Cat-astrophes

There is nothing like a holiday. But there is nothing more than the feeling of arriving home and sinking into your own bed.

I spent a week away in North Queensland. 4 days on Magnetic Island, and 2 in Townsville. I visited the island over 7 years ago, and oh boy has it changed! Picnic Bay (which is where I stayed last time) has gone from being the centre of the Island to a neat and tidy tropical ghost town. Here is an idea of what the actual bay looks like...

The new jetty, a concrete structure, is surrounded by big ugly developments. The locals talk about Sydney-siders buying up big in that little pocket of land. The irony is that in an island so large and with so much space available, people are squishing up in tiny little apartments that look so out of place. Thankfully the only times I went out that way was to pick up things from the supermarket (another recent change...but for the better!). Even some of the new housing is an eyesore. In case you haven't noticed the photo, have a look at this stunning piece of design disastor! An explosion at the Dulux factory??

Meanwhile, the old jetty at Picnic Bay was sooooo much more picturesque. Okay, so it may have not been as practical with its long hike across wooden planks...but it was certainly more beautiful.
I took over 300 photos, so I'll do my best to weed out most and provide a few stories...I'll try not to ramble...so I'll add to the saga over the next few days (though back to work tomorrow, so it may turn into the next few weeks....). I didn't think there would be much more to do up there aside from climb trees and shop (both of which I did...) but I must say I walked away with *many* memories...

And to answer all of you people who have asked 'aren't there cyclones up there?'...yes, but not this year (Innesfail is a little more north) - there was apparently a LOT of rain during the season, but the sun came out while we were up there. However, I thought I'd end with this little shot of a resort that had a cyclone run through it a few years ago...note the cabins...oh right...they're gone...


xxx