We liked Cairns. Our apartment was at the top of the esplanade which turned out to be 2.2K long a very nice walk to the town but we had to go there quite often so we decided to hire a car.
In a bid to connect with the real Australia we went for an early model Holden restored to perfection. Here you see Sian trying to abduct the cute car-hire salesman.
This is herself showing off the latest outfit from the pantechnicon that follows us around Australia. There is a small element of danger involved as the esplanade walk is signposted as a high risk crocodile attack area.
Immediately behind Cairns there is a mountain range with a rainforest and beyond that the outback. On the way we went to a gorge riddled with snakes and poisonous creepy-crawlies yet another gorge dive opportunity for Danger-Woman.
Australians never miss a chance to drive about in utes. Normally, they drive on roads and have a dog in the back. This chap strapped on some train wheels and went flying down the track.
Another shocking change in scenery occurred. One minute we were driving on windy roads through mountainous forest then bush and a straight road for hundreds of miles. It was no different from my childhood in Rhodesia quite spooky.
On the way back to tropical paradise we stopped at a little lake to allow me to experiment with my eski & stubbie.
And yes this is a plant.
On Saturday we hired a large white stinking-rich type yacht to take us to the far edge of the great barrier reef just where the continental shelf kicks in. The faint hearted should read no further. When the vessel slowed as we reached one of the wilder reef sites the captain offered us the diving with octopus option. Guess who said yes straight away. Here Im trying to free Danger-Woman from the clutches of the Greater Australian Pink-Tentacled Octopus. As if that wasnt scary enough she went straight for the once in a life-time swimming with sharks option.
And here she is looking happy as Larry after her nautical exploits.
