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Published: October 18th 2006
October 12th -
Took a flight by Virgin blue to Cairns from Adelaide, viaSydney, and arrived in the dark. Had a pickup from the airport, but the Bohemia Resort seems a bit of a way outside the town. Turned out to be very noisy for most of the night, so decided its time to move into someplace special and treat myself. I managed to find an appartment going cheaply as it was very quiet there and out of season plus only 5 min walk to town and esplanade. Excellent!!
This is very nice town, growing rapidly I suspect, with 135,000 population at the moment. It settles in a sort of valley between the McAlister (not sure of spelling) ranges overlooking Trinity bay. The bay is mud banks and swampy, and not looking good for swimming in, with the possibility of crocs. However the town council seem to be very health and fitness minded. They have a board walk all along the esplanade with various parks for children and fitness boards for people working out. There is also a Lagoon, built some 3 years ago, which is the swimming area, and when I walked by at 7.30am on Sunday morning noticed some
hardened swimmers doing their laps. The lagoon itself is built to the shape of Queensland, un-noticeable from the ground, but apparently obvious from the air. After joining the town tour, I have found that this is also a Naval base town, for HMAS Cairns and cadets. There is a huge Sugar mill and terminal and there are quite a few Fuel tanks, similar to our very own at Coxside, quite close to the town, causing some controversy apparently. The town boasts a large convention centre and has some amazing botanic gardens. My tour took in a visit to the Royal flying doctors, included a video and a little museum, some interesting info that I wasn't aware of, the $20 note shows Dr John Flyn, the founder and a piccy of the RFDAS orig plane.
Apart from the one day out on a boat, I have done very little here except enjoy the town, my lovely appartment with pool, sleep alot and watch the world go by. The boat trip was a full on day, we were transported to a stand alone platform/pontoon for diving and snorkelling by the Great Barrier Reef. I had several chances to snorkell, (if you
were a diver, you could do this), I also went on a boat to the outer reef (at extra cost), for an hour long snorkel, which turned out to be quite tough, as the sea here was quite rough, so not only negotiating the waves, also the loons trying to cut me up so that they could get near to our guide and ask questions. Not looking where their size 12 finns were kicking.
There were 120 people on the boat, so the 12 or so team looking after us had a tough job, they fed us lunch and also ran various trips on a semi submersible boat to the outer reef, which I found really interesting. There were two photographers on board taking pics all day and you were able to view and purchase these on the way back to the marina in Cairns, in that hour journey the girls would have the pics all printed and ready for you to take away with you.
I met Eve on this day, she had never snorkelled before, and bravely took to the waters in her hired wet suit, (very sensible, as it was quite chily) and enjoyed
a guided snorkel, then had a go on her own, later. Eve is orig from London, but no longer sounds cockney, has lived in Darwin some 30 years or so, in fact she was there during the Cyclone I mentioned in my earlier blog of Darwin in 1974. We met a couple of times over the next few days, and I really enjoyed her company, thanks Eve, hope you got back home safe and sound!!
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eve
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snorkelling etc!
Happy travelling Lorraine - enjoyed your co. in Cairns - and my boys - and friends! - can't believe photos of me and the BIG fish, and the fact I went up in a balloon and rode a horse! On the list of the "wanted", and I did, so like you, advice to all - JUST DO IT - and this is from an 'oldie' - safe travels, keep in touch. Hope to go to Kangaroo Island at some time, and later maybe Vietnam - S.K.I-ING - Spending the Kids Inheritance - Cheers.