We’ve just returned from a complete change of pace.

Leaving the car and caravan in the backyard for a change, we flew to Beijing for a week of culinary delights and sightseeing before catching a cruise ship which zig- zagged its way slowly south to Australia.

The ironic twist? Well, a few months ago whilst camping at Rollingstone in Queensland we caught the ferry from Townsville across to nearby Magnetic Island. On this short trip we shared our seat with three ambulance officers who were on their way to pick up an islander who needed medical attention in the Townsville hospital. As we were leaving we commented that we’d probably never get the chance to visit the island again.

Last week as the ship was steaming through the narrow passage between the Queensland mainland and the Great Barrier Reef, two passengers became seriously ill and needed to be hospitalised. As the ship came to a halt to allow the police launch to come alongside we walked out on deck to see the lights of Townsville in the distance. Only a few hundred metres away, in the near darkness was Magnetic Island. Hello again!