Bird’s Eye View–Australia

One of the other things Tony and I really wanted to do was to go to the rain forest in the mountains next to Cairns (pronounced Canz by locals).  Tony found a way to maximize the experience.  We booked a trip on the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway from outside of Cairns to the top of the mountain in Kuranda.  It’s a gondola that you ride.  It hangs on a cable, high above the ground!  (I actually discovered I was afraid of heights on this trip!)  It takes an hour and a half to get to the top.  Once we were at the top we participated in some activities and this is where the German Tucker Sausage House was located.  Then when we were done, we took the trip back home via the scenic railroad (thank goodness we didn’t have to take the skyrail back because I don’t think I would have gotten back on!)

One note:  It was sad to see a lot of dying, drying, brown trees on the way up the mountain and once we were at the top.  We were told by locals that there has been very little rain the past few years, even here in the rain forest.

One the way up, via the skyrail, we had a beautiful view of Cairns and the ocean which is really not the ocean but the Trinity Inlet and the Coral Sea beyond.  The day was crystal clear.  By the time we reached Kuranda the temperatures were in the upper 80s.

On the way up, Cairns in background.

 

Oncoming gondola

Over the river. Note lush plant life!

Near Barron Falls Overlook

Above rainforest looking down.

Once at the top of the mountain in Kuranda, we got off of the cableway and were greeted by the lush tropical rainforest!

Kuranda, Skyrail Station

A Lot Of Croc–Australia

I haven’t written much about the food we had while in Australia but I have to spend a few words here to accompany some pictures.

We really wanted to have crocodile and kangaroo before leaving.  We hadn’t seen it in Melbourne or in Port Campbell so when we were in Cairns, we made it a point to really look for it.  We found a couple of restaurants that had it on the menu but it is really, really expensive (about $50 for each of us) so we kept looking.  One evening as we walked by one of the restaurants that we knew served it, I noticed that the evening’s specials included A Taste Of Australia and a crocodile dish.  It was a lot less expensive than the non special price.  We probably didn’t get as large a portion as we might have if we had gotten it from their regular menu, but both came with rice and my crocodile plate came with veggies, too.  The special included wine, a real bonus!  Tony had the Taste of Australia which included a skewer of kangaroo (the dark meet in the center), one of emu (hiding under the kangaroo), and a nice size fillet of barramundi (a fish native to the area).  I had a plate with just the crocodile.  Neither of us was disappointed!  Everythign was absolutely declicious.  The crocodile (my plate) was prepared with some kind of mint and was quite tender.  The kangaroo on Tony’s plate was fixed with teriyaki sauce.  The emu was barbecued and the barramundi was absolutely delicious and kind of melted in the mouth.

My plate of crocodile for dinner.

Taste of Australia

The next day we went to Kuranda (rainforest) and found a German sausage house that served emu sausage and crocodile sausage so we got to feast again!  Tony ordered the emu. I had the crocodile, shown below.  I thought their menu was interesting (see the “warning” on it below) so I’ve included some pictures of the menu.

Crocodile sausage

Portion of menu from German Tucker Sausage House

Warning on men from German Tucker

 

Adventures At Sea

Note: Just a bit of a break from pictures to share what was, to me, an amusing part of our catamaran trip out to the sea that day.  And a warning that if you don’t have a strong stomach, you might want to skip this post!

Just before the catamaran departed for our day’s trip to Morse Reef, the crew began their instructions to the passengers.  Before finishing, they kind of glossed over the fact that there were plenty of bags placed strategically all over the ship, in case we needed them for seasickness.  They said if and when this happened, we were to use the bags, and raise our hand and a crew member would come and take the bag from us.

I thought it interesting that they didn’t dwell on it.  I knew from previous boat trips that the odds were a good number of the passengers would get sick.  I hoped I wasn’t one, although I wasn’t too afraid of that because I have not ever been seasick during any of the boat trips I have taken.  I hoped Tony didn’t get sick but feared he might.  I found a big dish of ginger tablets that were marked as an aid for seasickness.  I grabbed some and gave them to Tony.

Less than fifteen minutes out of Cairns harbor, the “entertainment” began.  I shouldn’t laugh at any of them but it was funny.  As if on cue, the catamaran began to rock back and forth and side to side, very violently.  Those that were up and walking around found It very difficult to stand or walk and at least ten people began to get sick all at the same time.  Then there were more and more, until most of the passengers were truly miserable.  I must say that the crew was on hand, watching and usually, before the person actually got sick, there was a crew member there with a bag, a paper towel, and a cup water.  For the next hour and a half, everyone on the ship got sick over and over and over again.  To the crew’s credit, they were right on top of it.  Every crew member, regardless of their job, participated in helping those that got sick.  They were constantly there with ice chips for everyone and even sat by those that were most sick and held their hand and rubbed their back and held their hair out of the bag.  Even I took my turn at handing bags to those that weren’t near them when they needed them.

