Cairnes 14th Jan - 4th Feb

The Great Barrier Reef

I arrived in Cairnes at the height of summer and boy was it hot, so glad my hotel room had Air Con, the hotel was a bit out of town but it would be ok for a week.

Had a look at the city centre and the beach front, a nice enough place, no beach but a kind of wetlands, there was a big public pool to cool down in.

the local were very friendly got chatting to someone most time i had a meal.

Trip to Michael Cay, The Great Barrier Reef
This was the one of the highlight of my trip,
we were taken out to the outer reef in a beautiful sailing catamaran, had a look at the reef in a glass bottomed boat and saw lots of giant clams,
then we were given stinger suits (to guard against box jelly fish )snorkel, mask and flippers, and in we went, what a sight! something i will never forget, the fish were so colourful and the different coloured coral was so beautiful, you have to see it for yourself,
Then lunch, and a chat to everyone about what we had seen,
Then, after sailing to another location we had look at another part of the the reef,Fab!!


I moved t JJ Backpackers hostel a much cheaper, and a very friendly place, full of all kinds of travelers and local Aussies working away from home.
I made friends with an English girl also called Kate, she was working at the hostels reception, we got on famously so we rented a car with 2 of the Japanese girls from the hostel and drove to Cape Tribulation the only place in the world where the Rain Forest meets the Sea,
On the way there we stopped at Mossaman Gorge (river) a great bathing place, then on the on the way back had dinner in Port Douglas a lovely seaside town, a great day.

Kate and i also went for a day out to Fitzroy Island, it rained most of the day but that is not such a problem when your snorkeling,
there was a giant trampoline in the sea and we had great fun bouncing up and down on it, in the pouring rain like a pair of mad people (very British)

another trip to the barrier reef this time to Green Island,
i would have done this every day but its expensive as its about a hour sail to the outer reef where all the good snorkeling is.
another fabulous day


I was lucky enough to be there for Australia Day celebrations, everyone at the hostel was up for a night out, we all had a drink (drinking games,of course!) at the hostel before hitting the town, Great night! everyone was in such a good mood ending up in the hostels pool at some hour in the morning

Last trip in Australia was to Kuranda a railway up a mountain to a little town and a ride in a gondola down, very enjoyable (see pictures)

Next stop Singapore