12 March 2016:-AUSTRALIA & NZ :- Cairns and Diving at the Great Barrier Reef

AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND :- Cairns and Diving at the Great Barrier Reef

7th Day  : 12.03.2016 

Because of the delayed flight we arrived at the Cairns airport around 01:00 o’clock early in the morning. A taxi took me to the Hotel “Queens Court Cairns” at the Sheridan Street 167.

Since the reception was closed, I acted according to the instructions they had sent me 1 month ago. I opened the safe box outside the entrance. Entering the digital key code they had given to me some time ago, I took the envelope consisting of the my room key and schematic description how to get to the room.

As the first thing in the room, I arranged my bag for diving tour which was scheduled for today. The shuttle should come and pick me up early morning. I commenced to sleep.After a short sleep, I woke up around 06:50 and went downstairs around 07:10 and waited for the shuttle which is going to get me to the pier where diving tour departs. At the agreed time the shuttle came and took me and the English guy to the bus. We collected some others from various hotels. After the bus driver has completed pick-up of the guests then he drove us to the “Reef Fleet Terminal”. Very similar to the flight check-in system, the people have arranged a check-in hall and to every guest who is going to participate in a tour is given voucher with the name of the boat. Then at 08:00 o ‘clock starts boarding.

Boarding on the diving boat "Silverswift".

There are the crew and diving team of the boat standing at the boat entrance and checking the guests and documents are signed for the risks in relation to diving, snorkeling or etc.

They took us to the boat. The front area was allocated to the scuba diving people. There we have filled some other documents and dive masters came and checked the diving licenses.

Our dive master Jef briefed the group about the diving plan. Until lunch time we have been planned to make two dives and after the lunch we ain ‘t to make our third dive which is final.

Meanwhile they served café and tasty cakes as a morning welcome. I appreciated it very much because I haven‘t got any breakfast at the hotel.

At 08:30 our boat “Silverswift”,a catamaran of length around 25 meter and of beam 10-12 meter, departed from the pier. We were altogether 80-90 people on board ( I do not know exactly but the captain and the crew knows it very precisely).The sea was almost calm. Still there were waves of

1-1,5 meter high. The weather was cloudy but warm. Even it was early morning, the temperature was around 29-30 deg C. The reef is far away from the coast. Some people had got sea sickness. They mostly went to the rear deck in order to ventilate themselves in the open air. Many of them throwing out because of the sea sickness. The crew is very well trained and helpful. This means “service quality”. 3-4 members of the crew were waiting and watching the people with attention in order to provide bags and icy water in paper glasses right at the moment (?). We have reached after one and half hour to a place where the waves were showing their “white” We were just on the Great Barrier Reef.

Cairns to the Flynn Reef on the map.

My diving buddy was Greg from NZ. He is a specialist in physiotherapy and working in alittle town on the west side of the Queensland. He is good and experienced guy in diving. The tour company gives us all the gear. They had provided also a thin diving suit which is like body glove and for this area it is more than enough. Our first dive started at 10:09 and came up to the surface at 11:02.The max. depth was 23 meters. A few hundred meters away, our boat stopped and we made the second dive at 11:47. This one has been finished at 12:57 and the max. depth is 16.5 meters.

In the beginning of the second dive we met a friendly turtle at the reef. It was trying to collect  some eatable plants to eat. At the last half of the second dive I was swimming at the rear of the group. I saw a little shark swimming around me. It was a grey shark having a length of 1,3 meters roughly. It swam around me but little bit deeper and went away after 1-2 minutes.

The lunch was very tasty and there were food from various kitchens. Vegetable, salad, chicken, bacon, pasta, fruit etc. We need energy !! After a pause of 2 hours we have been taken to another location at the Great Barrier Reef. The name of this location is “Tracy’s”. Our dive started at 13:45 and we came out to the surface at 14:40. The max. depth was 18 meters.

After that we changed and the crew started to prepare for return to Cairns. Crew always counts the people onboard. It could be a disaster in case someone stays unattended in the sea.

