Airlie Beach – Philipp's TravelBlog

After my second night in Agnes Water I had to get up really early because the bus left at 7 AM.

It was a big bus with comfortable leather seats. At a short break after about 2 hours our driver was informed that the highway we had to use was blocked 70 kilometers further up because a huge truck had an accident. Our driver tried to confirm that with lots of calls, but he couldn’t know for sure.

The problem was that they’re only legally allowed to drive up to 7 hours a day, so if we had to turn around at some point we would not be able to make it to Airlie Beach. He finally decided to give it a try, and we were lucky. The cars were re-routed around the accidents, trucks and buses were allowed to pass. Only a few oversize trucks had to wait until the road was freed.

In Rockhampton we met with another OzEx bus that returned from the cattle station. Half my bus changed into the other one while all passengers from the other one entered mine. With my Express pass the cattle station isn’t included, but I don’t mind. I grew up in a little village with a cattle station around the corner, it can’t be that different.

The busdrivers changed as well, and I got the same one again that already drove me from Rainbow to Agnes Water. His name is Sparrow, but we could also call im Captain Jack ^^

With the people from the cattle station came the scottish girls+guy that had left Agnes Water a day earlier than me. Sparrow had a few movies with him which was good as it was a very long trip. At first we watched Dumb and Dumber, then we had a quick bathroom stop before we watched Eurotrip for the next 2 hours. In the afternoon we arrived in Sarina where we had lunch. I took the chance to buy some cheap groceries at the Woolworths. I bought apples, mandarines, muesli bars – and TimTams!! They had a special offer: $1.49 per pack. Compare that to $4.19 in Agnes Water! No surprise that I stocked – bought 4 packs 😀

For the last part of the trip we watched Mrs. Doubtfire. When that was over we were already there. Given that everybody goes to Airlie Beach for sailing and that our guide’s name was Sparrow, he kicked in “Scotty – The Black Pearl” on the speakers :D.

In town he gave us a quick orientation tour around before dropping us off, but not before telling us to meet for dinner at 7:30 at the Down Under Bar & Grill.

When I left the bus and picked up my backpack, a smiling girl came to me and happily greeted me in german. At first I had no idea who she was, after a little talk I started to remember (with her helping my memory): I had met her in Sydney, she started at the same place with the same organization. I was the first one for her to meet in Airlie Beach. We both had met common friends in Brisbane, but not seen anybody up that far north yet.

I checked in at Magnum’s, a huge hostel with rainforest-like accomodation. There are appartment houses with 10bed dorms surround by heaps of big palms for shade. At 7:30 I was at the Down Under Bar. Sparrow told me to get a dinner special (main meal + pint of beer for $10) and sit down at the OzEx table. I decided for the rumpsteak with salad and chips, then went to the table with my pint oft Toohey’s New. The OzEx table was already quite full but I could not see any familiar face from my group and the people at the table seemed to know each other, so I sat down at the next table opposite of 2 girls who seemed to be more open for new company.

Turns out that was my personal jackpot as they were real Aussies from Melbourne. And not anywhere from Melbourne, but from exactly that area where I used to stay and will stay again with my host family. So we had a lot to talk about and spent the evening together. Honestly, what are the chances? The first time I meet real aussies, and then they even are from my second home? Amazing. We exchanged numbers and connected on facebook. I’ll message them after my sailing trip to hang out again. And even if that doesn’t work out, we’ll definitely catch up in Melbourne soon 😀

Sometime after 11 the girls decided to head back to their hostel because they had to get up early for a daytrip the next morning. After saying goodbye I talked a little to the scottish people from my OzEx group that I had spotted by now, but soon they left as well. I wasn’t feeling tired yet so I decided to walk around Airlie Beach and look for more familiar faces. I had a look into all the pubs and night clubs, but one emptier than the other. Around midnight most party places were almost deserted and I did not find anybody familiar. It was nice to see all the places anyway, but since there was nobody to hang out with except for a few really wasted people I went back to my hostel and to bed.

The next morning I had a lovely walk around the marina before I had breakfast. After breakfast I used the free wifi before going to the lagoon for swimming. I didn’t have to go far to see another well-known face: a girl I had met in Noosa first and then again in Rainbow Beach. She was there with her room mate and soon 2 other german girls joined them. This way I had nice company. We talked and sunbaked and I went for a swim in the lagoon. It was a little bit warmer than the ocean and free of jellyfish 🙂 the water was sweet but tasted weird, my guess was filtered saltwater.

From the lagoon I went back to my hostel to have a showered. Then I went to ABC Travel to check in for my sailing adventure. I got all the information I needed, among them that I will start tomorrow at 8.30 AM and be back the following day around 5PM. I bought a soft bag and went back to the hostel to finish this blogpost. Tonight I will save my money and relax while watching series on my laptop, something I haven’t done for a couple of days now.

Finally, some photos:

From 2011-07-07+1 Airlie Beach. Posted by Philipp Hübner on 7/08/2011 (40 items)