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Published: January 27th 2015
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The drive from Cairns to Port Douglas is spectacular, it's a definite Morgan route. The road follows the coast and you can see the bluest seas with the whitest sand and palm trees on the beach, all very tropical and beautiful. On the other side of the road you have the rainforest coming right down to the beach so add in the greenest lushest foliage and put them together, it makes an incredible backdrop. The scenery and beaches are most definitely much much more awesome than anywhere else on the Australian coast that we have seen.
We have had the day in the rainforest. It was about 50 min drive south of Port Douglas and we were booked in for 10am, thought we would try and get there before the heat of the day kicked in. We arrived and upgraded our skyrail to diamond class which meant we got a glass bottomed gondola on the cableway, the ride up was spectacular much better than we expected and as it climbed up the mountain we had views over the coastline, the rainforest and waterfalls and canyons. We skimmed over the canopy of the rainforest and on our first stop we went
for a walk, there was a ranger on hand to tell you all you needed to know about the healing properties of the plant life and how the aboriginals lived in the forest. Some of the trees grow upto 50m high, it's amazing. Back on the gondola and the next stop was at the Barron Falls which would have been spectacular if there was any water gushing over the edge but even though it is the wet season it obviously has not been wet enough to make the falls spectacular. The falls were definitely Barron the day we went!! Still on we go and arrive at a village called Kuranda, spent a couple of hours having a picnic, ice cream and coffee and then we tentatively decided to do a walk into the forest again, couple of hundred metres in we turned back and did shops instead. They are air conditioned and bug free! A scenic train journey back to our destination and another good day has been had.
Monday 26th is Australia Day and what better way to spend it than snorkelling on the Great Barrier Reef. We were picked up at 8am and delivered to our boat
where we were given coffee and pastries! We chose a fairly fast boat so that we had more time snorkelling and the trip was fantastic. We visited three different sites, the crew were all really good and it was a boat full of divers and snorkellers, there was no beach stops it was all about the snorkelling and I have to say I was a little trepidatious however there was absolutely no way I was missing this! The weather forecast had threatened thunder and lightening but we went fingers crossed as it says that every day and so far we have been lucky. We reached our first dive site within the hour and were given a talk on the dive site and told what to expect on the reef. I have to say that one of my big things was putting on head to toe Lycra and if you are reading this thinking you are looking forward to the picture of me in full body suit then think again, absolutely no way I am sharing that with any of you!!! So having wriggled my way into the hey come get me I look like a seal suit it was time
to make our way down to the steps and launch ourselves onto the reef. OMG it was amazing, once I got over the initial panic I felt as though I settled into it and if I hadn't been gripping onto my snorkel mask with my teeth it would have been a jaw dropping experience. Bazzi obviously just slid into his suit and there was no "does my bum look big in this question from him" and he was eager to leap into the unknown. When you are in and put your head down it is just so peaceful, we had a buoyancy aid each so we were not worried about getting tired or sinking to the bottom so it was just all so wonderful. The corals were so colourful and the fish amazing, so many different varieties and when you got to the edge of the reef and swam over it into the dark water it suddenly got colder and then you did get a little bit like what lurks beneath so we quickly headed back to the coral. As well as the fish we also saw a reef shark swimming beneath us and a massive Wrassi fish which Bazzi
managed to get his picture taken with. We saw some turtles from the boat but unfortunately none under the water. There was a bit of a swell as you may expect as you are out in the middle of the ocean and it's not flat calm so you have to keep an eye on where the boat is as it's very disorientating. Totally amazing experience, sick bucket moment coming up for all you synics but when me and Bazzi swam along next to each other and held hands it was just so surreal and so special. We were both overawed on the way back and very emotional. We couldn't quite believe we had actually been swimming on the Great Barrier Reef, totally totally awesome thing to experience, once in a lifetime, we are creating such precious memories that will last us forever, we are so lucky.
Well we have just has a helicopter flight over the barrier reef, another fantastic experience seeing part of the barrier reef from the skies. The colours of the corals and the waters are just lovely. We were up for 40 minutes and it was very cool although I think we both felt that
we were so blown away by yesterdays experience that although it was fabulous it wasnt as good as being on the reef. We saw turtles, manta rays, lots of sting rays and a couple of sharks but I think we wanted to go lower so that we could see more. We flew down the coast and over Port Douglas which was lovely and the pilot pointed out all the different landmarks and gave us lots of information about the landings of Captain Cook etc as well as telling us about some of the different Islands off the reef. We shared the helicopter with a lady from Edinburgh and the chauffeur who picked us up was from Barnsley! I think every other person here is a Pom.
Anyway this is our last blog from Oz as we move on Thursday to New Zealand. We have booked an apartment in Auckland for four nights so that we can get our bearings and buy some maps so that we can make plans. I have a huge list of places to visit already so we are going to be busy busy. I have to say that we will be glad to get there
as the temperatures are about 10 degrees lower. Yippee. We have been melting in Oz but it's the humidity that gets to you. Having said this we have loved the Australian people, they are warm and friendly with a great sense of humour and always ready to help. We have visited some wonderful places and a few not so wonderful, it's been a very mixed bag. Highlights have been the fireworks in Sydney harbour on New Years Eve and snorkelling on the Great Barrier Reef. These experiences have definitely blown us away. Apart from the heat we have enjoyed Australia but will we be back, I don't think so but never say never! So onward to our next destination and as they say in Aboriginal "Gubun Gubun Galing" meaning travel safe. Back soon.
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