The queue crawled through duty free, edging towards the official boarder of Australia. The sun is shining, temperatures pushing 40 degrees and the time is not even 0700. Airport workers are smiling, the officers wearing t-shirts and generally giving off a pretty laid back approach to life. With the chilled approach to life and the incredible year round weather it helped to offer a reason, why the border control were potentially taking a little extra caution to who they let in. After all, once you are in - it is pretty hard to leave. The bags rolled out as we headed into the next line of quarantine and customs interigation. It is true what you hear - the Aussies hate the poms, so don’t expect a warm welcome as you step foot into their land.
Let free and good to go, we were partnered with our Suzuki Swift - brand new and with blacked out rims - we looked the part as we rolled out of the airport.
Our first port of call was Palm Cove. A twenty minute drive north of Cairns, Palm Cove is the perfect location to get over a long hall flight where Zoe made full use of the double seat we had been given. Needless to say, whilst my dead leg was a superb pillow for her - the 7 hour flight passed pretty uncomfortably. With that in mind, the sight of Coffee Heaven, serving up typical Aussie affairs and grinding fresh coffee, was a very welcome sight. A row of benches lined the cafe frontage - set at the head of the beach. Dog walkers popped in to pick up their flat white on the go - whilst weekend holiday makers enjoyed smashed avo on toast.
We stuck the orders in and sat patiently, enjoying the crashing waves and the swaying palms - all helping no end to combat the jet lag. Despite strong coffee and clean ocean air - the tiredness is a tricky thing when you turn the body clock on its head. If nothing else, it made me have a whole heap of respect for doctors and nurses who do this on the regular to work night shifts. Not only that, but they then have to make life defining choices under this tiredness - I just had to sip a latte and bob in the sea. Although, bobbing in the sea in this neck of the woods is no walk in the park.
Every beach we passed confronted us with big yellow warning signs, alerting us to the dangers of stingers in the water. The beach is sensational, the waters warm - but the sad reality is - unless you cram into the boxed netted area with everyone else - risk your life. Box jellyfish and Portuguese men of war roam these waters - the biggest symptom of a sting being cardiac arrest. No thanks!! Despite being penned in with all the families enjoying their summer holidays, the waters bath like temperatures and white sand beaches make Palm Cove a really cool spot to visit.
Freshened up and a little more lively, we jumped back aboard the Swift. Port Douglas the next stop, a 30 minute drive north. If nothing else, the journey is the destination for this leg of the ride. The road rides the cliffs edge, offering pleasing views of the Tasman, gliding around sandy beaches in the troughs. Considering a hot day in Brighton draws in the masses, it is rather unnerving to see a pristine white sand beach empty in scorching temperatures. After all - can you imagine the equivalent in the UK? But, when there is everything you can think of which will try and bite, pinch or sting you enjoying the waters with you, you may think twice too. As such, the vast spanning stretches of sand make for incredible views - untouched, glistening and the sea so inviting.
As the road of seemingly unstoppable beauty continues, you eventually reach Port Douglas. A small town, serving the tourist industry with aplomb. Cruise ships hover in the bay as their passengers come ashore via the trendy marina. A line of tour operators and restaurants feast of their service as mega yachts sway in the harbour waters. Those more adventurous venture into the main town. A single street stretching about a kilometre. Restaurants, cafes and shops lye shoulder to shoulder - providing holiday makers with window shopping and a base for forgotten essentials. When the heat gets too much - the beach is the answer. Like those we have come to expect, albeit in a short time, the beach is divine. Wide, white and relatively untouched. As will come as no surprise, the waters are empty but for the small segment enclosed by the net. The fear of creatures - yet again too much. We soaked up some rays and avoided sting rays, pinching ourselves that we were on a beach in January. An immediate observation, besides the beauty of the beach, was that there was virtually no-one lying in the direct sun. Signs along the boardwalk remind beach users of Queensland’s position as the worlds skin cancer capital. The UV rays are said to be stronger here than anywhere else on earth - owing to a whole in the Ozone Layer. With this sad state of affairs a reality, we dropped a casual $60.00 on sun cream - which I am sure comes to my mothers approval. We slapped it on. We even stuck on a special face cream, specifically designed to protect the delicate facial skin. I have never worn more than factor 15 in my life - other than when decreed essential. 30 and 50 it was. It may as well be 100 - after an hour - the skin was beginning to turn a shade of pink. It is true what they say - the sun here is scorchio!
The Great Barrier Reef, one of the 7 natural wonders of the world and home to the greatest diversity of marine life anywhere on the planet. The ideal place to jump off the Aussie mainland to view it is Cairns, the Gateway to the reef. Cairns owes much of its touristic appeal to the geographical proximity to the fishy outcrop. In essence, this is all Cairns is - a tourist hotspot for people needing a stopover before jumping on vessels and getting amongst the reef. Every other building houses a young brit, making a living selling snorkelling tours to the reef. Next door - a hostel hosting the would be buyers of said tours. Those making the beds and working behind reception - also holiday workers from Europe. The average age is worryingly young. Like, I know we are pushing 30 - but everyone strolling around the bars and hostel look old enough to still be at school. Besides tour operators and hostels - souvenir shops serve their own purpose.
