After a wee breakfast jaunt on a camel called Lucy, accompanied by a flock of rare Red Tailed Black Cockatoos, Cairns and the lovely Great Barrier Reef was a-calling. It was lovely and hot after the chilly desert, and I boarded a striking wooden vessel called The Falla and set sail for some serious snorkelling! The crazy crew dressed as hippies even let me drive, though when it got quite choppy the naked fear on the faces (not just in the eyes)of the punters was a sight to behold! Luckily, the crew, who has been happily taking photos of each other, finally responded to my reuest for assistance and we arrived in one piece. The snorkelling was incredible- just like swimming in a giant tropical aquarium, which is what I suppose it was! Bright blue starfish, coral that was purple, yellow and so alive and fish in every colour you could imagine. Breathtaking- which was fun with a snorkel! On the way home we were regailed with tales of the Falla's varied past, starting with fishing for mother of pearl, along with plenty of good food and wine...its a hard life eh?!