13/03/09: Well we are now in Australia!! And it is hot! I wasnt really looking forward to leaving New Zealand but things here seem cool- it is a lot more different to Britain (unlike NZ). We got a bus from the airport to the hostel but couldnt check in til 2 and we got there about 10- absolutely knackered after no sleep last night. So we put our bags in storage and then went on the mooch- Cairns is huge and very busy! And very very very hot! Especially as i am in long trousers, etc, because I cant change til we check in. We went to the beach (you can see all the rainforest and mountains nearby) and around some of the shops (there are hundreds of good shops here). Then we checked in- the room was nice and had an en-suite which made a nice change and the people in it seem cool. We got our swimwear on and headed to this pool they have built backing onto the beach and sea- it was so nice to get in it and cool down!! We chilled there for a while and then got ready to head out for tea. I just had fruit salad and lil alex had subway. Then we went back to the room because we were knackered!! We chilled in room reading and chatting to people until about 9 and then just crashed! The hostel is above a really cool market with loads of fruit and veg stalls- heaven!! Plus there is a nightclub underneath which wasnt too noisy luckily- but the nightlife seems really good!

14/3/09: We got up about 9 and went out for breakfast- I had a delicious dish of fresh fruit salad topped with yoghurt and museli plus a plate of toast!! Then we picked up a lot of brochures and headed to the lagoon (thats what they cool the pool by the beach)- it was cloudier today but still so hot! We chilled by the lagoon (which is really nice and its free) and I went swimming quite a few times to cool off! Then we sat and sorted out a provisional timetable of how long to spend everywhere in Oz and what we wanted to get booked before heading to the tour operators at our hostel. They helped us book our Greyhound bus pass- only about 240 pounds for all the transport down the coast. Then we booked an over night trip to Cape Tribulation (the rainforest) for tomorrow!! Then on Tuesday we have booked a day boat trip to the coral reefs to go snorkelling, etc. Then we headed to the market- I was spoilt for choice- they had fruit and veg I hadnt even heard of!!!! Then we went back to the lagoon and lazed around for the rest of the afternoon before heading back to the hostel to make tea and have showers. We have some new guys in our room from the Australian airforce and they are really nice and friendly. I am relieved that I havent seen any spiders, snakes, sharks, crocodiles, etc, yet! I went on the internet and spoke to aunty vic which was cool!! Then we headed back to the room to get packed up for our big trip!! Ended up going to bed quite early cos we were knackered!

15/3/09: We had to be up at 6.30 and check-out and catch the bus for our trip at 7.25. It was a small bus that went around and picked up people from another 10 stops before heading into the rainforest. We stopped at a cafe for a drink and the loo and saw some green tree frogs! then we went and got on a boat called the crocodile express and went down the Daintree river! It was amazing- rainforest on each side! We had a guided tour and saw 3 crocodiles basking on the logs at the edge of the river- 1 big one and 2 babies! Then we drove into the rainforest and had a guided tour along a boardwalk- we saw huge spiders nests and a big forest dragon lizard and various birds and insects and loads of different plants, vines, trees and flowers which we learnt about. Then we got dropped off at our accomodation in the rainforest early afternoon and checked in- we are staying in a hut! There are spiders the size of my hand everywhere!! they are sooo gross and scary! And in the first hour we saw 3 huge lizards- each one at least 1-2 metres long- we watched one of them climb a tree which was weird! Then we went to the beach- we were the only ones on it and it was breath-taking! The weather was sunny and it was a long sandy beach with a blue sea and rainforest behind us and mountains with rainforest either side! We walked along- you cant swim because of poisonous jellyfish and sharks and crocodiles! Then come back and got changed into swim stuff in the bathroom- it is horrible- its open so there is loads of huge spiders above and beside the loo and in the showers, etc!! So i will be avoiding them!! I am really pleased we come and saw all this but am glad we are leaving tomorrow beacuse the bugs and spiders and lizards are very creepy! We headed to the pool in our resort for a cool down and chilled there for a while! It doesnt seem real here, its just gorgeous! Then we went down to the restuarant/bar which is open and had tea- I had barramundi (their version of cod), chips and salad. But lil alex had a kangaroo fillet!!!! He said it was really nice!! We sat in the bar for a while then headed to the room- where we read and listened to all the noises outside in the rainforest! I fell asleep surprisingly easily, considering that when we first come in the room we saw a lizard scuttle up and out of the window. But I did stay tucked under the covers all night!

