Nathan and the Europeans’ Excellent Adventure

Robyn gave me a stupid challenge to use the words ebullient and stupid in this post and adventure in the title… I win. That was pretty easy.

I’ve never been one to shy away from referring to myself in the third person. I think, despite how the SMH’s resident idiot left wing sports commentator Peter FitzSimons (living proof that Rugby players can be as apelike as their league counterparts) derides it on a weekly basis.

I’m sure you all want to hear about my exciting adventures with my party of five intrepid travellers. The group included my flamboyant Tourism Australia co-host Kristian, and journalists from Australia, Denmark, France and the United States.

For some random pictures from the trip go here…

Island Tour

Magnetic Island was good fun, I love driving the mini mokes they feel as indestructible as a tank and the handling is probably just as good. We ate like kings and queens at some spectacular restaurants on the island (Le Paradis, Barefoot: Art, Food, Wine). Had a modern Australian breakfast at Bungalow Bay – including fresh honeycomb. I love it. I’m wondering if dipping a candle in honey would artificially create the flavour.

Our sunset sailing tour turned into a debacle when a couple of our journos turned a literally sickly shade of green. I had to skipper the ship while the owners tied down the sails so that we could chug back into port on our own steam while our journos were steaming as they chucked all the way back into port.

On the way up the Great Green Way (the section of the Bruce Highway between Townsville and Cairns) we stopped at Frosty Mango for thickshakes and ice cream, the Hotel Noorla for High Tea and Port Hinchinbrook for lunch. They now have the biggest restaurant north of Brisbane. Kristian drove our sea sickness sufferers up the coast to catch the ferry to Dunk Island while I took the more adventurous half of the group on a game fishing boat ride to the Dunk via Hinchinbrook Island.

Dunk was incredible – although it rained the whole time we were there. I had a massage, rode a jetski, ate steak and drank cocktails – all in the name of work. I can’t stress how much pleasure I take from being able to take a long bath while technically “at work.”

Here are the vital statistics from the trip:
Animal species consumed: 9 (cow, sheep, pig, chicken, crab, prawn, fish, squid (calamari), green ant (in tea))
Steaks eaten: 5
Beers consumed: 11
Dollar value of 4 night’s accommodation: $1600
Experience: priceless…

Comments

Joel says:

People who hate you right now:

At least one.