Hello!

Well, I last left you in Cairns, and we had just arrived, sussing out the place and getting to know the hostel way of life! On Monday (8th March) we did a day trip up to Cape Tribulation...a beautiful area North of Cairns. It is a World Heritage Site and was a brilliant day out for us - exactly what we needed! So we got picked up at 7.25am (gulp!) and took about 2 hours to get to the Daintree River where we went on a crocodile hunting boat trip up the river. Sadly, we didn't see any crocs but never mind, it was gorgeous, with the mountains on the horizon. Then we went on a boardwalk through the rainforest which was great, and we learned about all the horrors and dangers lurking in the rainforest including leaves like stinging nettles but the sting can last up to 6 months and feel like a twisting dagger in your skin! Ouch! We saw several huntsman spiders too...aah!

The next stop was lunch and a quick visit to the beach - just stunning really. Then we went onto Mossman Gorge which was amazing - a spot upstream where huge boulders lay, but they can be moved by flood water! The Aboriginal tale goes that a young princess lost her young handsome love, and her tears she cries over him formed the river. At a spot downstream called Babinda Boulders (we went here on Wednesday) it is thought that she haunts the area, and young men are warned about swimming there as it is so dangerous. A chilling statistic...16 young men in the past 60 years have died there! No women have died there...

We went on from Mossman Gorge to Port Douglas (the equivalent posh beach resort of somewhere like Maine - well it is how I imagine Maine to be anyway!) and got a rather expensive ice cream, good though.

Finally we got back to the hostel at 6.30pm, and we had arranged to stay in a different hostel by the Esplanade for the next 2 nights, so we had to move our huge rucksacks (we made a vow never to do that again!) and checked in to Waterfront Backpackers.

After a better night's sleep we went to the lagoon in the afternoon, and cooled off in the pool right on the coastline. The beach is just mud flats now (after some stupid choice by someone - I think it was about getting gold from the mountains to the coast - can't quite remember now!) But anyway, the beach is not a beach, so the lagoon is the next best thing. It was lovely too. We had our last meal in Cairns in the Woolshed which was very nice and then got an early night as we had to be up at 6am the next day!

Wednesday...Oz Bus!! Very exciting, although up mega early, picked up at 7am and laughing by 7.02am thanks to Disco, our first driver. We went to Babinda Boulders which were even more spectacular than Mossman Gorge and we were rained on...in the rainforest...at 8.30am!! So surreal. Also, health and safety has not gone mad over here, no barriers - could have fallen to deaths but Australia leaves it to people to be sensible!

Next stop, croc farm! Brilliant visit, we both held a constrictor snake and a baby croc. We saw the cassowaries (capable of killing humans) saw some dingoes (just like dogs/wolves), fed some kangaroos (aww!!!) then saw some crocs! Amazing power and huge huge animals. It was pretty hot at this point although beforehand it had been pelting it down...and Amber decided to faint! In the process she badly hurt her ankle...not good. We went straight to the hospital, and after a short A&E visit, an x-ray and a student doctor review later (at one stage he thought it was broken), we found out she had torn a ligament in her ankle! So that was not the best start to our adventure. Our bags had travelled onto Mission Beach without us, and we had to get there that evening. The Oz Bus didn't want to know, so Doug (works at farm- took us to hospital) phoned his parents (who live in Mission Beach) and they then picked us up at 6.30pm, and took us to Mission Beach (a 40 minute drive!) so they were brilliant, and showcased the true hospitality and friendliness of Australians. A great morning, but a bad afternoon :( Never mind, it could have been me, and it could have been worse, we are trying to stay positive!

Another update to come of Mission Beach shortly...

Lots of love,

K8 xxxxxxxx