Well, it seems like some clever people have seen it coming (just had a look at my guestbook ;))!
WAHHHEEYYYYYY
I did the SKYDIVE - jumping out of an airplane, parachuting !!
8000 feet (would someone please convert that into a decent measure!!)
4000 feet free falling
and 4000feet with the parachute watching the beautiful Whitsunday Islands from above.

Brilliant, Werrific, Wonderful,Adrenaline, WANT MORE!!

There was not the slightest sign of fear, I swear it. I was excited from the second I got into the car that picked me up. The folks were lovely, the instructor who jumped with me does it four or five times a day. How I envy him.
I went up in a very small plane, the other guy that jumped was first. When I saw him literally get sucked out of the plane, I was so thrilled I couldn't help but scream.
And then I jumped too . I cannot remember how I felt, but I still feel like floating,after hours.
Free falling, wow. Don't need the bungee anymore, it cannot beat those 25 seconds!
And then the parachute opened and I could direct it myself for a while, it took about 5mins to get back to the ground.

After the landing, they somehow had the video done already.
I had spent a hideous amount of money on that jump yet, so I didn't really fancy spending another 99$ on it. But those clever people showed it to me and i couldn't help but get it.
It is the reminder of a once in a life time experience.
The instructor was such a nice bloke, like a grandpa, and he somehow pittied me for causing my bankruptcy. So I got the blockbuster on a DVD too, for free.
It is the reminder of a once in a life time experience.
I could even chose between some songs for the video, so I went for
U2's Beautiful day, Boomfunk MCs' Freestyler and a Chemical Brothers track.
It was well worth it and I'd do it again. And again and again and....

GOOD TIMES!

Will take the bus to Hervey bay tonite, at least I save another night's worth of accomodation.
Did sleep 4,5hrs tonite. Airlie Beach IS a party town with an absolutely crazy crowd.
I wonder when I will collapse. But I don't feel tired at all.

After 11 hrs bus tour, but only 4 hrs of sleep (kind of, whatever you call it when you close your eyes in a bus) I arrived in that sweet little party town. That's what they say, I will check it out tonite.
It's a village, again, I guess no more than 2000 inhabitants. If one includes backpackers I figure it's some 4000. Brilliant sunshine, the city looked good and I could see my
pre-booked backpackers' hostel on the way to the bus stop.
Only one funny thing about "Airlie Beach". It has no Beach. Just an artificial lagoon, like Cairns.
Not that that is too bad, it's a real big pool, surrounded by green and palms, with a harbour view. But in Germany someone would take that village to court for having a misleading name,
thus drawing tourists in who wouldn't appear if they knew about the missing feature.

As I don't have money and time to do the most popular thing here, sailing the Withsunday Islands I just explored the little place today, got some organisation stuff done. Changed my scedule again, skipped Noosa for Fraser Island, 2 more night tours in the bus, 2 nights less I have to pay accomodation for.
AND I spend a ridiculous amont of money on my activity tomorrow. BUT I HAD TO!!!!
I will not tell you what it is yet. But it is another big deal. At least as big as the diving.
A once-in-a-lifetime-thing.
Can't wait.

I got stuck in Cairns, I admit it. There is too much to do.
I thought I'd spend some 3 days but now it's 5 and if I had unlimited time (and budget) I could easily spent 10 more days without doing the same thing or tour twice.
Still didn't go for the skydive...

Anyway, this was definitely the last day in Cairs (btw 120.000 inhabitants) , I HAVE to move on. In not even 2 hrs, which is midnight here I'll catch the bus to AIRLIE beach.
Thus, I don't miss out on anything because at nights I (mostly) sleep anyway and I hope I can do that in that bus,too.
And what's more it safes me the bucks for the accomodation. Sounds great, let's see if it works out.

Today I went on a Tableland tour, that area is in the South-East of Cairns.

I have to mention that I got only 4 hrs of sleep last night so I was a little tired.
I did not plan that but what can you actually plan on such a tour?!
Went to that cheap and cheerful backpackers place to pick up dinner.
Sat down next to that girl who was on her own too, but after some minutes a whole bunch of people turned up.
They were a big group of Irish working holiday makers and they were really decent people. I didn't realise how fast the time went. That's probably because when I looked at my watch at 1am. most of them were not drunk yet.
No "Whiskey in the Jar" attitude, good thing, good night.

Anyway. it's called tablelands cause it's all mountains but with flat tops instead of tips, if that makes any sense to you.

It's all green again, although there is only about 1/3 of all the original lush rain forest left. They used to cut timber until the late 1970s. Thank God some clever person thought about sustainability these days and stopped the disaster.

At first we went on a boat rip cross a vulcano valley lake. I could see water turles from the boat and an ugly rain forest turkey.
After that we saw 3 amazing waterfalls in the deep rainforest, what a shame they are exposed to tourism now. (I'd rather have discovered them on my own while fighting my way through the deep jungle)! Somehow I was not too happy because I don't really enjoy that rushing from one sight to another. I should get a driver's license finally.
But thats another long way to go....for many reasons.

