Well, folks, there's good news and there's bad news. The good news is that I had a wonderful time visiting Cairns (pronounced CANS) and can't wait to tell you all about it. The bad news is that I left my camera at the hostel on the second day of my trip and could only take 27 low quality pictures (thanks to my handy disposable) and no videos. Soo...what all this is means is that there will not be a video of my Cairns adventure forthcoming. I did take several video clips on the first and last day of my trip which I will put together for your viewing pleasure but I'm afraid it won't be as exciting as the videos I did for Melbourne or the Blue Mountains.
But, anywho, on to the trip!
(NOTE: Be sure to click on the pictures to get a larger view. I know some of the pictures, especially those taken with the disposable, aren't the best quality and are rather difficult to view in their smaller form.)
Day 1:
Monday was my traveling day so there's not too much to report. Thankfully, all went smoothly with my flight from Sydney to Cairns and somehow I managed to have an entire row all to myself.
The first thing I noticed when I left the plane in Cairns was the heat. While Sydney has been gradually getting cooler over the past few weeks (I have my heater on in my room as I write this) Cairns is still in the throes of summer weather. Actually, since it's the tropics it's basically always summer weather but, regardless, the heat and humidity were a welcome reprieve from the cold of Sydney.
I got to my hostel in short order, met two of my roomies and settled in as soon as possible as the tour I had booked would be at the hostel at 6.55 the next morning to pick me up.
Day 2:
I was up at the crack of dawn (6.00am) and had dressed, breakfasted and was ready to go by 6.30. At 6.45, I decided to wait outside on the steps of the hostel in case the tour bus showed up early. However, 6.55 came and went as did 7.00, 7.05, and 7.10. Finally, at 7.15 I frantically called Down Under Dive to ask where my ride was. I was politely informed that I was not being picked up but had to meet the boat at the Reef Terminal (wherever that was!) at 7.30. Apparently, the pick up time listed on my confirmation sheet was for the following day when I would be heading to the rainforest. Slightly frantic at this point (okay, maybe a slight understatement), I rushed to the front desk to get a map and directions. Much to my relief, I discovered the terminal was a short ten-minute walk from the hostel and that I would be there in plenty of time.
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| The docks at the Reef Terminal |
The rest of the day was smooth sailing from that point (pun totally intended!). It was an absolutely gorgeous day, mid-80s with not a cloud in the sky,and perfect for a day out on the water. After being assigned a safety number and given my snorkeling gear, I settled in for our hour long ride out to the first reef. I spent most of the journey on the top deck taking in the endless miles of sun-flecked ocean and the hazy mountains slowly shrinking behind us. Standing at the bow of the ship with nothing but ocean in front of me, I felt it, the "call of the sea." Finally, I could see why someone would leave it all behind to spend their entire life on a boat sailing the world.
We arrived at the reef around ten and, after patiently waiting my turn, I slipped on my fins and mask and slid into the balmy waters. I had never snorkeled before so it took a few moments to figure out how to breathe correctly and how to keep my already huge feet from knocking into each other. However, I quickly regained my composure, snagged a noodle and set off to explore.
I have seen my fair share of National Geographic films and Discovery Channel specials so it was a truly amazing experience to finally get up close and personal with one of the world's most spectacular natural wonders. Here I was swimming alongside parrot fish and brushing the tops of coral and peering into the insides of giant clams (some of which have been around for over 200 years). It took a good deal of concentration just to remind myself to keep breathing.
After our first swim, the crew provided us with an awesome lunch of fish, steak, prawns and sausages and then we headed to the second reef where we spent the afternoon. This time I made sure I was one of the first snorkelers in the water. This reef, unlike the first one, was much larger and hadn't suffered as much damage from the cyclone that happened earlier in the year so there was much more to see.
