Move Along Please!...bloody jobsworth!

After another damn impressive driving effort, we cruised into Airlie Beach a day ahead of schedule. We parked up and went off in search of showers!

We also booked a 2 day and 2 night sailing trip around the Whitsunday Islands (for a cheaper price than anyone else on the boat - yay!) Then we had to carefully consider where we would sleep that night.....hmmm.....what about with the other 13 camper vans that were already parked illegally under the 'no camping' signs?! We met some fellow camping rebels including a couple of french guys (bonjour mes copains!) who gave us free wine that resembled petrol!

So as not to draw attention to ourselves by lighting up the stove in the car park, we opted for take out! We were joined by our French friends along with a German girl (Laura) and a Slovakian guy. We had a nice evening and provisionally arranged to give Laura a lift to Townsville when we returned from our sailing trip on Friday. We seriously doubted that she would turn up!

We were abruptly awoken in the wee small hours of the morning by officials banging on the sides of the vans yelling "Move along, please, no camping here!" We did the only thing we could.....pulled the covers over our heads and stayed there until they disappeared! Those who did poke their heads out to see what was happening were fined.....d'oh!

We spent some of the (long) morning chatting to some other campers and then lounged by Airlie Lagoon until it was time to go to Abel Point Marina where we were to get on our boat.