Hervey Bay

After a 3 hour tilt train ride, a 1 hour bus ride and a 40 minute boat ride, I am at Kingfisher Bay Resort.

I am pleased I chose train as one of my modes of transport. I think I actually got to see some of the Australia we get to read about in books and see in films and documentaries. Many of these 'one horse' towns simply had a bakery and a general store and not a person in sight. Many of the wooden houses are designed to keep the house as cool as possible. In front of many of the windows you will find shutters. Even in the Australian winter I am encountering temperatures of over 80!

Australians definately know how to do do long distance train travel. I had so much leg room, entertainment and food and drink supplied... I suddenly had a very different view of our much loved 'British Rail'. In my carriage there were plenty of Australian pensioners enjoying the winter sun. Many Australians from Melbourne and Sydney choose the Gold Coast as a holiday destination due to the higher temperatures. Is is also quite common for people to reach a pensionable age and pack up their things in the city and move to the coast. I suppose it is very much the same trend in the UK. Property is also very cheap here. I noticed many new developments offering 3-4 bedroom houses with plenty of land, near the coast and great amenties for about 100 000 English Pounds!

The island was simply stunning! With so many modes of transport to get me there, I feel like I am miles from anywhere!

My room is in the middle of a forest and all I can hear are the many birds calling to each other.

Tomorrow I have booked three things to do (as well as resting ... I intend to do that too) It starts with whale watching for half a day out on boats, then later in the afternoon I am going to go on a ranger walk to find out which plants I could eat to keep me alive in the unlikely event of being caught in the bush and finally, after dinner, I have another ranger walk in the dark!!!

I'm not sure if I am liking Australia as much as I enjoyed Hong Kong and Malaysia but I am going to give it time!

Yesterday was the first evening I actually felt a little lonely, perhaps that is why I am finding it hard to connect with the country at the moment. I am informed all of this will pass. I am looking forward to tomorrow...