Lizard Island

Sorry for taking so long….island life you know…

Pictures…will not do this experience justice…. After a long morning…4am start and 26kg bag….I set off on my new adventure….on departure the plane circles over Brisbane city I realise…there goes another experience…my month of freedom and peace and chilling –GONE… the things I did, keeping myself entertained and entertaining myself, reuniting with family and old friends, I had KIND of become a ‘city-girl’ like a Durban City. Brisbane city, the city by the river… wow…what a sight from the sky…

ANYWAY…sorry to say but those memories are put away for a slight moment as I try to do my latest experience justice as we lift off from Cairns, in a little, 5 seater, propeller plane, with 2 engines and one pilot…. Flying over the muddy brown ocean, which soon turned into a dark blue and within in minutes patches of tainted turquoise, when I say ‘tainted’ I mean it in the most beautiful way possible… as the azure was broken up by large patches of green/black/brown coral. Not even too far off in the distance the distinctive barrier is visible, the GREAT barrier reef.

Next up is lizard island, the most Northern Island of Australia and on the most northern tip of the reef. As we fly on I snap pictures of every reef – TOURIST -yes! Scattered reefs…JUST like in the movies…and I’m sitting there thinking… NO I AM NOT GOING ON HOLIDAY! This is it…. This is the way to work.

An island larger than the ones we passed comes into sight… an island with a large mountain-like / hill-like top and forest…surrounded by turquoise blue water and coral, one side is sheltered by a smaller island….making the turquoise blue water look like a large natural tropical swimming pool - I will spend my days in there!!!!

The aeroplane makes a turn around the tip and we come into anchor bay where the water is mirror-like…a sandy white beach…. green palm trees and a reception area with no doors… a sandy beach with NO people… PARADISE and just as in the movies, maybe even BETTER! As the aeroplane comes to a standstill I am met by my department manager and HR and am taken away in a golf car (COOL!) After which we take the foot -to my room in the staff village, it’s cute quaint and all I need - a fly screen, a balcony, wardrobe and trees [I only RECENTLY found a hammock!! Yes I’m lying in a hammock while typing this blog :D ].

We take the tour of the island – it is HOT…. And this is home…. Surrounded and covered by trees, I am in tropical PARADISE. After meeting with important people and meeting fellow employees, getting uniform and settling in… I have arrived and tomorrow I start working (haven’t stopped since), my ‘office’ has no doors, no windows but frames and a roof… and I can throw a pebble onto the beach… one word…STUNNING. NO pictures can do this place justice….the ambience…character, life atmosphere... pack your bags friends… this island is calling!

SO after a week of training and too many hours in boatshoes (boatshoes … grrr) I have worked lunches and dinners, been a food runner a server and attendant and a polisher, I have presented a degustation menu and been a floater, I have done breakfasts and now had afternoons off… today I finished work, took a break and then went snorkelling ALMOST right outside my doorstep! STUNNING, I am truly blessed and this experience is taking service to another LEVEL! The best of the best. Photos will be up later, as I am still waiting on sunset to capture its beauty! :D I would take a photo of every night’s sunsets if I could! STUNNING.