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We awoke at 0340 to make our 0600 flight to Brisbane, only to find once we’d gotten to the airport that the flight was cancelled. We were lucky enough to be the last two people transferred to a flight to Coolangatta, approximately 100km south of Brisbane. Never heard of the place? I don’t blame you at all. It’s like ending up at Levin rather than Wellington, except that Levin doesn’t have tropical beaches.

AirNZ did look after us very well, providing a reasonably comfortable air-conditioned coach to take us to Brisbane airport where we had a very long wait for our next flight. Poor Oliver wasnt feeling well after we’d been foolish enough to induldge in some pre-packaged sandwiches at Wellington airport so instead of spending the day in Brisbane we found a comfortable pub in the airport with squishy seats and camped there until our evening flight to Townsville.

Unfortunately Oliver accidentally dropped his bag and for a few moments we thought he’d destroyed his camera. Experimentation showed it was actually the lens, and probably just that the mounting ring where it attaches to the camera was slightly wrenched in the fall. Other lenses are working fine, and hopefully we can get the damaged one repaired or replaced in Townsville.

That screw is really not supposed to be sticking out like that.

Our flight to Townsville was pretty uneventful, apart from a child throwing up all over the waiting area just before we were to board. Thankfully said child was not sitting anywhere near us on the flight. Our first day in Townsville all we’ve done is a little shopping and getting our bearings as it’s quite overcast. Sun is forecast for the rest of the week and the swimming and beach lounging part of the holiday should commence tomorrow.