14th June Cairns Australia Hello again from Auz! Well we just managed to avoid the Indonesian detention center only to find the Asylum in Australia. (It's a hostel in Cairns but I have my suspicions that it was ACTUALLY an Asylum long before it was a backpackers!) We arrived on the 3rd flying into Darwin then straight onto Cairns. For the first few days we stayed at a place called Tropic Days (which is now our idea of heaven) it was two converted Queenslander's with a pool - and also provided your evening meal free at a bar in town called the woolshed! On our first night we headed into cairns and where else do you go when in Auz - than an Irish bar of course!! (the fact that the bar girls we're dressed like coyote ugly had nothing to do with my eagerness to settle there for the evening!) We propped up the bar, whilst the rugby was on the TV. Then after that sampled our first Bunderberg and coke whilst the band played. An hour or two later (and a couple more Bunderbergs) we stumbled out to get Chips and gravy for the walk home - (like I said earlier: Heaven) After a few days we decided to hit the road and got ourselves "Exploria Lexis" a camper van of the basic type - but what a Bueat! We headed up to Port Douglas, then Mossman before heading all the way up to Cape Tribulation and the Rainforest! Its was fantastic, we camped up right on the beach at a beautiful spot. We did some walks in the rainforest and in an attempt to save some pennies decided to go on a night walk by ourselves - seemed a great idea at the time - until we some how managed to get trapped in the forest by a huge spider that decided to spin a web right where we we're walking. Arming ourselves with a palm leaf and some natural methane gasses we managed to limbo out of the situation and made a speedy retreat to the safety of "Exploria Lexis". Unfortunately this eventful night was also the time of our first argument (excusing childish moody paddies of course :) I was a woken by Victoria who was extremely upset with me due to my 'Loud Continuous Burping' ?!?!? - I think it was morning that it appeared to her that it was actually a dream and burping whilst sleeping is quite a talent!!! After a week of freedom we returned to cairns, not before having the mother of all BBQ's and seeing loads of turtles and some eels the size of tree trunks, and checked into the Asylum (I've been telling Vee she needed to for ages now!) It was here where we met up with Susan one of her friend from the good old days at Page and Moy. "You can't go to Australia and not see the 'Great Barrier Reef'" Said Louise our Australian Guru - so we did! Got a bargain as well 66 bucks for a day sailing, snorkeling and sunbathing on one of the most amazing sand islands I have ever seen. It was only on the return leg they told us the tarnished history of the boat 'the Falla' which included: Cannibalism, being burnt and even Sinking! (Just the previous year!! - that's Sinking not Cannibalism) ....and to top off a fantastic day - whilst snorkeling back to the boat, swimming below us was a 2 meter SHARK! In the excitement I mistook Susan for Vee (everyone looks the same in a snorkel mask) and ragged at her arm shouting "Shark Vic, Shark" unimpressed by her lack of response I chased the creature of the deep in a sort of 'do I really want to catch up with this killer' splashing style. I'm sure by the time we return the story will have changed and it will be more a underwater battle with a 6 meter great white!!!! Ps.It has already changed from 1.5 to 2 meters and it only happened two days ago!! Well enough boring you - We head south to Townsville tomorrow on the Greyhound Coach, and possibly onto Magnetic island - where it's rumored that the bathe in the Nuddy! - Keep checking the Photo's section: I plan to investigate this rumor!! Thanks guy's! Love to everyone Bruce and Shelia xxxxxxxxxxx (aka: Sig and Vee)