Did you know Queensland, Australia doesn’t participate in Daylight Savings Time?
Don’t worry, I didn’t know either. In fact, I was so convinced they did, I got myself out of bed an hour earlier on day 4 of our trip because I thought my phone hadn’t adjusted automatically since it wasn’t connected to data. But no, it was because while a good portion Australia did “spring forward” that evening, the states of Queensland and Western Australia simply did not.
So in other words, the ladies and we got a head start on our 9-hour car ride to Airlie Beach because we got up at 5:30 am. This did, thankfully, give us time to stop and get coffee, even if the only place open was Zarraffa’s, something that appeared to be the Australia equivalent of Starbucks. (It was tasty though.)
This is what most of the drive from Cairns to Airlie Beach looked like
I would like to say the drive was full of adventure and fun roadside attractions, but it wasn’t. The Pacific Coast Highway in Australia really requires more time than we had to truly explore and experience everything it has to offer. Meant to be done over a week, we drove the entire distance over 2 days, so we could check off another site (and one of my bucket-list items,) visiting the Whitsundays.
We broke up this day of driving with a brief stop in Townsville, the capital of tropical North Queensland. Everyone told us this was a place we had to stop, but honestly, there wasn’t much to see. Maybe this is because we didn’t have enough time to explore the area outside of downtown, but I’m not convinced.
Townsville from “Simply Tops”
But there was a bright spot. In a part of downtown that felt deserted and run down, we stumbled on a restaurant called “Simply Tops.” And this restaurant actually lived up to its name as it was simply, tops. That is to say, it was some of the tastiest food I had on the entire trip, and that’s saying something! Especially because all I ordered was a fish sandwich. (Which was served on white bread no less!)
Eventually, after miles and miles (or should I say kilometers and kilometers) of forest and land, we arrived in Airlie Beach: an adorable sea-side town with a “party” vibe. We didn’t spend much time out on the town though, choosing to instead buy groceries and bottles of liquor in hopes of saving money.
The beach area just off the road from downtown Airlie Beach
I have to say, the night-in was fun. This and was undoubtfully helped by the uniqueness of our lodging: the Kipara Tropical Rainforest Resort. Nestled in the jungle outside of the downtown, the resort offers guests a chance to stay in cabins or single rooms among the lush greenery of the rainforest. It was fun and novel, even if I got bit by a few mosquitoes.
Day 3 in Australia was quite a bit less eventful than the first two days, but it was still a good one. We started the day lounging on Four Mile Beach, just steps away from the Sheraton Mirage Resort where we were staying.
Four Mile Beach, Port Douglas, Queensland, Australia
Port Douglas’ Four Mile Beach offers really gorgeous views of a seemingly never-ending beach, so its great for photos and a stroll. But when it comes to the more normal beach activities like lounging in the sand or swimming, I would recommend you try elsewhere. This is especially pertinent when it came to swimming because the water had an unidentifiable film on it. I’m honestly not sure what it was; while it could’ve likely been algae seemed a bit more like pollution. You’re also only allowed to swim in certain areas of the beach, as jellyfish are very prevalent in the area.
Later in the evening, we made the drive south to Cairns because the two ladies I was with had tickets to see Sir Elton John. I did not choose to attend the concert for a few reasons: saving money and wanting time to properly explore the location since we were only staying there a day. I am so happy I made this choice.
The Lagoon, a fancy swimming pool along the waterfront in Cairns
Prior to the concert, Ashley and I went shopping while Katherine relaxed following our long day in the sun and water. The shopping in Cairns was some of the best shopping I’ve been able to experience on this side of the world. (Although, granted, I’ve only really gone shopping in Wellington, Brisbane and Gold Coast.) This is likely because Cairns is a city that was designed specifically with tourists in mind, or at least it seems that way. Cute boutiques, restaurants, and bars line the city’s main streets, all of which lead to the Esplanade, or boardwalk. There you can stroll along the water and take in the pelicans and the city skyline. And while there is no beach or ocean access there is a “lagoon” or pool that you can swim in to get your fill. Me? I was more interested in the sundresses every store had for sale. I live in sundresses (unless its winter in Wellington) so in the end, had to buy one from a store called Global Free Style. The shop was full of unique retro designs that flatter any figure, making it hard to resist. The one I got has a unique neckline and is covered in watermelons. (Now, to move to a place where I can wear it more often….)
Ashley, for her part, stumbled upon a funky little Asian-style boutique named Red Ginger which was full of inexpensive clothes and accessories. I mean, this place had purses decorated with guitars, cats, and even American dollar bills. The clothing ranged from flowy and fun to retro chic. I would recommend it to anyone visiting the city that likes unique items and is on a budget.
