GBR...

"Just keep swimming, swimming, swimming."

-Dory

     I was able to spend an amazing 2 days and 1 night on the Great Barrier Reef.  We went to two different reef sights Saxon Reef and Norman Reef.  

How gorgeous is that? 

We had the day trip boat bring us out to the overnight boat which was moored out on the reef.  We checked into our rooms and then quickly jumped in the water for some snorkeling! My first time in the water I saw 3 sharks! Thankfully they were just white tip and black tip reef sharks and are not dangerous to people. 

After lunch we were able to go diving! I went on 6 dives over the two days and it was incredible to see all the different coral and fish! I will admit that none of these photos are my own and I purchased the photos from the photographer who was along on the boat. 

This was our boat, Reef Encounter.  There was the option to arrive by helicopter but I definitely do not have the money for that!

See isn't this white tip reef shark cute?

This guy is the poisonous lionfish.  A lot of people love seeing these guys and we saw 7 of them in one dive. 

I don't think anyone cared about clownfish until Finding Nemo came out.  I love that now there is a sign for clown fish and a sign for Dory in diving sign language.  Its adorable that the sign for Dory is the sign for Nemo's buddy. 

This guy was super friendly and swam with us for a while.  I love this photo as well because it looks like the fish is about to cry. 

 This giant clam is about as big as a suitcase, I was told its about 50 years old.

Luckily I made some friends on board! There was a girl from the US and two sisters from the Netherlands!

This was the coolest thing I saw the entire time! Can you spot the cuttlefish? A cuttlefish is a cousin of the octopus and can also camouflage itself. 

So this was when we were all excited for the night dive and we were being funny doing the sign for shark.  It was all fun and games until I actually jumped into pitch black water and could only see what was in my flashlight.  That is also fun until you shine your flashlight out into the abyss and land on a giant shark! Needless to say I don't think I need to do anymore night dives!

I went with the cheapest option on the boat because I am poor.  So my room was down this super tiny staircase, but at least I got a porthole!

In this photo the photographer told me to take my regulator out of my mouth to smile.  I instead sort of look like I'm grimacing and telling someone to come at me!

My last day in Australia I got to cuddle a koala! 

So after 8 months of living in Australia, it feels very weird to have left.  I'm very glad I decided to go on this adventure.  I have met so many wonderful people and done way more than I ever imagined! Now I have three weeks left and after 4 years I will be coming home to the states!