Blogs from Great Barrier Reef, Cape Tribulation, Queensland, Australia, Oceania - page 2

When we originally booked our trip with Trailfinders they recommended that we have a few days peace and quiet to recharge our batteries in Australia. Fortunately they could recommend somewhere (funny that!) - a place owned and managed by them (doubly funny that!!) - called Bloomfield. Despite not really knowing anything about it and really just relying on a knowing look from Nick at Trailfinders, for our whole trip Bloomfield has represented an "oasis" in an otherwise pretty frantic wizz around the Southern Hemisphere - thankfully it didn't disappoint... actually quite the opposite... Bloomfield is situated on Weary Bay just North of Cape Tribulation in far Northern Queensland literally at the spot where Captain Cook crashed and burned (or scraped anyway) on the Great Barrier Reef. Talk about a wingeing pomme - just look at the ... read more

My vacation time has started just the day after I have submitted my last exam for MBA. A few weeks before I organized a 2 week's stay for wwoof-ing (= willing workers on organic farms) at an organic fruit farm amid the rainforest at Cape Tribulation (http://www.capetrib.com.au). When I arrived at Cairns I was very pleased by the pleasant climatic conditions here.... similar to the Mediterranean! A bus shuttle service took me and a few other relaxed guys up to Port Douglas first, and then to Cape Trib. First we enjoyed Port Douglas for 1/2 a day, and then headed northwards on a winding road deeper and deeper into regions of no (or nearly no!) human civilization. I was welcomed at Digby's and Alison's place and shown my lodge (with veranda and own bathroom) where I ... read more

With Sydney behind us we made the short flight up to Cairns in Queensland and back to the tropics. Everything ran according to plan and we were able to find a cheap shuttle bus that took us directly to the door of the backpackers (Parrotfish Lodge) we were staying in, in Port Douglas. The main reason for coming to Port Douglas was to take a trip to see the Great Barrier Reef, which we duly did the next day. Again we were picked up at the door to the backpackers and transported to the quay to make the one and half hour journey out to the reef on a large catamaran. Lor got a bit seasick on the way out as the sea was quite rough and had to stand at the side clutching a paper ... read more

G'day guys, Hope you are you keeping well and working very hard!! especially all you peeps in the paper and inks industry (lol) Its been a hard life here trying to get used to doing 'nothing' all day then trying to find out which tours i wanna do and what i don't wanna do... decisions decisions! I'm sure i'll cope somehow! I know your all dying to know what i've been up to so here goes... arrived in Cairns on 16th bright and early in the morning our flight went really well considering it took way over 24 hours to get here, but have managed to over come the jet lag - i don't think i suffered with jet lag to be fair - i reckon it was just another excuse to get some more Zzzzz!! ... read more

I landed in Australia just before midnight on Wednesday 20 September. Immigration took me aside for a little chat about my 'criminal record', so I explained it was all driving offences (as if this makes it all acceptable) and the very nice lady immigration officer told me it doesn't count as a criminal offence if you don't stand before a judge, so they let me in. I went to the tourist information desk to ask about a nearby hotel - and as my flight to Cairns was at 7 a.m. the lady at the desk suggested the 4th floor departure lounge which has sofas. I went up to the 4th floor and Dave the cleaner set me up in my own little apartment - he arranged the chairs so you and your baggage are safe. There ... read more