After our little shopping trip, it was back to our hotel, Tropical Heritage Cairns. Now, while this place was certainly not the Sheraton Mirage, it was a nice, inexpensive option with lots of space. For about $50 each, we stayed in a room that had 3 beds and a kitchenette. It was massive. Then it was time to drive the ladies to the concert.
Eventually, it was time for me to drive the ladies to the concert. Now, in case you don’t know, the rules of the road in Australia and New Zealand are more similar to the UK than those in the states. That is, they both drive on the opposite side of the road and the steering wheel is in what we know as the passenger side of the car. This in itself doesn’t seem like it will cause too much issue, after all, driving is driving, that is, until you remember just how much of driving is muscle memory. So in addition to automatically turning to the right side of the road, you also are trained to shift gears with your right hand and to switch on your turn signals with your left hand. Your windshield wipers are the lever on your right.
Of course, none of that is true in cars where the steering wheel is on the right side of the car. Everything is reversed (except the pedals, thank God.) This means, when you go to turn, you not only have to think about which side of the road you’re turning on, you also have to remember to switch gears with your left hand and signal to the whole road that you’re turning by switching on the windshield wipers. (Which, while I’ve driven quite a bit here now, I still do on occasion. Old habits and all that.)
Now while I did drive briefly in Port Douglas, this drive was far more memorable for one reason: I had to get myself back from the concert venue to our hotel alone. That means, no one was there to correct me if I turned on the wrong side of the road, or help me out if I got lost. It was an experience that allowed me to fully appreciate life with GPS; between remembering which side of the road to drive on, and remembering that the slow lane here is on the left side of the road and not the right, I can’t imagine having to look at an actual map. (Bravo to all of you who have done this.) I am happy to say I made it back in one piece and without any errors that I know of. The trip also allowed me to see route “A1:” a major thoroughfare around downtown Cairns that’s dotted with businesses. Its pretty unspectacular, but is very reminiscent of A1A in South Florida, so for me, it felt like home.
Banyan trees lit up along the Cairns Esplanade
After parking the car, it was off on a solo adventure for the night. While Cairns is beautiful in the daylight, it really comes alive after sunset. (As I said, it was made for tourists.) Not only does the city have a bit of a bar and restaurant scene, it also lights its trees and esplanade in all sorts of colors, making it feel like a theme park.
I spent the night wandering around, ducking in and out of shops and looking for a place to eat. I also spent a bit of time in the city’s “Night Market,” an inside shopping center inspired by similar, outdoor markets in Asia. In Cairns, its a big open warehouse sort of building in the middle-of-town full of stalls populated by local artisans.
A peek inside the Cairns Night Market
What I was hoping to find was a bar or pub where I could sit down at the counter and chat with locals or the staff, I unfortunately struggled to find this anywhere; most places were either packed or only offered places to stand by the bar. I ended up eating at a burger chain called Grill’d. While the food (and the wine) were tasty, my favorite thing about the place was the bottle cap the restaurant gave me with my purchase.
The Grill’d “Do Good” jars
Grill’d, a family-owned Australian business, has a program called “Do Good.” Every month, each Grill’d location pledges to donate a total of $500 to local charities and chooses where to give this money based on “votes.” Each location chooses 3 charities each month to support, and gives each one a jar. Then, when you go into Grill’d and spend money you get a bottle cap and choose which charity you’d like to see get the most money. At the end of the month, the store counts the votes. The charity with the most votes gets $300, and the other two get $100 each. Pretty neat.
After eating and a bit more of a stroll, I headed back to the hotel, knowing we had a long drive ahead of us the next day to Airlie Beach. And as the other two ladies were at a concert, I assumed I would be doing most of the driving.
A look at downtown Cairns from the edge of The Esplanade
Note: All photos in this post are courtesy Josh, the photographer on the Poseidon unless otherwise specified.
If you asked me the one thing I needed to do while visiting this side of the world it would’ve been to see the Great Barrier Reef. (And yes, I realize it is in Australia and I chose to move to New Zealand, but this is beside the point.)
Well, it took me a few months but I did it and it was amazing, even if I didn’t see a sea turtle.
A photo of the Great Barrier Reef from the Poseidon (Photo by Amiekay)
My second day in Australia the girls and I woke up to catch our shuttle to the Port Douglas Marina. We somehow managed to get up both early enough to buy coffee and also late enough to think we missed our ride; a van picking up people doing a dive tour with the same company as we were pulled away just as we came outside. We panicked a bit but after asking the concierge to check we discovered we were on a big bus which hadn’t arrived yet, and not the van that just left. Phew!
