I'm in Cairns tonight, and finally catching up with banking, and my TWU student e-mentoring and cleaning out mail. Living with the (shocking) news about my no-longer favourite CBC host! The Canadians at the conference and on the plane yesterday were all in semi-shock and wondering how we would fill the hours between 10 and 11 every morning.
To catch up quickly--I have posts written and photos too but with almost no connectivity in Uluru, and only one hour when I got in, I am sooooo far behind. Those will come later. I've been in Adelaide, as above, then Alice Springs and then an amazing bus trip with 25 brilliant and positively amazing people from all over the world, that included sleeping under the stars, eating camel burgers, kangaroo and other assorted game, bird watching, adding to my knowledge of gum trees (I can distinguish three species now) and watching a woman change a tire on a four-wheel drive bus. And that was just the first two days. Then the conference (great), a trip out to Uluru (amazing), dinner pool side and again in the bush at sunset (more game), a night at the beach in Sydney and a very early flight this morning to Cairns.
Ahhhh... CAYNS. Checked in early at 830 am and settled in then slept for a couple of hours. It's a short walk to the Esplanade which runs end to end. I had a go on the outdoor exercise gear, strolled through town for some quick shopping, lunch, and a stop at the CITY BEACH. Yep. Cairns has a beach surrounded by grass--okay, a pool surrounded by sand, in the middle of the park in the middle of town. Why? Because the oceanside is one big mud flat (read nesting ground, sanctuary, and smorgasbord for shore birds) near the CBD. It's fantastic. I'm voting for the one in Edmonton. The shopping was fun. I found a great little designer shop (of course), bought a maxi-dress (finally) and then raced out to the designer's studio to have it shortened while I waited. By the time I got back here I was ready for a swim, and some serious time with my book. My laundry's done, my work's done, and I'm off to bed.
The rainforest, some catching up on posts and pics, tomorrow when I get home!
Busy Busy Bee. Sorry but the only news the yanks got from Canada recently was about a million downloads of white noise and suspension of visas to (from?) west africa. Have fun out on the water, too. Speaking of rain forest, RAIN here at last.
ReplyDeleteIt's actually very relaxing here. The bus drivers take cash and make change. The shops are more than accommodating. Everyone is friendly. My hotel room is perfect with laundry, a pool which I can use all day even though I've checked out. There are a lot of tourists I guess, but it really doesn't feel that way. There was a big cruise ship offshore on Friday but still no real evidence of crazy tourism. I'm sitting by the pool finish up some stuff, and just enjoying being able to get some writing and posting done. Attenborough is here making a documentary. I might go to the botanical gardens today, but I feel like I've seen lots of tropical flowers lately. Maybe I'll try the downtown beach--but they don't call it that. I'm drenched already from the humidity.
ReplyDeleteGreaT PICTURES sIS. lOOKS LIKE YOU ARE REALLY ENJOYING YOUR TRIP. WEATHER HAS BEEN GENERALLY GOOD HERE WITH DAYTIME HIGHS OF 6 PLUS.
ReplyDeletehAVE FUN BRIAN