Well, we have finally begun our journey!
After a VERY late start out of Maryborough (6:20 pm) following numerous visitors over the last three days, we got in to Dot’s place in Brisbane just after 9:00 pm where a very excited David (who had bought our car) arrived shortly after.
We sat up chatting with Dot, David and Catherine until well after 11 pm. May as well have sat up all night as I didn’t sleep at all – too excited, methinks!

Anyway, an uneventful taxi ride to the Airport next morning and seats in the emergency row giving us more leg room meant that we had a very pleasant trip up to Hamilton Island. Our flight landed 5 minutes early, hot on the tail of the Mum’s flight from Sydney. The pilot announced that it was a murky 31 degrees just before we disembarked – ha ha I thought, we’ve just left 38 degrees in Maryborough – but no – it may as well have been 100 degrees – the humidity was unbelievable! You had to suck in hard to draw what oxygen you could out of the air. Michael’s 86 year old mum felt it the worst.

Wasn’t too long and we were on the boat from Hamilton to Long Island via South Molle Island. We sat inside in the airconditioning as all the outdoor areas were in the sun. James met us on the jetty along with Antony, Amanda and Izabella who had arrived a couple of hours before. It was great to greet them all.

Over to our rooms next. We have rooms, 201,202 and 203 all alongside each other and literally a few steps from the beach out of the room door! Gen is sharing with her grandmothers and Antony and Amanda have a portacot in their room for Bella.
We look out across the Whitsunday Passage from our rooms – across water so blue and calm. A short stroll to the public facilities of the Bar (most important) and pool, the restaurant and the facilities areas.
Yesterday we took a sunset cruise on a beautiful catarmaran hosted by the vivacious and very friendly Amanda and captained by the spunky Bart. The sunset was sedate but O so beautiful. A number of times we sailed past James’ fellow chef, Laurence, in his small yacht. I now know why he chooses to spend his off-duty hours on his yacht – it is so peaceful.

James took Michael, Antony, Amanda and Gen fishing off the pier last night – to no avail. Despite all the earlier sms’ed photos of huge catches sent to us all by James, they managed only 2 undersized fish last night that were thrown back. Michael and I had Izabella overnight. She is such a delight – happy as a lark, sociable as a butterfly and as gregarious as, well, me! Chats to all, watches everything and loves to walk holding your fingers.
This morning, Michal and Gen and Antony and Amanda are tandem jet-skiing. James is off taking a few pics for me to upload. Michael and I are taking a Whitsunday helicopter flight at 12. Then later today, James and Antony are taking a boat out fishing, Gen and Amanda are going tubing (Michael will spot for them) and I will be taking solace in the airconditioning!
Food is pretty ordinary – maybe because James is not in the kitchen! Plenty of it though – no one is going hungry.

Off to Sydney for a day about lunchtime tomorrow. Then we depart for Beijing at 9:30 pm Saturday night. Today there maxima and minima were 1 and -1 respectively. BRING IT ON – I have had enough of summer already!