Cairns

One of the things that takes a bit of getting used to when I travel is the absence of seasons that I know. Winter summer etc don't exist. Around the tropics its either the wet season or the dry season. Here in Cairns its just coming to the end of the dry season and over the next few months they have cyclones and about 6 foot of rain, together with temperatures of 30-40 degrees. This means that most tourists stay away!

Cairns is a bit more like a rural Australian city. It has the feel of a colonial city, very wide roads, low buildings with lots of verandhas (except for a few large hotels no other high rise). I'm staying in a backpacker hotel right in the city centre - outside my window is the town Christmas tree - but its still very quiet - and hot.

Got here late Thursday after a delay on the flight - I'm now 10 hours ahead of you - and had a brief walk around town. I bought a bag of seeds and nuts as I hadn't eaten and managed to crack another tooth!! So Friday morning was spent finding a dentist. I hadn't done any real damage so managed to get the filling filed and smoothed to shape but I'll need a crown when I get home.. Then spent the rest of Friday on the lagoon.

Cairns has a lovely sea front , but several years ago the locals decided to improve it by removing some of the mangrove swamps which sat offshore and spoilt the view. They did this and a year later the beach was washed away and replaced with mud flats which attract quite afew varieties of birds. The other variety of birds are notably absent from the sea - and I saw why when I walked along the beach. Notices every 100 metres warn ' these beaches are the habitat of crocodiles, swimming in the sea carries a risk of attack!'. So no swimming there then!!

Cairns has therefore bult an inshore lagoon where everyone hangs around , it includes a beach.

Saturday went a trip on the local skyrail and scenic rail to Kurunda which is a village set within the rainforests. The village was rubbish but the trip into the rainforests was lovely, some excellent trails and a few strange creatures (including poisonous spiders, or so our guide pointed out). Had an excellent day. I've already met more fellow travellers here in the last few days than in Sydney as the smaller city seems to lend itself to meeting people who are doing the same things.

Does anyone know whether it costs more money to air condition somewhere than heat it. Cairns is Australias 2nd fastest growing city (after Perth I think) and its a horribly hot place to live. Why is it that we humans want to live in inhospitable places?? Also when you wander around these hot places you realise there is a lot of wasted energy going to waste, from the sun I mean. All this heat comes down, hits the ground and does bugger all. Meantime the whole of the hemisphere desperately needs it. I'm sure some bright spark one day will work out how to equalise it..

Off to lagoon again today and then meeting my fellow travellers tonight for the start of 'the Australian Adventure' trip. Tomorrow is afree day so I'm going snorkellling out on the barrier reef - 36 quid for a 10 hour trip!!!

greetings to you all. When I left the gate had a lock and the amplifier was in the cupboard. Some people can't be trusted.

Rob