Cairns Story part 8 (Final)

Kuranda was our last stop for our Cairns vacation. Kuranda is a small village 34 minutes from Cairns. It is located in the mountains and is surrounded by rainforest. The village is famous for their markets and small local wildlife and cultural attractions.

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 There are two fun ways of getting to Kuranda. The first way is the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway. The  Skyrail carriages can fit six people per carriage and feature glass roofs and flooring. The cableway stops at scenic locations along the way and guests are able to get on and off at the stops. 

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The second way is to take the Kuranda Scenic Railway which is the option Paul and I chose. The train is a two hour journey and it goes around and through the mountainside. There is also an audio commentary about the train, which is a hundred years old and about the history of Kuranda. The best part of the train journey is that the train slows down so that people can take photos of the waterfalls that jut out from the cliff face.

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When we arrived at Kuranda Station, we decided to head up to the markets. The markets are on everyday and it is located right in the middle of town. All the attractions are within walking distance and there is a free courtesy bus to take tourists to all the sites. I thought Kuranda had a bohemian vibe to it seemed to have a lot of artsy, hipster people as well as backpackers. 

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There was the usual stuff for sale at the markets, tie dye clothing, shells with googly eyes, candy, incense, as well as jewelry, photographs, Australian leather goods and chocolates.  There was also a great variety of restaurants such as Italian, Vietnamese, French and Chinese and there were many juice shops as well.

The markets were quite large and there were stalls everywhere. As Kuranda is on a mountain, the surface is uneven so there were some stalls downhill, uphill and hidden away in corners. Paul and I had arrived early in the morning so there wasn’t much activity going on at the time.

Later on, we headed to Butterfly World. Butterfly World has the largest enclosure of butterflies in Australia. There were many butterflies but they were so small and fast that it was hard to take photos of them.  It was only when we stopped and waited was when we noticed butterflies perched here and there. We still weren’t able to get a good shot though as by the time we focused the camera, they were gone. I learnt that butterflies close their wings when they perch so as not to alert predators. It would have helped if we were wearing bright colours which attract butterflies but we still had a nice time there.

When we finished with Butterfly World , we headed to the Kuranda Koala Gardens.  I was blasé about seeing koalas because I have seen them before. In my case it was once you’ve seen one koala, you’ve seen them all. I still find them cute though. We headed to the Koala Gardens because they offer more than koalas. They have other native wildlife like kangaroos, birds and snakes.

What I found most fascinating was the plane wreck located outside of Koala Gardens. The plane didn’t crash there; it was a prop for the movie Sky Pirates. It was purchased as a point of interest for Kuranda.

Then it was time to go home so got back on the Kuranda Scenic train. The train departs twice daily and there’s plenty of time to catch the train. The train is more for tourists; the locals drive or take the bus down the mountain.

So that was the last adventure we had in Cairns. The next day was all about packing up and going to the airport. It was the first trip that I had planned by myself and it mostly went according to plan. It has given me the confidence to plan other trips.

 I might be going back to Cairns for the Christmas holidays but this time, I would take my parents as well. We’ll go see all the things that we missed the first time round as well as the things we enjoyed. Hopefully, we can stay longer than a week which will allow us more chill out time. It will actually be our last beachside holiday as we’ve been going to a lot of seaside locations for our vacations. I want to go somewhere else such as a city or a desert. Australia is known for the outback and I’ve never been in a desert before.

You can find the other Cairns stories here  

Cairns Story Part 7

Paul’s special request during our trip to Cairns was to visit Crystal Caves. Crystal Caves is located in the neighbouring town of Atherton. It’s actually not a real cave but museum and gift shop specializing in gems, minerals and fossils. The museum is set up as a cave with stones and such inland into the walls.

Paul and I were given construction helmets to enter the museum. I asked if the helmets were for fun and the clerk said they were needed to provide protection in the cave and the headlights added light. We entered the tunnel into the cave which was cramped and dim, the lights from our helmets shone on the crystals and other rocks. There were little labels and information to show what the rocks were; we were told we were allowed to touch them too.

The cave opened out to other areas and rooms. The best feature was the Empress of Uruguay which is the World’s biggest Amethyst Geode. It was three meters tall and placed in a dark room with a water feature. It was spectacular to see because its size and beauty.  

