Another overnight flight to Brisbane and then up to Cairns where it was raining..first rain for weeks ..I would say that I was bringing the rain from the uk..but it sounds like you still have it!

No free wifi at the hotel so I went out with my umbrella, jumping the puddles. It's a very warm rain and life goes on the same despite it..seeing people in their sports and and an umbrella jogging is a little disconcerting...
Early bed.. I need to be out by 7.30

Had my breakfast looking over the sea front watching the local sparrows eyeing up my breakfast..they'd jut been abandoned by their parents and were trying to steal any food going....don't leave your plate for a minute!

The pick up was at 7.30 and was there and waiting aand the rest of the day ran as smoothly. We caught the train at Clearwater and started the long slow climb up to Karunda. 16 tunnels 23 bridges along the side of Stoney Creek Gorge and Barron falls. Karunda was taken over by hippies in the 1960s and is now a crafty arty village..I visited the butterfly sanctuary and took loads of photos but couldn't get a good one of the Ulysses... a fantastic electric blue with a 6 inch wing span!

Next stop was the rainforest station..we had lunch a duck tour, saw some aboriginal dancing and watched them throw spears and even had a go at throwing a boomerang. .. I wasn't very good! Caught the skyrail down, at 7.5 km the longest in the world. You would have been proud of me..not a white knuckle from gripping too hard..even when they wouldn't let us stop as there was a thunderstorm brewing, We just got back to the coach and the heavens opened!!!

Supper at the night market in Cairns, a busy buzzy place