hi - i've been quite here lately and very busy.
i'm about to go on a holiday with my family; my first proper holiday this year.
we're goin to a beautiful coral cay (island) on the southern end of the great barrier reef.
no resort there - just a few toilets - yes, it's a camping trip! the island is a marine national park. no buildings (other than toilets), no shops, no roads, no running water (we gotta take our own water!), nothing ... just nature:

i've been there about 10 times since i was 17. my son has been 3 times already, but we didn't go last year as my daughter was born at this time of year.
the island is remote & there is a lot of organisation, packing & travel involved; but it is well worth it!

tomorrow (saturday) we drive north for over 500km (about 35o miles or so) with a car full of gear, 2 adults & 2 kids to the place where we catch the boat to the island. we stay overnight in some motel or other. next morning we go to a marina where we load all our gear onto the large boat (barge) which leaves about noon on sunday and takes about 5 hours to get to the island, if the weather is good (longer if windy or big waves - i hope not!). we arrive late afternoon & unload all our gear, find a place to camp & then put up our tent - this part is the hard-work bit!

then we wake up the next morning & spend the next 15 days or so swimming, snorkelling, fishing, walking, lying in hammocks, reading books, playing guitar, eating, drinking, talking, philosophising, chilling, etc., etc. ...... do u think i'm excited?


so u won't be hearing from me until the final days of this month (provided i arrive back safe & sound). have fun ... and i'll try to do some relaxing for all of us ;-D

~