Our Tourism Queensland Applications

G'day, Mate!

A few weeks ago, hubby and I heard about the "Best Job in the World" opening: a 6-month gig living as island caretaker on the Great Barrier Reef. Your duties include going on excursions around the islands and then reporting back to the world via blog, in order to promote tourism to Queensland, Australia. You also have to do minimal upkeep of the island (such as feeding fish and checking mail), in exchange for free stay in a gorgeous beach house. The pay is also nice.

Um, it took me about all of .02 seconds to start hyperventilating. Could a job like this really exist? We both looove this type of thing, especially since it includes diving and such, and we've always wanted to go to the Great Barrier Reef. Oh, wait. Neither of us could just up and go to Australia alone. But...hang on...keep reading....you can bring your family?! Honey, let's apply NOW!!!

I've got to admit, I've been shamefully obsessed with this idea ever since I heard about it. I had trouble falling asleep, working out all the logistics in my head. (The job starts 2 weeks after I'm due, but hey, it's a fourth baby. No biggie.) I'd dream about it. I'd wake up with a racing heartbeat just thinking about it. I was having fishy visions dancing in my head all the day long, and was teaching my 2-year-old to say "Great Barrier Reef". I was researching all the dangerous Australian animals that I needed to keep my children away from, lest they get eaten and/or poisoned. Ah, those were fun weeks just thinking about the possibilities!

And then the rubber met the road, and we had to put together our 60-second application videos. Tougher than one might think. You can't go a second over, lest you be disqualified. You're supposed to tell them why you're the best person for the job, exhibit an adventurous spirit (don't laugh---I have one, it's just temporarily buried), and show some island knowledge.

Here's Garfield's video (if you notice a crazy person either climbing up/jumping off large mountains in his pictures, that's my insane husband): watch Garfield's video

Did you remember to give him 5 stars? Ok, now mine: watch Steph's video

My dreams were pretty much shattered when 34,000 people from 200 countries ended up applying, but hey, it was an insanely fun idea while it lasted. They will announce the short list of 50 on Monday, so if you hear crying from my house, you'll know why.