CAIRNS & RAINFOREST - seventh stop (08.-10.12)

First day: Cairns city

As I arrived in Cairns earlier than I’ve planned and had nearly the whole day to explore the city in the north of the east coast.

So here is what I did on the first day:

• Rustys Market

The first place I went to was the big Rusty market which is only open on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. There are lots of street food varieties for good prices. The best thing is that the fruit and vegetable sellers offer many fresh products, which you can taste. So if you are hungry, go to the market and grab snacks: watermelons, Mandarines, paw paws, apricots, avocados, pears, mangoes, I’ve tried it all. Most fruits are from local farmers. You can also buy herbs, souvenirs, fish, cheese or meat there.

• Cairns Central

Cairns central is the largest shopping centre in the city. It is near the bus and train station. So if you are looking for a shopping adventure, go there.

• The Pier

The Pier is located next to the harbour. It is kind of a shopping centre, but there are many cafes and restaurants outside where you can drink or eat something like fresh seafood while watching the boats.

• The lagoon

The beach in Cairns is influenced by tides, so it is not recommended to swim there, but therefore you can go swimming in the lagoon. Grab some snacks and have a picnic there.

• Shops

The city provides many shops where you can find everything you wish: grocery shops, travel angencies, lots of clothing stores, bars, pubs, boutiques, ... Just stroll around.

• Art gallery

When I visit a city I like going to museums or art galleries. The art gallery in Cairns is free, so go and have a look at the artworks from local artists.

• Night markets

One of my favourite things in cairns is that you can always find good and tasty food. The night market is open from 4.30pm to 10pm every day. I had a big delicious sushi roll for only 4$. You can also get a meal from the buffet for 10$. You will definitely find something you like. They also sell souvenirs or you can have a massage after a stressful day.

• Walk along the esplanade

I walked along the esplanade when the tide was low, so I saw the pelicans and birds sitting in the sand and watching for fish. You can see a lot of animals if you have a closer look.

I stayed at the YHA hostel in Cairns which I can highly recommend because it has a relaxing atmosphere. There is a pool in the middle, a barbecue area, every day free pancake breakfast, special evening activities like free pizza or movie nights with popcorn.

Second/ third day: Daintree Rainforest & Cape Tribulation

Did you know that north of Cairns is one of the wonders of the world, where rainforest meets coral 'Great Barrier reef'? I wanted to see this unique place, which is why I decided to spend two days in the rainforest and one night in the jungle.

I was picked up from the hostel at 7.30am and was lucky to sit in the bus in front with the best view. We drove along the coast, past the Palm Cove beach, many bananas and mango farms or a Baramundi fish farm. The further north we came, the less population and stores were there. The first stop was a lookout over the coast. Since I was the co-pilot of the bus driver, I could talk to him and he told me about his interesting life, because he works 3 1/2 months as a tour guide and then travels 8 months around the world... sounds like a perfect plan. The next activity was a visit to the Aboriginal Cultural Centre Mossman Gorge in the Lower rainforest. We were greeted with a traditional smoking ceremony and then made our way to a river where we had a swim. On the trail the tour guide found a mango that I was privileged to eat: very sweet and natural taste. Cooling down in the clear water was very good. We learned a lot about plants that the natives use to fight wounds or insect bites. Or which animals live in the rainforest: such as cassowaries (similar to emu), snakes, spiders, crocodiles, crabs, fish, butterflies (very rare blue butterfly), koala, ... We also saw many of them in the wild. Unfortunately we haven't seen a big crocodile on our river cruise, just a baby one.Then I was dropped off at my hotel: Ferntree Lodge. This was located in the middle of the rainforest, there was no mobile data, mobile network or shops. Isolated from the outside world and civilization. But it was a perfect place to relax for a day. First I walked to a swimming hole, which was nearby. The atmosphere was indescribable and I heard the sounds of the rainforest. Then I walked along the beach and along a hiking trail through the middle of the jungle. The tour guide advised us to be especially careful, as many 5m long crocodiles and snakes often stay on the beach. Fortunately I saw none, but many birds, crabs, peacocks. Impressive was the ecosystem in the rainforest and the adaptation of the plants to the climatic conditions. The roots partly look like ribbon, stand out from the swamp like branches or wind around other trees to form a symbiosis. So when I arrived back at the hotel, I heard didgeridoo music across the street. I came to a small hippie party with a stage, yoga mats were set up in front of it and in the background there was a small bar. The atmosphere was so good that I felt comfortable and stayed longer. It got dark and I watched the full moon and the stars as I listened to the band. I met a guy who told me it was a party of several actors from Los Angeles making a Hollywood movie in the jungle. Among others the actress of Transformers 3 Isabela Moner, a Grammy Winner and directors. I will never forget this experience. I found out that they all were living in my hotel and saw them the next morning again.

Day two in the rainforest started for me relaxed with a bath in the pool. Afterwards I walked with a Canadian woman, whom I met on the tour, to the Cape Tribulation vantage point and to the Creek. An untouched beach, now I know how James Cook must have felt back then. In the hotel I ate a huge tofusalat before the tour guide picked us up again to explore the rainforest further. Next stop: Hiking route through swamp area, anyone who wanted could also eat ants, which are considered healthy by the natives. Afterwards we drove to an ice cream factory, which produces everything itself and cultivates the fruits: I ate four scoops: I was afraid: Vanilla, Plum, Mango and pineapple. All freshly prepared. Now we went back south towards Cairns: on the way we stopped at Alexandra Lookout and Port Douglas, a luxurious harbour town.

Fourth day: Kuranda

This was my last day in Cairns, but my bus departed at 1am in the morning so I had the whole day to do something. I have heard from many the recommendations to go to Kuranda. I took the public bus, a one way ticket costs 6.80$ and it takes 40min to get to the village in the rainforest. There an artistic village with many markets awaited me. It reminded me a bit of Bali. It was street food: Asian, Indian, German, ...

You can buy aboriginal art, clothes, jewelry, anything you want or Tarot cards, get massaged and much more. The weather was very humid that day, but what was good was that the smell and the colors in the rainforest looked completely different again. I also visited the old Railway Station, the Butterfly Sanctuary, the Skyrail and the Library. If you ask me, it is highly recommended to come to Kuranda for a day and feel the spiritual vibe.