Merry Christmas!!! Ok it's a little late but it's the thought that counts. Hope everyone had an excellent time. We're staying at an ace hostel in Cairns called JJ's backpackers. The owners are so helpful and friendly and organised a free BBQ and night out on christmas eve. We went to karoake (yessssss!!!) followed by drinking and dancing on tables, then a taxi ride home in Dr Dre's hip hop cab - blasting out tunes and driving like a nutter. Christmas day was fairly subdued due to massive hangovers. The hostel put on a bacon and egg BBQ in the morning. Brian didn't make it out of bed for that though and I had to force him to get up and open presents. Then we headed down to the swimming lagoon on the seafront with some friends we made the night before. Had a bbq and then chilled at the hostel drinking booze and eating chocolate. We've been doing rather a lot of drinking here but also managed to fit in some sightseeing. Hired a car and drove round the many waterfalls and lakes of the Atherton Tablelands. Swam in a freezing waterfall and a turtle infested lake. Also went on a day trip to the rainforest at Cape Tribulation (the furthest point North you can go without a 4x4) and went on walks through the rainforest trying to spot crocs. Stopped at Mossman Gorge, a river filled with big boulders for a swim in the tropical rain. We had quite a bit of rain when we first got here but it's so warm you can still walk around in shorts and vest all day without 'catching your death'. Having said that Brian has contracted a stinking cold, probably from some filthy pom over here! We went out to the Great Barrier Reef yesterday and Brian tried diving. He saw a turtle and a ridiculous amount of fish. I went for some snorkling action. The coral is beaaaauuuuutiful and the old fishes weren't bad either. It was nice and calm and Brian prepared for seasickness with accupressure bands and ginger tablets but was fine. A couple of Japanese tourists were spewing in bags though. Has any one else noticed that it is always the japanese who get sick on boats? I wonder why...... We've stayed here way longer than we meant to. There's so much to do, you could easily end up spending a fortune (but having the best time ever). We finally leave tommorrow, getting the bus to Townsville then getting on the ferry to Magnetic Island to go camping at a backpackers on the beach for new year. Don't know when I'll be on next so HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Please email with tales of drunkeness and cold. Bye for now