at the palm trees that dotted the shoreline of the entire island, perfectly content. It was paradise, and I never wanted to leave that moment.

PAPUA PASSAGE

One of my favourite places in Rarotonga is Papua Passage – an underwater wonderland full of intrigue, and one of the best places for snorkelling on the island. Located across the road from the half-built, abandoned Sheraton Resort, the passage is a bit of a swim from the shore. Scott & I slowly made our way across the water, wading through the shallows, being careful not to step on coral or rocks. Eventually, when it became deep enough to swim, we chucked on our masks and snorkels, and dove under the water, ready to explore.

Papua Passage

As we snorkelled our way to the passage, we noticed we’d attracted some attention. Tiny, colourful fish began nipping at our skin; it wasn’t enough to hurt, but it was enough to be annoying! Think of swatting flies away during a hot summer day, and the irritation of one landing on your arm after you’d just flicked one away from your leg. These little fish were ruthless! Despite them, we kept swimming, and eventually we reached the passage.

Holding onto the rocks overlooking the deep, we watched with wide-eyed wonder at the sight before us. Countless fish swum in every direction; some darting around the blue water with intense speed, others just casually cruising around. It only took a few minutes for us to spot what we’d ventured out to the passage to see – a sea turtle.

If you know of my love for sea turtles, you can understand my excitement at seeing the beautiful creature swimming around just metres from where we were. I gasped into my snorkel every time the turtle looked like it was heading in our direction, and hoped that it would decide to swim right up to me. Sadly, this didn’t happen, but a few other sea turtles emerged from the deep, so we were lucky enough to encounter a few, despite not getting as close as I’d have liked!

THE ISLAND OF PLENTY

Like I said, Rarotonga is full of opportunities for adventure. It is also full of opportunities to relax, take it easy and just enjoy yourself. The best opportunity on the island, however, is the chance to change your perspective.

Something I realised during this trip was how easy it was to live simply. We didn’t have many personal possessions on the island, just what we needed. We didn’t have many clothes, just enough to get by. We just didn’t have much, yet we had it all. It made me realise that living simply, and having a minimalist attitude towards life was just as rewarding, if not more, than anything else I’d ever known.

Rarotonga may be a simple island, but to me, it’s the island of plenty.

Video Music Credit – Riptide by Vance Joy

February 2, 2017 2 comments

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