Cairns

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Magnetic Island to Carins

Cairns is my departure city and brings the 3500 km overland trip with Oz Exprience to an end. Difficult to believe I've travelled that much distance and the overland trip is finished. We stopped by in a croc farm on the way to Cairns, which was fun but creepy!

The Great Barrier Reef

The Dive schools didn't let me do a PADI course as I would have failed the 200 meter swimming test. That too for good reason considering I freak out when thrown into deep water. Anyway, I decided to take some introductory dives, I wasn't going miss out on diving after coming all the way to Carins!

We were given a dive briefing with the key skill - equalizing, clearning the mask from water and regulator. First dive - Panic Panic Panic! It was the first thing happened when I threw myself into the ocean. Next thing was to go under water and practice the skills. I just couldn't just to get use to breathing with mouth under water and couldn't do any of the skills. I had to stop and go back to the boat... Not knowing how to swimming wasn't helping, my gagging and choaking came to hunt me all at the same time. It was all too fast.

Freaking out under the water is not an option. The instructor says it's all in the head. And it's so true! The next dive we managed to go deep diving!!! The next few dives became easier. This has to be craziest thing I've done so far in my travels. Good thing the instructor was with me all the time as I couldn't swim in the water either. I will definitely remember this experience and it was worth it. Wonderful experience being under the sea with pretty coral and fish. We didn't see any sharks... but defintely some weird stuff.

Cape Tribulation

This was a day trip to Cape Tribulation and Daintree River. I didn't fancy staying over at Cape Tribulation will all the creepy things. I had already had close encounter with giant lizards, cockroach, frogs et al and I wanted to avoid their company.

The walk along the rainforest was interesting as in the different trees, fruits and insects found in the wood. On the way to the rainforest, it was a scenic drive along Captain Cook highway to Cape Tribulation. We did see some crocs along the river. We also stopped at Port Douglas, which is like a small resort town. Actually it reminded me of Nossa. The thing will all these places, in fact North Queensland is that there are some really nice beaches but you can't actually go in the water! You can get killed by the stingers. If not that then watch out for the crocodile and any sharks!

Cairns

I have spent a week here, longest time in a city so far. It is hot and humid. Actually the last few days have been really hot and I have been hiding in air con. There actually isn't much to do here but to go around Cairns and diving. I am ready to leave Cairns and Australia. There is so much to see and do in Oz and it's so big that I think you need at least 6 months and a very very big budget. It's almost never ending. I am going to New Zealand tomorrow and my time in Australia has been interesting and enjoyable. There are some amazing sites, wildlife and the people here are very friendly. I've done the East coast and met many people along the way, it's happened a bit too fast! It's my last day in hot and humid Cairns before I am in cooler temperatures in N.Z 😊

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