Our wonderful trip Down Under has come to an end.
We made it home safely - after 23 hrs and 55 minutes in the air we went back in time and arrived 6 hours after we left Sydney - at least by the est zone clock!!
Time to get our body clocks turned back around from daylight to dark.
We had a great time - we saw sharks, sea turtles, a manta ray, a reef shark and Rachel found Nemo!!
We could almost touch the clouds in the Skyrail we went thru tunnels dug out by hand.
The weather was fabulous - summer in full swing - even got a tan started.
Back to long pants, long sleeve shirts and warm socks.
Now to get all of the files transferred from the laptop to the iMac
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Time to say goodbye to Cairns and Hello again to Sydney
It has been a wonderful week - lots of new adventures and beautiful places visited.
Rachel's plane took off on time at 12:30 - we were standing on the sidewalk in the rain watching it rise into the sky. Hope she saw us waving to her. We were the ones holding the striped multi-colored golf umbrella.
In 45 very short minutes, we will be hauling our suitcases down the stairs - yes down - no elevator.
It has been POURING rain since before 6am this morning - my plan to walk to the beach to watch the sunrise didn't happen.
After we got Rachel safely on her airport shuttle, Rose and I took one last walk around the town - took all of an hour. It is a small beach town. I have gotten a nice tan started!!
Once we return to Sydney, no internet connection until we arrive home.
We will arrive in Sydney late tonight and will only have time to get to our hotel, sleep, up in the morning, catch the shuttle and head to the airport - no time for sightseeing.
I hope everyone enjoyed the blog and our exciting trip to Australia - I would definitely do this again except I'd only bring only two pair of shoes - flip flops and sneakers!!
If I ever returned to Australia - I'd bring a backpack, hop on the Greyhound bus (they are not scary like at home) and see the country coast to coast staying in Hostels or wherever I could.
See y'all in the good ole USA!!
Signing off from the land down under!!
Rachel's plane took off on time at 12:30 - we were standing on the sidewalk in the rain watching it rise into the sky. Hope she saw us waving to her. We were the ones holding the striped multi-colored golf umbrella.
In 45 very short minutes, we will be hauling our suitcases down the stairs - yes down - no elevator.
It has been POURING rain since before 6am this morning - my plan to walk to the beach to watch the sunrise didn't happen.
After we got Rachel safely on her airport shuttle, Rose and I took one last walk around the town - took all of an hour. It is a small beach town. I have gotten a nice tan started!!
Once we return to Sydney, no internet connection until we arrive home.
We will arrive in Sydney late tonight and will only have time to get to our hotel, sleep, up in the morning, catch the shuttle and head to the airport - no time for sightseeing.
I hope everyone enjoyed the blog and our exciting trip to Australia - I would definitely do this again except I'd only bring only two pair of shoes - flip flops and sneakers!!
If I ever returned to Australia - I'd bring a backpack, hop on the Greyhound bus (they are not scary like at home) and see the country coast to coast staying in Hostels or wherever I could.
See y'all in the good ole USA!!
Signing off from the land down under!!
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Off the to Outer Barrier Reef
I'm sorry to hear about Christchurch - that is an awful thing - two earthquakes in 6 months. We heard about it on our boat ride yesterday. The captain said that the recent cyclone (Yasi) destroyed the tsunami warning equipment - hopefully all will be ok out there - we will be pretty far out today.
Will post more later about our adventure yesterday - it was a long tiring day but beautiful scenery. The rain forest meets the ocean - it was beautiful.
Monday, February 21, 2011
Finally - Photos - not in any particular order
Sunrise from our balcony
Rachel about to swim off for her dive - is this the last image we'll have of her....
We are now even - I only spilled a little Dr Pepper on a chair in the Dallas airport
Rose spilled her beer onto the pizza!! - she is trying to mop it up
Rose leaving the platform in the Scuba Do - or Scooby Doo as she kept calling it.
Ok - this is me - trying to enter the Suba Doo completely wrong - and yes - I whopped myself in the head...
Hmmmmm - which is the left and which is the right??
Jimmie leaving the platform in her "Scooby Do"
Holding a Koala Bear at Kuranda Village
Scary scorpion looking leaf eaters
This croc was so funny - he kinda reminded me of Tallulah only he didn't slobber.
We walked up just as they started feeding them - he just sat there with his mouth open - feed me - feed me - just drop it in - I'm ready!!
