Amanda Through Australia

I spent my last few days in Sydney with Lynie. Staying with me, Lynie and I had a great number of laughs as the nights went by. Easter weekend came and I had the four days off. Spending Friday to relax, we later went for Vietnamese to catch up with some of Lynie's friends, and her granddaughter Sulianna. The next morning we rolled over to a bright sunny Saturday. Catching up with Suzi and her Partner Jeff, the five of us took the water taxi out of Palm Beach to the other side of Pittwater where we got off at a beach called Currawong. Having a couple hours to soak in the sun, we went for a little adventure up a small path. Scrambling through ferns and uncut paths, we made it to the top of a gorgeous set of rocks and a lookout. You could see the whole back landscape of the northern beaches from the top- it was such a gorgeous site. Breathing in the crisp, clean air, we took in the moment before climbing off the huge rock mounds and made our way back down the mountain side to the beach once more. Jeff, Suzi, and I took a further look along a freshwater stream where we came across a Goanna climbing the side of a tree, and later we spotted a wallaby amongst the trees by the stream. We soon wandered back to the picnic bench by the beach for a lunch of crackers and cheese and some relaxation before we got the water taxi back to the main land. Not sure what to do for the night, we took it easy before heading out for a lovely dinner at a nearby South Indian Cuisine Restaurant. Full of curry, we got back home and called it another early night.
Easter Sunday we took to the city for the morning. To keep up our great streak of eating too much we had Pancakes at the Rocks for breakfast. With full stomachs, Lynie, Suliana, and I then wandered and shopped through the Market at the Rocks. Worn out from a big breakfast, and a morning of shopping we said goodbye to Suliana, and Lynie and I caught the bus back to Newport. Taking it easy to digest all the food consumed in the last few days, Lynie and I had another early night. Monday we continued to be lazy in the morning then took off to Manly for some last souvenir shopping and sightseeing. With another successful afternoon, Lynie and I made it back to Newport for another evening.

With Howie dropped off, a successful skydive in the morning, and an even more successful road trip, it was all sadly coming to an end. After my morning events, Alison and I decided to grab a bite at the quaintest little vegetarian place. With a full plate of all different veggie friendly flavours, I couldn't stop stuffing my face as from the hype of the morning I was famished! With a full stomach, Alison and I went on a last wander through Cairns. Feeling much too full, our first stop was a rest on a lovely patch of grass in a pleasant people watching courtyard. Soaking in the sun, and with a little digestion, we were on the move once more. Stepping into a few random stores, we made it to the Billabong store. Neither of us having shopped much in the last while, we were completely overwhelmed. Rummaging through the adorable tees, and millions of cute shorts, I couldn't justify anything for myself. Alison on the other hand had great success after I pointed out a fantastic little white shirt. Once she tried it on that was that, and we also found her the perfect Melbourne-ian cardi to top it off. With an approved visa, we continued on our shop. Purchasing enough for the time being, we wandered down the Esplanade to the park for our last few hours together. Feeling the sun on our faces we were warmed before realizing that the park of the Esplanade was providing us with a little entertainment. In the corner of the park we watched a bartender practice his bottle filling in the light of day. Telling us not to stare, Alison wandered over for a chat. Knowing a few tricks of her own, she joined in and learned a few more. With only twenty minutes, Alison already had a new sequence worked out that she could hopefully use one day?
Our last day together had to come to an end at some point... So we headed back to the hospital to pack up and grab a taxi to the Airport. Making it to the Airport, we dropped our bags and went to wait. After sharing a few more laughs and stories, it was time to sadly part. With a hug goodbye, a wave, and a last look back, that was that. I hope to see Alison soon some time, but for now we've got our separate ways.

