port 15: cairns

Cairns. a 4 hour drive north of Townsville.... the only city that i've actually been to before the tour and it was great to be back... and it was great to be back on the ship for tours after a 3 week break. i was a bit rusty but i managed.... and i'm not going to lie, it was a bitter sweet week for me though... it was the last stop for me for the Australia Tour... *sigh*... regardless- i wanted to end well and i did... this city is pretty touristy and so we came across a lot of backpackers. usually open-minded european ones that were up for anything... up for seeing the world and an adventure... and soul searching for something significant to live for... you can say, the perfect target audience for what were doing if you ask me... so the responses were great!

and then that prolonged goodbye... sunday night came. and so me and janna said farewell to our friends that were sailing on to Thursday Island and on to PNG without us... we got in the car and began the 4 hour drive back to Townsville... somehow closing this chapter in our lives... i'm not going to say THE END... because my friends ... it isn't....

port 14: townsville

This wasn't just another port city we were visiting for a week ... it was Townsville.... the final berth city of the M/V Pacific Link!... we sailed into good 'ol T-ville and there they were... the 80+ YWAM RTO excited staff waving & welcoming us with the colourful flags of the nations on the break wall... i'm not gonna lie- we felt pretty darn special and it was an overwhelming welcome home... i'd like to think all the excitement was about the individuals travelling back on the ship - but i know it wasn't 100% about that... it was more about the significant moments that was unfolding right before us, that my directors and leaders were praying, dreaming and fighting for for years.... the Pacific Link was home... in Townsville.

And so the busy week began full of tours, receptions, fundraisers, and all that jazz … we have so much favour with the Townsville City Council, the churches, schools, etc. so call it a 'big deal' … whatever you want to call it. fact is- we've been going off about this ship tour for ages and now that our friends, partners and sponsors from Townsville actually see that the ship is here is yet another exciting thing to see more people come on board.

the ship was in townsville for 3 weeks and it was fun having it in town... but the show must go on...