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Published: October 28th 2011
DARWIN
Flight was about ½ hour late leaving Singapore for the 4hr 10 minute flight to Darwin and after a near touchdown, he then took off again and circled around before landing at about 05.00am. There was an electric storm and the pilot said that the winds were a bit erratic which is why he went round again! Taxi to Hostel (Banyan View Lodge) which apart from being like a school building is fine! The room is large, clean, has a fridge, en suite, nice shower, tv, air con, fan, lovely beds – double and a single......but the walls are just breeze blocks painted and its lit by one long fluorescent tube!
After a shower, we walked up into the town – quite a sleepy town but loads of different birds flying around! Chris phoned his old school friend who then met us for breakfast before he had to shoot off to concert rehearsals and we had a walk around the Marina, looking at the wave machine, beach area, the docks and then back round to the old cave where they stored oil in World War ll, and up to the lookout point!
Had a lazy afternoon by the pool and
jacuzzi.
The next day we met Chris’ friend at 11.00am with the two children and we all went to Parap market for a wander before going back to his house via Nightcliff coastal road, for coffee and a look at his workshop where he hand makes classic guitars. Out to lunch at the local shopping centre and then back to the house for fresh mango, walnut and yoghurt dessert!
A quick swim back at the hostel before walking along the esplanade to watch the sunset, which are world renowned in Darwin and we were not disappointed as we also had a spectacular lightening show as well!
On Sunday, our last day in Darwin, we went for a stroll to Mindil Beach, looking at the 1930’s Burnett House and Myilly Point before walking through the mango groves of the Darwin Botanical Gardens to Fannie Bay and the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory.
In the museum was a fine collection of Aboriginal Art and an exhibition of Cyclone Tracey that devastated and flattened Darwin on Christmas Eve 1974. About 200 people were killed and 26,000 people were evacuated leaving the Darwin population at less than 10,000. Apart from the
old photos’ they also had a recording of the original sound tape of the cyclone which was quite terrifying and you could hear the sheets of metal that were torn from the roofs banging and crashing about.
There was also a small section that explained about the Aborigines. There are quite a few aboriginal families wandering about Darwin town and beach areas and the museum explained that they are from the Larrakia tribe and were one of the first Aboriginal groups to claim back some of their land with the longest running legal battle resulting in their favour and 600 square kms of land were given back to them.
Got back to the hostel in time for Chris to have a quick swim and me to do the washing (!!!) before catching the bus to Charles Darwin University where we went to see a concert of Baroque music, where Chris’ friend Stephan was playing classical guitar. An hour and a half of delightful music and some wonderful performances by the students and staff of the University. Went back to Stephens house where Sok Yi cooked us a lovely meal of noodle soup and we were entertained by their five year
old son on the violin to a magical performance of Jingle Bells and other assorted tunes!
Back to the hostel by about 10.00pm as we had to pack and get up at 03.00am as the bus to the airport was picking us up at 3.30am!!
CAIRNS
The flight was at 06.20am and after three hours we arrived in Cairns. Caught the shuttle bus to the hostel (Bellview) recommended by Mum! Lovely location on the Esplanade but unfortunately was unable to meet Betty as she had retired 18 months ago but the owner said he would pass on his regards! Had a wander out to the marina, then back into town for some lunch and walked down Aplin Street, where there was a whole colony of flying foxes (fruit bats) squawking and flying around! Had a rest by the pool in the afternoon, before meeting up with Julie who had been on our trip in Vietnam. Had a few drinks overlooking the river and mountains, booked our trips for the next two days and then had a lovely Vietnamese meal before crashing out pretty early at 21.30pm!
The next day was the Great Barrier Reef! Boarded the fast catamaran at 08.00and
then had 90 minute cruise out to the reef. Moored at a Pontoon where we then went for a ride in the glass bottomed boat! Amazing coral but disappointing in some ways as you loose the colour red underneath the water and as the tide was also turning, it was not as clear as it could be. Next we went in the Submersible where we sat below the water line and we were able to drift around on the reef admiring the hundreds of fish and sea cucumbers! We were even lucky enough to see a reef shark which apparently is quite rare in shallow water! Back to the Pontoon for a buffet lunch and then Chris went in snorkelling for an hour! I did try to get in the water but was unable to launch myself off into the deep water despite having a life jacket on! Put the snorkel on and put my head under water but all that happened was that water got in my eyes and up my nose!! Complete failure and was quite gutted about it.
They then fed some fish (daily routine!) among them is a huge blue marine fish called Wally the Wrasse
that lives under the pontoon that came out and almost sat on one of the crews lap to be fed!! Afternoon snack of pineapple, watermelon cheese and biscuits and then we set off back to Cairns where we met up with Julie again! Went to Yorkeys Knob Sailing Club where we had a beer, looked at the marina and watched the sun set behind the mountains. Back to Julies unit (flat!), to watch about 50 cockatoos coming back to roost in a nearby tree and pick up the food and then down to the beach where we had a lovely barbeque of steak, salmon and salad , followed by fresh mango, on Trinity Beach. Swimming in the sea was not an option there as there is a warning about crocodiles and stingers (jellyfish!) Caught the local bus back to Cairns!
The next day we hired a car and drove up into the mountains to Kuranda. As we were there about 08.30am there wasn’t a lot open so we decided to drive on to Mareeba where we had some breakfast and made the decision to go to Daintree! Stopped off at Golden Drop winery to taste some mango wine and then
drove past the Savanna and Wetland reserve. Got to Mossman Gorge about 12.00 ish and then did the 3-4 kilometre walk around the tropical rainforest (saw a snake!!!) before getting back to the gorge where Chris had a swim and I watched the Australian Brush Turkey strut around in the undergrowth! No sign of the cassowarys that live there!
Drove on up to Daintree where we picked up a sandwich for lunch and then took a boat trip on the Daintree River to look for the salt water crocodiles and were lucky enough (?!) to spot one in the water!! Had a quick look at the ferry, (spotted a kookaburra!) before driving back along the Captain Cook Highway, which follows the coastline all the way down, past Port Douglas, to Cairns. Just after Kewarra Beach is signposted, on the main road, just before a Bowls Club there is a field where we had been told that wallabies feed every morning and at sunset and true enough there were about 100 or so of them eating the grass! They nearly scarpered when we stopped to photograph them and were very wary of us, but I did manage to get a few
photos! Met Julie down at the BBQ on Trinity beach and had sausages and salad. Chris’ favourite!! Back to Cairns by about 10.30pm (late night!)
Up early the next day and out for a walk along the front at 06.45am looking for breakfast before shopping ,filling car up with petrol and returning to depot and videoing the flying foxes before walking to the train station and catching the 9.15am Sunlander train to Proserpine. Fairly uneventful journey for most of the day, passing through neglected forests that look as though they have been torn apart by cyclones (they probably have!) with lots of dead trees and broken trunks and branches! Quite a lot of banana and sugar cane plantations and lots of scrubland! We stopped at Townsville for a half hour break and a walkabout and then as dusk fell we saw a few groups of wild kangaroos feeding by the trainlines and reached Airlee Beach on time at 20.50pm. Caught the shuttle bus to our hotel!
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Bjoerg Sandvik
non-member comment
Hello you two :) It's like another life thinking about traveling and it's difficult to understand that you still are moving around in the world. I enjoy reading and looking at your pictures. In Bergen its dark, a lot of rain and the winthertime its getting closer. I wish you all the best. Bjørg x