YAY!!! Finally I've got 30 degrees that I've beening waiting for!!

So I arrive safe and sound in Cairns, and because of my chaotic last minute booking, I thought it would be best to have a plan. So Axel, one of the staff at the beautiful Calypso hostel sorted out my whole itinerary for the rest of my time in Australia! Which meant getting a lot done in a very short space of time!! And also it made me poor!! AUSTRALIA IS SOOOOOOO EXPENSIVE!! But there are things you just have to do if are there!!

Ok so that evening I meet a chick called Becca from Cheshire, another name to bare in mind. She was so lovely, but unfortunately she was leaving the next day. Not before some Goon Cocktails though, classly ladies!!

The next day I went to Cape Tribulation, the oldest rainforest in the WORLD!!! WOW!! And doesn't the rainforest know how to protect itself, its amazing, it can be so dangerous if you're not with a tour guide! There's plants that can do some real damage. Like the "wait a minute" plant. Its a thin leaf that dangles down and if you get caught in one, it digs its horns into you, and if you try to put it off you it will slice your skin apart!! So you have to "wait a minute" for it to relax before gently removing it!! AMAZING!

Cape Trib itself is a very beautiful, secluded place. Just what I needed to relax, beautiful beaches and the sound of wildlife. However this is were I seen my first Australian spider!! A huntsman, a bit like a taranchula, just bigger, browner and hairier!! Not nice at all, specially because it ran right pass me on the table I was sat at!!

This is where I met Susan, the Irish. We bonded over a bottle (or three) of wine and shared a lodge together. Then next day we talked a long three beachs and went to the look out point. Spectaluar view!!

The next day was a rest day so I spent it relaxing at the Lagoon. A fancy word for outdoor swimming pool. You are not allowed to swim in the sea due to the box jellyfish or on the sand because of the crocodiles!!! So this is the next best thing. Also do you remember Ben that I met in Melbourne? Well now he's in Cairns so I have an "old friend!!" Hehe, sounds silly but when you're homesick and you see a familiar face, it makes all the differnce. I then met his dorm mates, Craig (South Africa) and Jon (from England but lives in Sydney). I managed to persuade Ben and Craig to do the Great Barrier reef with me the next day.

The next day was a big day for me. I had gone to Cairns adamant that I would not go diving due to my silly fears of the sea! Some how I was talked into to doing it, and I thought to myself, come on, man up and do this for you! And so before I knew it I was boarding the Tusa boat and was about to do a dive in the Great Barrier Reef!! My palms were sweating. Then I had to do the medical questionnaire! After a quick call to the doctor they had decided I wasn't allowed to do it because of my stupid asthma!! The guy who broke the news to me didn't know what to do with himself when I started blubbering and saying "I don't even know why I'm so upset, I didn't even want to do it in the first place!!!" In the end I was still allowed to snorking which was out of this world. At first I was a little panicky as I couldn't get my head around the whole breathing under water. But after a while I started to relax, and oh my god!! I have never seen anything as beautiful! It's like a whole other planet down there! I hired a waterproof camera so got some awesome pictures!! At one point Craig and I were swimming around pointing to the all these colourful fish and taking loads of photos. Words cannot describe the feeling you get when you are down there!!

After snorkling we all had a beer and relaxed on the top deck whilst we were taken back to the island. This is where I met a girl called Carlie (Florida). We got talking and realised we were both on a sailing trip callled Whitsundays together in a few days, how excited were we!!

That evening I met Susan (from Cape Trib) again for a drink. Its so funny how you can meet people out here and they are "friends" within hours of meeting them. When I seen Susan again, it was like good friends that hadn't seen each for ages, yet it had only been like two days. Crazy, but special!

The next day was my last there, so Craig, Ben and I continued to bond at the lagoon. I had my first over night bus that evening to Airlie beach where I get onto the sailing boat to do Whitsundays. Cairns was absolutley out of this world. I planned to stay three days and I ended up staying for six days!! Cairns really was an awesome place, however I am ready for my next adventure now!!!

Whitsundays watch out!!!

Everyone at home or on their travels, miss you all lots!! Honestly!! hehe x x x x