Today we finally made it out to the Great Barrier Reef for some scuba diving and snorkeling. The Great Barrier Reef is massive, stretching almost the entire East coast of Australia. We only visited a few sites near Port Douglas. The day was beautiful and the water was calm; it was the perfect condition for diving. Even if you don’t dive, there is plenty to see as you snorkel around the shallower reefs.
on the road
On the Road: Day 9 in Hamilton Island
We woke up excited this morning ready to go out to the Great Barrier Reef to do some scuba diving, but unfortunately our trip was rained out. The sky was dark and ominous as thunderstorms rolled in. We spent the whole morning indoors, wallowing in the fact that we came all the way across the world, not able to see the reef. In the afternoon the clouds cleared up and we made it to the beach for some snorkeling instead. Here is a GoPro video that Fausto recorded of the fish and coral around Hamilton Island.
On the Road: Day 8 in Whitehaven
Blue sky, white sand, clear water. Paradise is the perfect word to describe Whitehaven, one of the most beautiful beaches I’ve ever been to. The clear water reflects the blue sky, creating varying shades of turquoise. The sand is so fine and white, it feels like baby powder on your feet. This place might have ruined all other beaches for me.
On the Road: Day 7 in Hamilton Island
Today was the first relaxing day of the vacation where we spent most of the day lounging around the island going from the beach to the pool. We were hanging out by the pool during the sunset and we saw the sky light up with colors. Perfect time to try out a bunch of cheesy poses.This is the resulting photo showing my reflection against the vibrant background.
On the Road: Day 6 in Whitsunday
We left Sydney early this morning and headed to the Whitsunday Islands in Queensland. These tiny islands are right next to the Great Barrier Reef and surrounded by impossibly blue water as far as the eye can see. It’s truly paradise on Earth. We are blessed to be able to wake up to this view for the next few days.
On the Road: Day 4 in Bondi
Today we headed out of the city to Bondi, famous for it’s crystal blue water and white sand beach. We spent the morning soaking up the sun and jumping waves. Bondi is also the perfect place to people watch. The beach is filled with surfers, sunbathers, and people frolicking in the water taking advantage of the beautiful Australian weather.
On the Road: Day 3 in Blue Mountains
On the third day, we drove to the Blue Mountains and hiked on one of Australia’s finest bush walking trails. We descended vertically down the rock face into a valley where we were surrounded by lush greenery. Looking up we saw a stunning view of the cascading waterfalls.
On the Road: Day 2 in Newtown
This picture was taken in an alleyway in Newtown/Enmore, a suburb 15 minutes outside of downtown Sidney. This hip area is full of eclectic shops, small sidewalk cafes, and lots of graffiti. The relief sculpture of the skull with an acronym edged in was found all over town, this particular black skull against the flower petals is unique because it creates an interesting juxtaposition.
On the Road: Day 1 in Sydney
After 26 long hours of flying, we finally made it to Sydney. The weather is beautiful, but that seems to be the norm here. This picture was taken from the back of the Manly Beach ferry. You can see the Sydney opera house and the bridge in the distance as the boat pulled out of Circular Quay.
On the Road
It’s been pretty quiet on lifeafter9to5 because we’ve been on the road. Last week we went to San Francisco and Yosemite National Park and just got back yesterday. I thought I was going to have time to write a post or two about our adventures on the West Coast, but things got a little crazy. So between work and little sleep, I have not had time to do anything.
Last night, after our red-eye from SF we were so tired, we both passed out at 8 pm EST and slept for 12 hours. Now we are scrambling to get all our stuff together and pack for Peru, because we are flying to Lima tonight. You read that right, we are home for a day and flying off again. Timing is tight, but hopefully hiking in Yosemite gave us some ideas of what we need for our trek on the Inca Trail. We will be in Peru for a week and be back on July 4th weekend.
In the mean time, you can follow us on Facebook or Instagram (@lifeafter9to5) to see pictures of our trips. Cheers!
Me climbing up a steep hill in San Francisco
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