Caning it in Cairns

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Well, I arrived on the 26th and have had a wonderful week of wandering around, window shopping and lazing in the sun.

Cairns is a cool place. Lots to do and great access to the reef, although I've not bothered, having seen what I'd consider enough on my Whitsnudays snorking excrsions - yes I know the reef is massive, but you know what I mean.

As I mentioned, I met up with Em and Gem in Gilligans Hostel as soon as we all arrived and together with Laura and Suze we ventured out into, what was to turn out to be, the first of many nights out on the town.

Sunday saw Gem, Em and myself jump into Emma's jeep and zoom off 'up north' to Cape Tribulation, (whenever you say 'Cape Tribulation' you have to sing it to the theme of 'Congratulations', dont ask, just do it!)...a gorgeous, tropical paradise hidden deep in the rainforest. We spent two lovely days mooching up and down the beaches, racing Cane Toads in the pub and getting drenched in tropical downpours (we'd forgotten that in the RAINforest it RAINS and so had no waterproofs!)

Port Douglas was sweet on the way back and we stopped for a night in a lovely little hostel called Dougies, (home to some very weird and very large Kangaroo Rats, or Rataroos as we renamed them), before heading home via a Crocodile tour.

Loads of laughs with 2 brilliant new friends!

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During our little outing I'd rang to confirm that I was boked on the 1st June Exploring Oz 4 day trip to Darwin, you know, this trip that my whole travel plans have been arranged around....well, worst nightmare struck when Brett told me I wasn't on the reserved list and more importantly, the 1th June trip had been cancelled! ARRRRGGGGHHHHH! I'd already missed the one last month and the tour that I was supposed to leave on in 2 days was cancelled and there wouldn't be another for 17days, and that would only go ahead if the flooded roads were sorted......AAAARRRGGGGGHHHH

Cue Emergency Changes!

I called Peter Pan's Travel Agent, and the lovely Josie managed to re-arrange me on a Desert Venturer tour for Sat 3rd June. It's soooo not as good though: travelling via state roads rather than 4WD, sitting in a refrigerator on wheels (air con coach), no sleeping under the stars in SWAG bags. FUCK. But I dont have much choice. Time is money and therefore waiting around is just not feasible.

I bit the bullet and leave tomorrow!

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Popped into Cairns Center For Contemporary Arts but none of the stuff was really my cuppah tea. Yet again, too much Aboriginally-Influenced styles which I find very monotonous. I did find one amazing piece though, but it turned out to be the coin dontation box.

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Photos

A Cassowary
We were so lucky that we saw this really rare bird! Infact we saw 3 of them!

This was about the size of my hand!
...and it was living just outside our dorm!