From backpackers hostel to luxury in Port Douglas

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I am writing this from the airport lounge in Alice Springs with a small rucksack and a bleeding large tube with the paintings I bought!!!



Well we have now joined the Australian Youth Hostel Association as it gives you a discount when you book the Greyhound Bus which we have booked now from Cairns through to Sydney. The Greyhound bus is a lot more reasonable than flying and you can hop on hop off which is great as we seem to have a plan on the places we are going to stay.



Whilst flying we reflected on the Anangu (aborigines - to us Poms) people Everyone we saw from this tribe seemed to look sad and living at the lower of the economic scale - it really touched us and really brought home to us the impact of the way they have been treated as a race and the way they have been treated since white men took over Australia. Their culture and beliefs have been simply trampled on and to be honest it is still happening until they actually close Uluru (Ayers Rock) to people climbing it and remove those ungodly ropes that help people climb it. Give them back their sacred place! And to anyone who reads this, please if you ever go to Uluru do not climb on the Rock.



So we have arrived in Cairns and gone onto Port Douglas. We were really knackered and just wanted to sleep. When we arrived at the cottage we have hired, all I can say is WOW. One day we are in a backpackers place and the next we have the most amazing cottage with a little private plunge pool and a Jacuzzi. The cottage is about 3 minutes walk from the beach and Port Douglas is a really lovely little town - expensive but so is Australia to us Poms.



The beach is known as Four Mile Beach and our walk along it today must have covered well over half - it was so relaxing strolling in the mid day sun - mad dogs and Englishman comes to mind.



We have our own BBQ so we have brought some steaks so we can have our own Auzzie BBQ. Saying that I think we will be having BBQs every night as I only asked for 2 steaks and ended up with 6 - could explain why she had to pick me up when she told me the price.



We have booked a snorkeling cruise for Sunday to see the barrier reef - there are so many companies but I have done my research and found a family company that only takes small groups. They are also accredited by the Eco Tourism - so at least we are trying in some small way to help.



Hope everyone is ok out there.

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Photos

Our crib
How fab is this place

Outside our crib
Plunge pool and jacuzzi - is this the hollywood life or what!

Comments

[JT]

Crocs
Watch out for the saltwater crocs lady law ..... There is a great steakhouse halfway down the Main Street that has a moose on the front I think.