Homebound

Then the long trip back down the coast. We drove for over 12hrs and finally reached Mackay at 1.ooam. We finally found a place to stay at 3.00am after being told the town was completely booked out!

Crocodile Hunting

A baby croc...

We then continued to our final destination the Daintree River where we went on a crocodile cruise. We saw quite a few crocs of varying sizes and a snake.

Port Douglas

We then continued up the coast to Port Douglas. A beautiful town with yet another amazing beach. Matt was still trying to find his land legs after spending the past 48hrs on the boat and kept claiming he could still feel the ground moving.

The Great Barrier Reef

The amazing Reef itself, complete with sharks, turtles, jellyfish and sting rays.

Matt celebrates completing his last dive in style and reaches straight for the booze!

Just completed our last dive/snorkel.

We were up at 5.00am on the second day and in the water swimming with sharks at 6.00am. It was quite a way to wake up!

Watching the world pass by...

Matt relaxes after one of his snorkelling sessions. It was a really full on trip will several dives a day. All the fish were amazing but the most exciting/scariest moments were when you realised you were yards from the white tip reef shark.

Finally at the Reef. We just about survived the journey over as it was extremely choppy. Lots of people looked extremely green (including Rich) and many people bought up their lunch. Nice!

The night before we set off for a two day diving trip of the Great Barrier Reef. Danika bought a book so she can identify the fish whereas we just drank wine.

Mission Beach

Rich decided to take it easy with an early morning stroll along the beach...

...While Matt decided to run full pelt screaming and shouting into the sea!

After the backpacker hell of Airlie Beach we treated ourselves to a beautiful hotel right on the beach front. First thing in the morning we headed straight to the hotel lagoon.

We then continued to drive up the coast to Mission Beach. We knew we were in mango territory when we were welcomed by this huge mango at the side of the road.

The Whitsunday Islands

Matt soaks it up.

The Whitsundays were rather nice!

While Matt and Danika played in the surf...

...Rich practised his synchronised swimming routine.

While Matt was sun baking Rich had fun playing in the sand and digging himself a hole.

We then sailed on to Whitehaven Beach where Matt did what he does best!

Danika in the rather fetching stinger suit we had to wear when we went snorkelling. Stingers are rather deadly jelly fish that come out in force about this time of year. It made everyone quite nervous!

On our first boat trip to the Whitsundays.

First stop was Airlie Beach - where all sailing trips leave for the Whitsundays. It was backpacker hell and we were lucky enough to arrive at the same time as hundreds of bikies. Drunk backpackers and Harley Davidson riders was not a good combination!

Having taken just over a week off work, we joined our friend Danika, piled into a canary yellow rental car and headed for the Whitsunday Islands and Great Barrier Reef in far north Queensland.