Greetings! So after a long and gruesome 15-hour plane ride, we arrived in Cairns, Australia. Cairns is known for being a top backpackers and tourist spot. It is located in North Queensland, and about a 24-hour drive up the coast from Brisbane. We only stayed 3 days there for orientation so our days were filled with non-stop activities. We went to the rainforestation at Curanda where we got to feed kangaroos, hold a snake, hold and take a picture with a koala bear, have a go at throwing a boomerang, and watch an aboriginal dance routine. I was a bit skeptical about holding the snake at first, but just conquered my fear and held it for almost 5 seconds haha! The second morning we took a two hour boat ride out to the world famous Great Barrier Reef. I have never seen water so turquoise; it was absolutely gorgeous! During our time at the reef, we got to scuba dive and snorkel and check out all the amazing aquatic and plantlife! On July 8, we flew back to Brisbane which is where I will be living (not necessarily every weekend) for the next 5 months!