After that, we explored other parts of the cave which also had other curiosities besides rocks and crystals like one of those static spheres that make your hair stand up.

I was still a bit sick from yesterday’s experience so I wasn’t in the best of spirits. In all honesty, I wanted to get out of there as quick as possible but I took my time in the museum anyway. We had paid for it and Paul had really wanted to come here. Paul said I didn’t look enthusiastic about being there and the photos of me prove it. So I felt a bit conflicted about what to do. Sometimes when you are sick you just have to keep going forward while other times you should drop everything and rest. In the end, we both agreed that I wasn’t up to doing any more sightseeing for the day. We would go out again tomorrow. I told Paul that he could go sightseeing by himself but he didn’t want to.

Before we left Crystal Caves, we looked around the vast gift shop. There was a huge selection of jewelry and trinkets made from crystals and other rocks. I helped Paul to select various presents for people back home. The prices were really affordable and the staff was super friendly.

You can find previous Cairns stories here

Cairns Story Part 6

Today was the most anticipated and expensive part of the trip. I had booked a tour of the Great Barrier Reef. The Great Barrier Reef is the biggest reef in the world and is known for the beautiful sea life and coral. Things did not go as planned on this trip and it quickly became the worst five hours of my life to date.

I should have known from looking at the weather that it would be a rough journey. We booked a day cruise that would be taking us to the outer reef where we could go on a glass boat tour and submarine. There would also be a buffet and snorkelling.  

The crew warned us that we would be experiencing choppy waves due to the rainy weather. They said there was a potential that we would experience seasickness. Paul and I were not worried as we had been on boats before and never got seasick. The first few times the boat heaved, we laughed because it was exciting but afterwards the nausea kicked in.

Pretty soon, there were a bunch of queasy people and the staff started handing out sick bags. They told anyone who felt sick to go outside to the back of the boat to the most stable part of the boat. Paul and I were on the second floor and it was a little scary going down the stairs while the boat pitched. I was worried that I would break my neck. I had to hold the banister with two hands and go downstairs backwards.

When I arrived outside, there were already a bunch of people suffering from seasickness. It was just a bunch of puking, pale faces. I even vomited twice. The staff was really busy handing out bags and ice to everyone. There wasn’t much they could do. We were assured that once we got to the pontoon that it would be better because we would be out in the fresh air and the pontoon would be more stable.

At the pontoon I didn’t feel much better. A pontoon is just a platform out in the middle of the ocean. It was storming but people would get wet anyway because they were off for water activities. The rain was heavy and the wind was coming in sideways. As I was exiting off the boat, the wind blew my glasses off my face and they skidded onto the platform. I saw that one of my lenses had popped out and so I spent some time looking for it.

Unfortunately, I could not find the lens anywhere but I did inform the staff that I was missing one should anyone find it. It is probably in the ocean. My left lens sometimes popped out due to a screw being loose in the glass frame. I was soaking wet and still feeling queasy and dejected from losing the lens so I went back on the boat.

I spent the remainder of the day at the back of the boat. I just felt a bit sick from time to time so I didn't do anything but wait for when we would return to the mainland. The tour was from 9am to 5pm. Paul felt better when we reached the platform so he went on the glass bottom boat tour. He said it was interesting but that I wouldn't have been able to survive it. The glass boat was rocking even more than the main boat and the pontoon.

During the middle of the day, something tragic almost happened. A woman had drowned but thankfully was resuscitated. I remember that suddenly one of the lifeguards was ringing a bell and some of the staff ran into the boat to grab a medical kit and an oxygen tank.  Paul said he saw what happened as he was sitting in the sun lounge on the pontoon. He saw a woman being dragged back to the boat in snorkelling gear. She was unconscious and the staff quickly went to help her. I don’t know what happened to her afterwards but I don’t think she returned back to the boat. The boat tour has a helicopter at the pontoon so perhaps they flew her back to the mainland.

After that episode, the boat returned back to normal. People still snorkelled, went on the boat tours and hung out. I felt a little better so I went to join Paul on the sun deck. I wasn't well enough to do anything else so I just laid down on a deck chair until it was time to go home.

Thankfully on the ride home, the weather was much calmer. It was still a dreary grey day but the waves were not as bad. I was so appreciative of being on dry land again. So, I learned that I can get seasickness if the weather is rough. Paul wants to go whale watching during the next school vacation but I said it might be something he has to do alone. I am a bit fearful about getting seasick again.

