Gemma and Nick-O babysit Madissen

Gemma takes me to Magnetic Island which is a choppy 30 minute boat ride away. The weather is tropical and overcast. We spend the afternoon on Magnetic Island on various beaches, and we walk right up to the rock wallabies to get an up close look. They're like little kangaroos. One even has her baby in her pouch.
She says Magnetic Island was named Magnetic Island because when Captain Cook sailed by, his compass was broken so he thought that the island was magnetic. She also informs me that the Australians call men's Speedos Budgee smugglers. Hint: a Budgee is a bird. I laugh pretty hard. We head back to Townsville by ferry. I'm still pretty sick.
The following day Gemma's boyfriend quits his job because his boss is a complete jerk. This frees him up to come with us on our mini road trip. We leave Townsville and head up the north eastern coast to a town called Mission Beach. That night we find a hostel and go out for drinks. The following morning we head to Port Douglass and find a hostel to camp behind. We decide to do a bushwalk in the forest along the water. It's absolutely beautiful peaking through the trees to see the ocean. Later Gemma Nick and I go in the ocean which is quite warm once he throws me in. We play in the waves. Gemma and I go check out the town. It's a very nice beach town.
We finish up in Port Douglass and they take me down to Cairns (pronounced cans) where we find me a hostel to stay in. We say our goodbyes, and then I'm on my own again. At this point I realize I won't see a familiar face until late August. I guess this should be an unsettling feeling, but now I know that I can create familiar faces and pretty much forget that I haven't seen anyone I know for months. And that's how most of us get by when we travel alone.
By the time I get to Carnes I realize I've been eating like a backpacker, and it's time to stop or nobody will recognise me when I get home. I go for a run and see a free zumba class being conducted by the water. I join 200 women and we Zumba as the sun sets over the ocean. That night I meet Jo from England. She invites me to the hippie party downstairs. I join in the drinking games and end up in the freezing cold pool in my clothes with the rest of them. Next week I'm off to Bali Indonesia.