to Cairns, Queensland, Australia!
Traveled on the Spirit of Queensland (very not high-speed) Train to Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef! December 11.
8 hours Bowen to Cairns. Pretty Scenery with Sugar Cane and Palm plantations, mountains and cows!
Staying in an AirBnB Hostel right across from the train station. Convenient!
Tree tunnel in Park in Cairns
Koalas & Creatures. A small indoor animal education place on the point.
Typical Mall Hours in Australia. Open late on Thursdays. Restaurants (some) may stay open later.
Our Boat for snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef (Saturday)
First time in Scuba Gear ever!
Had a short Scuba Intro 35 years earlier, but this is the best!
Our Scuba guide/instructor
Way more photos in my Facebook Album.
Our Couchsurfing host and his friend took us on a hike at Crystal Cascades.
Took the Kuranda Scenic Railway. A 2 hour tour and history of building the railway in and through mountains.
I found my replacement Barmah Kangaroo leather Sundowner Hat! Right color and size!
Took the Kuranda Skyrail down from Kuranda. Several miles over tropical rain forest.
Next day was dumping rain. Our host drove us up the Port Douglas, and back. Saw our Cruise Ship anchored off Palm Cove,
the Celebrity Edge! which we'll be on in April.
Will always update the calendar on the main 2025-26 travel page daily.
THEN on December 18, we headed to Melbourne briefly, and bus to Adelaide, Australia!
Then New South Wales Coastal places, then to New Zealand on January 12.