Just Off The Whitsundays

This article was written 17 years ago in 2006 when I was 21, so I ask you not to judge the writing too harshly! The text is as it was originally published.

After arriving back from Fraser Island last night it was drivetime. Unfortunately one of the major downfalls of Eric (our van) is that he is not well powered and also struggles with radio stations. Heather's iPod is now dead, and ten hours of country music is too much for even the most strong willed traveller. We have spent the past 24hrs stoked on iced coffee; punctuated with cans of 'V' and energy foods. The drives have been pretty intensive; last night we clocked a good 700km before retiring in a petrol car park at 2am. We might have carried on if we hadn't been so short on fuel.

After waking (cold) again this morning, we were straight back on the road, heading up the Gold Coast over the Tropic of Capricorn and into barrier reef country. Fields and fields of sugar cane line the lone-laned highway that hems the coast, and good weather made the next 700km of driving easy. We arrived in Airlie Beach at around two this afternoon, and the over-helpful tourist office equipped us with an itinerary for the next two days. Tomorrow is our crash course scuba trip over the reef, and the next day will be spent at Australia's best beach (winner this year). Finally some 'chill with the still' time.

This post was first published on Thu Jul 06 2006 originally on justbeyondthebridge.co.uk, my former personal blog

The author

My name is Andy Higgs and I am a founder, designer, occassional surfer and travel enthusiast based in the UK.

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