The scuba/snorkeling adventure we went was on The Poseidon and done in association with Blue Dive and Quicksilver. This particular adventure provides food and drinks (including those of the adult kind) so most people come via the provided transportation which means that, much like Disney World, the first thing you do for the day is wait-in-line. You wait in line to get on the bus, then you wait in line to pay, and then you wait in line to get on the boat. But the waiting doesn’t end there: once you get on the boat you wait in line for your coffee and tea. And while this may sound tedious to you, it’s really not: you’re too excited about the upcoming adventure for it to even both you. Plus, the entire staff is beyond friendly, in true Aussie fashion.
One of the many, many lines that started the day (Photo by Amiekay)
Some other “housekeeping” notes to mention about this adventure is that I had to fill out a safety waiver, which is pretty standard on most scuba and snorkeling tours. I am mentioning this because Australia has some of the strictest diving-laws in the world. They are so strict that if you answer “yes” to a number of questions you may have to take a physical before being allowed to participate. This is made very clear several times prior to your dive.
Once everyone was fed and legalized, the fun began, sort of. The Poseidon crew divided us into two groups: divers and snorkellers. This is the first time my little group of 3 split: 2 of us were diving, the other snorkeling. But we would split one more time: because I had never dived before, I was doing “Discovery SCUBA” whereas my friend Ashley was a certified diver. (Yep, each one of us signed up for a different activity.)
Now for the next hour or so, we were all in our respective “briefings.” These are the presentations they do to make sure you understand how to use the equipment and stay safe. They also make one thing very, very clear: do not touch or stand on the reef, because doing so will kill it. (This is important for a story later in this series.)
Because I was doing the “Discovery SCUBA” my briefing was more like a class and was a bit longer than the other two. My instructor explained to us how to use the equipment, and also that water pressure can cause your lungs to collapse and kill you. He did this to emphasize how important it was to always keep breathing and to take a moment to depressurize, much like when you do on a plane. I would be lying if I said the class wasn’t a little bit unexpectedly terrifying. (And keep in mind: I’ve gone skydiving.)
The Poseidon tour stops at three places in the Agincourt Reef, a series of smaller reefs in The Great Barrier Reef system. The places change each day depending on the weather and other sailing factors. From what I’ve read, Poseidon generally tends to pick really good spots along this reef system, and the 3 places we went on our cruise were spectacular, so I have no reason not to believe this.
I only paid for 2 discovery dives, so that meant one of my adventures would be snorkeling. I lucked out and did the snorkeling first. It was a nice way to get my feet wet and meant I got to hang out with my friend Katherine for my first ever Great Barrier Reef experience. It was also my first time snorkeling and viewing any reef in my life, and something I’ve unfortunately missed out on despite visiting and living in several different tropical climates. (I specifically tried to see a reef once off St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands but my partner at the time was too frightened at the time to make the swim, and have regretted not going on my own for years.)
Kath and I getting ready for our Snorkeling Adventure
I think the most surprising thing for me when seeing the Reef for the first time was just how dull the colors were. I incorrectly assumed this was a result of bleaching, but was told by our guides that while bleaching is still a big concern, things are improving. She said even though the colors were dull, the reef was alive and well. (And I did a little research and found that while I definitely saw some dead corals, for the most part, this is true. Not all corals are the vibrant purples and greens you see in pictures.) Either way, I consider myself lucky enough to have seen the images I did.
This is what a lot of the reef looked like: swarming with schools of fish
Now, I wish I could’ve rented a camera and taken pictures to show you the beauty, but unfortunately, since it was my first time doing SCUBA, it would’ve not been safe for me to be concentrating on something other than my breath for the first two dives, so I had to skip out this time. Luckily, the Poseidon tours do come with a photographer, so I was able to purchase some photos of my day and a series of reef images to share with you.
After our first stop, we sailed off to the second diving location and this is where the real fun begins. For the first time in my life, I strapped on an oxygen tank and was prepared for my great adventure under the sea.
Me with my gear strapped on, excited for my first dive
I would like to say I didn’t freak out at all, but I did. For the first 15 minutes underwater, I was really worried I wouldn’t be able to pressurize my sinuses or lungs and would drown. (I told you, that class was terrifying.) I couldn’t even relax enough to do the “skill” of switching masks underwater for a good 5 minutes, although I did get it eventually. This was all exacerbated by the fact I felt like the weakest link: the other two people in the diving group with me were certified divers who were getting their feet wet after a few years absence.
