Cairns, Kuranda and Cape Tribulation

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Made my final Greyhound journey up to Cairns from Townsville, through the sugar fields. From Cairns made an immediate journey up to Kuranda, sadly being a public holiday there were no buses so forced to fork out for a taxi. Kuranda is just 30kms up in the hills above Cairns, usually a daytripper type place to have a meal and buy some souveniers but tried it out as a place to stay for a few days, in Kuranda Backpackers a basic but huge old Queenslander buidling.

Kuranda is a place to relax, because it dies right down in the evening, but excellent tropical rainforest surrounding and good for finding some excellent walks, and as there are not that many trains you can walk along the railway line.

On return to Cairns I visited Hartelys Crocodile adventures, to see the somewhat touristy jumping crodiles, and to hold a baby crocodile, curiosity got the better of me there! the day I went was absolutely cascading down with rain, nice touch that whilst I am there to escape the coming of winter in Melbourne, Queensland has to have it's coldest weather in an eternity, nevermind.

Also escaped for a few days up toward Cape Tribulation, again all my plans were pretty much ruined by the heavy rain and stormy seas, so no tales of the Great Barrier Reef or Kayaking Adventures I'm afraid,

I did manage a cruise on the Daintree River checking out Esturine Crocodiles (ie deadly saltwater ones) in their natural habitat, rather than leaping out of the water at tourist boats. Also went on a late night rainforest walk checking out creatures at night, and looking for crocodiles in the dark, that was eery to say the least, not that I saw much. Another activity was Jungle Surfing, where you are propelled around the treetops on ropes, pointless in a way, but rather fun also, not that fond of doing it upside down though.

Also visited Port Douglas which apart from an expensive village centre is pretty much one collection of resort hotels, nice enough but why you'd want to spend a longtime there, I don't know. Generally the weather has been a dissapointment on my return to the tropics but one can't complain.

Cairns itself seems quieter than I remember, I think that may be something to do with new licensing laws, it's still got the crazy backpacker vibe though with the likes of the woolshed and ashamedly my own favourite, P J O'Briens (they had one in Melbourne too, fake irishtastic) As a town it surely will never win any awards for it's looks but it's a good setting surrounded by misty mountains, and there is no lack of things to do.

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