Diving & Adventures in Travel
I got picked up at 8:00 by the bus and was taken to the boat. We left the docks at 9:00 and headed out to meet the bigger boat that stays out on the reef. After a short 2hour journey where a few people contributed food to the fishes, we docked with ‘Kangaroo Explorer’ this is where we would be living for the next 3 days. After our briefing with the captain we got assigned cabins and headed down to the galley for lunch. Then we grabbed our gear and got in the water for our first dive. We would only be going down to approx 10m. We got out and the boat took us to another spot on the reef where we would be spending the night. We also did our second dive of the day after the afternoon snack.
We had fish and chips for supper followed by a relaxing evening. The next morning we were up at 5:30 and in the water by 6am. Even being so early it was warm and the water temp was a nice 25°C, on this dive we went down with a camera man who filmed us. We also followed a turtle and saw a shark. We got out had breakfast and got back in the water at 9am.
After getting out it seemed like it was afternoon even though it was only 10. We all got to relax the afternoon away until our next dive at 4. Then after a supper of roast beef and Yorkshire puddings we got ready for our first night dive. Even though its dark there is still allot of light down there as you can see the moon as well as the spot lights on the boat. When shining your light you need to be careful that you don’t kill too many fish as you can direct the big ones right to the little fishies. After this dive we were all tired so we filled out our log books and went to bed as tomorrow morning we were going to do a deep dive at 30m.
Up again before the crack of dawn we got ready and into the water. Down to one of the deeper spots on the reef we went. At the bottom our instructor pulled out a tomato it was green/grey as red is gone at that depth. We cracked an egg and saw that the pressure kept the shape of it for a few seconds until the big fish got it as it has found it likes eggs. He also took an empty water bottle and half filled it with air when we got back up to the top the bottle was very cold and under lots of pressure.
We did one more dive that day before heading back to Cairns. It was a long weekend and everyone was very tired. That night we went out and partied.
Monday morning I left for Port Douglas. Port Douglas is a little town approx 1.5 hours north of Cairns. It has a nice beach as well as restraints. Here I relaxed for the next week going to the beach every day and having an ice cream cone. I had to try all the flavours.
Now on Wednesday I had to head back into Cairns as I had decided to head across to New Zealand. Since I had nothing to do I decided it would be a good idea to rent a scooter and take a little local tour of cairns. Was I wrong!
I got the scooter and headed out first stop the Crystal Cascades. It’s a nice waterfall flowing into separate pools where everyone goes for a swim. It was a little cool especially after swimming in the ocean for over a week. After I dried off I headed out to the Hydro Dam I was the only one there and got some nice pictures of the sun heading out between the hills. As I left I noticed something was not quite right when I took the corners. It seemed to want to wander stopping I felt the back tire. Dam! It was losing air and I was nowhere near anyone. (Strike 1) Off I got and managed to push it up the hill and then down back to the suburb of Lake Placid. I went to a few houses and found someone with a compressor to get some air in it. Well as soon as there was air in you could hear it leaking out. Great! Well I guess I’m walking back into the city. After about 30min or so a guy stops to see if I need any help I tell him that I’m walking back downtown as I have a flat. He says that I might not want to do that as it is a 20min drive and it’s already getting dark it would probably take me 2-3 hours to walk it. He lives just around the corner and suggests I leave it there and get the company to come get it. So I head back to his house and we look up the phone # for the company as I didn’t have it with me nor was it on the bike or any info I got. The Owner answers and sends out a tow truck for me since I was to have the scooter till the next morning he gives me another one. So I run about the town to get some supper it was 8pm by this time. I was going to head back out and see the last look out I didn’t make it to in the morning but it was raining so I read my book returned the scooter. I get charged for the flat as well as the towing fee (strike 2) tho he does cut it in half so my 3 hour ride cost me $145.00
Well we get on the plane and sit there waiting for some paper work we wait and wait. It was getting hotter in the cabin. Finally the engines start up and we get a bit of air. Then the captain comes on and says there is a fault and we will have to wait a bit till it is fixed. We wait and wait about an hour now. Up the engines start and nope something still not right so we all get off the plane. After a while we get the ok to board again we get on and push off nope something still wrong so we go back to the gate and get out. Ok they think it’s fixed so we all board again. By now it is approx 35°C in the cabin. We get told that there is only one aircon running and once we get up to cruising altitude it should start to cool off. Ok so we push off again and start to taxi. Back on comes the captain and says nope the problem is back we have to head back to the gate. So off we get for the 3rd time. (Strike 3) After a few minutes there’s an announcement that we can come and get a free meal voucher. A whole $6.00 which won’t even cover a meal! So we hang around for a bit and then we are told we need to go and claim our luggage as they are pulling that plane. So we go and get our luggage and head to check in again.
