Down Under – 3/16/14 – Kuranda Rail / Rainforestation / Skyrail

Picked up by a new driver we head another touristy day of pre-planned activities...we never know what to expect with these days.

First stop is the Kuranda Skyrail.  We get into the cable cars and head up over the rainforest.

Up we go

Video of us on cable car

First stop in the rainforest.

The Cassowary bird

You don't want to run into an actual Cassowary in the rainforest as they can kill you! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cassowary

We tag along on a ranger led tour and learn some interesting things.  For instance there is one tree that sheds its bark so that no vines will grow on it.

The dam at the top of Barron Gorge

Shopping for polished stones at Kuranda Village

We didn't have time to check out the snake zoo

At the top of the skyrail is Kuranda Village.  We really didn't have much time to walk around here as we were scheduled to take a ride on an amphibious Army Duck vehicle.

Video of Army Duck prep

After the duck ride we were off to another tourist lunch...this one was actually pretty good.

It was time to check out the little zoo they had and then on to the Aboriginal Culture show with the Pamagirri Dancers.

Dingo

Jenny taking big chances

A big croc

Waiting for his next victim

The obligatory koala bear

Video of Rainforestation and Aboriginal experience

Video of didgeridoo performance

Video of spear throwing

After that it was time to head back down on the Kuranda Scenic Railway Gold Class.  http://www.ksr.com.au/Pages/Default.aspx

All aboard

Jenny and Mark sipping champagne

Barron Gorge

Overlooking Cairns

Video of Kuranda Scenic Railway

Down Under – 3/15/14 – Great Barrier Reef / Underwater videos

Last night we checked in at Peppers Beach Club Resort & Spa at Palm Cove. http://www.peppers.com.au/beach-club-spa/ and proceed....to dinner of course.

Major topics of conversation revolve around the various ways that we can die on the barrier reef and Mark is an authority on all ways...even the various drivers delight in telling us how we could pass on.  Jellyfish are the main method and there are big ones and microscopic ones that can kill you.

http://cairnsdiveadventures.com/reef-info/cairns-jellyfish/

In the morning we are picked up by the bus and we have a 45 minute ride to Port Douglas where we will depart on the Quicksilver cruise ship. Things to do in Port Douglas  Quicksilver Cruises

*** lots of movies later on ***

On the bus

We arrive at Port Douglas and head for the dock to board the large aluminum Quicksilver boat...it holds over a hundred people.  Once on the boat it starts an hour cruise out to the dive site where they have a permanently attached structure for diving.

Up top

Jack, John & Mark planning our next move

I talked John into going diving with me.  The last time I did a scuba dive was almost 30 years ago...I was PADI certified.  Unfortunately because I was on blood pressure meds they would not let me dive without a doctor's note.  Bummer.

So instead 4 of us decided to do a helmet dive.  This is where you put a helmet on and air is fed to you.

Signing up for the helmet dive

We arrive at their structure and it's massive.  Virtually everyone signs up to rent these full body lycra suits that protect you from the jellyfish...we were sufficiently scared off from diving without one.

Now all of these photos and movies were taken using my new GoPro camera.  I have been intrigued by all the unusual movies people take with this tiny camera so I decided to experiment with one.  It's housed in a waterproof container so there is not much sound.  Overall I was quite happy with it.

The movies I am posting here are unedited but as I learn more I will edit them and re-post.

Suiting up

Suiting up

 Video of group putting on the anti-jellyfish suits

Underwater viewing stand

Divers showing off a sea cucumber

The Helmet Dive

So Mark, Jenny, John and I signed up for the helmet dive.  Basically you put on a plexiglass helmet that they pump air into and you walk down some stairs under the water...sounds simple, huh?

Underwater video of me watching others helmet dive.

Now it's our turn to get ready...the first step is to put on some weights so you don't bob to the surface.

Video of us putting on the weights

One by one they plop a helmet on your head and you walk under the water.

Video of Jenny walking under the water

Then it's my turn...I get the helmet on and start to walk under the water and I notice that the water is up to my chin...and I start to get a bit uncomfortable.  Unfortunately as I get older I have developed a bit of claustrophobia sometimes.  So I head back out of the water and after a minute I head back down.

Video of Jack heading underwater

All 4 of us are underwater and this interesting video shows the tremendous variety of fish that will gather around when they chum the water!

Video of Jack, Jenny, Mark and John Helmet Diving

Video of us climbing out at the end of the Helmet Dive

Video of Jack snorkling, fish, divers, etc.

