Airlie Beach
The great Greyhound rise up the east coast of Australia continues. I arrived in Airlie Beach yesterday afternoon after a 17 hour journey, taking me past Fraser Island, Bundaberg, Rockhampton and Mackay. It was a good journey. The Greyhound rides are a mass mix of sleeping, eating, reading, not sleeping and more reading. There are a few stops along the way, which helps matters. With a 17 hour Greyhound ride the day and night merges into one long day and any overnight journey saves on a night’s accommodation somewhere.
I was also left completely disorientated earlier on. The local hostel and resort people come and haggle for business which also means a free ride from the bus stop to the resort. I’m at Koala’s Resort in Airlie Beach, one big hostel priced resort with a number of self contained cabins in the land behind the main building.
This is Airlie Beach, launching point for the sailing trips around the Whitsunday Islands. With some added sailing schools and diving schools for the more adventurous types. Given that I’d already booked a sailing trip there was a need to ‘check in’ prior to tomorrow’s departure. By mid morning I had no idea who I was or where I was. The Greyhound does take it out of you in terms of sleep.
Airlie Beach itself isn’t much. A mix of the hostels, hotels, resorts and companies providing the sailing trips around the Whitsunday Islands. A few bars enable a more enjoyable stay.
After a long shower and a brief nap I’ve been able to explore Airlie Beach a little. That didn’t take long. There is a man made lagoon on the foreshore since the sea doesn’t have much in the way of beaches and the sea is full of the nasty sort of jellyfish.
