Great Barrier Reef and being woken by some guy getting arrested in my dorm... Standard stay in Cairns

Currently updating my blog whilst on my very first Greyhound bus experience on the way to Townsville for one night before Magnetic Island. So far, a very exciting few days as a backpacker down under!

Yesterday was possibly one of the coolest days ever; diving on the Great Barrier Reef! The diving itself was actually not as great as my dive in Kho Tao in Thailand (gosh aren't I spoilt!) but it was pretty darn amazing. After the dive, we got to snorkel for as long as we liked and went to a few different sites. My highlight of the dive was finding Nemo in his anemone (they actually do the 'back and forth, back and forth' just like Marvin taught him!) and my highlight of the snorkel was seeing the biggest most amazing turtle EVER. Just absolutely stunning! We also saw stingrays, sea cucumbers, giant clams and hundreds and hundreds of fish of all different colours. Just incredible! I bought an underwater camera so fingers crossed I took a decent photo. Met some cool people along the way and am very excited about diving again on the whitsunday's :-)

Ok, now the 'travel' bit done, now for the drama! Staying at Cairns Beach House is hopefully not an indication of what hostels are going to be like down the rest of the east coast. Ok so I didn't get knifed in my sleep, but let's just say it wasn't the nicest of places. I got woken up at 5am by an actual physical fight in my room. Two guys just started beating the living daylights out of each other which was pretty alarming. One of them ran off (wearing nothing but underwear) and an hour later the police came round to arrest the other guy (all the whole, I was trying to pack my bag without looking
Like I was doing some sort of a runner; I genuinely needed to leave for my bus!!) Needless to say I am pretty glad that was my last night in Cairns Beach House. Hopefully my female only dorm in Townsville will be slightly less dramatic and hey at least the police are very diligent and extremely apologetic about disturbing us. Fear not grandparents! I am well and safe and 'looking over my shoulder at all times!) actually, Mum you might not want to show them this blog)

Update: hostel in Townsville is LOVELY. Feeling much happier (and safer) and looking forward to a sunset walk up Castle Hill, the highest point in Townsville, later on :-) xxxx