Returning to Port Douglas

Down Under – 3/12 - 3/14/14 – Brisbane / Sunlander Train

We say goodbye to Cottesloe at 5:15AM and I drive us to the Perth airport to head across Australia to Brisbane

We arrive in Brisbane and check into the Sofitel and immediately do the one thing we have truly perfected...eat!  We walk to a large shopping center and find the food court.

Afterwards some decide to go shopping and Anne & I head for a rambling walk to up our Fitbit count.

We first stop into a travel agency as I have a question as to whether our luggage is accessible on the train we will be taking tomorrow to Cairns...it will not be so we have to pack an overnight bag.

The agent with knowledge

 We stroll down the street to find the public botanical gardens and happen upon a lizard scoping out his next meal.

Lilly pond

Lilly pond

They have bike sharing too

We head from the gardens to the harbor and walk along for some time.  We have to be careful to walk on the correct side so we don't get run over by the bikers.

For random boaters there is this first-come-first-served dock area that is free...no big yachts here.

Restaurants on the harbor

We turn in early as we're bushed...tomorrow is the train to Cairns. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cairns

We get up and head for the train station to get on the Sunlander.  http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g255068-d612043-r129846437-Tilt_Train-Brisbane_Queensland.html

We have to thru this strict weigh-in process as each bag cannot be over 20kg and they make us take out items until we meet this limit.

Our cozy cabin

Onto the train we go!  There is a restaurant car and a club car with snacks.  The train is filled with all types of people.  And, BTW, today is 3/13 and is my birthday.  My fellow travelers actually fake me out and sneak presents onto the train right in front of my face:

• a 3 foot gummy worm  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7RXmNRr8x7I
• a box of jelly beans

I ended up sharing the gummy worm with everyone in the club car after the chef graciously cut it up (he did wear gloves)

The jelly beans

Miles and miles of sugar cane

And bananas

I can't say that I slept fitfully on the train but this was a restful interlude in our otherwise hectic schedule.  We pulled into Cairns around 7PM on 3/14/

Down Under – 3/9/14 – Yanchep National Park, Perth, Western Australia

We sleep in at the Ocean Beach Hotel and then wander down to the beach for breakfast at a local eatery, Barchetta http://www.barchetta.com.au/  Great food and a wonderful location!

Cottesloe, the beach town outside of Perth, is where we are based.  It's the weekend and the place is packed with people and the cars are crawling along the streets...but it doesn't seem too crowded and we are enjoying the slow schedule.

We walk up the beach to the Cottesloe Sculpture by the Sea area.  Various artists from around the world have come here to build various sculptures on the beach...it's a competition and the winner earns $50,000...the individual sculptures are also sold to art lovers. http://www.sculpturebythesea.com/artists/cottesloe/exhibiting-artists.aspx

Sculpture by the Sea videos
http://youtu.be/PE5r4wScEsQ

http://youtu.be/j1681sE-EkU          Grand prize winner

In the early afternoon Vince met up with us and we headed north to visit Yanchep National Park...about 50km from Cottesloe.  While I am definitely getting the hang of driving here it surely takes a lot of concentration not to make a mistake...for instance making a right turn at a light always has me thinking so I don't go on the wrong side of the street.

Vince takes us on the scenic route, the equivalent of US1 on the coast of California.  We see all the cool houses being built facing the shore...multi-million dollar homes everywhere.

We arrive at Yanchep National Park. http://parks.dpaw.wa.gov.au/yanchep  We pull up to the guard booth to pay the entrance fee and I start to BS with the lady about a "Yankee discount" and eventually we discover she lived in Ballwin for several years!  It is a regular surprise how many people we meet who have lived in our fine city!

Our first stop is to visit the 10 Koala bears that they have here...they are incredibly difficult to find in the trees as they blend in so well.

Uh...this is a picture of a poster!

At the same time there are some very noisy birds flying overhead.

Parrots

Noisy parrots:  http://youtu.be/Rjit5kRmyjo

Next we piled back into the van to go to the golf course where Vince promised us BIG kangaroos...he wasn't lying!

Kangaroo golf video: http://youtu.be/1leki4c_z4A

Time for a drink and to watch the Kookaburra birds picking food off the plates left by others.

See the Kookaburra in the background?

Driving back to Cottesloe Vince had us detour to visit Kings Park which overlooks the city of Perth. http://www.bgpa.wa.gov.au/kings-park

Back to Vince's condo where he served us a wonderfully simple dinner...but delicious!