Beautiful Barrier Reef at Green Island
Barron Falls in the Rain Forest at Kuranda - it looks Lincoln shaking hands with the falls
Yes - the skyrail really was treetop high and those were TALL trees!!
The Coral Sea from the Skyrail
Feeding a kangaroo at Kuranda Village
Rose and Rachel riding the skyrail - notice how high it is...
Sorry - gotta turn your head sideways!! Falls as seen from the train
Sea turtle we saw as we were waiting for the boat at Green Island
Wednesday Activities - Palm Cove - Outer Barrier Reef
Well y'all - if anyone is expecting a gift - I just blew the last of my money on a second trip to the Outer Barrier reef. I just could not stand leaving here without going snorkeling again. I got so excited about it, when we got back from town I packed my bag a day early!! I will leave at 8:30 am and return at 4:30 pm. We will snorkel at three different places so I will get to see a variety of things!! I bought an underwater throwaway camera to take pictures with. I will be sure to take the charger for my video camera. I will be alone for this trip - Rose and Rachel are heading up to Palm Coast - they will be seeing the zoo and the Botanical Gardens. There are lots of beaches north of here.
Sorry I can't post pictures - I don't want any surprises with the plan we bought - it did not come with unlimited uploads so I decided the best thing to do is not upload anything.
Sorry I can't post pictures - I don't want any surprises with the plan we bought - it did not come with unlimited uploads so I decided the best thing to do is not upload anything.
Kuranda Village - Train and Skyrail
The train ride up to Kuranda Village took about 2 hours - it was a beautiful ride thru the rain forest. There are 12 tunnels that had to be cut thru the rock when the tracks were laid. It reminded me a lot of the North Georgia Mountains.
Got up to the village and it was pretty much just shopping areas - didn't quite look like what they had on the web but it was nice and shady. Tree lined streets to stroll around in. We went into the Koala place to hold a Koala - it cost to hold one. Only Rachel held it but we could all get in the picture and they took one of all of us with our cameras. We fed some kangaroos - there we a couple of babies there as well.
Because of recent cyclone damage to their cages, the snakes had been moved to a different place.
We wandered around for a while then off to the skyrail. That thing was HIGH!! When they said it went over the tree tops, they meant it!! What a beautiful ride - it took us about 90 minutes to get from the top to the bottom including 2 stops along the way. When we left the last stop, it was only 10 minutes to the bottom - we hopped on and as we topped the last hill - wow - what a view.
Got up to the village and it was pretty much just shopping areas - didn't quite look like what they had on the web but it was nice and shady. Tree lined streets to stroll around in. We went into the Koala place to hold a Koala - it cost to hold one. Only Rachel held it but we could all get in the picture and they took one of all of us with our cameras. We fed some kangaroos - there we a couple of babies there as well.
Because of recent cyclone damage to their cages, the snakes had been moved to a different place.
We wandered around for a while then off to the skyrail. That thing was HIGH!! When they said it went over the tree tops, they meant it!! What a beautiful ride - it took us about 90 minutes to get from the top to the bottom including 2 stops along the way. When we left the last stop, it was only 10 minutes to the bottom - we hopped on and as we topped the last hill - wow - what a view.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
The Great Barrier Reef Adventure
Wow - where do I start!! How about at the beginning...
We were up, dressed and hitting the sidewalk by 7 am this morning. We walked the short 5-6 blocks to the Reef Terminal to catch our air-conditioned fast catamaran out to Green Island. As we got onto the boat, we made our way to the first level, then up to the second level, and finally headed up to the top - kept following the crowd.
As we made our way to the island, the reservations were confirmed and payments made for the adventures that awaited us on the Great Barrier Reef. After much confusion about where to go and who to see and to get the details hammered out so that Rachel and I would be on the snorkel tour together and Rose and I would not be on our Scuba Doo at the same time Rachel was diving. Whew..got it all together so we settled back and finished our beautiful ride out to Green Island.
Green Island was very beautiful - we walked along the boardwalk thru the rainforest and sat by the pool for a while. I walked down to the water and went down the steps into the ocean to remove to plastic bottles that were floating around - people are so careless at times!!.
After two short hours at Green Island, we headed back to the boat to continue our adventure to the Great Barrier reef.
As we were standing in line - a sea turtle popped up out of the ocean. I'd add the picture but the connection is so slow - it is taking a very long time to load the photographs - so it will just have to wait. I'm tired and tomorrow is going to be another busy day.