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| The second reef--if you look towards the top of the picture you'll see lighter areas which is where we snorkeled |
Shortly after entering the water, one of the dive leaders asked me if I'd like a tour of the reef and I, of course, said YES! I was given a private twenty minute tour of the area and got to hold a sea cucumber and watch as he stuck his hand inside of a giant clam (which very quickly clammed up). After the tour, I went to the other side of the reef to do some of my own exploring and finish up my film. As I was methodically working my way around the edges of the reef, I felt something bump into my arm. I thought it was another snorkeler (we all kept running into each other), so I turned around so I could move out of their way. And who should I come face to face with but a jellyfish!! Yes, it was a rather small one and yes he seemed far more intent on strolling along than on killing me, but I did freak out nonetheless. As my short life flashed before my eyes, I frantically flapped my freakishly long fins and wriggled out of there as fast as I could. In spite of my terrifying encounter and being warned by the crew that it was sting ray season, I continued snorkeling and, thankfully, did not run into any other menacing creatures.
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| Holding some sort of sea creature...not exactly sure what, but it was harmless. |
The rest of the afternoon was spent baking on the boat's sundeck and making up for lost sleep. All in all a fabulous, unforgettable day!
Day 3:
I was up again at the crack of dawn, this time knowing that there would be a bus to meet me at 6.55 to take me to the Daintree Rainforest and Cape Tribulation. However, in spite of my pre-tour preparations the previous day, once on the bus I realized that I had left my camera at the hostel. Depressed but not deterred, I decided to purchase a cheap disposable camera as soon as the opportunity presented itself. Our first stop on the tour was Port Douglas, a small oceanside town right off of Four Mile beach. There wasn't much to see here (although the beach was gorgeous) but it gave me the chance to buy a camera and a sandwich to eat later.
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| Four Mile Beach |
Back on the bus, we began the trek to the Daintree Rainforest where the tour really began. We did a brief hike in Mossman Gorge, a beautiful region that is part of the Wet Tropics World Heritage area. The main attraction was the breathtaking views of the Mossman River, crystal clear and strewn with unbelievably large boulders it had gradually rolled down the mountainside. As if that wasn't enough to take your breath away, the lush, tropical foliage lining the river was alive with the fluttering of bright blue Ulysses butterflies.
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| Mossman River |
As we continued on to Cape Tribulation, we passed miles and miles of sugar cane fields and the occasional banana patch (farm? plantation?). The difference in landscape and environment between Sydney and Cairns was incredible. Cape Tribulation is literally in the middle of nowhere--it is a secluded area in the middle of the Daintree National Park that is accesible by one road via ferry.We arrived around lunchtime and spent a little over an hour there eating and exploring the pristine beachline. Because it is so isolated and part of a World Heritage site, the beach's natural beauty has been preserved. As I sat on the beach eating my sandwich, I felt as though I had landed on my own little patch of paradise.
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| Beach @ Cape Tribulation |
The tour concluded with an hour long crocodile and wildlife cruise on the Daintree River. Because of the warm weather, most of the crocs were staying cool out of sight, but we did spot one rather large female cooling herself on the riverbank.
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| Look closely at the center of the picture and you'll see Mrs. Croc. (Sorry for the poor quality, I'm afraid disposable cameras don't quite cut it) |
Her mouth was wide open (apparently it helps them to cool down...I'm thinking she was hungrily eyeing a boat full of dinner) and I couldn't help but think what would happen to us if our boat suddenly sprung a leak. Aside from Mrs. Croc, we didn't spot much else. We did see a snake and a few tropical birds and that was pretty much it.
Day 4:
My flight didn't leave until 7.10pm so I had the entire day to kill in the meantime. I checked out of the hostel a little after nine and decided to spend the day wandering around Cairns. It's not a large or particularly beautiful city but it is right on the water and surrounded on three sides by mountains. I made sure to hit most of the touristy hot spots, including the Lagoon (a beautiful public pool right on the water's edge) and the Esplanade and even spent some time in the public library (it was hot and they had air-conditioning).
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| The Lagoon |
I had a rather uneventful flight back to Sydney and but did get a pleasant surprise at the end of my journey. Thanks to our flight course on the way back, I was able to get a bird's eye view of Sydney at night all lit up. It was breathtaking getting to see all of the sights of the city, including the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House, from a brand new perspective.
So, there you have it, folks! Cairns in a nutshell. If anyone is considering visiting this corner of the world I would most definitely suggest a trip to the Great Barrier Reef. There's nothing quite like it.
Cheers!
