“You’re coming out? Enthused Trish. Do you eat crayfish? Keep a watch for whales & dolphins on the way over, I`ll see you at the airport!” And strike me sideways if I didn’t see a pod of humpbacks breaching below me in the silvery sea. My all-to-brief love affair with Great Barrier Island had begun. It is not located off the Australian reef even though it sounds and looks like it should be. Half-forgotten and extremely untouristy, it is even more enticing. Everything that makes for a proper island is in place: secret white beaches, rugged mountains, rainforests, deep sea trench (world renowned for it’s fishing)…. and an Irish pub. It also has Trish & Ivan, the best hosts you could imagine. Ivan goes out mid-afternoons (and you can accompany him) to catch dinner which Trish (an outstanding chef) will turn into a feast. We had succulent baby leek quiches followed by a Barrier Bouillabaisse, brimming with seafood, fresh snapper fillets and we finished with a warm chocolate tart. Wow!!! This all happens in a colonial cedar mansion that’s light and open with a beachy feel. My bedroom had wicker sofas, huge downy, cherry-coloured bed, framed antique maps and two balconies, one for sunrise over the ocean & sunset over the sea. Stop the world I want to get off! Pipi digging, whale watching, hot springs, wineries, diving and snorkelling.