The Aussie Adventure Begins...Cairns

I hate to start with a painful visualization, but since I actually had to live through it...I figured I would pass the pain along. Picture yourself sitting in a middle seat with the person in front of you reclining their seat for a 17 hour duration flight. Tell me how your legs feel? I think I'm over the insanity, but only time will tell. The only bearable part of the trip was that the two guys on either side of me were backpackers as well. The Aussie was just getting home from a 4 month excursion throughout Europe and the US and the Belguim guy was just starting a 12 month tour of Australia. Both really good guys.




And since you're already laughing at me, why don't I add fuel to the fire. Let me share a very good piece of advice with you. Be aware that when you create a blog from a computer attached to a server that isn't set to the English language like I did when in Dubai...your blog back-end sets everything to that new language. And unfortuately, I don't read Arabic. It took me some time clicking on various words/symbols to figure out how to sign-in and then even more time to figure out how to change the language back to English so that I could start this new posting! OK...enough rambling.


I've been in Australia for a week now and the highlight to date is definitely getting my PADI scuba certification through "PRO DIVE" and diving the Great Barrier Reef (GBR). And for those who only open this blog for the pictures...as you can see...it appears the glitch has been fixed. I hope you enjoy the pics. And no...I didn't take any of them, but they are from other divers and/or the crew itself.



As many of you know...I can be somewhat competitive at times, but I found out very quickly that many other countries put more onus on swimming than Canada does as I was dead last (by a full length of the pool) in my group for swimming the necessary 16 laps (200 metres) in the pool. It might have something to do with most of the group was between 19-25 as well. And if that wasn't bad enough, than I had to tread water for 10 minutes with only a very short break as the other had time to catch their breath as they watched the old Canadian guy fight through the final couple lengths of the pool. I thought this was supposed to be vacation...not working my butt off! But hey, I stuck it out, put my pride aside and got my PADI (Professional Association of Dive Instructors) card. And boy was it worth it!!!



I don't even know what to say about my experience diving in the GBR...it was awe inspiring. I now have 8 dives in the GBR under my belt with several shark sightings (fairly small 3-5 feet white-tip reef sharks) ; numerous sea turtles (they are very cool); barracudas; lots of Nemo's (clown fish); small stingrays; giant clams; puffer fish; a very poisonous lionfish (see picture directly underneath); countless other fish and more types of beautiful coral than I can even talk to. It was pretty overwhelming.



It was also fairly nerve racking as we swam through some pretty tight crevaces and tunnels (as I'm sure you other divers can attest...neutral bouyancy only comes with lots of practice) It's certainly not for those who get claustrophobic especially when you're trying not to bump into any coral. We also did a night dive which isn't for the light-hearted as you jump into the pitch black water knowing there are sharks down there and they feed at night. However, once you took the plunge, you soon found out that the moon and your light gave you a fair bit of visibility and I would say it was my favourite dive. The ocean is already a different world and when you add the darkness...it becomes even more foreign. As I said...I don't really know how to put it into words.



Even though I didn't take any of these pictures myself (I was too busy trying to take everything in and yes...also trying to remember to breath properly so I didn't drown), I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

And for all you Canadian women who thought I was hitting on you with my heavy breathing (and maybe I was), but it turns out I am naturally a heavy breather and suck the air out of the scuba tanks fairly quickly. I need to work on that. Can I practice on any of you women?

I'm sure my words don't do the GBR experience justice and the pictures only tell the part of the story, but I would highly recommend to anyone...that if you get the chance...get the scuba gear out and explore the world beneath us...whether it be the GBR or the Great Lakes. It will totally blow your mind!

That's it for now...the next few days in Cairns will find me back on the GBR, in the rainforest and on some beautiful beaches. Then it's time to start heading south. Cheers...