I got up early and believe it or not, went to the gym at the hotel, where Connie (from our group) was already busy on the treadmill. I actually did some good exercising and felt good about being able to do as much as I did, considering I haven't done anything in a while. After breakfast we got ready for the bus trip to the Low Isles, Great Barrier Reef. The bus stopped at a couple of other hotels to pick people up - this is obviously the tourist run - I was interested to see that ours was by far the nicest hotel. Then it was on to the marina which had lots of touristy type shops, but thank goodness we didn't stop. We took a boat to the Low Isle, named of course by Captain Cook in his own inimitable style ("those are certainly some low isles"). There were several activities from which to choose, and all afternoon to do some of them. Some people snorkeled in their stinger suits, some took the glass bottom boat ride, and some took another boat out to a small island with a lighthouse. We saw large sea turtles, batfish and other smaller fish, lots of different kinds of coral and some large stinging rays of the variety that killed Steve Irwin. His attack actually occurred where we were, and he was brought to the little island for immediate treatment. When we took a guided walk around the little island we were shown the little shed to which he was taken and where he died. Not exactly the high point. The weather was beautiful but people were a bit disappointed in the lack of brilliant colour that they expected. The lighthouse on the island was built in the 1870s and the last lighthouse keepers left in the 1990s. It now operates on solar power and electronics. Lunch was provided for us on the "home" boat. The area was very lush and Caribbean-like, and it was sunny and very warm. I confess I did a little sunbathing. The sand is made of crushed coral and the island shape is constantly shifting with erosion and storms but basically stays the same size. On the way back to the marina they shut off the boat engines and put up the sails and it was a lovely ride. Back at the hotel we had a free night so some of us took the free shuttle into Port Douglas and went to a fish restaurant that Roxy recommended called Two Fish. It was a delicious dinner and afterwards Susan and I walk up and down the main drag of Port Douglas and I got some wine to bring back to have at our next stop, Cape Tribulation, which is out in the middle of NOWHERE. We are not leaving until 12:30 tomorrow and will be traveling by bus, so there is no rush and packing isn't going to be too much of a hassle. I have been pleasantly surprised to find that when you fly domestically in the country you don't have to take your shoes off or remove liquids, etc. Very civilised. I used the internet at the hotel a bit in the evening - it was too expensive to use mine in my room. I have been frustrated not to be able to keep up my blog in real time, but I figured I could catch up in Sydney.
I can't believe we are already at this point in the trip, but it has also been so full and wonderful. It feels like we are a cohesive, good group, and from the funny and weird stories Roxy tells about past groups and those who have been on other OAT trips, we do seem to be a particularly good mix. I am really happy that I will be able to spend extra time in Sydney, and of course I can't wait to see Ethan there. I am trying not to think about going home - I'm not ready yet! I am not the only one staying on after the end of the trip - two couples (a brother and sister and their spouses) are going to Melbourne to stay with their other brother and his family and Marcia is visiting friends in Perth. She is a lovely and very interesting person - she has two cochlear implants and lost her hearing many years ago, and was one of the earliest advocates for the rights of hearing impaired. She is pretty famous in Philadelphia and is such a sweet, unassuming person. She speech-reads very well and gets along fine.
Tomorrow - Cape Tribulation and the rainforest!
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