A brief escape from the gap year madness led us to the waterfront. Boats bob in the creek as slightly elder folk enjoy the ambience of waterfront bars. As the boardwalk drifts its way around the Shangri-la hotel - helicopters dip in and out, carrying tourists for birds eye views of the reef. Only $400 for 10 minutes airtime. Its like a Vodafone contract when the new iPhone comes out! A total rip off!
A little further and the real appeal of Cairns becomes apparent. The Esplanade Lagoon. Reconsider the point about the ocean being home to everything deadly that you can imagine e- and then you’ll fully understand why an enclosed man-made lagoon is a pleasant relief. The scorching temperatures have you gagging to cool off in any way physically possible but the sea is not an option, without the bloody stinger net. The Lagoon, decked out with lifeguards - just in case a shark can jump - sprinklers and shower jets, this is the perfect playground for the hot and sweaty. To be honest, once you have soaked for long enough you kind of forget you aren’t in the sea. In fact, the added benefit of not getting sandy and overly salty make the whole experience rather appealing. We need to be careful - we could start expecting lagoons everywhere we go.
At night - Cairns comes alive. After all - in the day, most people have hived off to the reef and the gappies in nappies are still hungover. 4:30 marks the opening time for the night market. Asian cuisine to die for and cheap eats galore - if this isn’t a backpackers dream, I want to see what is. When the feasting is over, the market is alive with massages, vendors selling more cheap souvenirs and clothes. Travellers weave through the stalls - flashing their latest sliders and vest tops. To be fair - we grew to love the place. Cheap, fun and a youthful energy - you can see why some travellers get stuck in cairns. Not only is it the end of the road for many, who have driven up from Sydney, but others enjoy its vibe. No-one takes themselves too seriously and life is about a reef…which lets face it, isn’t even in the city.
The real appeal of the city came on day two when we were adding to the hoards of escapists, heading for the high seas. Dream Dive and Snorkel were the crew and we cannot recommend them enough.An organisation empowering aborigine Australians, the team catered to our every need. Coffees and teas served on arrival with morning snacks as we cruised towards the first snorkelling point. Along the way, a marine biologist shared a few facts and stats about the reef and its inhabitants. Each and every bit more than one would expect from a snorkelling experience.
Skip had us tied to the buoy, engines set to rest. The briefing was thorough, extensive on every drop of the swimming area we were able to splash. As we made our way to the top deck, beneath a swarm of jelly fish covered the surface of the sea. As far as you could see, jellies skunked around. The thought of getting in - now far less appealing.
With the jellies providing some trepidation, I was grateful to see a glass bottom boat to whisk us on a tour. A 20 minute jaunt floated us above a small piece of this gigantic reef. They say it is the same size as Italy - but under water! As we gazed through the glass - jellyfish, stingrays, fish and coral had us jumping from wave to wave. Unreal viewing. A little like blue planet - but from above and without the weird fish no one has ever seen, ever, anywhere other than on those programmes!!
So it was time. Unlike the Indian lady struggling with fear, there really was no reason why I couldn’t get in. Dressed head to toe in a stinger suit, looking increasingly like a middle aged cyclist - all that was left was to fasten the snorkel.
A staircase had been erected at the back of the boat making entrance into the water, whilst wearing flippers easier than previous experience. As I secured the fin and slipped on the flippers - jellies came to check out the latest intruder. Head down, arms going like the clappers and the mask filling with water. Panic set in. Why am I doing this? I am in a jellyfish soup, the corals are miles away and there are zero other fish. This is unpleasant. With that I took back to the boat.
Zo was a little more persistent - she said the coral was beautiful but agreed the jellies were incredibly off putting. I am not exaggerating when I say - to swim you had to push them out of your way! Grim! Whilst they aren’t dangerous - the guides managed to safely grab two Portuguese men of war, capable of serious harm, which were interspersed with their friendly colleagues! Story goes - when in Cairns avoid jelly season!
Sight two was way more picturesque! Turquoise waters and colourful corals lay under the boat. What made it even better was that there was not a single jelly in sight. Reef sharks, turtles and sting rays - the pick of the marine sightings whilst thirty or so humans splashed around the surface. This made the Great Barrier Reef come alive in our minds. This is why it is a natural wonder. This is what the crack is all about!
So long as you apply the anti-ageing cream, come with a fully functioning stinger kit and don’t mind eating on the cheap - I recon Cairns and the far north is 100% worth the visit. Hooroo!