Clare writes:

How wierd! Two hours flight from Alice (40o+, dry, desert) and we're in Cairns - wet tropics - 30o, humid, raining. Sad to leave Alice Springs, which we both really liked for no obvious reason except that it was really laid back.

Here in Cairns it's very touristy. The 'beach' here is baby mangroves with crocodile warnings, so everyone swims in a big artifical lagoon between the prom and the shopping centre - we're hoping to do so today! We hadn't really planned much from here but had decided to head up to Cape Tribulation in a hire car for a few days... that's as far north as you can get without a 4x4. Rain is forecast... i miss the desert!

No free wifi access here and won't have any for the next week, so Outback pics might have to wait... but still buzzing from that trip!