Got back onto the boat for a 45 minute ride out to the reef. Once we arrived, it was straight over for our Scuba Doo adventure. Yes - I am the one that smacked myself in the head because I tried to enter it incorrectly - pretty funny - Rachel actually got a picture of it as it was happening but then I was under water and you can't really tell what was going on. Once I got my head in the little hole and was properly seated, they removed the scooters from the deck and we were off for our adventure - it was a little scary at first, sitting on a scooter - in the ocean - with your head in a bubble!!
We saw some beautiful fish but alas - no turtles. It was murky underwater but we got to see some really pretty things. We had a guide that "pushed" us around but we ran the motor. I can't imagine diving everyday at the reef - I bet they have seen exciting things.
After the scuba doo - Rachel and I headed over for our guided snorkeling tour. This is the first time I have snorkeled - once I figured out to keep my mouth completely shut, it was great - salt water tastes awful. The coral was beautiful - I didn't swim over it very much in fear of not only hurting it but I didn't want to get cut. the water in some places was about 20 or so feet deep but over the coral, it would be 2-3 feet - just enough room to paddle over. I was very glad I put on a life vest - it enabled me to just float. I used my underwater video camera and the videos came out pretty good. The one time I needed it - of course I left it on the platform - that story later. Rachel and I pretty much ditched our guide - we kept going here and there - so much to see. The really blue parts of the reef are actually where there is no coral - it is the sandy bottom.
We got so excited about the snorkeling, we made it to the platform just in time for Rachel to gear up for diving. Rose was getting on the submersible & I stayed behind to photograph Rachel's diving experience. It was really neat - just as she got off the platform, I was able to go below and take photos of her swimming off.
Suddenly I was alone - Rachel diving, Rose in the submersible. It was very hot so I decided to go snorkeling again and cool off. Only had a few minutes to float around so I left the camera behind. BIG MISTAKE. I was floating around minding my own business enjoying the beautiful coral and there it was - a SHARK- swimming under me less than 10 feet away on the bottom!! I got very still and wasn't completely sure what to do. I kept thinking don't swish around - don't swish around. I did watch him - oh for about 5 seconds and slowly turned around and started paddling like hell back to the platform - thank goodness for fins!! I kept looking up to see where I was before I had gotten a ways out - I'd paddle then look up - I guess the lifeguard saw me and kept watching - I was not about to have a jaws moment and yell SHARK - so I quickly got my fins off and quietly told him I had seen a shark - he said - oh it was just a reef shark - they won't hurt you. Sure they won't. I ran over and grabbed my underwater camera hopped back in and went looking for him. Nothing - we had 10 minutes left at the platform and I was determined to see him again. But alas, my shark encounter was brief at the reef but hey - I saw a shark up close in the wild - not in a tank and not on tv -but in real life in it's world. I ran out of time and had to pack up and get back onto our boat - didn't see him again - I snorkeled til the last minute.
Got back onto the boat for our 45 minute ride home. Sat up top again and enjoyed the view. There were some guys from Japan (?) that kept looking at Rachel and when I took a picture of her - so did they - one of them hopped in asked to have his photo taken with her - she says it happens all the time - she is really tall 5 11 & 1/2
As we got closer to shore, it was raining on land - it was so beautiful - the clouds were low on the mountains and there was a rainbow down the side of one.
Got back to land and walked around town - we were tired and hungry so we stopped for pizza and a cold one. Found a great pizza place and just as they put the pizza on the table....Rose spilled her beer all over it!! It was very funny! Beer soaked pizza is actually pretty good. We ate, made our way back to the hotel - saw those scary bats again - settled down and prepared for our next adventure.
Today we are headed out to the Kuranda Village - taking the train and the skyrail aka bucket in the sky!!
Connection too slow for picture posting ;-(
Must get ready - only an hour before they pick us up!!
Tune in next time for our Bucket in the sky report
WOW - what a day
We were up, dressed and hitting the sidewalk by 7 am this morning. We walked the short 5-6 blocks to the Reef Terminal to catch our air-conditioned fast catamaran out to Green Island. As we got onto the boat, we made our way to the first level, then up to the second level, and finally headed up to the top - kept following the crowd.
As we made our way to the island, the reservations were confirmed and payments made for the adventures that awaited us on the Great Barrier Reef. After much confusion about where to go and who to see and to get the details hammered out so that Rachel and I would be on the snorkel tour together and Rose and I would not be on our Scuba Doo at the same time Rachel was diving. Whew..got it all together so we settled back and finished our beautiful ride out to Green Island.
