Our trip to Cairns (Better late than never, yeah?)

OK ... Day one (Friday) - we arrived about lunchtime, picked up our hire car and went and caught up with Charlie and his parents (who live there), and then headed up to Port Douglas. Nice drive, and nice spot. I think we had pizza for dinner, if anybody's interested?

Day Two (Saturday) - we decided to drive up in to the Daintree to 1. visit the Daintree Eco Lodge and Spa, which Kristi has wanted to visit for AGES, and 2. just because we thought it'd be nice! Of course, it decided to rain just about all day!!? Some pics from the day though ...

The weather on the way up ...

Tea plantation for the Daintree Tea Co ...

We decided that we should drive up to Cape Tribulation for some lunch, but unfortunately mother nature had other ideas!? We made it across the ferry, but then found this in our way ...

As you can see, it wasn't too deep, but some of the people lined up and building up the courage to drive through it told us that the road was flooded a lot more further up, and that we wouldn't actually be able to make it to Cape Trib, so we decided not to risk the little Hyundai Getz we had, and turned back again.

We stopped at the Daintree canopy walk/touristy thing on the way back, in the ridiculous hope that the rain might stop for a little while ... long enough, at least, for us to have a look. Unfrotunately it didn't, and we just had a coffee at the coffee shop at the bottom of the walk (Kristi had a Daintree Tea) and watched the rain come down. Even managed to see a green tree frog trying to avoid the rain!

Looking at the torrent coming down in the last picture above, we were feeling pretty happy we hadn't decided to cross the little bit of water over the road earlier ... I suspect there would've been a whole lot more water by the time we tried to come back!!?

Anyhow, we made it home again safely!?

Day Three (Sunday) - What a difference a day makes!

The above pics were taken as we set out on Sunday morning for the day's festivities. Sunday was "bucks and hens day", which started for me with golf at 7:45am!? No pics from golf, or the rest of the day (what happens on tour, stays on tour) but we both had fun! We also moved from Port Douglas down to the Angsana resort at Palm Cove (where the wedding was held) on Sunday.

Day Four (Monday) - Monday was spent relaxing in the morning, wandering around the Angsana and having a look. It was wet again (unfortunately), but at this stage, with the wedding the next day, we were hoping it was a pattern, one day on and one day off!? Pics below are of the chapel the wedding as to be in on Tuesday.

The afternoon was at Charlie's parents place ... drinking, eating, drinking, meeting new people, eating, and generally enjoying their Czech hospitality!!

Day Five (Tuesday) - Wedding Day!
Unfortunately the idea of the weather being one day on, one day off, didn't really work?! We got up and went to walk down to the Outrigger (another resort just down the road) but it was pouring with rain so badly that we ended up driving there!? (About 200m down the road!!) They have a nice Roller out the front though, huh!?

In the afternoon, the weather managed to hold off for just long enough for Vanessa to make it to the chapel, and the wedding was beautiful!

Straining to get a glimpse of the bride as she arrives

"Isn't she lo-ver-ly!"


A kiss to seal the deal


I think she was pretty happy!!


Chatting outside the Chapel


OK ... time to party! (Notice that the smiles are still firmly in place!!)


Ahoj Karel!


Cheers Charles!


Aaaawwwww! How Sweet?!

Ok ... enough of all that!

Day Six (Wednesday) - Our last day in Cairns, and guess what the weather was doing ... here's a hint - the pool you see below (pic taken from our balcony) is not supposed to be flooded??

After we'd checked out, we decided to spend the day driving down to Innesfail, the town that was hit by a cyclone about a month before. Even though they'd had 4 weeks or so to clean up, you could see that the place had been hit pretty hard!

This tree was still sitting half out of the ground.


It looked like this hotel was going to be demolished - it had been pretty badly damaged.


McDonalds had seen better days (still trading strongly though!?!?)


And this is the reason Aussie Bananas are now so expensive! Some supply problems?!

Oh, and of course, it rained on the way back to the airport ... LOTS!! (And yes the windscreen wipers are on in the pics below!)

We made it home safely though, and now (a week and a half later) you know the story of our trip to Cairns!!

D.
xoxo