Wednesday, 25 November 1998 Another early rise this morning. We have breakfast in a hotel around the corner. We're being picked up at 8:15 for our snorkel tour with SUNLOVER CRUISES . We sail with a Catamaran to Fitzroy Island. Here we can go ashore for about half an hour. We're being whisked through a bit of rainforest and are bombarded with information about the vegetation. Some of the passengers spend the rest of the day here, but most, ourselves included, board the vessel again for the second leg towards Moore Reef,part of the Great Barrier Reef. Everything has been thought of. We get extensive instructions on how to snorkel and what to expect (with video). During the day a "videographer" is busy taping the tour. We also have our "obligation free" photo taken. At Moore Reef Sunlover has a permanent pontoon to which the ship will be moored. From the pontoon we can venture into all kinds of activities: a ride in a semi-submersible, scuba diving, snorkeling and even a helicopter flight (at extra cost). We spend most of the time snorkeling. The coral reef is magnificent. Many colourful fish and other organisms, anywhere you look. On board we make use of an excellent lunch buffet. On our way back to Cairns the crew shows us the video that has been shot during the day...and that is for sale. Erik can't resist the temptation. At night we eat at Casa Mia, a Mediterranean BYO restaurant. We're the only guests tonight, which is surprising. The place has a lovely garden and serves fine food. Service is excellent too. After that we go to Club Trix, the only gay club in Cairns (we're told that a new venue will open shortly). It's reasonably busy for a Wednesday night. Unfortunately there are a couple of very drunk Aboriginals, who, for a moment, threaten to become nasty, but everything is settled amicably. Thursday, 26 November 1998 This morning we start off with a "nice drive" in our rental car. We head for Trinity Beach, a quiet seaside resort just north of Cairns. It's very quiet on the beautiful beach. From November through March it is only possible to swim inside the "Stinger Net". This a floating net installed in the water to keep the jellyfish away. The sting of these jellyfish, who torment the Queensland coast during most of the summer, can be deadly. Fortunately they don't venture more than 1 km off the coast, so yesterday at the reef we had nothing to fear. Erik takes a plunge in the tepid water (at least 28° C). At half past twelve we arrive at the Skyrail. This a 7 km long cable car ride over the tropical rainforest towards Kuranda. On the way you can hop off twice and walk around through the forest. At the first stop we do this with a ranger. We see all kinds of impressive trees and ferns. At the second stop there is a splendid view of a waterfall. At Kuranda we have something to eat and walk round a bit. We travel back with the scenic railway, a historic train from 1914. The route is beautiful, but in comparison to the view from the Skyrail, a bit disappointing. After the train ride drive to Ellis Beach. On our way there, we're being stopped by a police patrol. I'm doing 93 instead of 80 km/h. We get off with a warning ("you're the second Dutchman today"). Friday, 27 November 1998 After breakfast we drive to Mission Beach, some 130 km south of Cairns. It's a nicely located, quiet beach resort. We stay at Castaways resort. A bit of luxury after all those backpacker places. It is right on the beach and has its own swimming pool. After lunch we do two walks through tropical rainforest that surrounds Mission Beach. We look out for the Casowary, a rare tropical flightless bird, that reportedly roams the forests around here, but with no luck. On our first walk along the Lacy Creek Forest circuit I am eaten alive by a mosquito air force. Enjoying nature is a bit of trial like this. We head back to the village and buy a bottle of repellent. Our second walk along the Bicton Hill track we go up a hill through thick Coastal rainforest. Our climb in the humid heat is rewarded with a magnificent view of the coast and the islands. At night we eat at Miller's on the Beach in neighbouring Wongaling Beach. This evening they're having a buffet with lots of fish. Tasty. From our table we can see the toads hopping by.   Saturday, 28 November 1998 We carry on to Townsville, where we have to return the car. We arrive around noon. We walk around a bit in the town centre, where it is remarkably quiet for a Saturday afternoon. After lunch I drop Erik with the luggage at the ferry terminal and go on my way to return the car. When I arrive at the address given, the Budget office appears to have disappeared, or more likely, to have moved. The given phone number is unavailable as well. Through Budget's national number I find out the new location. With a taxi I get back to the ferry terminal in time for the ferry to Magnetic Island. Sunferries runs a fast ferry service for foot passengers to Magnetic Island 12 times a day from two terminals in Townsville. At 3:30 we sail out for Magnetic Island, a name given by Captain Cook, because his compass played up when he sailed past. On the island we're being met by Stella Marshall of Marshall's B&B, who promptly gives us an orientation tour around the island. The B&B is not extravagant, but the service is very friendly. Stella has a way of keeping your attention and bombards us with loads of tips that should make our stay on the island that much more pleasant. It is all meant well, but it sometimes gets a