Cairns, Cape Tribulation & Port Douglas

Cairns

My first destination after the farm was Cairns. I left the farm at 5.30am to get a lift with the farmer - better than spending $30 for a taxi to Mareeba, then $17 on the bus to Cairns!
Once in Cairns I checked into Global Waterfront Backpackers - a really good hostel on the esplanade, right opposite the lagoon, and it was really cheap! Perfect!
Spent my first day there just wondering round, went to the shops and treated myself to a new bikini.

Global Waterfront Backpackers

The next day I decided it was time to buy some souvenirs to send home, so hit the shops in the morning! Then spent the afternoon sat in the sun on the hostel balcony writing postcards. For the first time in over 3 months I felt like I was on holiday! That night I met up with an American guy called Tristen I met in hostel to go on a bar crawl. It was pretty good, $20 for entry & a drink in each bar (5 bars) and a free meal in P.J O'Briens Irish Pub. It was a really good night, Tristen left early but I made friends with a Canadian couple who worked for the bar crawl company, so managed to get even more free drinks as they had loads of vouchers!

View from the hostel balcony

Had a lie in on Saturday as it had been a late night. Then had a look round the weekend markets by the lagoon. Made me wish I hadn't already bought everyone souvenirs as there was some really nice arty and unique things! Bought myself a little bracelet but could have spent lots more! Then I had a look round an art gallery, it was quite interesting as the work was based on racism towards aboriginal people, something I've witnessed when in Mareeba as quite a few aboriginal people live there. 
Got a bit bored in the afternoon as there's not a huge amount to do in Cairns that I haven't already done. So I asked at the hostel reception what she recommended, and I ended up booking a Quad biking trip for the following morning!

Art Gallery

So I was up and out at 8am the next morning! Got picked up from the hostel and taken to Blazing Saddles! First thing we had to do was put a very flattering hairnet on, followed by a helmet. We had to wear either sunglasses or big goggles to protect our eyes from the dust.
Next we had to go round a practice track so they could put us into groups according to ability. Surprisingly I wasn't in the bottom group! It was such a fun morning, spent over 2 hours on the Quad bike riding through the outback! Dodging anthills, going through streams and riding over numerous bumps and up steep slopes - great fun! I'm really happy I decided to do it as it was something I'd never really thought about doing. When we got back to the start we had a BBQ waiting for us - yum! Got back into Cairns early afternoon. Spent most of the evening packing ready to go to Cape Tribulation the next morning.

Cape Tribulation

On Monday morning I checked out of the hostel and got on the bus at 7:20am, so it was a pretty early start!
The first place we went to on the tour was the Wildlife Habitat near Port Douglas. It was ok, but after having seen wild kangaroos hopping around the farm, it was nothing special. Though I did get the opportunity to hold a koala which was good, but not what I expected! They always look so cuddley but in reality it just seemed to want to dig its claws into me! I was told to stand really still because if I moved the koala would think I was dropping it, and dig its claws in even further.

Wildlife Habitat

Next we got back in the bus and went to the Daintree river where we went on a cruise looking for wild crocodiles. The boat trip was about an hour long and we only saw 1 croc, but it was quite a big one! 

Crocodile I saw on the boat trip!

After the cruise we drove into Cape Tribulation and had an hours tour through the rainforest which was interesting but very rushed, I would have actually preferred to go alone and take my time!
Then at about 3pm we were dropped off at our accommodation. To be honest I was pretty disappointed with the tour, I'm glad I went because I got to see the oldest tropical rainforest in the world, but it was way too overpriced! And the accommodation wasn't that great either!

Me at Alexandria Lookout

Rainforest

The next day I'd booked to go Jungle Surfing which I was really looking forward to, and hoping it'd make my Cape Tribulation trip more worthwhile. Luckily it was really good! Still a bit overpriced, but really fun. First we were put into our harnesses and given a helmet, each with a different name on it. I was Wonder Woman!

We were taken high up into the rainforest to a platform in the trees. Felt a bit like Tarzan as we flew through the trees on a zip line to different platforms with amazing views. It was so much fun, and the last zip wire we had to go upside down! It was by far the best part of the Cape Tribulation trip!

Jungle Surfing!

Port Douglas

Got picked up from Cape Trib later that afternoon and dropped off in the lovely seaside town of Port Douglas. I stayed in the Parrotfish Lodge - a great hostel with a swimming pool, free breakfast, free internet and loads of comfy chairs to relax on! I spent two days here just chilling out, sunbathing and looking round the little shops. It was a really pretty place, somewhere I'd like to visit again but with more money, the restaurants looked amazing but were very expensive! Luckily one night at the hostel they had a free BBQ, so that saved me some money! Also bumped into a Korean couple I met in Cairns which was pretty random! It's crazy how wherever you go in Australia you always seem to bump into the same people!

Port Douglas

So I had a really good week, can't wait to finish the rest of the East Coast now! I'm currently back at the Travellers Rest in Malanda with Sarah for just over a week, as Mike and Tracy asked us to come back and house sit. After such a lovely week last time how could we refuse!
I fly to Brisbane on 5th October to finish my East Coast adventure!