Aus-some II

Cairns will always be a very special place for me- I do know how I've been going ad nauseum about the Ballooning and Snorkelling are but few of the attractions of that delightful little place. No wonder that as many as 4 flights from Japan land there everyday and that there are so many Japanese tourists that all tour guides have a Japanese interpreter buddy.

I was so sorely disappointed at not being able to do ballooning at Sydney (Hunter Valley actually) that I earned myself the tag of 'gubbaare waali'. So my ballooning trip was fixed up even before I reached Cairns. It started very early at 4 am- needless to say, I didn't sleep a wink the night before! After a long and winding trip into the hills surrounding Cairns, reached Mareeba through some lush bush and coffee country in a country not known for its coffee. I was way too excited to be asking any questions yet the pilot thoughtfully answered them all. Being in a hot air balloon with all those Japanese tourists was a bit strange. They went about excitedly, yet politely, clicking pictures of each other when there was so much to see and experience all around. Hey, whats with pictures, does one look any different up in the air?

And after that perfect ride and a yum hearty breakfast, I joined the rest of the family at the pier for the trip to the Great Barrier Reef! I still pinch myself and find that I horripulate when I remember that day I went up in the sky in a balloon and peered deep into clear corally waters immediately after one another! A double shot of adrenaline in a dose I hadn't ever had. We went through some rough waters till we reached Green Island with dh, dd and ds feeling awfully green but past that post, the seas smoothed, they went up to the upper deck and all were fine by the time we reached the Norman reef . And that's where we snorkelled and thoroughly enjoyed every moment of it. The fish were so colourful and exotic that it seemed were we in a fantasy underwater park. Apart from their colours, the fish were also tremendously friendly swimming with us between us. And no, we weren't in any theme park- it WAS the Great Barrier Reef!!!

The next day at Cairns was very wet! But the little place charmed us anyway to go across and explore- its Dome, the Crocodile, Rainforest and Mangrove Cruise through the backwaters, it was all exciting. Even if the sight of all those crocs lolling around or feeding voraciously at the pink chickens was quite offensive, but it was quite exciting! With plenty of binocs on board and a friendly crew who pointed out the birds, as well as let the kids have a hand at the wheel, it was fun for all.

Gold Coast was the touristy theme-park place and we were lucky to be at a beautiful property on the Surfers Paradise esplanade. It was right above Hard Rock Cafe and apart from the great location (bang above a subterranean Woolworths for all those lil groceries and round the corner from Hungry Jacks- which kept us in French Fries and Veggie Burgers). It afforded a wonderful view of the vast beautiful beach. But what was truly amazing is that in the midst of that concrete jungle, there was always birdsong heard above all other sounds.

The trips to the theme parks were all they are made out to be and more. What was particularly endearing was the lack of the hype which characterizes such (or actually more famous) parks in the US. The parks were much kinder and the people running them seemed more friendly (if that is possible) than those in the US.

Australia was the perfect holiday the family had -maybe something to do with the perfect place it was, maybe due to the friendly people, or was it our friends who made it so, or could there have been something in that contract dd had drawn up for us???

We did leave some things behind - for instance that much loved blue Taylormade cap of dh which I misplaced, obviously we left bits of ourselves there too. Hope to go back there some day and reclaim those parts.

And hey, I haven't still done my parasailing yet, have I?