Waking up to another sunny day, we had a bit of sleep in, and a day with no plans. Feeling the need for adventure, I went out on a limb and gave the Skydive center of Cairns a call. Right then and there it was all arranged for me to be picked up at 9 30am and I would be jumping out of a plane later that morning. Excited beyond all measures, I packed and organized all my things in the room and Alison and I got out in time to be picked up and taken to the skydive center a few blocks away. Walking through the doors, we were asked to fill out paperwork, then wait until all was ready to go. With everything filled out and paid for, I waited as patiently as I could while the excitement pulsed through my veins. Finally, Alison was taken away in a separate vehicle where she was driven to the landing zone to watch. Not too long after, the rest of us were taken out to the bus that would take us to the plane and the drop zone. I paid for an extra DVD and pictures of the event, so Jacko, my photo/videographer did a quick opening interview with me as a "before" piece before I boarded the bus. Taken to a jump site just beside the airport, we were geared up and paired up with our tandem professionals. Matt was my jumping pair and him and I got into the plane last with Jacko before we took flight. Taking off I watched the ground fall away as we slowly made our way higher and higher. After a few long minutes, we were at ten thousand feet and Matt was doing up my straps to attach me to him. Once I was locked in, he told me I was going to watch the three lights at the end and soon we would be opening the side door exit. He said once the door opened, on red we would dangle my legs out the door, then he would ask me to cross my arms and put my head back and he would day ready set go. Soon Jacko threw open the exit door. I watched the light go red and was dragged over to the edge of the plane and my legs dangled over the edge, spotting the earth a number of feet beneath me, moving like a blur. The light went yellow and I crossed my arms and tipped my head back. Feeling my body rock back and forth, the light went green as I heard "ready, set" and as I heard go, Matt hurled us from the plane. Screaming like I never have before, we tumbled forward in a somersault motion before straightening out and falling. Once I'd gained my surroundings and stopped screaming, I was able to take it all in and soar downwards. Arms outstretched, it was the longest most amazing minute of my life. Free falling, and plummeting towards the earth below feeling nothing but wind whip my face was exhilarating. Jacko flew around us, coming closer, moving further away, as we plummeted further and further towards the earth. Our minute was up and Matt pulled the parachute out. With a quick jerk, we were slowed completely and no longer falling vertically, but floating, relaxed, back down to the earth. Because there's two people, our parachute gets pulled higher than someone who goes on their own. I watched Jacko fall level with us, then plummet so fast towards the ground, a little while later his parachute was beneath us and he was approaching ground fast. Matt loosened my harness and I floated down slightly more comfortable than how I was sitting before. Body shaking, I could slowly feel the warmth of the Earth much closer, and the wind was no longer chilling me. We spun circles until we came to the appropriate landing spot and started the preparation to land. Pulling my legs up, my butt hit the dirt and I was grounded once more. Free from Matt, I jumped up and Jacko came running over with the camera and the video. With a few after shots, all was over, and I was feeling amazing. Alison came to collect me and we were off to wait for everyone else finishing their dives. With everyone finished, we boarded the bus to go back to the Skydive shop and continue our day from there. The entire bus ride back I couldn't get over what I'd done, it was truly amazing; I was high on life for the rest of the day!