The captain took us to the same point at the Cairns Port in two hours. We stepped to the land at around 17:15. Greg took some pictures of mine at the boat.

Our dive master Jef

Picture taken by Greg just after the landing at Cairns

The whole tour was under a very experienced and professional control. The arrangements were very punctual and has been safely realized. There was also a tiny young lady photographer on the boat and she took pictures onboard and underwater as well. At the end, she sells them to those who are willing to buy pictures. One picture costs 18.-AUD. I selected 4 pictures and she gave me also a CD as free. It is worth to pay 240.-AUD for three dives at the Great Barrier Reef. Our shuttle to the hotel was waiting for us at the port exit. Our bus driver took me to my Hotel in 10 minutes.

Diving at the Great Barrier Reef, Cairns

Diving at the Great Barrier Reef, Cairns

I took a shower in the Hotel. I have had a room with shared bathroom. But there was no hassle in relation to the bathroom and WC. At 18:30 I went out in order to take my rental car from the East Coast Car Rental. This was suggested to me by the Hotel Queens Court. The pick-up center is a few hundred meters away from my Hotel. I walked there and took my Suzuki Swift for the next day plan.

Cairns by night:

I drove first to the Italian Restaurant “Little Ricardo’s” on the 191 Sheridon Street. 400 meter away from my Hotel. I ate nice food there. The service was also very fast and friendly. I can recommend to those who are interested.

Garlic Bread at the Pizzeria Little Ricardo's

Tasty pizza at the Restaurant Little Ricardo 's

After the dinner I drove to the center of the city. Cairns is a little city and mostly doing good job on touristic affairs. I parked the car at the Esplanade (they call the coastal strip approx. 700 meters long). There are a lot of restaurants, bars, cafés, shops etc. There is no parking problem at all. On weekends all parking lots are free. I left the car there and looked around. I saw a big shop for the Aboriginal Indigenous Artwork. I went in and looked around. There are boomerangs, paintings, clothes etc. All are hand crafted. I bought 4 boomerangs with the written “returning back” guarantee. Because almost 90 % of the boomerangs are only for decoration purpose..

I stopped in a Café and got Cafe Latte. Then I continued to walk. There were a lot of people around. Since I was tired and had got short sleep last night I drove to the hotel and started to sleep

around 11:30. Tomorrow will be another great day.

Good night to everybody! 

13 March 2016:-AUSTRALIA & NZ :- Cairns>>Kuranda>>Hartley’s Park>>Port Douglas

AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND :- Cairns>>Kuranda>>Hartley’s Park>>Port Douglas

8th Day  : 13.03.2016 

So this will be another tour day for me in Cairns. I had already booked for the Kuranda Scenic Rail & Rainforest Tour including the Hartley’s Croc Farm for the whole day. All these had been organized by Down Under Tours Company.  I woke up early in the morning and went downstairs for the “poor” breakfast in the lobby of the Hotel Queens Court (Do not mix it with Queenslander Hotel).

The tour bus should take me at 07:40 from the hotel but they came around 07:50 to the hotel.

I was the last passenger and the bus driver took us directly to the Freshwater Station for the Kuranda Train.

Scenic Rail to Kuranda :

Freshwater Station is the station on the lower end of the rail route. This rail route to Kuranda had been built in the end of 19^th Century. The aim was to reach to the gold. During the gold rush, the people came here in order to get rich. They built the rail route up to the Kuranda which is a small town located on top within the rain forest. Most probably the gold was there on top of the hills where there is also the Barron Falls. The authentic rail route uses 15 tunnels and many bridges in order to overcome the harsh land topography. There are steep hills, narrow passages and some sort of forest barriers on the way. The people have done a big job with the opportunities available at that time. Great job !

Freshwater Station

Whilst climbing uphill the route sometimes make big loops in the forest. On the right hand side we have nice view over the Ocean and sometimes to a river which flows in the forest and around the rocky 
surrounding.

