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Published: December 17th 2008
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[youtube=blEKLGRCjsU]
Vague apologies for my rant in the last post. The last time we did this sort of thing we started off in the south of SE Asia and then went on to the beauty, serenity, tranquility and general calm and quiet of northern Thailand. On reflection that's a much better order to do things in. Sorry.
Not the greatest flight to Cairns, 7 1/2 hours on an A 320, but that's what you get when Qantas have a codeshare with Jetstar. Never mind, we're here in one piece and having saved a load of budget by travelling like teenage backpackers for about 4 days, we've treated ourselves to 4 days in a (by our standards) huge, luxurious hotel room, 40 sq. m. of 4+* luxury for a lot less than £50 a night. It's gonna be cheap motels all the way to Brisbane.
Tropical North Queensland is as hot and humid as anywhere we've been, but we're having a great time. Picked up the rental car as soon as we could after the flight but couldn't check into our luxury till 4 pm. so we took a drive up to Port Douglas as it's the opposite direction to the
way we'll be travelling. A really, really nice drive, very reminiscent of Highway 1 up through California. Some amazing views on the way up, and some more on the way back. A great day.
Cairns is a really nice, unsophisticated town - a great place to relax for a few days before the drive down to Brissie for Xmas. It still feels strange that Xmas still goes on even though the temperature is steaming. Stupidly we thought we could escape all the seasonal madness by fleeing to tropical temperatures. We can't.
Always wanted to go out to the Great Barrier Reef so we did. Even if it was just for half a day. The best snorkeling we've had in years, it certainly wasn't a disappointment. Being sensible we hired 'stinger suits' to avoid jellyfish hospitalization. They certainly gave an air of freedom out on the reef, also cut down on the time needed to grease up with sunscreen. A new fun experience, even if we did both look a bit pervy in them. Might have to buy a pair for fun and games when we get home.
In her usual way, B got chatting to a young
couple on the boat on the way back from the reef. Of course they had to let slip in the way that only the religiously committed can that they were
very religiously committed. We both held our tongues. See, we're much, MUCH calmer now that we're here 😊))
Even discovered a reasonable amount of veggie food. Deep joy!!
Only gripe so far is the extortion going on at most of the hotels (including this one ;(( ) over net access. Many, who a few years ago offered complimentary, are now charging - a lot. I'm trying to upload a reef vid to youtube and it doesn't seem to like an 88 MB file passing thru' it. I mean c'mon, these days that just isn't huge (especially when they're charging AU$29 for 24 hrs access. I'm seriously thinking about a prepay usb modem dongle. The initial oulay's AU$ 129, then for $120 I get 12Gb data transfer. Just gotta check that I can swap the SIM card when we get to the states...... then again when we get home. Many internet cafes here aren't interested in catering for laptop users either, they insist on you using their vile machines.
Oh well, maybe it's time to go totally independent. I'll get the bloody vid up somehow 😊))))
This is lush compared to the last few days travel, 2 jacuzzis next to the swimming pool which had just been refurbished a week before we arrived. Pretty quiet apart from the constant demands/rants of he who is never satisfied..... Still easy enough to get food, and recuperate before the drive ahead. Snorkeling was fab at Green Island - don't you just love ferries that serve alcohol, especially by easy on the eye guys called Zane? Glad we opted for the stinger suit - read the local paper today - a Japanese tourist was airlifted off the same island.....worst stinger season for years apparently, quite a few cases of people hospitalized. Some of which were inside the stinger nets. Bit mizzy here today so went shopping, was getting frivolous bits (sparkle nail varnish, mascara) and the girl in the shop - who'd been painting my nails and gossiping - told us (in a whispered voice) 'cos she'd been told off for finding it funny - of a Japanese tourist who had drowned in barely waist high water - she'd panicked and therefore
forgot to stand up! Stop sniggering it isn't funny.....which was actually a conversation jb and I were having about how panic not lack of fitness causes drowning. I'm glad we had this conversation because jb NEVER buddies me (despite EVERY instructor emphasizing the point). So we snorkel off the jetty - a reasonable distance from shore (I have a morbid fear of drowning) and are gonna snorkel parrallel to the beach to see the reef then go into shore. Starts off ok then of course he buggers off, really had to control the rising panic, I was mid point between the jetty & shore, my legs started to freeze and my heart rate was very high - was desperately trying to bring it down. Knew I could make it but it was an awful few minutes. Have actually retched into my snorkel mask continually, trying to get back to shore from a reef before out of sheer terror....so guess I'm getting better! On the plus side I am using lifts unaided - well I say unaided I always have a drink/valium first, it's essential I have a healthy amount of valium & drink with me, but hey a 30yr phobia
maybe on the way out.....it's not the space thing, it's the they may stop midway thing - and yes it has happened to me, I stared at solid brick work in a very small smelly lift, obviously didn't kill me though.
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moonraker
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fish n slips here
Well its great fun reading each adventure, although I would prefer to be there done that thing, however funds not avalible lol. The pics are great but as its -5 here looking at the sun filled photos, warm looking waters while having the heating up full bore I should be waiting for you to visit the artic. That might make this place look warm. The dairy your keeping is not just good to read but very informational. I hope to pop down around SE Asia for our 25 wedding anniversary in a couple of years and with what I have read it helps us to look for place to go and not waste our time looking when we get there. Also I have a sister in queensland and she tells me how hot it is and also sends photos or the area. Keep it up mate and when you and the misses have time chill out with a barbie and a cold one. Take care T