wowed by The Whitsundays

If you’re on instagram then you probably have worked out that I’m not sharing my usual pics from home but am far away in the Whitsundays for a couple of days. I have never left the little ones for a night except to be in hospital giving birth so it was a pretty big decision to come away for 4 days with Emerson and leave the rest of the gang with Daddy.

And can I just say that he has it all under control, booked keira’s birthday party that I kept forgetting to do, has taken them to the park, kept them entertained and given them treats and chinese takeaway tonight. It has set a great precedent for getting away when an opportunity like this comes up.

And nothing says opportunity like heading up north and having a few days with other lovely ladies (and a couple of lovely men….not too lovely of course because I’m married!) in a really beautiful part of the world. And let me tell you that from the moment we landed in Hamilton Island I felt like I was in Hawaii. Not that I’ve been but it’s just how I imagine that it would be. Everything was lush and tropical, men were in white suits and luggage was being whisked away (not mine with my big orange ‘HEAVY’  tag on it) and the tropical heat was  the first thing to hit you as you walked across the tarmac (lugging a baby, an oversized nappy bag and sunhat!). And the baggage carousel – um yeah that would be from the back of the luggage truck.

We are the guests of Tourism Queensland this week and they have been making sure that we’ve been seeing the very best that the Whitsundays has to offer. I mean this is the view from our accommodation. Amazing.

Now of course I’ll give you the full debrief when I’m home but I had to share today because it just blew my mind away. All I knew is that we had to race down to reception after our morning session, be in our swimmers and hop on a 12.30 cruise. That’s all I knew. Part of me was thinking that a dip in the pool would have been perfect but I got on the cruise and just hoped that I’d get a sandwich, a diet coke and a swim at some point.

After about an hour or so the boat we were on stopped and a smaller boat came up. Oh dear, we had to change to a smaller little boat to take us to the beach. Whitehaven beach to be exact. Now I’m not really sure how I thought we were going to get to the beach but the best was still to come. So with staff holding my hands and taking my bag and emerson in the sling I climbed into the smaller boat (while they both rocked) and off we went closer to the beach. Bye bye he says……..

Then that boat stopped miles away from the shore (ok maybe not miles but a bit of a way out) and once I’d accepted that I had to climb out of the boat into thigh deep water with my oroton nappy bag and emerson on me – well I sucked it up, tucked my dress up into my swimmers baring my very white legs, climbed out and waded up to the beach. You can see the boat in the distance behind emerson…..

But the water was so warm, the beach so amazing and the views were to die for that actually I wondered why I’d been such a princess about the whole small boat thing. We were all pinching ourselves that we were at the most stunning beach with the most picturesque views, the whitest and finest sand I’d ever seen, crystal clear water and it was all there for us to enjoy with hardly anyone else to share it with. And we’ve been told that Whitehaven is the 3rd best beach in the world……I’d have to agree even if I haven’t been to the other two!

little buddha and I enjoyed a little paddle in the water, some sand eating and some rolling around enjoying the sand for a good hour. I made the sensible decision not to walk up to the lookout for photos as that would have left me a good 10 minutes to play in the water with emerson. Sometimes you have to weigh up your options, swim or bushwalk? I chose a swim and time to soak it all up and left the bushwalking to the others.

It was also just a rare treat for me to sit and be with one little person and just enjoy it all………..in peace! It’s not often that I get to dig my toes in the sand and look out at the sea. So I made the most of it with this little guy who was just having the time of his life.

But sadly before we knew it it was time to wade back out to the boat and head back to Airlie Beach. I took 50 million photos of the hills and scenery. Everywhere you look up here is picture perfect. I’m not sure how I’ve lived most of my life in Australia and never been up here before but it’s certainly taken my breath away a times with the scenery.

Just as were getting off the boat I realised that emerson’s good shorts had been scooped up with his nappy and were probably in the rubbish on the boat. Thankfully while they were being retrieved from a garbage bag I managed to take a picture of sunset in Airlie Beach. Another picture perfect view.

Tomorrow we have a session in the morning and then head off to Daydream island before spending the night in Hayman Island before flying home. It is rush rush rush but since I’m travelling with Australia’s happiest baby and some of the funniest ladies I know, we’re just having a ball and rolling with the tight schedule and taking pictures as we go! Stay tuned for the next instalment………………………….

Have you been to the Whitsundays? Did you love it? I’m already planning our next family holiday here since I’m so in love with the place