Climbing train in the curvature

Across many bridges

Water falls around the rail way.

Steep passages 

Unique and strange stones, believed to be sacred

The train stopped at a look out location over the Barron Falls. It is a wonderful view varying between 300 and 1500 meter downwards. Imagine a huge bowl with the sides out of rock and flowing many water falls in different flow rate into this bowl. Far at the bottom there is the main part of the river collecting all the water.

Barron Falls

Barron Falls

The train continued after 20 minutes its way to Kuranda. Reaching to the Kuranda Station we met a nice and sunny weather on top and lovely colorful flowers at and around the old looking station.

The locomotive changed meanwhile its position and came to the other end of the coaches. I made a few pictures at the Kuranda Station and of the train itself.

At the Kuranda Station

Train is ready for departure, but this time to the valley

Box office at the entrance of the Kuranda Station

According to the itinerary we have got one hour limited time to see Kuranda. At 11:30 we must take

Skyrail which is in Turkish “teleferik”. There is an easy climbing road going to the Marketplace of Kuranda. Calm and easy walk and beautiful surrounding. There are a lot of shops selling souvenirs. The authentic art work from the Aboriginal people are covering the shelves of the shops mostly. Beautiful colored paintings, printed clothes, the music instrument they call it “????????”.

I entered into a tattoo shop where there was a nice looking and energetically smiling lady, half reclined on the bench and the other lady doing a tattoo on the right shoulder at the rear. They mentioned that it will be “Paradise bird” when it is finished. I asked for permission for taking pictures but the one doing the tattoo denied kindly. Maybe the principle of the artist?

I visited another big shop selling articles of authentic artists. They are mostly Aboriginal people behind the art works. As a habit the shops post a little informative card just beside the works introducing the artist; his/her name, tribe, short summary of his/her life etc. It is a smart approach, isn ‘t it. If you buy something you know the artist shortly.

I bought two T-shirts for my son and for a friend and started to walk down back to the station.

Next time (if it comes?) I will spend more time in Kuranda. My suggestion to you, too.

I took the Sky Rail at 11:30. It travels all the way down above the rain forest. Securely locked gondolas hanging at the steel ropes designed for 4-5 passengers are travelling high above the forest. The rope is strained between the strongly structured poles. All of them are numbered clearly and are constructed at every 300 meter in average.

Rain Forest from the gondala

They give a colorful map at the boarding location and on this map, using the numbers of the poles someone can understand what is explained and where is what. Everywhere is covered with green tall trees of different kind adequate to this climate. Trees are trying to reach to light; reason why they are such tall! Very tight and wild looking forest. I should say there is no possibility walking in this forest at all. Only animals, birds, snakes, lizards might live in harmony.

There are TWO stations (Barron Falls and Red Peak) in between the end stations. The travel time from one end to the other end is approx. 40 minutes. Someone may jump out and get it again. There is a short walking wooden balcony around each station in order to watch birds, snakes and to look out to the forest. I had used this opportunity at the Red Peak Station where I took some pictures from.

The ranger and me from the balcony; backround Rain Forest

Coming down to the valley

At around 12:30 I reached to the end station on the bottom which is called Smithfield. There is the bus waiting for the people who are going to take the tour to the Hartley ‘s croc Range. At 12:40 we departed. Hartley’s croc lagoon is on the way to North in direction to Port Douglas. Almost 80-85 kms away from Cairns. Our bus stopped there and the bus driver Trevor informed about some facts and handed us the vouchers for the boat tour on the lagoon at 14:30.

I took a quick lunch at the buffet and then started to visit certain locations in the park. There are koalas, kanobies (kangaroos), lizards, snakes, and the bird cassowary. These are all exposed in the proper fences or enclosures. Certainly, there are lots of crocs of various types and sizes in or around the lagoon behind strong and secure enclosures.

(Remark : Cassowary is a bird on the continent Australia. It is very old maybe on the world since

4-5 Million year. They do not flying and they are the biggest third bird not flying. I presume that cassowary and kangaroo are two symbols for Australia.)

