The next stage our Australian tour was flying to Cairns, where we picked up another hire car and drove to our respective accommodation in Cairns. The next day was our big event; we boarded a catamaran and set sail for the "Great Barrier Reef". The day was beautiful and sunny and by the time we had reached Michaelmas Cay, we were in a very chilled frame of mind; MC was picture postcard perfect (except for a huge bird colony that were initially reluctant to share - expressing their displeasure as only birds can)

We were ferried to the shore where we donned our snorkelling gear and began our exploration of the deep. This is "bucket list" stuff and was superb - Coral, highly colourful fish, random sea creatures and an assortment of land creatures (from the boat) but after two hours or so and suitably tired all the land creatures were recaptured and returned to the catamaran. On the trip back to Cairns we were served an excellent multi course buffet, which we washed down with appropriate fluid and arrived back in an extremely happy state of mind (and body).

Next morning our fearless foursome headed northwards out of Cairns towards Port Douglas, where we were to spend the next few days. Our lodges were about 10K out of town and set between beaches, mountains and jungle. We travelled the entire coastline between PD and Cape Tribulation and witnessed several more beautiful beaches but ironically no opportunity to enter the sea because if one survived the death dealing jellyfish, then the salt water crocodiles, who were smilingly ignorant that they were supposed to be a fresh water reptile, would have you for lunch - We turned our attention to the mountains and jungle areas. We survived our various excursions into the hinterland without injury and after two days made our way back to the airport, heading for the civilisation of Sydney.