One Year Into The Unknown: Cairns

Hi all

I greet you all from the wonderful city of cairns. Life up here is beautiful.

I got here on monday 10 minutes before a thing called "mad monday" started. It's essentialy a pub crawl organized by the hostel. And it really is mad! I had so much fun. Within an hour I knew everybody that stays at the Hostel and I ended the night with a smilie cut into my tshirt. I would call that a successful night. I have to admit, this is the best Hostel I stayed at on my trip. It's more a big family than a bunch of strangers. There might be hostels that are cleaner and have better facilities but you can't beat atmosphere! Mad monday was that good, that I decided to extend my stay here. I know your craving pictures from that night and I have to dissapoint you. I left my camera at home and the pictures the hostel took are not yet online. I might post them at a later point.

What else did I do? I took a historic train ride to Kuranda. This takes you on a very scenic ride through the rainforst. It was quite nice and the village Kuranda was good too but the best was the Skyrail which took my back to the starting point over the canopy of the rainforst. The sights and sounds were just stunning. I'm not sure but I think those 45min are the best 45min I have ever spent on a Skyrail (Gondelbahn).

On friday I went snorkling at the great barrier reef. That was just absolutly stunning. Again no pictures. They wanted an extra 45 Dollar for an underwater camera and I just decided I would enjoy the moment and not worry about pictures. Two best things that day? A massive sunburn and seeing Nemo. No sharks, dolphins or turtels but the trip was def. worth the trip.

What did I do between those trips? Not all that much to be honest. I had alot of beer, smoked too much and had plenty of fun times with new friends at the hostel. And I enjoyed every moment of. So much I was thinking about staying here for a month or so and just enjoy life but there is so much to see. So no, I will go on.

On tuesday I will start my way down south. First major stop will be the whitsunday Islands.

After an "alright" stay in Sydney I have finally "landed" in Australia. I'm having a blast again.
I think the pictures show just that.

Nights at the hostel. Here, you don't stay for yourself. You mix with the world.

On the way to Kuranda.

On the way to Kuranda

The historic train on a most spectacular bridge.

The view of the coast from the train.

The trainstation in Kuranda. Kuranda is a bit like Disneyland.. minus the rides.

A Plane wreck in Kuranda... I could tell you an awesome story how it crashed here in the second world war etc. or I could just tell you the truth that it was put here just to look cool.