No, I didn’t get sick.  No, Tony didn’t either.   We were probably among the one percent of the passengers that did not get sick.  Yay!  We were the first to be served when the buffet lunch was ready!

It was a wonderful trip but I think if I had gotten sick, I would have asked them why they hadn’t told us ahead of time that so many would get sick so we could prepare ahead of time by getting something at the drug store!

 

Great Barrier Reef 2

Here are more pictures of our day at the Great Barrier Reef:

Catamaran docked at pontoon at Morse Reef

And lots of bigger fishies!

That’s all for today.  Not feeling great so off to bed.

The Great Barrier Reef–Australia

When we planned the trip, there were four main things that Tony wanted to do.  The first was to rent a car and go to the Twelve Apostles and Port Campbell.  We did that.  In Cairns, he wanted to go snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef and go to Kuranda in the rainforest.  So now that we were in Cairns, it was time to take on another of the things on his list: the Great Barrier Reef.

We left our hotel early to walk the mile to the harbor where we boarded the catamaran for our reserved trip.  It was a two hour catamaran trip out to Morse Reef where our catamaran docked at a pontoon for the day’s activities.  I cannot swim so I did not sign up for the snorkeling but there were other things to do, such as the Glass Bottom Boat and the Semi Submersible.  Tony can swim so he signed up for the snorkeling and went a step further and booked the advanced snorkeling trip during which they take a group of 4 or 5 at a time for a 40 minute adventure outside of the cordoned off area where everyone else goes snorkeling.  It was so wonderful for me to see him so excited about this activity.  This was, afterall, his trip.  I wanted to make sure that he got to do everything he wanted to do.  I didn’t want him to miss anything because I could not do it.

The water, the fish, and the coral, as seen through the glass of the semi submersible and the glass bottom boat were amazing.  I took way too many pictures to share here but I am posting a few below and will post more tomorrow.  Enjoy.  And yes, the water was really that color!

Cairns–Australia

After five days in the Melbourne area, we went on to our next destination, Cairns.  Cairns is in Queensland, a two and a half  hour flight from Melbourne.  We left a cloudy Melbourne behind and headed for a tropical 80 degree paradise!  If you have ever been to Hawaii (maybe Kauai) you will have an idea of what Cairns is like, minus the hustle and bustle.  It’s a small town with a very laid back kind of life.  Things don’t get rolling in the morning until about 11.  Imagine us wanting breakfast at 9 and not really finding much in the way of food because it was too early!

The main tourist street is literally across the street from the beach with a park/bike/jog area between the street and the water.  It has a very large pier for a town that size, then again, it is the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef so I guess it’s not surprising.  There is also a casino in town.  Yes, Tony and I visited there twice in our four day stay.

People are very friendly and helpful.  This goes for both locals and tourists.  The taxi drivers were very chatty and tend to drive very fast!  Most of the taxis we saw there are Prius models and for a Prius, they sure do move!

Just a couple of pictures below.  Tomorrow more, probably of our snorkeling trip to the Great Barrier Reef.

The bay in Cairns from our hotel balcony.

Cairns Harber at dusk

St. Kilda–Australia

When Tony and I returned to Melbourne from Port Campbell, we stayed in South Yarra, a suburb of Melbourne.  We had read before leaving home about St. Kilda Beach.  It was supposed to be a neat area to go shop and eat and have a drink.  We took a tram to St. Kilda and although it was an overcast and windy day, we did find quite a few people in the shopping area.  The beach was deserted and Luna Park (amusement park) was closed for the season but the restaurants and shops were doing a brisk business.

We had a delicious Porterhouse steak dinner with beer as the house special that night and paid only $15 each which is a bargain in Australia where most dinners out will set you back at least $30 each.  It was interesting to watch the restaurant.  In the U.S., the fire marshall would have been there to close them down or make them get rid of some of their customers.  It was so crowded that we actually had to wait for the restaurant staff to ask people to get up out of their chairs so we would have a path to the door.  And it happened anytime they were seating someone or someone wanted to leave.  The food was amazingly delicious and the beer was brewed locally so other than having to wait to get out of there, we had no complaints.

The beach at St. Kilda

Entrance to Luna Park

Building that looks like reptile skin!

This building was pretty neat.  When you looked closely, the outside looked like reptile skin.

