After about 20+ hours of air travel time, we landed in Cairns, Queensland, Australia in late afternoon on Monday, November 16th (that would be 11/15 for most of you folks). We stayed at a nice place on the Esplanade that has a nice pool in which to cool off. The pool was quite essential as the city of Cairns is on a bay, and a muddy one at that -- at low tide -- so swimming was out of the question -- actually prohibited. We took a few days to get on the Aussie time schedule and browse through the town proper. Wow -- things are expensive here -- most evident by the menu bill. There's good beer here, though. And good wines, too. Ah -- all wines are screw top!
TB: So, they have these flying foxes/fruit bats and they hang in the tree tops all over town. Seems they like mango trees,and when they fly at dusk they have a wing span of 3 feet. They just squeak and zoom real close to the ground, so, yea I scared Lyn saying they are vampire bats and annoyed her to no end.First picture: a view from our 7th floor room (top floor). Second photo: fruit bats
Holloways Beach (11/19 - 11/27 -- Happy TBird Day!)
We mosied up to Holloways Beach (HB) via public bus and moved into our one-bedroom condo-ette, just across from the local beach (our wrap-around patio provides perfect views). HB is a small, quaint spot just north of town (about 10 km) that offers one of the first white sandy beaches north of Cairns proper. We settled in and took a stroll across to the beach -- which, at this time of year, has safety nets up where you can swim. Yep, we've arrived in time for the arrival of the box jellyfish -- apparently the
most deadly creature on earth -- you die within three minutes of being stung. There's another jelly around, too, but that one is small enough to get through the nets and won't really hurt you. Oh, and yea, there are 'salties' around, too. That would be the salt water crocs . Not to be confused with the fresh water crocs. TB: So the pool looked really inviting. I also have been watching the "tellie" that would be TV to you, and looking at the cricket matches. I swear I still can't figure what they do to score, but they do look " preppie" in thier white outfits. What a boring game; think I'd rather watch the grass grow. Rugby, now that 's a game to watch. Yea soccer is huge here too. LG: It's refreshing to watch the morning news shows here -- the folks are so danged happy, they make something serious seem quite amusing. Pictured: Lyn's happy toes relaxing in the resort's pool.Great Barrier Reef (11/21)
We zipped out to the Reef on a high-speed catamaran -- with 60 eager divers aboard (mostly divers, and a handfull of snorkelers that included Lyn). The day's trip afforded five hours on the Reef, with Todd getting in three dives. The underwater world was remarkable and fishies abounded -- and most spectacular are the coral reefs that house the abundant marine life. Colors, texture, variety -- wow.
Pictured: Toddy 'down under'; coral reef with 'Nemo' snuggling into the anemones.
Bama Way (11/22-11/24)
We adjusted our schedule a bit and signed up for a three-day guided trip nort
h that would take us to Cape Tribulation and Cooktown. The tour was called 'The Bama Way' -- meaning the aboriginal way. We travelled (along with 5 other world sojourners) in a 4-wheel drive vehicle. The first adventure was spent with Linc Walker who took us out 'hunting and gathering' in the shallow waters near his home -- as the aboriginals did and still do. Spear fishing, shellfish gathering -- whatever could be nabbed. Todd landed a mud crab! Then we trenched through mangrove forests (in mud up to our calves) bare foot, no less, in search of mussels. At the end of our h&g foray, we went to the 
veranda at Linc's home and ate what we had gathered/caught. Plus a few other traditional treats -- damper bread and juicy mango. When not giving tours, Linc and his relatives still go out for a full day on the water and in the mangrove forests to 'bring home the bacon.'We next trekked through a rainforest to sacred falls. What a peaceful and
pastoral place. Our guide, Roger, was extremely knowledgable -- about the aboriginal history & culture, the flora & fauna around us, and about Australia in general (past & present history). Our drive north took us through the coastal Daintree National Park and our first night found us at Cape Tribulation -- the only place in the world where two World Heritage Sites are contiguous -- the rainforest meeting the waters of the Great Barrier Reef. Todd is pictured here gazing out to sea where Captain Cook got snagged on the coral reef back in the 1770's.The second day the 4WD adventure began. The asphalt turned to unpave
d road and we spent several hours cruising over rough terrain -- even forging a few free-flowing creek beds. We met the Walker Sisters (Frances, Katherine and Gloria) who took us on a short walk to their sacred falls, Wujal Wujal. It was a wide flowing river and what was sitting on a rock was a huge crock not 50 yards away. I figured no swimming in those waters, no matter how hot I was. They shared stories (but not their dream time stories) of their people. There has been a slow-to-go land repatriation 
program whereby the aborigines can reclaim land that was previously theirs. Katherine was quite spirited and intelligent -- not shying away from telling us the National Park people are wrong in denying them the right to control burn thier home land - which is good for the land and plant regeneration. We told her to go to Parliament and become a spokesperson! Just an FYI -- there are between 800 to 1000 different aboriginal dialects in Australia (200 of them being in North Queensland). And -- there is no one word common to all. Billabong does occur in a few.Our second night found us in Cooktown -- located on the banks of the Endeavor River. Captain Cook spent seven weeks here repairing his vessel, Endeavor (after his mishap near Cape Tribulation, mentioned earlier). It was a small town with the main street running along the river. It reminded me of Bolinas but larger. The landscape changed from rain forest to eucalyptus trees and arid brush.
Up early the next day, we headed north to Hopevale to meet with
Willie Gordon -- a great story teller and a wellhouse of knowledge of the aboriginal way of life. We did a four-hour walkabout over rocks and through scrubby forests to several sights where art work still remains on cave walls. Willie pointed out animal tracks, taught us about a lot of plants used in their everyday lives, sighted land and air critters . . . the list goes on. He touched on the spiritual side of their culture, too. What a treat to be on that tour. First picture: Willie. Second picture: rock art from the birthing cave.
Todd road shotgun on a majority of the trip -- so he got to see wildlife by the side of the road -- wallabies and the ever-roaming cattle (brahman). Termite mounds (sometimes three feet high) were a common sight along the way. It was a long trip, but well worth the experience.
Kuranda -- via train and skyrail on November 26
Wednesday found us on the train winding our way up nearby mountains to Kuranda -- where we were up close and personal with a koala named Chippa. She even purred! The scenery on the way up was awesome and even moreso on the trip down in a gondola on the skyrail. What a great way to view the lowlands from up above.
I haven't mentioned yet how green everything is -- and the wet season is only just beginning. It has been really warm and a tad bit humid. Our little resort is landscaped like a jungle. Birds abound and chatter all day long.
Friday, November 27
We're off to a crocodile farm and will pack up tomorrow and head out to -- well, we really don't know where. Probably heading south of Cairns. And we're renting a car to drive -- so we'll have a jolly good time trying to remember to drive on the left!!!
Just for fun photos:
These croc warning signs were to be taken seriously!
This sweet-natured green tree frog found a home on Todd's shirt at one of our lunchbreaks during the 3-day BamaWay trip. He wanted to come home with us.
