The most eventful day of our trip started inauspiciously enough with a quiet day trip to the nearby mountainous village of Kuranda.

The driver collected us from our hostel and told us that due to the approaching cyclone Yasi, we'd have to take the Skyrail (cable car) there and return by scenic railway - the opposite of what was originally planned. Fair enough, no sense of impending doom.

We passed a few hours journeying along the 7.5km Skyrail, alighting at two stops along the way. At the first we got a guided rainforest tour, by a guide who had shown Her Majesty round at the same spot in 2000. At the second, we had some great views of the impressive Barron Falls.

However, on arrival at the top of the Skyrail, we were told that the later train we were planning to get was no longer running (because of the cyclone) and we'd have to come back on the 2pm train. Spidey-sense started tingling a little at this point...

We had some lunch, looked around the markets and shops, then noticed every shop seemed to be closing up at about 1:30. Definitely something fishy going on here...

We got back to the hostel at about 5pm to witness a maelstrom of agitated backpackers in Reception. The cyclone was coming to Cairns late Wed / early Thu and we were due to fly out Thu morning. Flights were being cancelled, airports closed and our hostel was being evacuated at 6am in the morning. Gulp!

We tried to call our airline, but after 10 fruitless minutes on hold, the hostel kindly offered to drive us and another couple to the airport.

After a bit more queuing in person, Virgin Blue announced they were putting on an extra flight to Brisbane (not Sydney, as we were planning to go). Still, beggars can't be choosers and so we took a pair of seats on that flight, changing to a flight from Brisbane to Sydney the next morning. Not ideal, but seeing as no flights were expected to leave Cairns between Wed and Sat (maybe longer depending on damage to the airport) a lucky escape!

I'm writing this from Brisbane airport, having arrived safe and sound. Our adventures will continue with only a minor interruption...