Holiday? What Holiday?

And there was me thinking that holidays were supposed to be relaxing. What an idiot.

Since finishing work on Friday, every day since we have been up earlier than we would've had to if we'd been going to work. How can that be right? Admittedly I haven't been putting a dress shirt and suit but it's still bloody not on to to have to get up when it's still dark....

On Saturday the early start was due to having to catch a plane. Fair enough I suppose. I guess that's the price of going on holiday. Still, why can't flights be at a more reasonable time? The flight might not have been until 9:10 but it still meant an 05:30 alarm call. 

Yesterday, we were definitely on holiday - the fact that I was wearing beach shorts confirmed it - so was it too much to ask to expect a lie in? Apparently it was. So once 6:00 rolled around up we got.

I might sound like I'm whinging....ok I am whinging.,, but the early start was not without reason and, to be frank, well worth it. We were off to snorkel around the Great Barrier Reef. Well a little bit of it anyway. At some 2,300km in length that would be one hell of a snorkelling trip. There's not enough sandwiches on the world to get you through that!

Our chosen tour operator left dock at 8:00 hence the early start. I'm going to say this quietly, but our first experience of the Reef was a bit disappointing. Underwhelming you might say. Maybe our time earlier in the year in Galapagos had raised expectations too far. It was just a little bit...well....dull. 

It had clouded over and the blue sea had turned rather grey but even with that there just wasn't much to see. Oh dear...... After an hour we got out and dried for lunch. Maybe the afternoon would be better....

To use a football analogy, it was a game of two halves. By the time we got back into the water, the sun had come out, returning the blue to the ocean, and the tide had dropped. Not only did this put you closer to the coral but it also meant that the Reef was doing its job and keeping the waves at bay.

Now the Reef was teaming with life. All manner of fish, some improbably coloured, alien looking coral formations, sea turtles and a glimpse of a Reef Shark. That's more like it, and well worth the early morning start. If that wasn't enough to make it worth the price of the entry ticket, then spotting a whale jumping out of the ocean on the way back certainly was. A magnificent Orca, or Killer Whale to the uninitiated, was heading along the coast and its path was right in front of our boat. 

A great day out, but a long one.

And here we go again. The clock has just nudged 5:45 and were up and about. This time we're off to take a scenic railway to a village in the rainforest. Why the early start? Apparently there's a cruise ship arriving later in the morning so we need to beat the crowds. We are assured, however, that it will be worth it. 

I'm sure it will but I must say that this holiday lark is bloody hard work!