I still it is worthwhile to see The Great Barrier Reef, it was just a bad day. 

Previous Cairns stories

• Part 1
• Part 2
• Part 3
• Part 4
• Part 5

Cairns Story Part 5

After our Coffee Works adventure, we went to the MareebaHeritage and Information Centre  which was just around the corner from the Coffee place. Mareeba is a small country town with lots of natural attractions such as wetlands, coffee plantations and boutique shops and cafes. The museum is free and is about the local history of the area.

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Mareeba use to be a place where Tobacco was grown which was the main source of income for the community.  It was a tobacco town from the late 1920 to 2003 when the government banned the growing of Tobacco in Australia.  I think the coffee plantations replaced the tobacco farms but I suppose it must have been tough for the town to lose that income initially.

Also, on display at the museum was the ambulance railway train which serviced Mareeba and the neighbouring towns. The train was particularly useful during the wet season when the roads are closed due to flooding.

There were also displays from colonial times as well as honouring the  Muluridji tribe who were the original inhabitants of the land.

I thought the museum was pretty good for a small community museum. It was a little rundown and a little dusty but I think a bit of a clean and new paint job would spruce the place up.

As the museum is also a tourist information centre, there were lots of free maps and brochures about the local attractions. We found out that there use to be a China Town in the neighbouring town of Atherton so we decided to go there next.  

Many people assume that most non white Australians are fresh off the boat but some have been in Australia for generations. The first wave of immigrants arrived during the 18^th century during the gold rush. Paul and I went to the Hou Wang Miau temple in Atherton which is the only remaining structure of China Town left.

The Chinese arrived in Atherton for gold mining. They were treated poorly and overworked and underpaid. They also did the most difficult and dangerous jobs. Others grew crops and others became timber cutters.

I felt a little sad  learning about the history of the Chinese immigrants. They worked very hard but faced racial discrimination. Most of the Chinese left after World War 1, when the government reclaimed the farm lands for returning veterans. So, China Town was scrapped and torn down after that.

an old picture of China Town

The temple remained as it was looked after the remaining people. The temple was in use until the 1970s then it was deserted and used as play house by the local children. Restoration began in the 1980s and the museum was made alongside it.

The temple

The temple is made from tin and timber which was what the Chinese immigrants could afford at the time.  The entrance is made on raised levels which the guide explained was to ward off evil spirit because they can only travel in a straight line.

I thought the interior of the temple would contain a few pews but I was surprised to find an altar and a heavenly well. Every part of the temple represented something from the Taoist religion.  There was also a caretaker room and storeroom attached to the temple.

The rest of China Town was just grassland with little monuments to represents the buildings that use to be there.

During the tour, there was a young man who spoke only to Paul.  He would follow us around the exhibits and tell Paul things he observed and gave tips on local travel destinations. We weren't sure whether he was just being nice, or he was lonely or looking for love. Paul was bemused by the experience.

Past Cairns stories : Part 1, 2, 3, 4

Cairns Story Part 4

Paul and I had no set plans for today. I was in charge of organizing the holiday but I left some days open for spontaneous activity. We didn't know where to go so we got some pamphlets from the hotel lobby. It’s always good to pick up a few travel brochures as you may discover an interesting but lesser known attractions.

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We decided to go to Coffee Works, a coffee emporium and museum. The brochure had a tagline that said, ‘Coffee World… it’s like Disney Land for Coffee’ which we thought was hilarious so we had to go. Coffee Works is located in Mareeba which is a one hour drive from Cairns. There is also a boutique in Cairns city for people who only want coffee.

When we arrived at Coffee Works, we were delighted at abundance of trinkets, home furnishing and outdoor decorations that were on display through the entrance and gift shop. We had brought the Coffee Works brochure with us as it was written that if you bring it, you get a discount on admission. After we paid to get in, we were shown around the facilities. There was a room with heaps of coffee and tea dispensers and chocolate for tasting. Also, there was a museum with coffee machines from around the world.

We decided to do the coffee tasting first and we were given cups to try whatever we liked. I decided to only take a sip of everything so I wouldn't become hyper from the caffeine. Paul couldn't drink much coffee because of his health so he mostly drank the teas. There were coffees from around the world, Swiss coffee, Ethiopian, Colombian, Indian, Mexican and all varying in strength. I found that the African coffees tended to be the strongest. I liked the hazelnut, Irish cream and vanilla flavoured coffees. I drank a few of the teas too but I can’t remember what I liked.

