Queensland Island Adventures

Kaitlyn and friends at White Haven Beach I have so many amazing memories from this experience, but one of my favorites was when I went to the Whitsunday Islands with two friends I met at international orientation. During our lecture recess we packed our bags and took the Greyhound to Airlie Beach. The bus ride north to Airlie was so beautiful and a great way to see parts of Queensland’s landscape. At Airlie, we camped two nights and stayed on a sailboat for the last night. Camping was a great way to see the natural environment of the place and I really enjoyed looking at the stars at night and seeing what kind of Australian animals were in the area. While camping, we met the kindest Australian family who work for a reptile conservation organization in Airlie, and they happened to have some friendly pythons with them that they let us hold. It was truly an Australian experience.

On the sailboat, we snorkeled the Great Barrier Reef with a tour, and it was truly a life-changing experience. I saw landscapes and creatures I didn’t know existed and when I look back, that trip feels like it was a dream. I saw so many types of vibrant fish and coral, as well as sea stars, turtles, and sting rays. We also were able to see Whitehaven beach, which has gorgeous turquoise water and sand made mostly of silica. This means the sand won’t ever get hot and doesn’t burn feet. It felt like fake sand and squeaked when you walked on it, which was so interesting to experience. I also met people from all over the world on that sailboat tour, and this made the experience so much more meaningful and enriching. The memories I made on that trip I will cherish forever.