**I wrote this yesterday morning but we didn't have internet access yesterday so it's a day behind. We are currently in Queenstown, NZ.**

I feel like so much has happened since our last post! I last left you when I was going to lounge in a hammock. I did that, and it was every bit as relaxing as I had hoped. The next day Joe and I took in all the beach activities. I went stand-up-paddleboarding, we went sea-kayaking, and snorkling. It was during our late afternoon snorkel that we met a loggerhead turtle! She was just sort eating and swimming along. She didn't care in the least that we were a couple of feet away. Just went about her business and let us lounge with her as though we were old friends. Absolutely the coolest thing! We didn't have a go-pro or anything so no photos were captured, but she looked like this. 

We enjoyed a nice dinner at a local spot after which Joe and I both pushed back from the table totally full. I marveled at how much I needed that meal - water and a big vegetable salad. He laughed and marveled at how much he needed his - pizza and beer. It's nice that they had something for everyone. :)

Thursday was the day of all days. Each part of it had something more to look forward to. We started the day with an excellent breakfast looking out past the pool to the beach.

View from breakfast at our first hotel - the Palm Bungalows

We then checked out of our hotel (we're staying at 2 different ones while here on Hamilton Island - the first was a family-friendly large resort type, the second is a more secluded romantic type) and got ourselves down to the marina to board our boat to the great barrier reef (Hardy reef to be exact). It was a 2 hours cruise and went by in a flash. While on board we took pictures, got a few different safety briefings, and decided that not only would we snorkel the reef, but we would go scuba diving as well. Neither of us had ever been scuba diving, but the great barrier reef seemed like a decent place to try it for the first time!

On the boat to the Great Barrier Reef

Once we arrived at the reef we looked around and quickly got ourselves oriented. The jumping off point is a large pontoon raft that is permanently docked in the middle of the ocean (This is what it is, but Joe expected it was going to be more like this). Our boat docked up against the pontoon raft and we quickly changed into our stinger suits and got ready to snorkel. Before we had a chance to leave the boat we got a glimpse of another beautiful loggerhead sea turtle swimming by! It's blurry, but we were excited to capture a picture of it.

Loggerhead Turtle

There are no words for snorkeling the great barrier reef. It is more majestic than I ever could have imagined. I was nervous and was worried I'd be afraid of the fish or the reef or potential murkies, but as soon as I got underwater I was at total peace. Nature has a way of humbling us so quickly. Of reminding us just how small we are. John Muir said, "In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks," and how right he is. We rented a GoPro for this portion of the day, so rather than trying to describe it an inevitably falling short, here are a few photos.

Joe rocking his stinger suit and snorkel gear

A view from the water of a helicopter doing a fly over near the pontoon

After an hour of snorkeling, we embarked on our first scuba dive. We were both a bit nervous but there wasn't much time for that - they get you in the water quickly! We had a guide who literally held our hands the entire dive (which I appreciated) and showed us incredible things toward the bottom of the reef. We saw schools of fish tucked in and sleeping together, and tiny fish that moved together making different shapes, like this. The dive lasted 30 minutes, which was wonderful. 15 mins out and 15 mins back. We hopped out, got changed, grabbed food quickly, and hopped in a dingy to head over to the heli-pad. Like I said - an absolutely surreal day.

Seeing the reef close up was amazing, but seeing it from the air was something else entirely. The views were breathtaking. There is a famous reef nearby in the shape of a heart a bit south of where we had been at Hardy reef so we flew a few minutes south along the reef to see it, and after a couple of loops around that we headed west back towards Hamilton Island.

Our ride

The heart shaped reef is small and in the center

After a day of adventure, we were met at the airport by a driver and whisked away to our new hotel. It was tranquil, serene, and luxurious. We spent the next day (Thursday) lounging by the pool and going out to a nice dinner.

Our lounging spot

The view from our cabana

Yesterday was our last day in Australia. We flew from Hamilton Island to Brisbane, where we connected to Christchurch. We were delayed by a few hours due to a massive storm that came right atop the airport. Once that cleared it was a smooth flight over to Christchurch. We're only here one night (last night) and this morning we're going back over to the airport to pick up our rental car.

I'm writing this from my friend Sarah's kitchen counter. We rowed together in college (Boiler Up!!) and she lives in Christchurch now, doing a post-doctoral fellowship in biomedical engineering. She's off on a weekend boating adventure so we weren't able to have a proper visit but she was nice enough to offer up her place to us and we were welcomed by an awesome note and local candy for our upcoming adventure! As an aside, Sarah Kessans is one of the most positive, infectiously happy and naturally amped people I have ever met. She's always ready for an adventure and both mentally and physically tough. She recently applied to be an astronaut with NASA. Out of the original applicant pool of 18,300 she is part of the final 120 chosen to go to Houston for a live days-long interview, which she did in August. She finds out next year if she's one of the final 8-14 to make the cut.

Anyway - Australia was amazing and we were sad to leave, but excited for our next adventure! Before we get into that, here's the final details on Aus:

Animals seen: 3 wallabies, a million curlew (which are locally called bush thick knees. Also - they run like they're in trouble and you just caught them, then stop on a dime and stare you down hard), cockatoos, bats, a possum (which looks different down here), and a couple of huge frogs.

New food tried: Bug tails. They're like lobster tail, but that's the whole animal. Taste like lobster tail. Really good with a burnt butter sauce.

Favorite local beer: James Squire 150 lashes Pale Ale

Favorite part of the reef trip: Joe - diving. Anna - snorkeling.

With that, on to New Zealand adventures!