I’m not worried as there’s still lots of time to catch my connecting flight to Auckland I just don’t get to sit around the Brisbane airport for 4 hours. I meet some other folks that are traveling to Auckland and we all head to the check in together. As we are waiting in line there is a call for everyone heading to Auckland to come up to the service desk. She tells us we are going on the next flight and will make it to our connecting flight. 5 min into getting us booked in we are told nope we are now going to head to Melbourne for the night and head over on the flight in the morning as we will not make it in time. (Strike 4) so we get checked in a run off around to get on the plane as they are waiting for us to get on. We get to Brisbane sit for 20 min and then catch the Melbourne flight. In Melbourne we are told we get to stay in the Hilton across the street. My first room to myself in over 7 months! Whoooooo!!!! (Though I did lose my room in Auckland as I had already booked it and could not cancel it) it was nice to have my own TV and king size bed. Having to walk to the hotel was not nice it was only 10°C out! Even though I only got to have 5 hours sleep! In the morning we caught the flight it actually left and we arrived in New Zealand at 5pm I caught the shuttle bus to downtown and walked to the hostel it’s a little cool out but not too bad. I find out that they had candled my room and the beds in the dorm were full (strike 5) lucky they had a 2 share available so I did have a place to stay.
We had fish and chips for supper followed by a relaxing evening. The next morning we were up at 5:30 and in the water by 6am. Even being so early it was warm and the water temp was a nice 25°C, on this dive we went down with a camera man who filmed us. We also followed a turtle and saw a shark. We got out had breakfast and got back in the water at 9am.
After getting out it seemed like it was afternoon even though it was only 10. We all got to relax the afternoon away until our next dive at 4. Then after a supper of roast beef and Yorkshire puddings we got ready for our first night dive. Even though its dark there is still allot of light down there as you can see the moon as well as the spot lights on the boat. When shining your light you need to be careful that you don’t kill too many fish as you can direct the big ones right to the little fishies. After this dive we were all tired so we filled out our log books and went to bed as tomorrow morning we were going to do a deep dive at 30m.
Up again before the crack of dawn we got ready and into the water. Down to one of the deeper spots on the reef we went. At the bottom our instructor pulled out a tomato it was green/grey as red is gone at that depth. We cracked an egg and saw that the pressure kept the shape of it for a few seconds until the big fish got it as it has found it likes eggs. He also took an empty water bottle and half filled it with air when we got back up to the top the bottle was very cold and under lots of pressure.
We did one more dive that day before heading back to Cairns. It was a long weekend and everyone was very tired. That night we went out and partied.
Monday morning I left for Port Douglas. Port Douglas is a little town approx 1.5 hours north of Cairns. It has a nice beach as well as restraints. Here I relaxed for the next week going to the beach every day and having an ice cream cone. I had to try all the flavours.
Now on Wednesday I had to head back into Cairns as I had decided to head across to New Zealand. Since I had nothing to do I decided it would be a good idea to rent a scooter and take a little local tour of cairns. Was I wrong!
