1. It's not actually that big, but there are plenty of nearby places to visit...if you have a car. Or an unlimited supply of money to pay for all sorts of tours.
2. It is one of the easiest places to access the Great Barrier Reef.
3. There are gorgeous beaches.
4. You can't actually swim at those gorgeous beaches...unless you stay in the tiny netted area.
Why? Think Will Smith dying in Seven Pounds: box jellyfish. (sorry for the spoiler if you haven't seen it...but seriously...you should have seen it by now). Death within 5 minutes? I think I'll skip it. So as an alternative to swimming in the ocean at the beach, Cairns has created a free pool at the beach. They call it the lagoon:
A bit far away from the city center, but a nice area to walk is the Centenary Lakes. The walk leads through crocodile habitat on a rainforest boardwalk, to several different lakes. Unfortunately I didn't see any crocs...but it was still a pleasant walk.
And near the end was the Botanic Gardens:
But enough about all of that nonsense...let's talk about my real reason for coming way up to Cairns: The Great Barrier Reef. I decided prior to my arrival in OZ that I'd spend my birthday (the BIG 3-0) on a liveaboard trip to the GBR...spending 2 days and one night on a boat, diving the reef. Maybe the best decision I've made so far! I booked the trip with Rum Runners, leaving January 9th and coming back the 10th. It wasn't the company that I originally intended to use, but it was smaller than most and had a good group of divemasters leading the dives. The boat:
The DMTs, Desirée, Cyril, Kayne:
We went on six different dives - one of those being a night dive. The reef (of course) was beautiful. I was really excited to see a turtle and maybe even a reef shark...but the birthday gods were NOT with me on that one. Still, cool things:
It was a fantastic trip! Being out on the boat with amazing company was extremely relaxing. And who wouldn't love to have this view each night??
This was one of my favorite experiences so far. Plus, Des made us cake for our birthday (another girl on the boat had the same birthday). Awesome! I met some really amazing people that I hope to see again someday. Then, to give the trip that last bit of magic, these guys came out to play on the way home:
They were fun...when they'd start to get bored, they would swim away, then we'd all start clapping and whistling and they'd come right back and swim along, riding the waves for a little longer. Now THAT's the perfect way to celebrate a birthday! (plus we met up for some celebratory drinks) Not much could live up to that trip, except hanging out with people from the trip!
A couple of days after the liveaboard, I went on a tour to the Dantree Rainforest, Cape Tribulation, and Mossman Gorge. The tour guide was hilarious! He was quite the talker...everytime he tried to stop talking (tried), he would say the same thing in his Australian accent: "Sit back, relax, and enjoy the view. Noooo worries." We started off by driving up the scenic Captain Cook Highway, past cane fields, winding along the coast and through the rainforest.
We took a guided tour along the Daintree River:
We saw tons of spectacled flying foxes, and (just before the end of the tour) a crocodile:
Next, our tour guide led us on a rainforest walk in search of a cassowary...which we never found. But I did eat an ant. On purpose. It tasted like lemon! And we found this guy...
...he's on th big branch! A big spikey lizzard of some sort.
Then to Cape Tribulation for a rainy lunch. It's known as the area where the rainforest meets the reef:
Finishing up at Mossman Gorge, where normally we'd be able to swim...but the rain created some raging rapids in the swimming area.
My last few days in Cairns rained non-stop. On my final day, I had to catch an afternoon shuttle to the airport. After poor planning (ok, I was trying to make my final few hours last forever), I got stuck on the other side of town. I was a 40 minute walk away from my hostel, with 20 minutes to get there. So the normal person would take a taxi, but not me. I wasn't carrying enough cash. Instead, I did some speed walking half way there, and ended up having to run (and I do mean SPRINT) the second half. I kicked off my flip flops, grabbed them, and ran barefoot all the way back to the hostel. Did I mention it was pouring rain? Cause it was. I arrived at the hostel, soaked to the bone, with the shuttle there waiting for me. The driver was walking back to the shuttle, about to leave, as I came running up. I was his first stop and we had a few extra minutes, so he let me dry off and change before heading to the airport. Good times!!
Is it too soon to say I miss Cairns? Next stop: Perth.
Great Barrier Reef, check.
Memorable birthday, double check.
~Jac
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