Passport to Paradise

WORDS: Dia Thomo PHOTOGRAPHY Supplied

“Toothbrush, hairbrush, sarongs and thongs.”

Was the reply from the travel agent when I asked her what we should pack for a week-long holiday to Great Keppel Island. “And make sure to take your camera – the beaches and sunsets are beautiful.”

When my friend Michelle suggested that we go on a holiday together, I could think of nothing more exciting! I was 16, bored and in my last year of high school. She was 18, fun and already in the workforce. The year was 1980, and I earned money in a local department store working Thursday nights and Saturday mornings. We lived in the outer Sydney suburbs, and this was something of which to look forward.

Great Keppel Island was fast becoming one of the most popular holiday destinations in Australia. It had broad appeal, attracting families, singles, couples and even celebrities on tour of regional Queensland. And for me, it would change my life! From the soundtrack of birdsong mingling with light plane take-off. The smell of tropical flowers and suntan oil, the feel of the finest white sand underfoot on a walk along the beach, and those incredible sunsets. After that holiday, and for the next two years, all I could think about was returning to stay.

Do you imagine what life could be like to live out your dreams? Perhaps you did precisely that, and if so, I hope you will relate to some of the chapters in this story.

If paradise and passport stamps appeal to you, read on. Come with me and explore this extraordinary lifestyle, living and working on islands and boats. We shall make our way to several stunning locations on the east coast of Australia – islands and coastal towns that rest above and below the Tropic of Capricorn.

Several years later, we spread our wings and took off overseas. First, touching down in England and France, then on to the USA. Once there, we went on a road trip to the enchanted Florida Keys. Beyond Florida was where some magic and mystery takes place. And no, it wasn’t a brush with the Bermuda triangle that came later. Instead, the magic happened on a classic sailing yacht in the West Indies Leeward Islands, where the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico meet the Caribbean Sea.

I fell in love with the sights and sounds of tropical islands when I was 11 years old. The year was 1976, and it was an island cruise with family and friends that shifted something inside. From then on, the notion of sparkling blue seas, swaying palm trees and magical island chains where the sun always shines was where my heart longed to be.

In later years, I was captivated by movies and books of the buccaneer era, bygone seafaring stories, pirates, castaways and treasure hunters; situations and places where, for reasons unknown, I felt a sense of familiarity.

As this story unfolds, I wish for you to reflect on your version of paradise, taking refuge and delight in your dream destinations and beyond. May this story create something new or bring back some forgotten memories dear to you.