Due to my lack of confidence, I had to hold my instructor’s hand for a good portion of the dive, but once I got the hang of it, the experience was magical. (She even said she just let me pull her along once she could tell I was comfortable.) Unlike snorkeling, where you are mostly observing the ocean when you dive, you get to be a part of that world. In other words, snorkeling is the Little Mermaid pre-legs, and scuba diving is her life after legs. It’s a substantial difference, so if you think its something you could do and ever get the opportunity, I would advise you to jump in.
There are so many cool fish species to be seen at the Great Barrier Reef
While I did get to see a barracuda briefly, my first dive was unfortunately cut short because one of the experienced divers in my group tried to stray from the path and go a bit deeper than we were supposed to go on the introductory dive. And while that is a bit disappointing it did mean I got to the lunch buffet table a bit earlier, and that was pretty good deal.
After lunch, we went to the third and final dive site, which was easily my favorite. Maybe it was because I felt more comfortable, or maybe it was because this instructor was a marine biologist and particularly informative but I really feel like I was able to see more at this final spot than anywhere else. Thanks to my instructor, I was able to see Christmas Tree Worms, an underwater creature I didn’t know existed previously. The warms have colorful crowns that look like ornaments hanging on the coral that would curl into their hiding places whenever he waved his hands over the water above.
An example of a Christmas Tree Worm. The ones I saw in person were a bright purple
Some other highlights of my dive included seeing a giant clam open and close. These creatures seemed big enough that I could’ve fit inside the shells, but I would’ve never known what they were had I not been shown. My instructor also pointed out a brightly colored anemone and clownfish which was nice to see as well.
This photo doesn’t do the giant clams justice, as the ones I saw were massive and much scarier in person
I can’t say for certain this was the same anemone I saw, but this is pretty much exactly what it looked like, complete with Nemo and friends
The tour finishes with afternoon tea. There were optional beer and wine to be purchased, but we stuck to water and rehydrated.
While my one friend had a particularly disappointing trip, I have nothing bad to say about this experience with Poseidon. Just thinking about this experience gives me chills, as its something I honestly never thought I’d have the opportunity to experience and it was everything I hoped it would be and more. I really can’t imagine a perfect introduction to the reef and SCUBA diving and while it was a bit more expensive then my pocketbook would like, I have to say I would pay for it again without hesitation.
Proof I went underwater and did the thing. I also accidentally touched that coral after this photo and felt awful about it
This day, which was actually Ashley’s birthday (the whole reason behind the trip,) didn’t even end there. After we got off the boat, Ashley, determined to get on a sunset cruise, rushed down the pier to see if we could jump on a boat before it left. I’m happy to say she was successful and like most thing’s spontaneous, it was a fun way to cap to the end of the day
The boat we ended up on was the Lady Douglas, a smaller boat that takes several trips a day through the Dickson Inlet waters. Its main goal is to spot crocodiles, but that wasn’t the reason we jumped onboard. In addition to the scenery, the best part of the trip is the tour guide. He’s funny and informative to the point we missed a good chunk of the sunset. (Although the affordable wine helped with that as well.) The best way for me to describe this experience is a real-life and grown-up version of the “Jungle Cruise” ride at Disney World.
A view of the Dickinson Inlet from Lady Douglas (Photo by Amiekay)
Two of the sunken boats spotted in the inlet (Photo by Amiekay)
While we didn’t see any crocodiles, the ride was a lot of fun, even though there were some serious points during the trip. This included several sunk boats and vessels still in the river almost a year after Cyclone Debbie struck the area. They were a sight to see, but a harsh reminder of the power of Mother Nature and how much devastation storms can bring.
As far as the rest of the sights on the river, they weren’t super unique to me; having lived in Florida I have seen my fair share of mangroves and palm trees. (That’s not to say I don’t love these things, I absolutely do.) But overall this surprise excursion was more than worth the $35 AUD., a ticket price that included one alcoholic beverage and a few “snacks.”
After our second boat tour of the day, we headed into Port Douglas to grab something to eat at The Court House. The food there was tasty and satisfying, and it was great to sit on the balcony at the end of the day and observe the town of Port Douglas: a relaxed sea-side town that reminded me of several towns along Florida’s Treasure Coast. It was wonderful.
