Magnetic Island - dramas

First, i want to set out that when i woke up this morning, i decided that Maggie Island (as the aussies call it) is actually an absolutely beautiful place that i could easily spent a week in.

However, yesterday my impressions were slightly different...i'll rewind...

I left Airlie Beach at around 2pm after having a late breakfast with gemma and richard (to cure our mild hangovers from australia day where we managed to go to every bar along the main strip in airlie beach) and got on the greyhound for Maggie Island. A few girls that i met on the whitsundays (susie, charlotte and pippa) were also on my bus and staying at the same hostel which was very convenient as it was quite a mission to get there. We arrived into Townsville (Queensland's 2nd biggest city after Brissy) at around 7pm and went straight to the ferry terminal to get our boat to the island. This was about a 20 min ferry ride. Once we got off the ferry we then had to get another bus to the hostel (first time the hostel has not picked me up!). When we arrived we were absolutely exhausted to be fair!

Anyway, we were starving and there was a cafe in the hostel. We arrived at 8pm on the dot and they said that they stopped serving at 8pm so we were none to happy as this hostel is in the middle of nowhere!!!!! We checked into our room which was basic, but it was fine, and decided that we would have to get a taxi to find some dinner.

Being complete 'flash packers' (backpackers dont do taxis - but we had no choice) we called a taxi and this complete wierdo turned up to pick us up. with 4 of us against 1 of him, we decided that he would have to do. Anyway, he started singing to us in the taxi and making us join in - was so bizzare. Think he was probably drunk. Nonetheless he got us to Horsehoe Bay in one piece. Although there were 5 or so restaurants there, they were all closed bar one that sold pizza. Apparantly, in Maggie Island, all kitchens everywhere shut at 8pm! Its now 9:30pm and the 4 of us are sitting in a local pub eating pizza, in the middle of nowhere. We thought we would have to wait until the last bus at midnight to take us back (no more crazy taxis for us) but the woman who worked in the pub offered us a lift home - think she felt sorry for us cause we were moaning so much about the lack of life after 8pm in this place.

Upon arriving back, we decided to go straight to bed, convinced that things would be better in the morning (i've learned not to judge places when you arrive there in the dark). When we walked into our room we realised that it had been infested with all sorts of insects - i'm not talking a few little bugs here and there, but hundreds upon hundreds of ants, spiders, maggots, cockroaches...it was absolutely disgusting.

Raging, we stormed to reception (which was obviosuly closed, cause of our luck) and found someone to change our rooms for us. After about a 20 minute fight that we either wanted new rooms or our money back,. he eventually upgraded us to better rooms in the hostel that were bug free.

Finally got to sleep around 1am. Crazy day.
Alright - enough ranting.

Today, though, i realise that the island is absolutely beautiful...never seen so much greenery in my life. The hostel has a big swimming pool, so i'm just going to chill out here today, as i leave tomorrow for mission beach.

hope everyone is well

love danielle
xxx