What Can You Do In Cairns?

I had my xmas break for 9 days in Cairns, Queensland, Australia. Just happened that my bro in law got a job in Cairns, so we had the chance to stay with him for a couple of days in his apartment a few blocks away from the beach. Here are some of the things that we did in Cairns:

1. Swimming - the beach is infested with stingers (jellyfishes) and also crocodiles, so the government built a man-made lagoon right next to the beach (Esplanade Lagoon). It has shallow areas & sandy parts for toddlers to play around. The max depth is only 1.5m, so everyone can swim and play in the lagoon that contains chlorined salt water. The place is also patrolled by full time lifeguards. I spent almost all my mornings in Cairns at the lagoon with my toddler son.
2. Crabbing - termed after the word FISHING, meaning catching crabs. We used a crab pot (don't be mistaken for crackpots!) or crab cage stuck with fish meat or fish heads to lure the crabs along the Esplanade pier into the trap. There will be a follow up post on CRABS & CRABBING in the near future.
   
3. Take a drive to Crystal Cascades - 1 hour's drive from the city, there's a small tar road leading to a waterfall with cooling waters.
4. Port Douglas - this is the nearest town from the Great Barrier Reefs. We did not have time to venture off to the islands off Port Douglas with crystal clear seas. The beaches here were also full of stingers so we only managed to walk along the beach. The views from the car ride from Cairns to Port Douglas is very scenic. We also managed to visit the P.D street markets in town.
5. Mossman Gorge Waterfalls - 1/2 hour from Port Douglas, these waterfalls have much clearer waters than the ones at Crystal Cascades and the rainforest here is the world's oldest.
6. Cycling - best way to travel around Cairns city is by bike.
7. Snorkeling, scuba diving & skydiving- did not have time to try this...maybe when our toddler son is older??

Pictures in sequence from left to right (Crabbing at the Esplanade Pier, Mossman Gorge Waterfalls, Esplanade Lagoon Pool, Port Douglas Beach, Cycling in Cairns).

1 More Week Before My Holiday In Cairns

In 1 week's time I will be traveling to Australia to join my family for a vacation in Cairns.

I have been alone in Palembang for 3 months since my wife and kid left for Brisbane back in Sep'08. After this long 3 months of separation, I can't believe that I will be reunited again with my family. I guess the people who "left" will not feel as lonely as the people who were "left behind". Anyway I already had some mental preparation before the "annual separation". I know that it is quite boring in Palembang and 3 months of exposure in Australia is good for my toddler son's exposure. Every time he leaves Palembang, he seems to have grown more.

Prior to my connecting flight to Brisbane, I have a whole day in transit in Singapore. I took the opportunity to make an appointment with my old friend KJ, who was also my college house mate and high school friend. We have not met up for a few years because KJ seldom goes back to Penang (our hometown) for Chinese New Year. He told me that it is better to travel to other countries rather than squeeze his schedule to the CNY rush back to Penang. Anyway, I am quite excited to meet up with KJ although I have doubts on how to fill my time in Singapore despite KJ offering me the job of "Singaporean Tour Guide".

Palembang -> Singapore -> Brisbane -> Cairns. Looks like a pretty hectic flight schedule to me. But I can't wait to hug my wife and son in Cairns and go to the beach. Anticipating a hot hot hot Christmas in Cairns.

A Break After 3 Months

My work in Palembang only allows me to take 10 days off after working for 3 months. Last week was the time for a break and we decided to spend a few days in Port Dickson.

So we booked ourselves in Avillion Hotel Port Dickson, supposedly a 4 star hotel with over the sea chalets. The environment was pretty nice. All of us liked the place because:

1. We all love the beach & sea
2. We have a seaview room that has a balcony
3. We played in the sand then swam in the pool everyday
4. Loved the open air bathroom/shower
   

But a few minuses of that place were:

1. My wife got bitten by sand flies and they itched for a week!
2. I lost my credit card (partially my fault for not getting it back from the cashier after she swiped it, but if they were professionals they should have handed it back with the receipts)
3. The food is expensive but not up to a 4 star hotel's standard (too salty!)

In summary, we all enjoyed a short break after spending 3 months in Palembang.