There were also chocolates to try out such espresso, white, mocha and chilli chocolates. I like the chilli chocolate the most.

After the tasting, we decided to head into the museum. At the start of the museum, there are interactive phones that you take while you walk around. Most of the displays have codes on them and you typed up the code on your phone and you could listen to a recording about information about that object.

We had lunch after the museum and then left Coffee World for the next adventure. 

Previous entries

• Cairns Holiday
• part 1
• part 2
• part 3 

Cairns Holiday Story Part 3

Paul and I were in much better spirits today after a good night sleep. Today we decided to explore more of Cairns City.  The first stop we went to was the Cairns Botanical Gardens. We love being outdoors and walking around gardens. Almost every city has botanical gardens which is usually free and features exotic and native plants arranged into beautiful gardens. 

The Cairns Botanical Gardens has 4000 tropical plants from Australia and around the world. There are also native animals that live in the park such as the bush turkey and possums. Bush turkeys are actually common around Queensland and some even live in people’s backyards. Some people think of them as pest because they are foragers who dig up the ground with their feet so it can be hard to grow things with them around. They are not good eating either, not that you are allowed to eat them. In olden days people would eat them but they have tough meat.

There were a lot of tourists at the park that we had to be patient about taking photos and not walking into other people’s photos. The park was like a rainforest with lots of trees, ferns and exotic flowers. I had two Chinese tourists ask me in Chinese where things were but I couldn't answer them because I don’t speak Chinese.

My favourite part of the gardens was the Lowland Swamp Forest which had a long boardwalk through the swamp. We weren’t expecting the walk to be so long, we thought the pathway would eventually lead out to the entrance that we came in but we ended up at the Freshwater Lake. I asked Paul if he wanted to see the Saltwater Creek but he said once you have seen one lake, you have seen them all. So we decided to exit the park and go to the city. 

We had lunch at McDonalds in Cairns City. We didn’t pay for wifi at our hotel so it was an excellent time to use the free wifi from McDonalds. Afterwards, we went to the Cairns Regional Art Gallery. The art gallery doesn’t allow for photography so I didn’t take any pictures. The gallery was doing exhibits on Indigenous artwork and photography from some celebrated photographer. The gallery use to be the courthouse so had a big wooden staircase with marble flooring.

When we finished looking at the gallery, we decided to go the library. The library was near where our car was parked and would be the last stop of the day. The library is a beautiful building. The library is just like any other library inside, rows of books and lots of desks and chairs. There were many local people as well as tourists. We just browsed the shelves and read a snippet or two before going home. 

My other adventures

• Cairns Holiday Story 1
• Cairns Holiday Story 2

Cairns Holiday Story Part 2

Paul and I arrived in Cairns alright. The airport is tourist friendly as there were information guides waiting by the baggage claim waiting to help people. One of the guides came up to help me when she noticed me looking at some papers. I was reading the receipt from a rental car company and the instructions on where to pick up the car. She told us where to wait for the shuttle that would take us to the car company.

The car we got was a Suzuki Swift which is a small car which is pretty roomy inside. It’s great for two people with luggage and can fit five people comfortably without luggage.

I called the hotel to see if we could check in early and they agreed. We had a self serviced one bedroom apartment, which had a small kitchen, laundry and bathroom. The room was just like the pictures on the hotel website except a bit more rundown. There were some scuff marks on the walls and the sofa looked a little worn. The deterioration was only minor and the room was clean and tidy. Paul was exhausted so he took a nap when we arrived.

Afterwards, we went out to explore the place and get some groceries. Cairns is a popular tourist spot so I thought it was going to be urban like the Gold Coast, with hotels, restaurants and tourist attractions all crammed in. While Cairns did have all those things, it wasn't a crowded city. There were lots of people but it was quiet and peaceful. I was also surprised at the mountainous countryside which was covered in forest. Although, I have never been to Hawaii, I imagine that it was a good resemblance for it.

We decided to visit the beach that was just across the street from our hotel. The sand was very gritty compared to the other beaches that I have been to and there was a big net in the water to keep out the jellyfish. The marine stingers can really hurt and the pain can last for hours. There was also a sign warning that there might be crocodiles in the water. Most crocodiles are removed from areas that humans frequent but sometimes we miss one.   Fortunately, there were no crocodiles present and we had a nice walk along the beach.

