I think I'm turning Japanese, I really think so.......

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Arrived into Cairns last Thursday evening and was completely disorientated when I got off the bus. Couldn't find any Australian people, even shop assistants where all Japanese. Shop signs etc all in Japanese as well......weird !

Eventually found a local who gave us directions to our accommodation: Southern Cross Atrium Apartements. A hostel double room was gonna be about $80 and got a studio in this joint for $90, and it is lovely. 3 swimming pools, a gym, satellite TV in room......English Premiership on all night !! Definatly recommended.

Bright and early on Saturday it was off White Water Rafting ! We went on this trip and it was absolutely brilliant, one of the best things I have ever done ! The river has Grade 4 rapids (Grade 6 being the biggest), but all our raft crew managed to make it down the river without falling overboard.
Our guide let us get out at various points and float through some of the more gentle rapids which was a really nice way to cool off from the hot weather.
The usual Aussie BBQ lunch was provided to break up the 5 hours rafting. 5 hours sounds like a lot but it absolutley flys by and a half day would have been too short.

That less us both a bit stiff and sunburnt, but we still managed to go Quad Biking on Sunday which was also good fun but definatly a poor second to the rafting. With the lack of rain here at the moment the tracks were really dusty, so we all look ultra sexy wearing hairnets under our helmets, face masks, and goggles - all trying to keep us dust free.

We went on a trip to the Atherton Tablelands on Tuesday which I am awarded Best Day Trip Ever ! It was called Uncle Brian's Tour........big respect to Maria Flanagan for the recommendation ! Saw some really nice places like Millaa Millaa Falls, and got to slide down rockslides etc. Our guide (Cousin Ben) was hilarious and made sure the 13 hour trip was never boring. He managed to find turtles, water dragons, Golden Orb spider (2nd or 3rd largest spider in world, and makes the largest web in the world), and also a few Platypus.

We also managed to squeeze in some more adrenalin junky activities at AJ Hackett's Site just outside Cairns. As I had done a bungy jump before and Ruth had no desire to do one we opted for the Minjin Jungle Swing.....I thought this was gonna be pretty tame, but it turned out to be a real rush, and only $45 each !

After all that and a fair dash of shopping, fine dining, and boozing, it was off to Cape Tribulation & the Daintree Rainforect for a couple of days, more of which in my next journal......

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