Airlie Beach = Tenerife

I arrived at Proserpine Airport from rainy Sydney to a 24 degree temperature as I stepped from the plane. I saw a sign saying, “baggage claim” so decided to follow it around the airport terminal until I realised I had walked in a complete rectangle. With no conveyer belt in sight, I realised that this was no normal airport and that people were waiting by the side of the road for their luggage. Just then a truck pulled up with mounds of luggage strewn across it. Crowds of people raced over to the truck tearing their luggage from the truck and pushing anyone who got in their way.

After all the kafuffle with the luggage, I boarded a bus to take me to Airlie Beach. Unfortunately, I’d left it all to the last minute (some things don’t change!) and hadn’t booked a hostel and so with no battery left on my phone I asked the driver to drop me at a quieter out of town backpackers away from the main party scene. I arrived at the backpackers but the reception was closed so made my way down to the main strip where there were numerous backpackers to choose from but again many were closed for the night. With my pregnant backpack on the back and the toddler backpack on the front, I arrived at Magnums backpackers. Luckily, or unluckily I should say they found room for me. As I walked through the noisy bar with sleazy men playing pool and flirty girls getting down and dirty on the dance floor I realised this may not be the relaxing holiday I had hoped for and more like an 18-30’s in Tenerife!

Still, I managed to get a few hours sleep and then swiftly made an exit to find another backpackers. I wandered along the beach front and found myself at Airlie Beach Backpackers. I spent the day sitting in the lagoon, reading my book under the palm trees and drinking smoothies – perfect! After a few days of relaxing in the sun, I decided because of the increasing prices of flights to Melbourne, I should make a move and find work.

While I was waiting for the bus to take me back to Proserpine airport, I got chatting to an English guy called James at the bus stop. We chatted about all sorts including the time he got fined $200 for not declaring that he had a potato in his hand luggage! We sat on the plane together, which was nice and made the time go quicker than if I’d been on my own.

I am planning to go back to see a bit more of the east coast and do a sailing trip of the Whitsundays but I think I may skip out Airlie beach!

written by  Susie Sue on November 7, 2006 from Proserpine, Australia
from the travel blog: Oz Adventures
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