Oh my what a time it has been since my last post! I got up at 4 am yesterday morning to catch a flight up to Townsville, which is just south of Cairns, the northern east coast region. I then got a ferry and went over to my new residence of Magnetic Island, and I got here just in time. Turns out I arrived in the wake of a mild typhoon, and just before dark I was on the beach looking at the huge waves toss around the boats anchored, and I had to stand at an angle in the wind to not get blown back. Well this morning everyone was looking out at the beach when I arrived, and there were 4 boats that got washed ashore from the storm, one was smashed into pieces, so praise Jesus I survived the night!

But, thats all over and today was INCREDIBLE! The sun was out and we took a hike halfway up a mountain til we decided it was too thick to walk any further and too many spiders, so we left, and there ensued the beginning of a great day. I sighted my first kangaroo, and like anyone would, Colin and I hopped the fence and chased it, turns out they are pretty fast. We named it Patty and she came back to taunt us an hour later, so of course we ran after her again, still to no avail. Then we went to the nature park right next to our bungaloes here at the hostel, and after this I can head home a happy man now, yes I held a Koala! and a croc, and some various snakes and what not. I didn't believe it was possible to love something as much as I did at first sight, but when that little fuzzy ball of clouds and fur (koala) looked up after it awoke, I knew why the Lord had brought me to this far away place. Ok a little overkill, but if you have seen one you understand. Oh and I also licked an ant that tasted like a lemon, yep, the guide said to pick up an ant and lick its butt because it was tart like candy, so I did. And it was. Clark, it was goooo ooood.

I started speaking with the staff last night here, and it looks like I am going to be staying on the island for a bit. You can work around the hostel doing yard work or cleaning for 3 hours a day, and you get a free room, free dinner and a beer, so I am probably going to stay for a week or two and live for free on a tropical island in Australia...hmmm...it's moments like this that I really yearn for my dallas cubicle and headset again....