Day 2 concluded with us walking back to our 5-star resort via the famous “4 Mile Beach” in the area. And while the views weren’t as spectacular at night as they would be the next day, it was nice seeing at the Southern Sky without any artificial lights with sand between my toes…
A gorgeous sunset from the Lady Douglas to cap off the day (Photo by Amiekay)
I remember stepping off the plane in Cairns, Australia on September 28th and finally feeling like myself for the first time in weeks. And when I mean myself, I mean happy, content, warm and able to wear a freakin’ dress for the first time in months. (And if you know me, you know how serious of an issue this is.) It was a peace I never felt stepping off a plane in a new country before. Even when I went to Europe for the first time last year, my feelings were more of excitement and nervousness than a sense of belonging. New Zealand started off with a bit of dread, but from the very beginning, Australia was different. Maybe its just the fact I am a warm, sunny, beach-kind of person, or maybe its because I knew I had to be happy and bright to enjoy the rather expensive trip. Perhaps its something on a deeper level, but in any case, I knew from the moment I stepped off the plane I was in for a true adventure.
The view of the Great Barrier Reef from my airplane window
Our first stop after sorting out our rental car at Cairns airport was the Kuranda Village, a cute assortment of shops, restaurants, and attractions in the middle of a rainforest about 40 minutes north of Cairns. And we had to get there quickly, as we had a date with a very special lady.
As soon as we were able to find parking, the girls and I passed by the shops and restaurants and headed straight to our destination: Kuranda Koala Gardens. Now, yes, I have seen koalas before, but what first visit to Australia is complete without them? And, we were doing more than just seeing the koalas, we had an appointment to hold one.
While I have mixed feelings about visiting a place like this (see my previous post about my visit to the Wellington Zoo,) I have to say holding a koala was a lot of fun. They are much heavier than you think and extremely lazy. The handler put the girl in my arms and she just laid there and didn’t move the entire experience. It’s almost like holding a baby, except its much cuter, furrier and has giant claws. (Also, koalas feel a lot more solid and less fragile than babies.)
I am pretty sure they woke this poor girl from her nap so we could get our pictures taken.
While I did enjoy this experience, I have to say I’m not sure its something I condone, so I want to provide you with a bit of background on koala cuddling in Australia. Queensland is the only stat in the county where visitors are allowed to handle the marsupials, and like most touristy things in Australia, there are quite a few rules surrounding it. For instance, koalas can only “work” for 30 minutes at a time; after a half-and-hour of being handled the animals have to be allowed to return to their quiet existence on tree branches. 30 minutes may seem like a short work day for you, there’s a lot of controversy surrounding this. According to Kuranda Koala Gardens and other places that have koala cuddling excursions, science shows that this limited amount of interaction doesn’t stress the animals out or shorten their lifespan. However, because of where this information is coming from and finding reports stating otherwise online, I refuse to throw my support behind it.
I do want to say, however, while I’ve read stories of people clinging to the koalas and not letting go when asked, I didn’t see any such behavior while I was at Kuranda Koala Gardens. Everyone was fairly respectful of taking their turn and obeying the rules set out by the handlers. My only negative observation was how quickly the koala got passed from person to person; it seemed like the handlers wanted to maximize the number of photos they could get out of one koala in 30 minutes.
The rest of attraction was less exciting; the Gardens are basically a zoo and a small, somewhat rundown one at that. It features only animals native to Australia, in small enclosures. The kangaroo and wallaby area is interactive, and you are allowed to roam in and out of the same space as the animals, much like the zoo in Wellington. However, unlike that zoo, this one encourages you to feed and pet the animals, even offering you “feed” before entering. This, of course, coaxes the animals to interact with you. We managed to use the pellets to pet and hang out with a wallaby for a brief moment before a tour group of children came into the area, scaring the animals into hiding.
However, their noise seemed to stir another animal I wanted to see: the quokka, or as you might know it: the happiest animal on Earth.
Quokka with child
I was stoked to see a Quokka in person because I incorrectly assumed you could only see them in Western Australia. And while that is the only place you can see them in the wild, it was awesome to have a chance to see one, even in captivity.
After checking out the rest of the small zoo, the girls and I headed back to the Village to check out some shops. Its sort of a surreal place, this outdoor mall in the middle of the jungle. Seriously, you could grab a bite to eat, buy a painting, jewelry, clothes and other”touristy” souvenirs all while being surrounded by the humidity and heat of the jungle. Its kind of like Florida, but more exotic.
After a tour of the shops in the village, we headed north to Port Douglas, a small seaside town known for its snorkeling and 5-star resorts. After checking into our own 5-star resort (my first ever, by the way) we went to the local yacht club and had a wonderfully tasty dinner.
In order to get into the Tin Shed, we had to sign up for a one-night membership. It enabled me to buy and enjoy this pesto linguini as well as a glass of New Zealand white wine.
Afterwards, we went to sleep, as the next day we had an even bigger adventure planned: scuba diving the Great Barrier Reef.
