GREAT BARRIER REEF 2012 - PART 1

GREAT BARRIER REEF 2012 - PART 1

It's happening.  Almost two years in the pipeline and now it's here...  I'm en route, in the air, on the way.  The Great Barrier Reef, here I come!

23 months ago (to the day), I turned 40.  My beautiful wife gave me a piece of paper with a coded message.  Crack the code, discover your present.  I admit, I needed some (big) hints, but eventually worked it out...

Dive the Great Barrier Reef on Spoilsport, Mike Ball Dive Expeditions premiere liveaboard!

Now here I am, bound for Cairns...



My bags are in the hold of this Qantas flight to Cairns, two heavy suitcases... who knew regulators were so heavy.  It's a good thing I'm doing the seven day trip, I could never have met the 25kg limit for the dive/fly 3- or 4-day trips.

For a brief moment, I didn't think I'd make it.  My connection in Brisbane was tight, just shy of an hour.  Somewhere over Sydney, the pilot said we were going to be late... 45 minutes late!  Slightly concerned, I checked with a flight attendant: no worries, the same aircraft was flying to Cairns.  Somethings are meant to be.

So now I'm in the Holiday Inn, too excited to sleep.  Bring on tomorrow and Day 1 of the trip.  Stay tuned.