May 8, 2023
Day Eight of Queensland’s East Coast Roadtrip
Airlie Beach
Mackay – Airlie Beach
Background
I met two Irish girls in the Gold Coast who invited me to tag along on their road trip up the East Coast of Queensland, Australia.
Despite only just meeting these girls, I spontaneously agreed and am having the time of my life.
I’ve created this article as part of a sixteen-day series, documenting my experience of exploring Queensland. For better context and understanding, I encourage you to read my previous articles.
Aisling
Ireland
Altan
ireland
Me
new zealand
Airlie Beach
We drove to Airlie Beach from Mackay in just under 2 hours.
I’d visited Airlie several times with my family when I was younger. But being here unsupervised, I saw Airlie through a fresh set of eyes.
Our hostel was super cool! It’s modern and tropical, with its pool under the palm trees. I’m in an 8-bedroom mixed dorm room, full of lovely, sociable people. The easiest way to make friends while travelling is by starting conversations with your roommates. Since everyone is on the road, you’re likely to share common experiences or interests.
Airlie Beach is beautiful; however, the waters are infested with deadly jellyfish and crocodiles. So they have an artificial beach/lagoon that you can swim in instead.
We had a small lunch and a glass of wine, or maybe it was two… Then Altan left to do some emails, which resulted in Aisling and I buying more wine to drink by the lagoon.
Of course, we bumped into her Fraser Island friends. They were exhausted after taking the Greyhound Bus here. Two of the girls in particular are traveling with a tent to sleep in instead of booking beds in hostels, as a way to save money. Not something I would do, but its pretty cool.
I went on a date
While I was alone in Noosa, I downloaded Tinder. Thinking I could go on a date while the girls were away. I didn’t end up using it, but still had the profile made. I decided to pull it out while in Airlie. I matched with a French boy and had been messaging him. Airlie is so small that he happened to be at the lagoon as well and he asked me if I wanted to join him for a chat. I couldn’t say no, he could see exactly where I was sitting and now’s the safest time while all my friends are about. So I went over to say hello.
The conversation was difficult. He’s overly confident, and I don’t like his attitude. But in his defence, his English wasn’t great, and he didn’t understand all I was saying. He told me he was travelling alone and sleeping in his car. Then he asked if I wanted to watch the sunset and stay with him in his car. I hear that’s how murders happen. That was a big no from me. Picture me deleting the Tinder app from my phone as I’m walking back to my friends.
We spent the day on the beach with beers, listening to music, and writing our journals. For sunset, we drove up to the lighthouse while Altan surfed at The Pass. The rest of Byron Bay had the same idea; it was so busy yet special spending this time with people from all different parts of the world.
Braving the hostel kitchen
We took about an hour to cook a 15-minute packet of pasta. The hostel kitchen was tiny for the 200 people staying here (this photo was taken during the day… Can you imagine everyone wanting to have dinner at the same time?) There was little cooking equipment, and most of the facilities were broken.
Using the hostel kitchens is a great way to meet new friends. Asking people what they’re cooking. Asking someone to open your pasta jar for you (in my case). Using a utensil in turns because they’re hard to come by.
May 9, 2023
Day Nine of Queensland’s East Coast Roadtrip
The Whitsundays
Another day in Airlie Beach
Alone again
This morning I said another goodbye to Aisling and Altan as they set off on another tour that I was late joining in on. This time they were boarding an overnight yacht, which would take them around the beautiful waters of the Whitsundays and part of the Great Barrier Reef.
I walked the girls to the marina, where they were meeting their tour group.
We had a bit of time to have coffee and overlook expensive boats.
Aisling and Altan were told that they were allowed to bring alcohol on their boat trip, but it couldn’t be glass. It was funny seeing their group lined up at the marina with their backpacks on and alcohol in their hands.
Exploring Airlie Beach
What am I going to do now? I have the whole day to myself…
Well, I went for a huge walk around Airlie. I bought some unnecessarily expensive sunglasses that don’t fit my face and a top that I’m never going to wear.
What do farmers and drugdealers have in common?
When returning to the hostel, I saw Sophie (a friend I met from Noosa) sitting by the pool with a guy I’d never seen before.
She was just as shocked to see me as I was to see her!
I sat down beside them at the pool, joining in on the conversation.
The guy was super friendly, and we all got along well. Until we didn’t. He made a strange comment, which made everything awkward.
He openly shared that he was, or still is, a farmer (though I missed the reference at first; he was implying that he sells drugs). He told us about a party he went to and confronted someone over an unpaid debt, only for the guy to smash a glass bottle across his face. He now has one eye.
Although he’s not someone I would choose to hang out with (what are you doing right now, Annabelle??), his story was kind of amusing.
The Witsundays
I will be coming back and doing the Whitsunday boat tour. The girls are messaging me and having a blast!!! Here are some of their photos
My hostel room >
I love the people in my hostel room!! Apart from the one guy that woke me up this morning who had brought a girl in and were up to monkey business on his friend’s bed?! Annddd it was 8am?!!?
Later that night I was sitting writing my diary in my hostel bed when the guy in the bed across from me interrupted for a chat. I shouldn’t be mad, but I was in my zone. We got along, and he invited me to join his friend group for cards and drinks next door.
Did I meet the love of my life?
We go through, and he introduces me to his friends; everyone is so nice and welcoming. I catch eye contact with a German boy. He has the prettiest eyes that I’ve seen on a boy, a beautiful accent, similar taste in music, an impressive fashion sense, and a kind persona. Conversation with him was so easy.
But that’s as far as it got…
The guy from the pool this afternoon comes into the room (he’s had a bit to drink) and yells across the room, “Oi, you’re that girl from the pool.”
He sits down and joins us playing cards. Stinking the room of cigarettes. It doesn’t take long before he completely flips and throws a suitcase across the room. While the boys calm him down, I decide its bedtime.
Good night x
May 10, 2023
Day Ten of Queensland’s East Coast Roadtrip
Last day in Airlie Beach
What ruckus can Altan and Aisling cause today
Time to see my girls
I wake up bright and early this morning, excited to see Altan and Aisling who have just arrived back from their Whitsundays trip. They look like death in the nicest way possible. Aside from that, they loved it, maybe a little too much. They’re feeling worse for wear today!
Put it this way, the girls took a casket of wine each to have on the boat, and suddenly the boat crew banned them from future boat tours. What a coincidence, am I right?
Girls go wild
We’re in for another big night, the pub down the road is hosting a dinner for the Whitsunday boat tour group.
I tagged along, pretending to be a part of the crew. Aisling and Altan introduced me to all their lovely new friends.
I’m sitting at the table chatting away with the girl beside me when I get a tap on my shoulder. I turn to see Aisling with the biggest grin on her face “Annabelle, you’ll never believe, they were selling this bottle of prosecco for $30 so I got us a bottle”…
It started with one, and as 10 minutes pass, Altan appears with a second one.
Next thing you know, they’re bouncing off the walls. The security was not having it. Before you could blink, the girls had been dragged out the front door.
After twenty minutes I see them re-enter from the back entrance, proud as punch. They’d jumped a fence and came through the smokers area. Thinking they’d got away with it, security was straight onto them. Points for trying girls.