Downunder Adventure

HELLO TO ALL:  We have managed to drive to Brisbane, Fly to Cairnes (Great Barrier Reef) and dry again from Cairnes and we are currently in Hervey Bay, next to Frazier Island. While in Cairnes, Dan took a gondola ride that lasted for 7 miles one-way over the rain forest.  I stayed home and read.  I learned how to drive on the wrong side of the road and actually I'm much better at it than Dan but he would never admit that.  The highlight of our trip tus far has been a snorkel/dive trip out to White Haven Beach.  It is a small island made up of pure white silica sand.  The ocean is warm and aqua blue.  I'm not kidding and have taken pictures to prove it.  Dan took a dive lesson and now he is hooked.  I finally spent more than 2 minutes snorkeling from a boat, hurray.  Actually the fish are not as plentiful as in Hawaii but we did see sea turtles eating jellyfish.  Lots and lots of jellyfish here.  Dan had a very good look at some colorful coral deeper than I can see from the top of the water while snorkeling.  Hervey Bay is a lovely place with a zillion tropical birds.  Last night we saw about a thousand (I'm not exagerating) fruit bats fly over our little cabin.  Amazing.  We will travel south towards Brisbane and stop at Rainbow Bay tomorrow (2/24) for a couple of days.  We leave Brisbane for Christchurch, New Zealand out of Brisbane on 2/28.  That will end our journey to Australia.  I would recommend Australia to everyone and we have barely seen the east coast.  It has rained several times but it keeps it cooler.  It is very warm and tropical here and they have casinos.  The chickens back home are being fed and now apparently even have names by Betty Ann and Paul the people watching our house.  Connie will take the month of March and into April until we return.  I sure hope Amy, Trevor and Bella are coming to Hawaii for the last 2 weeks in May.  We miss you all and it is terrible not having phone contact.  We are getting a disc of our photos and will be forwarding a few in our next update.  TAKE CARE OF YOURSELVES AND LOVE TO ALL.   Dan & Joyce