Hearing more rain on the roof of the camper, we woke up to another dreary day. The rain was not pounding as hard, so we took the time to clean up and wash down as much as possible. We started by cleaning all the dirt off the back cover tarp of the camper. Attempting to let it dry, we also organized what we could in the camper. Sitting with our chairs sinking in the mud, we tried to decide what to do for the day as we had both had enough of the mud, and the rain, and the camper. With one last night to make it through in the camper, we knew we couldn't do it- couldn't take the mud, the dirt, and the smell anymore. Alison and I packed up our tarp and jumped into Howie to back out of the mud pit we were slowly sinking into. More sunk in than we anticipated, the tires took us no where and spat mud as tried to back out. Quickly, I jumped out of the passenger seat to ask for help from the guys camping nearest to us. With a good push, we got Howie moving out of the mud onto the roadway. Managing to leave some pretty impressive sunk in tire marks, we drove out and went into the city. Getting to YHA, we took our room a day early and settled into some real beds and our own washroom for the next two nights. Filthy and muddy, we dove onto the clean beds, like we thought we would never see beds of our own again we collapsed with our smelly clothes unpacked and things scrambled everywhere. I decided to get a jump start on all my laundry that couldn't wait till I got back to Newport, and clean myself too. Separating my laundry, and re-organizing some of my clothes, I paid to throw in a load then got into the shower as fast as I could. Finally feeling clean, I went back to Alison and sorted out what we should do for the next couple days.
Doing our laundry, and getting back to real human beings again, Alison and I decided to beat the rain for the night by going to see The Hunger Games movie as both of us read and loved the book. Coming out of the theatre, full of popcorn, and satisfied with being clean and having a lovely night, we walked back to YHA where we crashed in our cozy clean beds for the night.
For the first time in a number of days we woke up to the sun blaring down on us! Excited, we knew we had to take advantage and got in Howie as soon as we were ready. We started our last day on the road by heading to Port Douglas, a quaint little town about an hour North of Cairns. Up to the lookout over the beach and the town, we got a couple pictures and continued on our speedy trip further North. Next destination was Cape Tribulation. Discovered by Captain Cook in 1770, cape trib is a rare spot where the rainforest meets the reef. Making it across the cable ferry that quickly delivers cars across the river that separates cape trib from the main land of the North, we were on the steep and bumpy road os Cape Tribulation. Up the windy road, we stopped off at the first lookout, Alexandra Lookout, then got back on the road to do a little rainforest walk. Finding our marked spot, we got out of Howie and stretched our legs through the beautiful big rainforest. Seeing a variety of huge trees, little rivers, and listening to the sounds of the forest, we enjoyed the walk through the magnificent rainforest that covers the North of Queensland. Back into Howie, we drove further north to Thornton Beach where we saw the edge of the rainforest come down onto the yellow-white sand that took over the beach. Getting our feet wet, we slowly went back to Howie and started driving South for the stretch back into Cairns. Seeing only a small part of Cape Trib, we were sad to not see it all, but glad that we were able to get up without being poured on and to still be able to say we made it that far. With a quick stop into Mosman Gorge, we continued the trek back South and finally made it into Cairns where we had to say goodbye to Howie. Once we got the okay on Howie, we were hailed a cab and taken back to YHA for a relaxing and early evening. After a last couple drinks together, Alison and I went for a wander through Cairns. Coming across an ice cream/ gelato stop, we had to indulge for the last time. With flavours like Honey comb, Fererro Rocher, Macadamia, and Cookie dough, we were immediately in heaven and devoured the best ice cream either of us had ever had. With horribly full stomachs, we wandered barefoot back to YHA and headed in for the night. As soon as my head hit the pillow I was asleep for the night.

Having little to no sleep from the night before, I was up and into the hostel around four am. Trying to get internet service, and being fairly unsuccessful, i attempted to take my mind off the rain and the flooding. After a little while, the caretaker of the Hostel was up and about. With the rain not letting up any, the man came and chatted with me briefly, saying that it looked that the rain was not going to let up and that unless we wanted to be stuck in Mission Beach, we should leave asap. So, at 6 30am in the pouring rain I went to awake Alison to get on the road. Amazingly Alison backed out of our tight spot and we made it down the bumpy driveway onto the main road by 7am. Windshield wipers in full swing, we splashed over the wet roads successfully until we made it to the main highway. Still bucketing rain, Alison and I made it to Innisfail by 8am where we stopped off at the mcdonalds to grab coffee and regroup and decide what to do and where to go from there. We got our computers out, checked the road conditions, and sat with a coffee each. Enjoying the dry area for a little while longer, we then packed up and back into the camper. Sad to give up seeing Yungaburra, and waterfalls, and other things, we decided it was the smartest choice to just get to Cairns and not be caught in floods anywhere. Once on the road to Cairns, the rain did not let up. In low lying areas there was water already pooling on the road. In a couple spots we were blinded by vehicles spraying water as we drove side by side through a puddle- very scary!
Somehow making it to Cairns, we got into the info center as the rain started letting up. We cruised around the mall then decided on the cheapest campsite to park Howie for the night. We put up the back tarp-like thing over the open trunk door of the camper where we hid in the mud for most of the afternoon. Hearing the rain lighten, we took the opportunity to see Cairns. Alison and I decided to go for a walk and try to get to the Botanical Gardens. Making it to the Gardens, we quickly realized the lakes in the middle were overflowing from the rain, making it impossible to really walk through. WE retraced our steps out of the gardens and made our way back to the campsite as it began to once more monsoon on us. Quickly soaked to the bone, there was nothing we could do but keep walking. We stopped off quickly as Alison picked up something for dinner, then continued the wet trek back to Howie and campsite. Finally making it back through the rivers on the roads, and the ponds on the sidewalks, we gathered everything we thought we might need for a couple hours and took refuge in the campsite kitchen to try to stay dry. After a change of clothes, though still damp, we were feeling a bit better. We continued the rest of our night trying to dodge the rain and stay out of the mud hole of a campsite we were parked in. Finally it was time to try and get to the camper for bed. We attempted to stay out of the mud as we crawled into Howie and wiped our feet off for the night.