An entry in the TFS Travel Journal
Just another day here in Whitsunday paradise. We lolled around in our lovely room, reading on the terrace, until heading off to breakfast in the late morning. Quite the copious buffet spread. We sampled most everything, then sat for a while enjoying the beach-front setting.
We went for a walk around the tropical, verdant and flowerful grounds, then headed up and around the island on the loop walk. It took about 2 1/2 hours, and afforded wonderful panoramic views of the Coral Sea, which has at least 4 shades of blues and greens. We also passed through several shaded areas, containing one particular tree variety that the butterflies (dark brown with bright blue spots) evidently really like, since we saw them by the dozens alighting on the tree then in one little cove we were in the midst of hundreds of them. It was fascinating to be among so many, all flying and darting about us in their crazy ways!
Though it was fairly hot, the lush trees provided much-appreciated shade. Most of them had whitish bark, and that, along with their bright green leaves, provided an enhancing contrast as we gazed through and over them at the colorful sea in the distance. We came back, walking along the beach back to our East Wing room and spent a few hours reading and channel surfing.
Milton then went for a brief workout, primarily to use the Skywalker - a sort of high-tech cross-country ski machine. It was then time for our “intensive facials”, which were actually intensely relaxing. We ordered in some room service and marvelled again at the velocity of the wind outside (though it’s probably just the many palm and other leaves making it all sound more fierce than it really is).
Dinner was the blandest pumpkin soup, a caesar salad with turkey (the first time we’d had turkey in two months), and some stir-fried vegetables that were so good we’re planning on having it tomorrow. We then watched tonight’s episode of “All Saints”, the Australian hospital soap opera. We had to watch it since one of the women from the Daintree said that Wendy looked just like Georgie Parker, the star of the show, but we just didn’t see it. Don’t think it will be displacing “ER” too soon, either. (we did learn some new Aussie slang and terms, though. At least what we could understand!)
We then had an early evening, as we have early diving and snorkling tomorrow.