The trouble with hostelling is the number of adults who never learned how to close doors without slamming them and shaking the walls of the hostel. Perhaps they had very traumatic childhoods or something. They also don't seem to possess the ability to talk in whispers to each other or remotely lower their voices instead they walk as far away from their friends and shout across the wide open space between them, too lazy and ignorant to walk away from your room door back to where their friends are to have a proper, low level conversation at midnight. I want to strangle them, or at least teach them how to respect other people.
We left Mackay at 08:30. That's not technically true. 5 minutes later, having crossed the bridge at least, we were sat in McCafe, Ian with a giant slice of carrot cake in front of him and a giant grin to match. On arriving at McCafe I had to remove a small cockroach from my bag which I did successfully. They are such quick movers!
We are making our way to Townsville tonight, 391 kilometres away, and I have been designated driver for the durationm, so Ian can continue reading another book of mine. At least this time it isn't one I'm currently trying to read.
At Airlie Beach we made some enquiries about some diving trips going out to the outer reef and the Whitsunday Islands, then had a brief information read about jellyfish stings, paying particular interest to box jellyfish and irukandji. We then made our way to Townsville where we stay for one night.
On the way to Townsville I saw two or three storks or herons either stood by the road, out of place away from water, or flying gracefully by. Fields and fields of sugar cane line the roadside throughout eastern Queensland and makes a very pretty sight with the lush green leaves of the plants. There is a very narrow railway that meanders across the road, the Cane Railway, which is only operational during the harvesting season June to October, and the track can be seen zig zagging across the state highway 1.
We travelled 492 kilometres today from Mackay to Townsville.
After checking into the hostel we enjoyed lunch and several milkshakes alfresco before making some more diving enquiries. On the way back to the hostel I pointed out to Ian a little bird, like a blackbird, possibly a mynah, that had a broken lower beak. It was bent through 180 degrees so both beaks pointed down to the ground. I wondered how he would be able to eat and would he last much longer. Ian made a good point, that he may live round here and has been like that for some time. It seemed sad 'though.
At the back of the hostel an ibis is scouting around the top of a grundon style bin, looking guilty.
It is about 34 degrees still in the late afternoon and I've made arrangements for tomorrow nights accommodation in Cairns so I expect, as we progress further north, that it will continue to be hot and muggy.
We walked across the bridge to the Brewery bar and ate dinner accompanied by some particularly unexciting inhouse brewed beers. I shared a particularly funny moment with a woman who I watched sample her drink, which, judging by the colour of it, could only have been the inhouse alcopop, as she left the bar, give an awful expression regarding the taste of it and she and I exchanged laughs and acknowledgement of the situation, she clearly regretting her purchase.
Copyright 2003 Helen Fuller. All rights reserved.