Life is tough. Last week I sat stranded in a freezing hut perched on a glacier at 8000 feet; three days later I found myself in tropical paradise.
Airlie Beach sits in the heart of Queensland and serves as the gateway to the picturesque white sand beaches of the Whitsunday Islands. The town is filled with a whole lot of kitsch and young backpackers -- and it often feels as though there's not an Aussie accent to be heard. And, unfortunately, nearly all the region's popular attractions -- e.g., diving; visiting the beaches; sailing; fishing; etc. -- cost money that I wasn't willing to spend. But that doesn't mean there wasn't a good time to be had.
My days were spent drinking delicious iced coffees and swimming/lounging around at the Airlie Lagoon under a scolding Australian sun.
I'd then retire each night to watch the sunset over my balcony and enjoy some terrible Australian television (which, for the most part, is composed of American television shows that no one watches and Aussie Rules Football -- a sport that, to my untrained eye, appears to be the game that results when you throw a rugby ball on a field, tell the participants that there are points to be had, and establish no further rules).
Going on about all this fun would become obnoxious, so I won't. Instead I'll post pictures!