16/3/09: We got up and went for our complimentary breakfast- I had fresh fruit and yoghurt, lil alex had a cooked breakfast. Then we checked out and went for a walk to a lookout. We went along beach and climbed through a stream to another beach around the corner- it was even more beautiful than our beach- it was longer and totally desserted and all sandy, with the rainforest all around! We walked all along and then up through a little path in the rainforest to a lookout point with great views. It was hot, seriously I've never felt heat like it. Then we sat in the bar and relaxed and had some lunch before getting picked up at 1. We stopped at alexandra viewpoint for a photostop. Then went to Mossman Gorge which was amazing- its a river with all boulders in the rainforest that belongs to the aborigines. We could swim but i only paddled and explored the area. Then we went to Port Douglas- a very posh resort but very pretty. Then we headed back and got dropped off at our hostel. We checked in and went supermarket for a couple of essentials. lil alex has downloaded the pics- www.statravelblogs.com/alexthom We went back to the hostel and showered and then chilled cos we were pretty knackered. Lil alex was happy cos once again we were in a room of girls!!

17/03/09: Well we survived the reef- didnt get eaten by sharks, crocodiles or stung by poisonous jellyfish. But we did have the most amazing, unforgettable, out of this world day! We were picked up at 7.30 and taken to the harbour then where we boarded our 60 man boat. We were given a long safety talk and then sailed for 1.5hours to the first reef- I have never felt so ill!! Lil alex also suffered from the seasickness but at least we managed to control it unlike a lot of the Japanese and a few others who puked a lot in paper bags around us- very pleasant!! We were given a snorkel and mask, booties and I got a stinger suit (a lycra suit with mittens and a hood) to protect me from the jellyfish and lil alex got a wetsuit (cos his stinger suit had a rip and they had run out of them). We got into them and then got fitted with flippers and jumped in. It was like entering a whole different world- totally indescribable but so beautiful. There was every colour and shape and size of coral- from flourescent colours to gold and pinks and ones shaped like brains and antlers and mushrooms. Plus there was hundreds of beautiful shells. And there was thousands of fish- again every colour, shape and size. We saw nemo and all his friends. The fish just swim around you. Some people in our group saw a turtle and others saw a shark but we missed them. We got out after about 2 hours and had lunch- a buffet of salads and bread. Then we moved on to a different reef and got ready and went snorkelling again. We snorkelled there for about an hour. Then we got out and got changed and the boat sailed back to shore- again we felt rough! We bought one photo from the photographer who went around underwater with us. It was a hot sunny day. Then we got bus back to hostel about 4.30 and showered. We looked for somewhere cheap to have tea and ended up at Subway. We were planning on going out for a few drinks tonight to celebrate st patricks day as everywhere had big parties going on and was packed but we got back to hostel and crashed. I finished my book- the kite runner- i highly recommend it, best book i've read in a long time.

18/3/09: Last day in Cairns. Got up about 9 and got ready and checked out, we left our ruck sacks in storage. Stopped for brekkie on way to lagoon- i had a hash brown from MacDonalds. Then we laid by the lagoon for a couple of hours. The weather is sooo humid- it was just soooo hot even when it was quite cloudy. Then we went to the big shopping mall and looked around- I still cant find a bikini i like. They have the biggest, nicest food court in there with every type of food you could imagine and more! I had a roasted veg panini and lil alex had thai chicken and rice. Then we bought an australian sim card and had difficulty loading it- they want passport details and addresses and all sorts?? Then lil alex went to a barbers for a haircut- he looks very different- its a lot shorter. We went back to the lagoon and chilled for a while- I caught a lot colour today because although it was quite cloudy it was very hot. Then we went back to food court and I had a smoothie for tea and lil alex had another curry. Then we went back to the hostel and got our bags and went to find the bus stop. It picked us up at 6.45 and the coach was huge and very luxurious. There was only a handful of people on the whole coach. We drove to Mission Beach making several stops on the way- it took about 2 hours so not too long.