Thursday, December 13, 2007

Random Travel Update 13

Previous location: Brisbane, Queensland
Arrival Date: December 11, 2007
Departure Date: December 12, 2007

Current Location: Byron Bay, New South Wales
Arrival Date: December 12, 2007
Departure Date: December 16, 2007

Next Stop: Glen Innes, New South Wales

So diving the Great Barrier Reef on a four day long live-aboard was as fantastic as it sounds. We had a total of 15 dives, including one night dive and a shark-feeding! Us people were well fed too. The daily itinerary consisted of breakfast at 7am, first dive at 7:15am, second breakfast at 9:00am, second dive at 10:00am, lunch at 12:30pm, third dive at 1:15pm, snack at 2:00pm, fourth dive at 4:00pm, dinner at 6:00pm and dessert soon after. Our chef was very good about cooking Jon and I our own special vegan dishes including faux-sausage with beans; pumpkin and veggies with peanut sauce; bbq veggie skewers; and a fabulous baklava dessert rich in seeds, nuts and filo pastry.

The boat was gorgeous, and our room was very nice and equipped with its own ensuit bathroom (more luxury than many of the hostels we have been staying at on land.) The nights, when we did most of our traveling, were a bit rough. Jon and I both still felt like we were rocking though Brisbane, a good two days after reaching shore.

There are pictures, but I am not allowed to download them to these computers at the internet cafes (I left my iBook in Sydney) so everyone will have to wait another week or so for me to post everything. I know-boo. In the meantime, you can check out the pictures that I managed to transfer to Picasa before I left Sydney (check next email.) They are still missing their captions, those will come later along with hundreds of pictures from South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau that are currently sitting stuck (unviewable) on Webshots.

Brisbane is a great city. Seems like a good place to live. Vegans- definitely hit up the Alibi Room if you're ever in the area: http://www.thealibiroom.com . We had The Kombie Driver's Breakfast and it was pretty much awesome. Maybe too huge, but definitely a good thing. I should have taken a picture.

We arrived in Byron Bay last night. It was raining but we went out anyway only to be bombarded by the neo-hippies. It was an interesting anthropological experience for Jon who didn't grow up with 4th Avenue in his backyard. Tomorrow we learn how to surf!

Love,

Melissa

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