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Hello from Singapore!
So, our Australian adventures finally came to an end, and we flew out to Singapore yesterday. Our last few days were cool, we went to a croc farm on the way to Cairns on Friday and held a variety of interesting beasts (check the pictures!), then we were taken round the farm and watched lots of crocs get fed. The first we saw was a 5.5m croc, invisible until the keeper hit the water with a stick and this ENORMOUS crocodile jumped out - I still havent got over how something that big was hiding just there in the muddy water, it's terrifying. Feeding the kangaroos at the end was much more my cup of tea!
After this we travelled to Cairns where we spent two nights before heading up to Cape Tribulation - "where rainforest meets reef" - with Jungle Tours. Our guide took us on a walk through Mossman Gorge where he told us lots about the rainforest. After lunch we cruised down the Daintree river looking out for crocs - we saw 2 females on the banks, and a snake and a frog, sadly no big males skulking underwater though which was what I was hoping for!
The drive up to Cape Trib was cool, right through the rainforest. We stayed overnight there and I don't think I've ever seen so much rain at once in my life, it was pretty impressive, until we had to run across it from our cabin to the shower block that is!
The next morning (Monday) we went out on an Ocean Safari boat to do some snorkelling on the Great Barrier Reef. There were only 7 of us and we didn't see any other boats where we were swimming, so it was a pretty unique experience (and a chance to don those sexy stinger suits, goggles and snorkels again!). The reef takes about 45 minutes by boat from Cape Trib and we saw some turtles which was brilliant, some small sharks, a ray, and some fish - but overall wasn't as colourful as the Whitsundays experience, in my mind. Still glad I did it, especially as they reckon the reef will be gone in 5 years thanks to global warming. Also found Nemo for the first time! And stroked a sea cucumber... though that was a little less pretty.
Back in Cairns on Monday was our last night, and we stayed at Gilligans hostel - which was lovely, just like a hotel but with bunk beds! Wish we could have stayed there longer but we'd had to stay at another hostel previously as part of a deal we'd booked. Enjoyed a nice fluffy towel after my shower, can't remember the last time I'd not used my travel towel!
So yesterday we spent in transit and arrived here in Singapore at about 19.30. It is so hot and humid, it's unreal. Went to a night market last night - it was huge and everything so cheap - think I'll have to return with my shopping hat on, and buy some cooler clothes, mine just aren't designed for this humidity!
Today we went to Singapore Zoo which is a really good zoo, the enclosures are open so the animals aren't caged up, and you're only really separated from them by a moat or a ditch - some you can get even closer. Though it was almost a little unnerving watching a huge, hungry white tiger pacing up and down the other side of a ditch and checking you out! We saw lots of primates, wild cats, rhinos, even a polar bear! We're heading back that way tomorrow to do the night safari next door, which I'm looking forward to.
Sadly tonight Amy flies home as she's reached the end of her travels. Will miss her loads, but looking forward to chapter 3 of my journey! Our plan is to spend 2 more nights here, then travel straight to Kuala Lumpur for a few nights before going up into Thailand. That is providing I haven't melted first! So until next time... xxx
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