Green Island was very beautiful - we walked along the boardwalk thru the rainforest and sat by the pool for a while. I walked down to the water and went down the steps into the ocean to remove to plastic bottles that were floating around - people are so careless at times!!.
After two short hours at Green Island, we headed back to the boat to continue our adventure to the Great Barrier reef.
As we were standing in line - a sea turtle popped up out of the ocean. I'd add the picture but the connection is so slow - it is taking a very long time to load the photographs - so it will just have to wait. I'm tired and tomorrow is going to be another busy day.
Got back onto the boat for a 45 minute ride out to the reef. Once we arrived, it was straight over for our Scuba Doo adventure. Yes - I am the one that smacked myself in the head because I tried to enter it incorrectly - pretty funny - Rachel actually got a picture of it as it was happening but then I was under water and you can't really tell what was going on. Once I got my head in the little hole and was properly seated, they removed the scooters from the deck and we were off for our adventure - it was a little scary at first, sitting on a scooter - in the ocean - with your head in a bubble!!
We saw some beautiful fish but alas - no turtles. It was murky underwater but we got to see some really pretty things. We had a guide that "pushed" us around but we ran the motor. I can't imagine diving everyday at the reef - I bet they have seen exciting things.
After the scuba doo - Rachel and I headed over for our guided snorkeling tour. This is the first time I have snorkeled - once I figured out to keep my mouth completely shut, it was great - salt water tastes awful. The coral was beautiful - I didn't swim over it very much in fear of not only hurting it but I didn't want to get cut. the water in some places was about 20 or so feet deep but over the coral, it would be 2-3 feet - just enough room to paddle over. I was very glad I put on a life vest - it enabled me to just float. I used my underwater video camera and the videos came out pretty good. The one time I needed it - of course I left it on the platform - that story later. Rachel and I pretty much ditched our guide - we kept going here and there - so much to see. The really blue parts of the reef are actually where there is no coral - it is the sandy bottom.
We got so excited about the snorkeling, we made it to the platform just in time for Rachel to gear up for diving. Rose was getting on the submersible & I stayed behind to photograph Rachel's diving experience. It was really neat - just as she got off the platform, I was able to go below and take photos of her swimming off.
Suddenly I was alone - Rachel diving, Rose in the submersible. It was very hot so I decided to go snorkeling again and cool off. Only had a few minutes to float around so I left the camera behind. BIG MISTAKE. I was floating around minding my own business enjoying the beautiful coral and there it was - a SHARK- swimming under me less than 10 feet away on the bottom!! I got very still and wasn't completely sure what to do. I kept thinking don't swish around - don't swish around. I did watch him - oh for about 5 seconds and slowly turned around and started paddling like hell back to the platform - thank goodness for fins!! I kept looking up to see where I was before I had gotten a ways out - I'd paddle then look up - I guess the lifeguard saw me and kept watching - I was not about to have a jaws moment and yell SHARK - so I quickly got my fins off and quietly told him I had seen a shark - he said - oh it was just a reef shark - they won't hurt you. Sure they won't. I ran over and grabbed my underwater camera hopped back in and went looking for him. Nothing - we had 10 minutes left at the platform and I was determined to see him again. But alas, my shark encounter was brief at the reef but hey - I saw a shark up close in the wild - not in a tank and not on tv -but in real life in it's world. I ran out of time and had to pack up and get back onto our boat - didn't see him again - I snorkeled til the last minute.
Got back onto the boat for our 45 minute ride home. Sat up top again and enjoyed the view. There were some guys from Japan (?) that kept looking at Rachel and when I took a picture of her - so did they - one of them hopped in asked to have his photo taken with her - she says it happens all the time - she is really tall 5 11 & 1/2
As we got closer to shore, it was raining on land - it was so beautiful - the clouds were low on the mountains and there was a rainbow down the side of one.
Got back to land and walked around town - we were tired and hungry so we stopped for pizza and a cold one. Found a great pizza place and just as they put the pizza on the table....Rose spilled her beer all over it!! It was very funny! Beer soaked pizza is actually pretty good. We ate, made our way back to the hotel - saw those scary bats again - settled down and prepared for our next adventure.
Today we are headed out to the Kuranda Village - taking the train and the skyrail aka bucket in the sky!!
Connection too slow for picture posting ;-(
Must get ready - only an hour before they pick us up!!
Tune in next time for our Bucket in the sky report
WOW - what a day
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