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...

port 13: bowen

ahh. and so we made it to bowen... bowen is the location for the epic film "Australia"... and so as you walk around this small town, you'll see lots of memorabilia and all that jazz that claim its fame to this movie.... I wouldn't blame them. it was a wonderfully made movie... i love Bowen and I loved where we were docked... look at that jetty! it was seriously a 10 minute walk and though it seemed like it went on forever, i didn't mind it at all... it was good 'jojo time' to think and clear my head on the days events and the sunsets were amazing ... and as for tours, anyone that would take time to walk down that dodgy wooden jetty to come see us had to have some sort of genuine interest in what we did... and thats what it turned out to be... and that what we like... thank you bowen.

... who gets to do this? ...

again, i found myself walking up to the aft deck on our sail from gladstone to bowen, looked out at the beautiful massive uncomprehending big blue ocean and asked myself (again), "now, who the heck gets to do this?"... there it was again... thankfulness.... and so there we were, ahead of schedule... so the captain took us through the Whitsunday Passageway and we anchored somewhere for a good 4 hours. the boys went fishing... some went for a swim ... and some of us got in the dingy to get to the beach around the corner to explore... far out... again, who get to do this? ... now i'll let the photos speak for itself...

port 12: gladstone

gladstone... closer and closer to 'bogen-ville' we get... like similar ports on the north tour, it was a bit quieter than what we expected.... but still- we just had to give it all that we could... the extra mile you know? ... and to be honest- those stragglers that came around a bit after 4 that 'just missed the opening hours,' were probably the most genuine people and most keen to be involved in what we do. when we go beyond the 'opening hours', it puts things into perspective that its not just putting on our nice tour guide faces, but its what we actually believe in... and its what we are called to do... and we really want to see people get involved... so good good times in the extra mile... and good good times with the $20 underwater camera and glowing soup ...

port 11: brisbane

So there we were in Brisbane... I'm not going to foo-foo it up and make up stories ... but it was a bit unfortunate that we were tucked away under a bridge that expected slower tour days... as usual, we scoped the area to check out our surroundings the first night and we walked a good half hour to see if anything was open... and there it was... a Mobile station... so we what did we do? ... ate meat pies and ice cream, drank L&P and hung out in front of the mobile like a bunch of teenage hoodlums... our first taste of Brisbane. oh well... don't get me wrong- there were some awesome things that came out of our stop in this city... like raising 7 grand at the fundraiser... or making great connections at the medical reception and getting donations of medical supplies... or having awesome free hot showers or doing our laundry on shore ...