The beach folk weren’t real but they sure looked real.  They made everyone do a double take!

 

 

A Rant (or 2 or 3 or 4)

I’m taking a break from posting about Australia today.  Instead you get a list of some of the most annoying and in some cases rude things I have run into while out and about over the last couple of days.

1.  Can we please not blast Christmas carols over the store’s stereo? Can we wait a couple of weeks until after Thanksgiving?  Please?  This has been a problem while out shopping at Old Navy, The Gap, and at a local outlet store mall.  And the music is LOUD.

2.  It seems as though people were either raised in a barn or they have forgotten their manners.  How about a simple “thank you” once in a while?  Today, as I was entering The Gap, I saw a woman pushing a stroller.  I was already two steps in the store with the door closed behind me.  I saw her with the stroller and a little one in her arms.  I went back outside, opened the door and held it open for her until she and her two children (one in arms) and the stroller (the older child was walking) got clear of the door.  I was rewarded with nothing.  Not a thank you.  The woman didn’t even make eye contact with me.  Unfortunately, she’s teaching her children to be just like her.  And my daughter, who is five months pregnant (and yes, she’s showing quite a bit), has had numerous instances of having the door close in her face at stores and at her apartment building when there were people around that could have held the door for an obviously pregnant woman carrying packages and a dripping umbrella.  Where are our manners?

3.  And how much sense does it take to know that when you are shopping with a group of people, you shouldn’t all congregate in one place to discuss the next store you’re going to.  People, you are blocking the aisle, or in some cases the entrance/exit to the store and no one can get around you!  (Think a group of 6 adults standing right inside the door to a store.)

4.  Now this one is just unbelievable to me, especially in this season of H1N1.  Today I visited a number of restrooms (okay we were out about 7 hours and I my bladder doesn’t work so well at my age) and was pretty shocked to see (and in some instances hear) no fewer than 8 people go into a restroom, use it, flush, and then leave the restroom without washing their hands!  I actually got into the habit of looking at their shoes and then avoiding going near them when I was out in the store!

Okay, no more ranting.  Tomorrow more Australia stuff!

Apollo Bay–Australia

On our way from Melbourne to Port Campbell, via the Great Ocean Road, we came upon a couple of small, quaint towns.  One was Apollo Bay where we stopped for a potty break then decided we would eat there, too.  We found the bathrooms in next to the park in one of the Information Centers and while I waited for Tony, I walked around the park and explored.

Australia is really big on parks.  It seems like one can’t travel for more than a few blocks without finding a park.  They aren’t cookie cutter parks, either.  Each one is unique.  The one shown below showcased local materials and local artists.  We found a number of beautifully handmade park benches on which to sit and enjoy the deep blue skies.  I also was captivated by a mosaic drinking fountain (shown below).  It appeared to be made entirely of recycled glass and broken tiles.  The water came out the spout and any that wasn’t caught by the drinker’s mouth spiraled down the length of the fountain and into a drain at the bottom.  There were also a number of wooden sculptures, all pretty abstract and probably aboriginal in design.  One sculpture, much less abstract, was of local seals.  You’ll see that one below too.

It was truly a beautiful little town in which to enjoy lunch and even more, had we had the time.  If you’re ever in Australia on the Great Ocean Road, remember the name Apollo Bay.

The bay at Apollo Bay.

Some of the abstract sculptures.

A closer view of sculptures.

Handmade park bench uses local trees.

Sculpture featuring local sealife!

Spiral mosaic drinking fountain.

 

Split Point Lighthouse–Australia

On our way to Port Campbell, we came across a lighthouse.  At least we could see it in the distance so I asked Tony to stop so we could see if we could get a closer look.  We found a sign directing us to Split Point Lighthouse.  It had been very rainy during the day so the road, a dirt one, was quite muddy but we gave it a try anyway.  We made it to the parking lot, barely, without getting stuck in the mud and then we had to walk to the lighthouse.  It was probably a half mile walk which is not bad but remember that it was very muddy and it was sprinkling off and on and to top things off, it was extremely windy.

However, it was worth fighting the elements.  We got a beautiful look at the stormy ocean and skies.  Although the lighthouse has an observation deck which one can climb for an even more spectacular view, there was no way either of us was going to try to climb a narrow staircase to the top of the 111 foot lighthouse.

Here are some pictures I took.  If you click on the links above, you can see some pictures of what it looks like in sunny weather.

Split Point Lighthouse against the cloudy sky.

Pathway from lighthouse to ocean view.

Tony on path from lighthouse to ocean side.

View from lighthouse cliff.

Stormy skies.