Related posts

• Cairns Holiday
• Cairns Holiday part 1

Cairns Holiday Story Part 1

My brother Paul and I decided to take a trip to Cairns during the April school holidays. I'm a teacher and he’s a teacher aide so we get the same holidays as the students. Cairns is located in north Queensland. It is an area known for its beaches, rainforests and the Great Barrier Reef. I wrote about some of its attractions in this post.

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There was one small hitch on the night before we were going to leave for Cairns. My brother fell ill and had to be taken to hospital. In the afternoon, Paul called me over to his room to say he wasn't feeling very well. He had an ashen face and looked tired and weak. Paul told me his legs felt very weak. I thought it might be a circulation problem since he has some problems with his legs.  So, I made an appointment for him to see a doctor.

While driving to the doctor, I notice Paul not looking so good, so I thought we should go to the hospital instead. Dad made Paul take some aspirin and his heart medication as he was having chest pains. I argued against the heart medication because you shouldn't take medicine that is not yours especially if it for something important like your heart. Dad reasoned that his angina tablets relieve chest pain and that nothing would happen to Paul if he took it. Paul decided to take the aspirin and the angina tablets. He said he felt much better afterwards.

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At hospital, Paul had to take a blood and urine sample. The doctors said that his heart was racing and he looked feverish. They also said it was amazing that he was still standing considering he took an aspirin, heart medication and a panadol (headache tablets) in a short time period.

Well, Paul had to have two IV drips and antibiotics. The doctors said that he had a viral infection and his body was trying to fight it off which was why his heart was racing and he was feverish. It was well past midnight when Paul finally went home and we had to be at the airport by 4 am.

In hospital, Paul concluded that he wasn't well enough to go on holiday. Dad was beside himself over Paul being in hospital, I deciding to go vacationing by myself and worst of all for dad was all the money wasted on the vacation! Fortunately, Paul felt a bit better when he came home and decided he could go to Cairns after all.

None of us had much sleep when we arrived at the airport. I felt a bit queasy but I couldn't decide whether it was coincidental or nerves. The flight to Cairns was pleasant which Paul and I were surprised about. We usually dislike plane travel but bear with it.

Next time: Cairns Adventure part 2

Cairns Holiday

It is summer in Australia and I find the days to be face meltingly hot. It hasn’t rained in a long time but today there seems to be a promise of rain. The school year is almost over and I am looking forward to six weeks of summer vacation!  I’ve decided to go on vacation to Cairns, Queensland. Cairns is located in north Queensland and is known for its beautiful beaches and rainforests. It is also located near the Great Barrier Reef which is the world’s largest coral reef system.

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This is the first holiday which I will be organizing and paying for myself. I never went on holiday before as I could never afford it. I chose Cairns as I wanted to have a typical summer holiday out in the sunshine. I want to be outdoors, swimming at the beach, strolling through the rainforest and browsing through markets.

Here are some of the places that I want to see at Cairns:

The Great Barrier Reef

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I want to take one of those glass bottomed boats and see the reef. I might go snorkelling as well. There are fifty tour companies that take tourists to the reef and the little tropical islands along the way so there’s lots to do there.

Kuranda

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Kuranda is a small town located in the rainforest of the Atherton Tableland. It is a town known for its outdoor markets, boutiques and art galleries. One way to get to Kuranda is to take Kuranda 

Scenic Railway which goes through the rainforest. It is a tourist train that travels past waterfalls and there is ongoing commentary about the history of the railway line.

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I’m also considering taking the  Skyrail Rainforest Cableway on the way back to Cairns. I’m not that crazy about heights but I might still go on the skyrail for the experience.

Cairns Regional Art Gallery

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I always like to visit art galleries because it is relaxing to walk around and look at art. I also think it would place to go when it gets too hot as most art galleries are air conditioned.

Cairns Botanical Gardens

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I like botanical gardens as they feature exotic plants and landscapes. I’ve been to the Brisbane, Canberra and Gold Coast gardens so I would like to see what Cairns has to offer.

Lastly, I’m going to be spontaneous in Cairns and see what it has to offer. I plan on going in January 2015 and I will post my adventures later.