©Countrybagging.com
I spent two weeks in Australia, split between the far north Queensland, and Sydney. The flight from Tokyo into Cairns was empty, as it was on Good Friday, and landed in Cairnes in the middle of the night. I waited for a bus that never arrived - eventually I gave up and took a taxi into town.
After a day in Cairnes (in the McCloud street Youth Hostel) I took a coach up the coast to Port Douglas, and spent the night in this pleasant town. The hotel had a special feature in the garden outside, the lawn was alive with crabs - small ones, that seemed to move in waves - a very strange effect - needless to say I stayed in my room, and out of the garden! The next day I was one the move again, further north with a stop to take a trip up the Daintree River by boat - Crocodile hunting. I was told to keep my hands inside the boat and not to drape them in the flowing water as crocks had been known to take a hand off. I thought that this advice was just to scare the tourists, until the guide pointed out a baby crock on the river bank...
That night was spent in a 5-star tent with an en-suite, in the rain forest in Cape Tribulation (PK's jungle lodge). I don't think I appreciated Cape Tribulation when I was there. It is a truly beautiful place where the rain forest comes straight down to the beach, which is wide and white, and un-trodden by other humans. Just don't go in the Ocean - if the sharks don't get you, the jellyfish will.
After returning to Cairnes I did a recreational scuba dive on the Great Barrier Reef - one of the most amazing things I've done. If you get the chance do it!
On the way down to Townsville, and my flight to Sydney, I spent a day on Magnetic Island, so called by Captain Cook as it seemed to effect his compass. A lovely island that can only be accessed by boat, and having some great beaches.
After flying down to Sydney I managed to take in a concert at the Opera house, do a harbour cruise, and see the Blue mountains. Also made it out to see Bondi beach which was windswept, and empty, and much smaller than I thought it would be!
I also took the ferry out to Watsons Bay, where Doyles Hotel sells its famous Fish and Chips, and had a look around the lighthouse at the entrance to Sydney Harbour.
You haven't got JavaScript enabled - you're missing out