bit on your nerves. We head for the beach of Arcadia, the hamlet in which our B&B is situated. The water is lovely. There is no need here to swim inside a Stinger Net. After our swim we go out to feed the Rock Wallabies. This a type of Wallaby that prefers to live in rocks and caves. Near the jetty of the car ferry you can find a bunch of them. Around six you can tempt them to come out of the rocks by throwing bits of vegetable and potatoes on the ground. They are shy, but even more curious and their appetite gets the better of them. "Never too afraid for a good tucker (=meal, snack) mate", remarks an ex-islander showing the wallabies to his daughter. At night we eat at Trattoria, a simple BYO affair at Arcadia. A lovely place for al fresco dining with a wonderful view over the beach. From our table we see the wallabies and possum hopping past.   Sunday, 29 November 1998 Today we've hired a Moke, at Moke Magnetic. It is a sort of car, with which you can explore the sealed roads of the island, at a leisurely pace. It's fun. It costs only A$35 a day (plus 30 ¢ per km). We get on our way north to Horseshoe bay. We do a short walk towards Balding Bay and Radical Bay. At 10am it is already very warm and therefore time for a lie down and a swim. Horseshoe Bay is on the Northern side of the island and although the chance of jellyfish is extremely small, there is a Stinger Net. After 12 we have lunch at a Mango farm just outside Horseshoe Bay. The kitchen is in a caravan and the tables are under the Mango trees. The chickens walk around between the tables and pick up everything that falls off. Decent meal. We drive all the way south to Picnic Bay. We have a drink on the waterfront. Around 4:30 we go to the Forts. These are remnants of fortifications used during World War II. They are not very interesting, but the view from this point is marvelous. Besides, were told that the trees are full of Koalas. Judging by the sounds that appears to be correct. The male Koalas roared away lustily, but we do not see much of them. We spot only one Koala on a rare moment he's not sleeping.   Monday, 30 November 1998  We start the day with returning the Moke. After that we enjoy the lovely beach of Arcadia. Quiet and nice water. At twelve Paul Marshall takes us back to the ferry. On the ferry we order a cab, which is waiting for us at the terminal in Townsville. It takes us to the airport from which we fly to Brisbane, about 1100 km south. Around seven we arrive there. In Brisbane we stay at The Heritage Hotel (Stamford Plaza these days). Grand luxury with all thinkable facilities. We dine at Il Centro, a modern Italian with Australian influences. Great food and it has a nice location on the banks of the Brisbane River. It's Monday night, but we still do want see a bit of the local gay scene. It's not half bad, although it is not too busy. We do not stay out too late and take a taxi back to the hotel just after midnight.   Tuesday, 1 December 1998 After a very extensive breakfast we go out to collect another rental car. This time a Nissan Pulsar. Before we move on we catch up on our e-mail and internet. We see that Feyenoord is still unchallenged at the top of the league and that it's freezing cold back home, while we are enjoying the sunshine at 28 degrees!! Life can be beautiful. We drive to Byron Bay in New South Wales. It's a rather off beat kind of town. You'll find a mix of hippies, surfers and New Age attuned youths. Very sympathetic, we must say. The surf can be quite good here. Funny to see the dolphins surfing along with the surfers close to the beach. In the Backpacker Holiday Village we have a double room on a six person unit. In the afternoon we set out for the Broken Head beach. We find it after a short walk through a coastal rainforest. The waves are high and the beach is nicely secluded. But after five, when sun is gone, it becomes quite chilly. We have dinner at the South Indian Curry Restaurant. A small BYO eatery with delicious curries. Wednesday, 2 December 1998 Today we go exploring Byron Bay's hinterland. We drive to Minyon Falls, about an hour's drive inland. To actually get to the falls we have to drive a long stretch of unsealed roads. Some of them are crossed by fast running streams through which a causeway or floodway has been made. Luckily it is shallow enough to drive through them. Meanwhile it has started to rain and the view has all but gone. When we get to the falls it becomes dry again and the clouds go away. We take some snaps, but when we return to the car we discover to our surprise, that one of the windows has been smashed. Nothing has been stolen (there was not much to steal anyway), but we do have an open window and it starts raining again. After some phone calls with Budget, we are offered another car which we can collect in Ballina (± 30 mins south of Byron). It's a bigger one, this time a Toyota Camry. We drive to the Broken Head beach, where the sun has come out again. At the end of the afternoon we drive to the Byron Bay Lighthouse, at Australia's easternmost point. The cliffs offer splendid views of the coast and Byron Bay itself. We start the evening with cocktails at the side walk cafe of the Beach Hotel, located ideally on the corner of Jonson and Bay Streets right across the Main Beach. It is always busy with a cross section of locals and tourists. We go on to Byron Thai, where we have an excellent Thai meal and round off the evening with cappuccinos at Cocomango, a trendy café on Jonson St. Continue