Time for a quick update. After a very long day of buses and such, I am now in Airlie Beach. I went diving in Port Douglas on Wednesday and met several people from Port O’ Call (the only backpackers’ with free transport to/from Cairns). We went out for seafood; it was probably the best meal of the trip so far. I’m really starting to enjoy fresh fish– I might have to start cooking it at home. 
Anyway, I’m pretty exhausted today. I got into Airlie last night at 12:15am and nobody was in my room, so I started getting ready for bed. Then one of the guys came in and said I should come out and have a beer with him and his mates. I didn’t need much convincing at that point, but I stayed up pretty late and had to be up by 9 or so this morning. Fun guys, though– they’re sticking around here to work with some diving companies.
Tonight I get onto the Alexander Stewart for 3 days and 3 nights of sailing. I can’t take my big backpack; bringing everything I need for 3 days in my daypack is a bit of a challenge, since it gets a little chilly at night. My toiletry kit takes up half the space and my book– I’m reading Anna Karenina by Tolstoy now– takes up half of what’s left. Small daypack. It is going to be a blast, so long as the waves aren’t too intense.
Alright, think I’m going to throw on some sunblock and hit the beach until 6 or so. The rest of my trip is looking like Fraser Island next Wednesday and Thursday, traveling to Byron Bay on Friday, and staying there for a couple of weeks to hopefully learn how to surf.
Hard to believe that there are only 20 days left. With the exception of a few days last week, it has been flying by.