This is a last part which describe my journey on Australia continent and first one with really holiday theme :-). We flew from Perth to opposite coast of Australia to Cairns. It’s usual point for trips to the Great Barrier Reef but because our plane set down around 4 am and we want to get some rest in hostel we realized that there is just few options for snorkeling and on only one place. So we decided to book a day trip to reef for tomorrow where was in price also one dive and all equipment and we had 10% discount. In the morning they picked up us from hostel and we boarded to ship Reef Experience where we get breakfast and morning tea. According to all information it is the fastes ship of this size at Cairns so we get good value for money.
I was amazed by underwater life and diving so I paid $55 for second dive which was much longer and we had more freedom. Cairns is also nice place but it’s obvious that it lives from tourist and for that instance there are mostly just pubs, restaurants and souvenirs shops but public pool on esplanade is great and for free. However, I didn’t enjoyed this tropic weather because it’s too humid for me. Anyway I saw there for firs time swing fro disabled kids on wheelchair (later I saw one also at Bronte). After two day in Cairs we picked up car (Ford Focus) at the airport for our next trip.
Next place on the list was Port Douglas because we’ve got information that if you’re in local yacht club on Wednesday at 4 pm you have chance to sail on sea for free as a part of crew. It was great and another people there told me that it’s written about it also in Lonely Planet guide so we headed there. On the way we get short stop at Hart’s Crocodile Farm where we just take boat on their pond and we saw their crocodiles how they can attack from water and also impressive pair of Sea Eagles.
Ticket is for three days and we planed to come on our way back. After sailing and dinner at Port Douglas we continued on the way to north, our first plan was get into Cape Tribulation, the northest place where you can get by sealed road around coast and spent night there but after we arrived to crossing of Daintree River, we realized that we have to take ferry to get to other side so we decided to spent night at Daintree Village where we found nice and cheap camp. In the morning we found out that we have to cross river to see part of Daintree Rainforest, the oldest rainforest on the world. We used boardwalks there to have a peek to this amazing rainforest and its life but only one day there is not enough so our great plans blow up and we saw just smaller part of it and then had quick run through Hart’s Farm where we saw also feeding of Cassowary (local huge kind of flightless birds). Than we headed back but I’ve remembered that there should be nice waterfall close to Kuranda so we visit this falls named Baron Fall and this detour was the best idea. Because we were there during wet season there was astonishing and the biggest waterfall which I saw in Australia.
In the morning we catch the plane because our next plan was to see Australia well-know red rock – Urulu. The cheapest flight was through Sydney so it took us longer to get there but we were at Ayers Rock Airport around 12 pm of local time, picked up a car and headed to see Kata Tjuta (means many heads in language of local Aborigines), another nice rock in this desert. This amazing rock formations are made by small pebbles glued together by some kind of red sandstone. There is few track which you could visit if they are not closed because of high temperatures and also this rocks have special place in religion of Aborigines tribes. Also is pretty good idea to see sunset there when it had great orange color and the whole picture is breathtaking especially with some clouds.
Sunset at Kata Tjuta
We spent night out of reserve at camp because you have cannot camp inside so we woke up early because we want saw sun rise at Urulu. They have here special places to see them which are far enough to see whole formation because they are massive. Then after quick breakfast we went to see visitors center where we found that Urulu climb is closed whole week because of strong wind at the summit so we just walked around this huge rock and then returned to airport to catch a plane back to Sydney.
Even if there are some organized trip to both places I would recommend you to do it by your own. Return ticket to Sydney is quite cheap and car renal fees are also fine and you can see much more and enjoy this special places without big noisy group of people around you.
At this two galleries below are my pictures from that week, hopefully you enjoy them.
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| 07 – Cairns 3.11 | 08 – Ayers Rocks 4.11 |