I believe we left things on a photo of a cassowary. The next thing I remember doing (having dug my travel diaries out from the garage, and consulted the paltry notes) was heading to Magnetic Island via several Hicksville stops on the Greyhound bus.
Magnetic Island is reached via ferry from Townsville, where my dear friend Sarah Galletly (who may or may not be reading) is currently located! Sarah, if you're reading, much love to you. The circle of life, it binds us all. Anyway, the main draw for me re: Magnetic Island was the chance to hang out with some koalas at the well-marketed Koala Breakfast in the Bungalow Bay Koala Village YHA, located on Horseshoe Bay at the north-east of the island. I remember getting a bus there from the main port in Nelly Bay, and upon arriving noticing how well-maintained the whole place was. I had a bed in a 4-woman hut, which was basically the place to myself compared to some of the places I had been resting my head. The bar was clean, it was located in pleasant grounds and was altogether pretty delightful. I patted myself on the back for finding such a cracking place and strolled off to find the kitchen so I could prepare myself a well-balanced and nutritious meal that evening.
And then, I found the kitchen.
I have Googled to see if anyone else has shared any horror stories about the Bungalow Bay Koala Village kitchen (it's quite a specific Google search), but looks like it's just me. Time's inevitable passage has slightly dulled the memory of quite how hideous it was, but I seem to remember it involved copious ants, and fridges that performed the function of a gastropub kitchen warming cabinet. I resolved to eat at the hostel bar that night. Come to think of it, they obviously kept the kitchen at a minimum level of crappiness so that people would turn on their heels and get their dinner from the bar. Genius!
To while away the time before it was an acceptable hour to eat, I went for a swim in Horseshoe Bay in the ubiquitous stinger nets, and then apparently made friends with some nice Swedish girls and two Scots, Nat and Pam, during Coconut Bowling in the hostel bar. This is all according to my diary and the photos I have dug out from Facebook - and I do have a hazy memory of chucking coconuts down a skittle alley. However, I have no recollection of taking anyone out with my inaccurate aim, which means I actually managed to bowl in a vaguely straight line, or that I am losing my grip on reality entirely.
The next day, I was booked onto 'Breakfast with the Koalas', an experience involving Bucks Fizz and an unremarkable breakfast, but a lovely tour around the animal sanctuary on-site. Here's a picture of me feeding a cockatoo a cracker with my mouth. I was obviously more daring in those days.
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| "Who's a pretty boy then?" |
I skipped paying the additional $18 to hold a koala and have my photo taken, as I was vaguely attempting to stick to a budget, and once breakfasted decided to go and check out the Forts Walk, which takes in the former Royal Australian Navy artillery battery and several beautiful bays. I remember wandering around for several hours, trying to spot wild koalas but not seeing another soul. There were signs dotted about the place that called for vigilance lest one should encounter a death adder - I walked swiftly on, taking photos and eventually getting too tired to bother koala / death adder hunting any further, and met Nat and Pam for dinner that night. Another hazy one - I think we just drank a lot of beer and chatted bollocks for a few hours prior to bed, which is usually how these things go.
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| Beautiful Magnetic Island - one of the bays! |
Well readers, that's about it for Magnetic Island - I'm attempting short-ish blog posts for the 'easy win' factor. Next time, we venture to The Whitsundays! And who knows, by then I might have won a Nobel Prize and mothered several children. Maybe.
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