I better leave for the bus now.
To be continued

btw I put new pictures online

Continuation

Before lunch we visited a cute little organic diary farm, tasted some cheese and - guess what - QUARK, that's what they actually called it. Weird to learn about German Quark in Australia.
Enjoyed it, but I never got such Quark in Berlin :)
Lunch was in a kind of childrens recreation camp, Godness I envied the kids. Such a great surrounding, right next to a waterfall and they did treeclimbing, rockclimbing, Platypus watching etc...I would have joined them happily.
Platypus watching afterward has not been successful, unfortunately, but I didnt really expect it anyway.
The last and greatest station was an old spanish castle in the middle of the rainforest.
Paronella Park
It was built by a Spanish guy who had his dream of a castle in the jungle fullfilled after ages of hard work. And hafter not having contacted his financee in Spain for 11 years, and after having been pretty surprised that she had been married meanwhile and after having married her younger sister finally. That was from the 1920s to 1940s, when Australia was much less explored than today. What a great story.
I want to marry into a rainforest castle, too!!It just has to be big enough that I don't mind the bloke sharing the place ;)

In the evening, well at midnight rather I took the bus to Airlie Beach. For some reason someone sheduled the moring stop at 5:30am (1,5hrs!!) so there was not much sleep tonite either.
Let's see how it goes now. I am sharing my room with 7(!!!) people, don't think I will close an eye..

My Godness, what a fantastic day!

I can't believe, I just realised one more lifetime dream...
I WENT SCUBA DIVING!!!!
Yes, with oxygen tank and stuff! I booked an outer Great Barrier Reef trip for snorkeling.
I knew they offered introductory dives, but since I do not have any diving experience at all - well, apart from holding my breath and go for it - I did not really believe I was eligible.
What a great pleasure to be wrong!
I always wanted to dive and what better place could there be?
Australia, Great Barrier Reef, 25 degrees water temperature....Heaven.
Was a little afraid if I could manage that mouth-only breathing and whether I might panic..
Nothing at all.
I got a small training and then the others in my 4 people group decided to NOT go for a dive, so I had the guide all for my self, whilst all other groups consisted of at least 4 people.
WAHEYY!
Snorkeling had been fun, but this killed me.
At first I was a little cautious but after a minute I let the guide's hand go and DIVED!!
I saw colorful corals and fish, blue star fish (The guide even gave it to me to hold it.), a sting ray (!!!), some giant fish and 100s of things I do not know the names of.
I bought an underwater pic of me with the gear, just to make sure it was not just a 30minute dream.
(And to prove it to you guys!!) And took some pics with a one-way underwater cam, let's see how that goes.
I DID IT!!! I am still floating.
When I went on snorkeling I even saw a reef shark!

I still feel like in a ridiculously exaggerated Happiness-Matrix.

Well, first I have to get out of that bloody dorm room, I am with 3 British blokes.
Beer plus testestosterone alert!!!
That woman at the reception did not mention that. I suppose she actually did it on purpose.GRRRRR

Saw real crocodiles on a river tour
I learnt :
1) They can survive 2 years without any food at all - now, isnt that news???!
2) In 87% of all crocodile incidents where people were killed ALCOHOL was involved.
(And I reckon it's not the CROC who's been drinking!!)
So, they are there, they are dangerous, but keep in mind people love to make up things.


Walked the rain forest
All lush and green, so beautiful.
I learnt :
You can actually eat green back ants! They taste sour, like lemon.
Well..you needn't actually EAT them. It will do if you LICK their backs.
It's some green vitamine stuff, don't ask me.
YESSS I DID lick that little ants back, it was so funny. And off it went. No pain.
So, if I was lost in the rainforest, I knew one thing at least that I could eat.
I wonder if it would be useful to know the things that could actually eat ME, aswell...

Swam in a rain forest river, Mossman Gorge

Walked at Cape Tribulation Beach

Ate tropical ice cream at an ice cream factory
I learnt :
There are tropical fruit that actually taste like chocolate puddin and some like coffee..
(Slowly, I figure I could really survive in that place :) )

Walked a swing bridge - one of my lifetime dreams!!!

Got to know another cool french guy
And what's more : two cool British girls - someone to challenge my prejudice (FINALLY!!!!!!!!)

I love my new traveler's guide! It's a "Let's Go!" for anyone interested.

I found that little info that I could get a free lift to Port Douglas from one of the local Hostels under the condition to spend 2 nights there. Sure.
Called them, got a free pick up, saved 45 $, happy.
The Port O'Call Hostel was brilliant. I got myself a bike, although the sky looked pretty awkward.
As soon as I sat on there, the most pouring tropical rain started and I got soaking wet. What a pleasure, it was all warm :) AND for those who are constantly commenting on my unique red backpack: without it all my wallet, camera and stuff would have gone wet and this terrific experience would not have been possible at all. What abour YOUR backpacks????
Port Douglas has a splendid long beach, too, the "4 Mile beach".
Unfortunately it was not the weather for a swim, not for great pictures either, but this place must be beautiful in the sunshine, cause Elton John has a house there, Kylie Minogue hangs around and stuff. And it's the first place where a Sheraton Hotel was built. It has the largest swimming pool in the southern hemisphere (haven't seen it though).
However, I did some shopping cause I live on a budget and sat down to look at my itinerary.
Which was a damn good thing cause I have so overestimated my time.
Still, I am constantly changing my plans, every 4 hours or so, but at least I got a somewhat realistic view on the whole trip.
It's easy. I just need MMMMUUUCCHHH more time. I will have to return.
No way around it.