Hamilton Island

Our first full day on Hamilton Island was spent really getting to know the island and all the experiences there are on offer. We started the day with a hike on one of the many well marked trails located on the island. Keeping in mind that the Australians idea of a moderate hike would pretty much qualify as a challenging hike in the US we chose the Resort Lookout Trail a "moderate" hiking experience.

The trails are extremely well marked and well maintained and there are several to select from. Discovering the island by foot is a great way to experience the hidden coves, vistas and picnic spots throughout the vast native bushland. There are five major trails and they can be combined in several ways to create whatever length of hike you are looking for as well as whatever level of fitness you are comfortable with. The trails lead to spectacular views, hidden private beaches and abundant native bush and wildlife.

Resort Lookout Trail proved to stretch our hiking abilities just enough to know we had a workout. The Lookout itself is the second highest point on the island and drops off to sheer cliff faces, revealing an excellent panoramic view of the main resort area, marina village, airport and surrounding islands

The afternoon was spent poolside and beachside before enjoying another lovely dining experience in the Marina Village at Romano's the Italian restaurant on the island.

Today we are off to spend some time on the water with Fantasea Cruises as we visit Whitehaven Beach consistently voted one of the top 10 beaches in the world.

We Made It!

We arrived in Sydney as planned. The flight over on V Australia was as good as any 14 hour flight can be....the crew was very friendly and attentive and the service was excellent. The best part of V Australia's new planes and new service is the outstanding entertainment system....lots of options and very easy to use.

We had about a 4 hour layover in Sydney before boarding our Virgin Blue flight to Hamilton Island....this made for a very long first day! But arrival on Hamilton Island made it all worth it!

I have always felt there is something magical about landing on an island. Even if this is your 1st time or your 100th time there is just a feeling that is hard to describe as your plane approaches this spec of land surrounded by brilliant blue water. I know they have elaborate electronic communication systems now between the planes and the ground crew but the romantic in me still would like to believe that our arrival was akin to the old TV show Fantasy Island (several of you will probably not even remember that show) where one of the characters, Tatoo, would hear the plane engines and would run outside, point to the sky and yell "the plane, the plane" which would send everyone into a flurry of activity to prepare for the planes landing.

Our room at the Reef View Hotel has a spectacular view of Catseye Beach and some of the other islands in the Whitsundays. After taking that much anticipated shower and freshening up a bit we headed out to explore the area. Marina Village, just a short walk away is the hub of activity here on the island. Lots of shops, bars and restaurants featuring all types of cuisines.

We decided to stick close to our resort this first evening and chose a restaurant just across the way called Sails. We had a wonderful table, outside of course, and enjoyed a great bottle of wine along with our Seafood Feast - barramundi, Moreton Bay Bugs, giant prawns, crab legs, oysters, and salmon topped off with a delectable chocolate fondue with strawberries, ice cream and marshmallows for dipping. Note: the marshmallows in Australia are not like ours in the states....they are much creamier with a much smoother texture and not near as sugary?!

An early evening and 12 hours of sleep has us ready to do some further exploration of our surroundings. We are off to challenge ourselves (and to work off some of last nights dinner) by heading out on one of the many hiking trails here on the island....then some beach and pool time with a sunset kayak trip this evening.

Please enjoy the attached photos and our first impressions of Hamilton Island.

Day One

Welcome to all of you that are following me on my second trip to Australia for 2009. I hope you enjoy the updates and find the information helpful when planning your own trip Down Under.



I will be off to the airport to begin the long journey Down Under this afternoon. I have repacked my suitcase for the third time....why do we always pack too much?!



I am flying out of Los Angeles on V Australia, the newest airline to enter the Australia market...arriving in Sydney on Saturday, August 29.



I will be staying in 13 different properties, visiting 11 different cities and meeting with over 100 suppliers during my three weeks in Australia. I look forward to sharing pictures, comments and experiences along the way via this blog....so please stay tuned!