After a 23 hour journey covering some 10,000 miles from Heathrow to Cairns we arrived early Sunday morning to some glorious Queensland sunshine!

Laura and James had been staying in a back-packers hostel in Cairns called 'Tropic Days'
and voted it one of the best in their 3 month's travelling and some 33 different places stayed at to date.

We collected our rental car and headed into Cairns to meet up with the intrepid travellers and now keen scuba divers. They were waiting outside the hostel and they both looked so fit, healthy and tanned. Anne and I looked pale alongside them. After the long awaited kisses and cuddles (including some extra for Julie and John - James ma & pa) we headed off to Trinity Beach some 15 miles north of Cairns on route to Port Douglas. What a pleasant surprise we had when we arrived at our our apartment to find they had upgraded us to a front line two bedroom unit just 30 metres from the Beach with views of the Coral Sea and Great Barrier Reef. Not a bad start to our hols!

Laura and James had booked us to go on the 'Reef Experience' boat trip out of Cairns Marina the following day so an early night was had by all as Anne and I tried to adapt to the 10 hour time difference and lack of sleep over the past couple of days.

On the Monday we were up and away for 7.00 am with a BBQ egg and bacon breakfast on board for 8.00. Then we gathered in the lower deck for a briefing from the on-board marine biologist who explained what we could expect to see out on the Barrier Reef.

Some 15 miles off shore we anchored up and the scuba divers went in first followed by the snorkelers (this include Anne and Me). The view beneath the water was spectacular with a kaleidescope of colours coming from the coral and fish. Lunch followed and then another snorkel off a different reef before returning back for 4.30pm. A day to remember!

After a good night's sleep we were up walking the beach in shorts and tee shirt before 6.00 am ready for another day. Today, it was off to Crystal Cascade (waterfalls) for a picnic lunch before heading off to the rain forest to see some local Aboriginees in the Kanunda National Park. They are not the friendliest of tribes and after some verbal abuse from one of the female warriors who seemed to be on another planet we headed home to the safety of Trinity Beach.

Laura and James were moving on to Airlie Beach and The Whitsundays for 3 - 4 days so we dropped them off in Cairns to catch their Greyhound Bus - you'd expect it to be called the Kangaroo Bus!!

Wednesday and we were up for 5.00 am strolling the beach at 6.00 with the temp a very nice 26-28 degress C. Then it was off to Port Douglas and for anyone who has been to Key West in Florida it is very similar and a place well worth visiting - reported to be a holiday destination for former US presidents! We took a few photos to remind us of the beauty of this place before heading north through the rain forest to Cape Tribulation.

What a drive, at times in pouring rain through one of the wonders of the world where the
rain forest meets the Coral Sea and Great Barrier Reef,

The roads are very windey and on route we passed tea and coffee plantations, fields with sugar cane, banana trees, mangos and vanilla. before reaching our destination Cape Tribulation. A long and at times challenging drive but the views along the way and at the end made it all worthwhile. However, the drive back was not so good in torrential rain down hill around some pretty nasty bends and it was a real challenge!

Thursday was our last day at Trinity Beach and after a tiring day the day before we headed into Cairns for a walk along the harbour side before having a sea food lunch at a local restaurant. I can recommend the coral trout complimented by the Oyster Bay Sauvignon!

Then out of the blue Anne decided she would like to take a helicopter ride over the Barrier Reef. Well it was Christmas and I hadn't bought a present so that's what we did and what a fantastic experience it was. Within 20 minutes we hovering above some of the most famous Reefs and Cays in the World.

The Great Barrier Reef truly is a wonder of the world as are the north Queensland Rain
Forests. Tomorrow, Friday, we are off to Magnetic Island but take with us some fond memories of our first Queensland destination.

Join us again on the next chapter of our journey!

Paurick and Anne