Wenesday 9th December 2009

We arrived in Cairns this evening at around 6pm we then rang the hostel who picked us up from the bus station and took us to Nomads beach house where we were staying. After we had checked in we had a quick drink and then we decided to walk into town to get some dinner.It took us about 20 minutes to walk into town and we met another girl on the way who didn't know the way either so we all walked together and we eventually worked it out. We had a quick walk up and down the main street and eventually we decided to eat at the Asian food court. After we had eaten we had a walk around the night market we didn't buy anything tonight but saw lots of things we thought we would buy later. We then decided to go for a quick drink at Rhino bar but typical Suzie and Caroline style this turned into a 3am bed time instead but we had a great night and we met some lovely people including Suzie's Cairns lover George.

Thursday 10th December 2009

This morning we had a late morning after our heavy night once we had got sorted and walked into town it was about 1pm.First stop was to the shopping centre to try and get balloons for Mum's arrival tomorrow we eventually decided on balloons and a Santa sign to meet her at the airport with. While we were at the shopping centre Suzie treated herself to a new bag and I got a new purse as mine had broken a few days before.We then had a drink at a bar and then it was to an internet café to do the dreaded blog for 3 hours but we did get to upload some pictures as well so it wasn't all bad. From here we walked back to the hostel and nearly slipped in bat poo on the way which was not very pleasant as you can imagine!! (There are so many bats in Cairns at dusk it looks like something out of a horror film!!). Back at the hostel we had a quick shower and then got ready to go out for the night. We had dinner at the coffee club this evening and then we went back to Rhino bar to meet up with George and the other people we had met the night before. We also met up with Ren who we had met in Sydney previously who is now living in Cairns. It was another very late night but very good fun!!

Friday 11th December 2009

This morning despite being very hung-over we had to get up and sorted and checked out ready for Mum's arrival. We were both late checking out but luckily the hostel where fine about it, after we checked out we both used the internet briefly before we were picked up by the airport shuttle bus. We arrived at the airport with over an hour to go until Mum arrived. It took us a while to work out where she would come off the plane from but once we worked this out we still had plenty of time to get the balloons blown up we felt very silly I can tell you. I nearly caused a security alert when one of the balloons burst very loudly!!

We met Mum at the gate and made her cry it was so lovely to see her after all this time and we had a big family cuddle. After we had collected her luggage the hotel picked us up from the Airport and took us to The Lakes resort where we were staying which was like a little village in itself. We checked in and made our way to our apartment which was absolutely fantastic Suzie and I were very excited to have some luxury after all this time. We all then sat on the balcony had a had a drink before Mum went for a lay down and Suzie and I went to collect our bags from the backpackers as we had left them there that morning.

This evening we got the bus into town and had a meal at an Italian on the main street after we had eaten we had a look around the night market where Mum decided to have a massage a decision she later regretted (it wasn't very relaxing) while she was having this down Suzie and I went for a drink and then we went back to meet her. By this time we were all pretty shattered so we got the bus back and all went to bed.

Saturday 12th December 2009

We all must have been really tired as we didn't wake up until gone 10am this morning. We sat on the balcony and had breakfast and then we all got showered and sorted. Before leaving the apartment we booked a few trips for the following days. We then walked the full length of the esplanade to the marina which was a lovely walk and very picturesque. We had lunch at the marina in one of the restaurants which was lovely. From here we walked around a craft market where mum treated herself to a necklace. After the craft market we popped to the supermarket to get bits for tea cheese and wine night tonight!!

We then went to PJ O'Brian's for a drink (unfortunately I think somebody had been very poorly the night before because the whole of the beer garden stank of vomit which was not so nice!!!). George came to meet us at the pub so Mum got meet him for the first time, Mum and I then caught the bus back to the apartment to get tea ready and Suzie and George followed on a bit later. We sat out on the Balcony tonight for cheese, meat, bread, olives and wine which was great and very much appreciated Suzie and I had been craving this meal for months!!

Sunday 13th December 2009

Early start this morning for our trip to the Great Barrier Reef. We were picked up by the taxi at around 8am and taken to the marina. We boarded the boat which was called the Sliver Swift and first thing as usual was to fill in the paper work to sign our lives away. The journey out to the reef was really rough and Mum wasn't very well at all. Suzie and I had decided to snorkel at the first site and dive at the second and then snorkel again at the third site.

The first site we stopped at was absolutely amazing as soon as you put your head in the water there was fish every where and the coral was fantastic. We were very proud of Mum as she had been very scared about snorkeling after she'd tried it in America and hated it. We tried to take her with us which didn't work very well, but one of the men who worked on the boat took Mum and a another lady out with him and she was fine and by the end of the day she was going out by herself with no problems WELL DONE MUM!!!

At the second site we stopped at Suzie and I where diving we were a bit scared after our Whitsunday dives but this time it was totally different we had a fantastic time it was awesome. We got to see 3 turtles up close and 2 sharks (Reef ones so they don't eat you) and lots and lots of really colourful fish. Mum snorkeled again at this site which she said was great she didn't get to see any turtles up close but she saw several from the boat which were surfacing for air After we had done our dive we had lunch which was a really nice buffet lunch with king prawns, chicken dishes etc and lots of different salad dishes.

As we had enjoyed our dive so much we decided to dive again at the third site. Suzie had a problem with her ears when she was trying to get down so she couldn't do the third dive so she went snorkeling instead. I did the dive which again was awesome we didn't see any turtles or sharks this time but the fish and the coral was really nice and I did get to see my first sea eels which where pretty funny. Mum went out on the guided snorkel at this site which she really enjoyed.

After the third site it was time to go back to the marina. Once we were back at the marina we walked through the park and got a taxi back to the apartment.We then all got showered and ready and got a taxi back into town and went for a meal at the Bannana leaf a modern Thai restaurant. After we had eaten we all went for a drink at PJ O'Brian's we then got mum a taxi home and Suzie and I went out again to meet George and a few others it was again a late one!!

Monday 14th December 2009

This morning we had another early start for our day trip to Kuranda I was very hung-over and very grumpy so not a great start to the morning for everyone. We were picked up at around 8am again by the very annoying Shane with his endless supply of unfunny jokes who we nick named Simple Shane. We had a half an hour drive first to the train station to get the scenic railway to Karanda it was a lovely train journey with some great views which took about an hour to get there. Once in Karanda we took the free shuttle bus to the markets and had a wonder through those we also saw a very funny t-shirt that I nearly brought which said "Jesus loves you every body else thinks you're a tosser" Mum saw a suitable one which she thought was about me which said "Yes I'm spoilt so what's your point!!". We then had to walk back to the train station to get the sky rail back down where our bus was picking us up from.We stopped at two look out points on the way down to look at the great views of a waterfall and a rainforest walk.

We were then transferred to Hartleys Crocodile Park with more endless jokes from simple Shane. We had a lovely lunch when we arrived here Suzie and Mum both had steak and I had vegetable patties. After we had eaten we went to a snake show, then on a river cruise where mum got her first glimpse of a crocodile after the cruise we walked through the wallabies enclosure and had a stroke and a cuddle. We then went to feed the two very aggressive cassowary's who hated the keeper and kept trying to kick him but they were quite gentle with us, until Suzie fed one a bit wrong and it nearly bit her finger off. For the last part of the day we went to feed the Koalas which where very cute before being transferred back to the apartment.

Tonight George came round to the apartment to cook lasagna for us as we'd persuaded him to once we found out he used to work for Heston Bloomingdale it was very nice we had garlic bread and salad to go with it and of course some wine.