Getting out of rat race Sydney was a pleasant experience for us. After a two hour flight we arrived at Hamilton airport with a child saying "Daddy you can get a beer now". After inspecting the hill we were meant to walk up with our two backpacks (filled with 7 bottles of champagne) we decided to hitch a buggy ride. At the top of the hill we were greeted by two very brown and relaxed looking friends. My white skin looked out of place to the beautiful tanned locals.

We arrived at the hamilton marina and opened a bottle of champagne to welcome our arrival. We went from drinking on the boat and went to the local pub to drink some more and soak up the lovely sunset. We then went and had our bbq dinner while listening to a Jimmy Barnes identical and watching a man doing a Peter Garrett dance. With the sydney coldness out of my veins I decided to get into holiday mode by buying the biggest ice-cream possible. We went back to the boat for our first night full of drunk skinny dippers and bad heavy metal music.

After a lovely breakfast we set sail to Whitehaven Beach. We were greeted on the beach by the whitest of sands and water so clear we could see stingrays, turtles and fish. Elizabeth and I decided to walk/jog on the beach while the boys camped under a tree and soaked up the Whitsunday sun rays.

Next location was Nara Inlet which looked like something out of Canada. Nestled away in the Whitsunday was the most beautiful location which played host to an aboriginal cave which we explored the next morning along with 20 other people and a local who made me nervous by wandering off track thinking he was a character out of Crocodile Dundee. We then made our way off to Airlie Beach. Pete got so excited to announce he could sail "Aphelion". I was hoping to see some whales that Pete and Elizabeth had seen the previous day. John got his workout for the year in undoing the ropes under Peter's strictest instructions. I not knowing what was ahead of me took some Kwell tablets and that was the end of my sailing adventure (Kwells will knock you out in no time). So while John, Pete and Elizabeth were sailing throughout the Whitsundays doing 6 knots, I was passed out on the bed downstairs. However I woke in time to see us approaching Airlie Beach and the thousand boats on the harbour participating in race week. As the wind picked up, Pete decided it would be best to make our base in the Marina for the next two days.

We set off to check out Airlie Beach which is full of backpackers and more backpackers. We had a lovely swim in the lagoon and then set off to the Yacht club to check out the locals. That night we were ravenous and decided on Cactus Jacks were curb our hunger. With garlic bread, corn chips, fajitas, cocktails and an all you can eat chilli we were stuffed pigs by the end of the night slowly making our way back to the marina. We had our best night's sleep trying to digest all that Mexican (and one person wasn't affected by all that chilli - a miracle).

On the morning of my last day we decided to do a scenic walk into Cannonvale which inspired Pete and John to buy property. We went past schools, million dollar properties, a gorgeous labrador pup and an annoying real estate agent. After a yummy bbq lunch, the men watched "We Were Soldiers" and Elizabeth and I went for some retail therapy. We should get shares in Cotton On clothing. We walked along the boardwalk back the marina and saw Pete and John sipping a cold beer on the verandah of the Marina bar.

My last meal was a lovely fish meal that Elizabeth prepared accompanied by rose to cool us down. Since it was such a romantic setting we all of us on the water in the Whitsundays we decided to watch "Tango Lesson" and think of future adventures - Paris, Argentina watch out.

P.S Sorry Pete for my big feet getting in the way of your every move.