I got the scooter and headed out first stop the Crystal Cascades. It’s a nice waterfall flowing into separate pools where everyone goes for a swim. It was a little cool especially after swimming in the ocean for over a week. After I dried off I headed out to the Hydro Dam I was the only one there and got some nice pictures of the sun heading out between the hills. As I left I noticed something was not quite right when I took the corners. It seemed to want to wander stopping I felt the back tire. Dam! It was losing air and I was nowhere near anyone. (Strike 1) Off I got and managed to push it up the hill and then down back to the suburb of Lake Placid. I went to a few houses and found someone with a compressor to get some air in it. Well as soon as there was air in you could hear it leaking out. Great! Well I guess I’m walking back into the city. After about 30min or so a guy stops to see if I need any help I tell him that I’m walking back downtown as I have a flat. He says that I might not want to do that as it is a 20min drive and it’s already getting dark it would probably take me 2-3 hours to walk it. He lives just around the corner and suggests I leave it there and get the company to come get it. So I head back to his house and we look up the phone # for the company as I didn’t have it with me nor was it on the bike or any info I got. The Owner answers and sends out a tow truck for me since I was to have the scooter till the next morning he gives me another one. So I run about the town to get some supper it was 8pm by this time. I was going to head back out and see the last look out I didn’t make it to in the morning but it was raining so I read my book returned the scooter. I get charged for the flat as well as the towing fee (strike 2) tho he does cut it in half so my 3 hour ride cost me $145.00
Well we get on the plane and sit there waiting for some paper work we wait and wait. It was getting hotter in the cabin. Finally the engines start up and we get a bit of air. Then the captain comes on and says there is a fault and we will have to wait a bit till it is fixed. We wait and wait about an hour now. Up the engines start and nope something still not right so we all get off the plane. After a while we get the ok to board again we get on and push off nope something still wrong so we go back to the gate and get out. Ok they think it’s fixed so we all board again. By now it is approx 35°C in the cabin. We get told that there is only one aircon running and once we get up to cruising altitude it should start to cool off. Ok so we push off again and start to taxi. Back on comes the captain and says nope the problem is back we have to head back to the gate. So off we get for the 3rd time. (Strike 3) After a few minutes there’s an announcement that we can come and get a free meal voucher. A whole $6.00 which won’t even cover a meal! So we hang around for a bit and then we are told we need to go and claim our luggage as they are pulling that plane. So we go and get our luggage and head to check in again.
I’m not worried as there’s still lots of time to catch my connecting flight to Auckland I just don’t get to sit around the Brisbane airport for 4 hours. I meet some other folks that are traveling to Auckland and we all head to the check in together. As we are waiting in line there is a call for everyone heading to Auckland to come up to the service desk. She tells us we are going on the next flight and will make it to our connecting flight. 5 min into getting us booked in we are told nope we are now going to head to Melbourne for the night and head over on the flight in the morning as we will not make it in time. (Strike 4) so we get checked in a run off around to get on the plane as they are waiting for us to get on. We get to Brisbane sit for 20 min and then catch the Melbourne flight. In Melbourne we are told we get to stay in the Hilton across the street. My first room to myself in over 7 months! Whoooooo!!!! (Though I did lose my room in Auckland as I had already booked it and could not cancel it) it was nice to have my own TV and king size bed. Having to walk to the hotel was not nice it was only 10°C out! Even though I only got to have 5 hours sleep! In the morning we caught the flight it actually left and we arrived in New Zealand at 5pm I caught the shuttle bus to downtown and walked to the hostel it’s a little cool out but not too bad. I find out that they had candled my room and the beds in the dorm were full (strike 5) lucky they had a 2 share available so I did have a place to stay.
posted by Scott at
10:19 PM
2 Comments:
I don't know what baseball game you play when you give your opponents 5 strikes. I also hate it when they candle my room. Have fun in New Zealand (get some pictures of Hobbiton and Mordor)!
I play a special game! in my own little world! the candles really smell up the room don't they?
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