Cairns to Port Douglas

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It's hot.


It is really, really hot and muggy. It rained yesterday a good one and you can almost slice through the air. I'm sweating sitting here in a shaded area.


We checked out of the hotel about an hour ago and our shuttle to Port Douglas picks us up at four (back at the hotel). So we're checking e-mails before making the rest of the hike to the city to swim in the pool there. It's really neat, right by the ocean they have an open to the public pool almost random looking for anyone to walk into. They have a huge park for skate boarders and bikers to share.

There was a girl from Ireland on the live aboard that's staying here for a year. Lucky. The states gives you a max of three months. Period. She said Port Douglas is incredible - like a little piece of heaven. I guess Bill Clinton was there when he got the news about 911. I'm looking forward to getting there.

Last night we ate dinner and skipped the after party the divers and crew were having at the local Rattle N' Hum. If you ever make it to Cairns, I recommend going there. We ate there when we first strolled into town...the food is excellent, hands down the best salad we've ever had, and the bar itself is a cool environment.




I was getting upset last night because being denied to scuba dive by the local doctor makes me rethink everything with this Factor V (chromosome defect that causes blood clots) may have to offer. Michigan doctors don't know much of anything about scuba diving, and if the local doctor says it's bad news - maybe he's right. He is the doc after all. But if the pressure from diving is to much and I have to do a shot in the stomach when I'm off the coumadin before every flight for the rest of my life, the entire nine months if I ever get pregnant....what else is there? What about a train ride to Chicago? What about before a dive (because I will NOT quit)?

I figure alcohol kills your liver - smoking causes cancer - if a lot of people have bad habits that will potentially kill them - I might as well join the crowd.

I have to get new glasses when I get back to Michigan. I just got new frames after stepping on the ones I've had for the last five years and breaking them - the lens keeps falling out of these. I'm in Australia and I'm having a guilt complex about Eye Services doing a lot of business with the print shop and getting to know Kathryn Ring over the last couple of years and I still go to Gregory Optical. They're great, I love them - but I have a better relationship with the company I don't do business with. We'll see...I'm in Australia...who cares, right?

No worries, Mate!

I'll end my rambling here. I hope all is well back home. Jan - glad to see you made it back alive.
Thank-you for the comments - I really appreciate the interest!

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Comments

[Marcia]

No worries, Mate!
I love your rambling and thoughts. Perhaps this journey is a book? or something. ?? Anxously awaiting more pics. Cheers!

[Mary L.]

Diving
Suzanne, There is no way I can understand the disappointment of traveling all that way to do something you love and be told that you are not physically able to dive. I am very glad that you are okay and nothing happened to you on your other dives.