The view from my balcony. The Lagoon is across the Esplanade to the right. The big building is the Pier complex where cruises to the Barrier Reef depart.
A broader view of Cairns Sea Front
Cairns doesn't really have a beach as it is on a tidal estuary. It has mud flats and mangroves. They have constructed an artificial lagoon where the tourists can swim but most hotels and apartment blocks have their own swimming pools.
Looking down on the Hotel's swimming pool
Actually swimming in the sea in the summer is not a good idea because of stinging jelly fish. The big ones can inflict a seriously painful sting by just brushing their metre long tentacles against you but the little Irukanji jelly fish can kill. The lagoon has stinger nets and is swept daily. Cairns is also home to the Estuarine Crocodile which also is a very dangerous animal.
After breakfast I went down to reception to officially check in and arrange for some tours for the next three days. The idea was to keep busy.
Ruth, the receptionist was a young woman from Adelaide, South Australia, and we had a good chat while she sorted out three tours. The first would start at 9.00am and was a trip on the Scenic Railway to Kuranda in the tableland behind Cairns.
I was picked up from the reception area by a bus which took us back to Cairns Railway Station to catch the narrow gauge train.
This is an interesting trip up the range to Kuranda and is accompanied by a commentary. The link details the lines construction and history and I also took a few photos on the way up.
My train crossing the trestle bridge
A stop at the Barron Falls
The isn't much water in spite of the recent heavy rain.
However this little fall is going well
I had a three hour stop over in Kuranda Village. We had visited here back in 1992 when we found in a hippy type community with lots of local craft stalls and the Aboriginal Dance Theatre. Now it is a mixture of stores and markets selling touristy trash or very expensive shops selling local an aboriginal art. There is an interesting aboriginal cultural centre which is worth a visit.
I had lunch in the Irish Hotel and the building is a very old timber structure. Afterward I walked beside the Barron River before catching the Skyrail back to Cairns.
The link gives the full description of this trip which is very interesting and quite an experience. Here are some of my photos.
Leaving the Skyrail Station at Kuranda
Approaching the first tower
Crossing the Barron River
Over the top of the rain forrest
Coming into the half way stop where you change Gondolas
Here you can take a walk to some look outs over the Barron Falls and a board walk through the forrest
Over the top of the last ridge
and down towards Cairns
They met me at the Skyrail Terminal and took me back to the hotel at about 6.00pm.. Here I found that Ruth had booked me on a trip to Cape Tribulation in the Daintree Rainforest next day and a Tableland Tour on Saturday. I was going to be busy.
I found that the hotel had been built over the Cairns Night Markets which also had a good small, licensed restaurant (Shop 13) serving reasonably priced meals. I had a big T-bone Steak with chips and salad accompanied by a glass of Shiraz.
I was in bed by 9.00pm after a busy and tiring day.
End of Part 2
No comments:
Post a Comment