Hello lovely friends, family, and the other dozen dedicated readers who have thought I abandoned my blog. Nope, just been running around under the hot Australian sun. I will attempt to catch up on blogging about my trips the past few months, but with my chaotic life in Sydney I won't make any promises! To give you an idea, I have decided to attend fitness school for my certificate III, as well as take up 3 part-time jobs. But lets back up...to the beginning of December when I took Cameron to Hamilton Island to celebrate his 30th birthday.

Our hotel room was astounding. When we looked at the photos online we couldn't have imagined our room was going to look even better in person! Besides the balcony overlooking the clear waters and beach, the room itself could sleep about 8 people in it. There was a living room with fold out beds, a full kitchen, a master bedroom, a huge bathroom and an eating area large enough to practice dance routines.

But, of course, we didn't come to sit in the hotel room. So we took the 2 minute stroll to the beach where we tanned (or, if you're Cameron, burned).

It is strange to be in a country where Christmas is in the summer. Don't take that as a complaint though, it is absolutely wonderful :)

We often forget to be a tourist in our own country, or city even. Cameron has lived in Sydney for close to 12 years now and never been to Hamilton island (or Whitehaven beach, Whitsundays, Great Barrier Reef). After this trip, I think he is keen to explore more of Australia! 

I know we were told not to feed the cockatoos, but they came right up to our balcony every morning and it was just so hard to resist. These guys are fearless - letting you feed them right out of your hand!

After a day on Hamilton Island we took a trip to Whitehaven beach and the famous Whitsunday islands. There is nothing quite like them - with the purest white sand and the clear warm waters. Do watch out for the jelly fish though, or just wear one of these stunning swimmers:

The following day we took a tour of the Great Barrier Reef. There was a boat that took us a few hours out to a pontoon. Here they had a submarine, snorkelling, helicopter rides and a buffet lunch.

We splurged for the helicopter ride - I mean, how often do you get the opportunity to fly over one of the wonders of the world? 

It was amazing! Below you can see heart reef, which is prominently featured in all tourist photos. The advertisements make you believe it's huge, but in reality the heart is so small you really have to look for it.

After our time in the sky we dove right into the water. We expected lots of fish (it is the Great Barrier Reef after all), but WOW. At times I felt like I was actually lost in a school of fish.

Nothing works up an appetite like snorkelling for hours. So we went back to Hamilton Island for a decadent meal and chilled white wine. The sunset at dinner really was the cherry on top of a perfect holiday.

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