And now, less on Jetstar more on Hamilton Island

Would you believe that I received a 'customer satisfaction survey' today from a research company on behalf of Jetstar? Let me tell you, I did not hold back when recounting our awful experience with the airline over the weekend.

But enough of that, when Andrew and I finally arrived in the afternoon Debbie collected us at the airport in the cool little Golf Buggy (mag wheels!) that came with our accommodation. The weather was incredibly hot and muggy, as we expected, but thankfully there wasn't a cloud in the sky. Which was a relief because this is supposed to be wet season in the Whitsundys. We dropped our luggage off, slipped into our swimsuits and hit the beach for some sun.

Debbie to the right, Andrew's foot to the left.

The ocean was a little too warm for our liking (go figure) so we retreated to the Island's main swimming pool.........which has a bar in the centre of it......which wasn't a draw-card or anything. And what do you know, it was happy hour! Cocktails all round!

The Island had a strange mix of visitors. There were plenty of young families, and yes screaming children but also an abundance of Bogans, as we like to call them down under. By the end of the day the pool was filled with blokes loaded up on tinnies hollering at each other and showing off tacky tattoos while scantily clad, big busted girls chain smoked on lounges in the sun.

By the end of the day the pool's bartenders, all female and obviously backpackers, were completely sozzled which was fine when they were doubling the shots in our drinks but annoying when they were go-go dancing on the bar and flirting with all the cheaply tattooed guys. Still, it was nothing that my iPod and a copy of Stephen King's 'Under the Dome' couldn't block out.

Food on the island was expensive and not all that exciting. But unfortunately that's too be expected at these types of destinations. On our last night we splurged on a meal at the Yacht Club which is an amazing piece of architecture on the main shoreline. The structure cleverly reflects wave-like formations and sail-like silhouettes, and is constructed from very natural looking materials.



I had a delicious seafood risotto with cognac butter and sea urchin roe, my most enjoyable meal of the weekend, while Andrew had a disappointingly small chicken dish. All three of us enjoy eating out and are happy to splurge on a fancy meal now and again, but none of us had ever seen a 'main' meal so small - three tiny parcels of chicken and potato rosti. Birds eat more than that.

The buggy and I on Hamilton Island's 'peak'

Sunset from our balcony

Did I mention that a Kookaburra swooped on me one afternoon and snatched a piece of calamari out of my hand during lunch? Scared me witless, and then the cheeky little bugger sat on the edge of the deck above me and ate his loot while watching me. The Americans on the next table thought this as hysterical.