There are mainly two types of Australian crocs. Saltwater (estuarine) and freshwater crocs.

Those in the first group are categorically bigger in length, larger in beam and their head and mouth is bigger. Since estuarine crocs have stronger jaws they attack bigger animals like cows and buffalos sometimes. The freshwater crocs are usually eating some small animals like frogs, bird eggs etc.

The force of the jaws of an estuarine croc may reach to 4 to 5 tonnes. No joke! Do not even think to play with them. There is no way to run away from the territory of a crocodile if you are in.

At 14:30 I took the boat tour on the lagoon as scheduled. Well protected boat on both sides with transparent Plexiglas covers is travelling very slowly in the lagoon and the boat man is feeding crocs with chicken heads at some locations. The people can see how the crocs are attacking to the food and grasping the chickens. The jumping croc cruise on the Adelaide River on the way to Jabiru was better and attractive than this one on the lagoon.

There were shows at the scheduled times in open air amphitheater. I watched also shows with an attacking croc and an explanatory show with snakes. Snakes are very common reptiles for Australia. The top 11-15 tocsins snakes are living in Australia. Python is one of the famous ones.

Seeing shortly feeding sessions of koalas, cassowary birds and kangaroos we came to the end of our visit at the Hartley ‘s Croc Farm and the bus took us at 16:45 heading to the city.

Port Douglas :

I arrived at my Hotel Queens Court around 17:30. The weather is still hot, but a bit cooler than the whole day. The humidity is also acting as a multiplier. At 18:05 I drove with my rental car Suzuki Swift which I had taken from East Coast Car Rental Company, to Port Douglas. Port Douglas is a small town approx. 120 km in the Nord of Cairns. The road is perfect. It goes along the Ocean. Some sections are just at the side of the coast. It is the same route up to the Hartley ‘s Creek. Then I have got 30-35 more kms to drive. That part is also with curves. I wish I had my bike. It would be great on these curves and nicely paved road.

Around 19:15 I reached to the down town of Port Douglas. I stopped the car and walked a bit in order to discover the town. It is not so “fabricated” like Cairns. There are still some untouched beauties around. After a short walking in the town I sat at a Thai Restaurant. Nice and friendly people are serving. They do not sell beer or wine here. You are free to buy elsewhere and bring it to your table. I do so. There is a bottle shop (liquor shop) 40 meters away. I went there and bought

Two bottles of beer including Crown beer which is my favorite from Jabiru.

After finishing the dinner I went to the car and drove safely to Cairns. I wanted to avoid any trouble on the way back to cairns because I have two bottles of beers flowing in my blood.

It was a long day. It could be better when I had allocate more time to Port Douglas. Life is short, roads are long!

Being in Cairns around 22:30 I drove to the Esplanade –the coastal strip and park of the city.

There I sat at “Rattle Hum” and bought a half pint beer. A face time session with my son was good before going to sleep.

Good night Cairns! Good night everybody!

 

AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND Introduction

This time I am flying to discover (?)Australia and New Zealand: the continent on islands.
I have planned to fly to the West Coast of Australia and to enter the continent at Perth.
Having the flight on March,5th, 2016 at 15:30 from Istanbul will arrive at Perth next day 
on March, 6th, 2016 around 17:35 with the local time. I will overnight at the Dubai Airport because my complete travel has been booked on Emirates Airlines.
It costs me 2,500.-USD for 12 destinations at all.
My route will be as :
ISTANBUL-via Dubai-Perth-Darwin-Cairns-Brisbane-Sydney-Auckland-Sydney-Ayers Rock- Sydney-via Dubai-ISTANBUL. I will be back at home on March, 27th,2016.
Within the routes, at the points mentioned, there will be some organised tours for trekking, hiking, diving, and mainly for photography. I will share my experience and info but not the smell of the air and taste of the food and drinks (Sorry !). 
I intend to write my notes for each day starting with March, 5th,2016 as I did it also in my previous publications.