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Cairns North

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    • Adventuring Down Under
      Day 107

      Cairns: GBR Liveaboard … No Go

      March 27 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 86 °F

      Actually, the liveaboard went ahead as planned. It just did so without us.

      What is a liveaboard? In Cairns, it’s when you live on a reef boat for a period of time to snorkel or dive at the Great Barrier Reef [GBR]. In our case, this was going to be a two night/three day experience with Divers Den.

      Well, late last night I got hit with a bout of vertigo — specifically, BPPV … Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo. I took one of the pills the doctor prescribed when I had an episode last fall. Mui then helped me with the Epley Maneuver, designed to re-align the crystals in the ear canal. Neither helped this time.

      With the symptoms worsening, in the wee hours of this morning, we walked over to the Cairns Hospital emergency room … just down the street from our hotel. Long story short, the doctor first confirmed that I was ailing from BPPV and not a more sinister neurological issue. He then induced the symptoms of vertigo — which is such a horrible sensation with the room spinning like crazy — to confirm the source was the crystals in the left ear. Finally, he performed a slightly different version of the Epley Maneuver … which’s seems to have done the trick … at least for now.

      I had my first BPPV episode in 2017 when we were returning to the USA from a trip to Türkiye. Then it disappeared until the episode I had last fall. And now this third episode in Australia. No one really knows what sets off BPPV … other than a sudden head movement that throws the crystals in the ear canal out of alignment. It is more prevalent amongst the 60+ group. So, I’ve learned to slow down my head movements. The only sudden movement I can recall in the past few days is a big sneeze that had me jerking my head away from the table. If that was the cause … well, darn it.

      Of course, there was no question of us going on the liveaboard … departure scheduled for 7:30a today. We canceled our reservation as soon as the Divers Den office opened this morning.

      I feel really bad for Mui because he’s the snorkeller in our family. He’s been out to the GBR twice before … on cruise ship calls on Cairns. Nonetheless, he was really looking forward to the liveaboard for some extended reef time. The good news? I convinced him to book a daytrip out to the GBR tomorrow … and maybe for the day after as well. No sense in him being stuck in a hotel room while I continue to rest up.      Read more

    • Adventuring Down Under
      Day 105

      New Tower … New Room

      March 25 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 86 °F

      Plop! Plop! Plop

      No … it wasn’t the sound of rain on the roof. Rather, it was a slow drip from the ceiling onto the carpet in the bedroom. In an out of the way corner. Nonetheless, it was a water leak.

      Nothing to do that late at night.

      This morning, on our way to breakfast, we stopped to talk to the front desk manager about changing our room. She immediately looked up available options and offered us a choice of three rooms. After breakfast, we joined her for a quick look-see.

      Two of the rooms were sea view … the suite looked inland, facing the tower where our room was located. Mui left the choice to me. I opted for the corner sea view room in the waterfront tower … bright and cheery and with an expansive view of the foreshore promenade.

      The bonus? The room seems to have undergone that facelift I mentioned our first room needed.      Read more

    • Adventuring Down Under
      Day 109

      Cairns: A Soaker of a Day

      March 29 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 82 °F

      It rained overnight. Quite heavy at times.

      It rained most of the day. Quite heavy at times. Strong enough to obscure the horizon.

      In other words, a good day to continue to recuperate. I still have some BPPV symptoms … much less intense than they were. Which means that I will continue the Epley Maneuver —the most common exercise used to move the crystals back into place — a couple of times per day until I am symptom-free for 24 hours. I found an excellent video by a vestibular doctor online to help ensure I am doing the maneuver the way it should be performed.

      Mui’s “at home,” too. When he returned from his “A #1” GBR snorkel experience yesterday, I had suggested that he might want to snorkel today as well. His response? “I’ll leave the snorkeling on a high note.” Considering how hard it rained today, that was a good decision.

      Now, at a little after 3:00p, the rain has seemingly stopped. But it is still overcast, so who knows if there is more wet stuff to fall from the sky before it is all said and done.

      In the meantime, I think we’ll go out for an early dinner while it is dry outside.

      That could fall under the “easier said than done” category, however. Today is Good Friday and most places here in Cairns are closed. Oh well. Worst case scenario we’ll eat here at the hotel.      Read more

    • TravelerAustralien 2022
      1
      14212
      Day 16

      Roadtrip

      July 24, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

      Heute haben wir endlich unseren coolen Leihwagen abholen können 😃. Wir haben uns 5 schöne Sehenswürdigkeiten vorgenommen und gerade so bis zur Dunkelheit geschafft 😅. Dabei haben wir irre Bäume aus dem Regenwald gesehen (den sog. curtain fig tree), runde Felsformationen bewohnt von Wallabies, Schlangen und Echsen, die wir sogar streicheln konnten. Viele Seen und Wasserfälle, in denen man sogar schwimmen konnten. Das war ein cooler Rundtrip, von heute morgen 10-19 Uhr. Tank ist halb leer. Morgen früh geht‘s auf ins Cape Tribulation 😉.Read more

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    • TravelerAustralien 2022
      21
      Day 12

      Walkaround

      July 20, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

      Laurenz hat heute seinen PADI fortgesetzt und ich bin in der Stadt herumgewandert und hab kurz bei unserem Tauchanbieter meine Klamotten für das Boot morgen ausgesucht. Zum zweiten Mal habe ich dabei einen Kaffee & ein Sandwich in meinem Lieblingscafe um die Ecke bestellt (1. Bild), bevor ich mich damit bewaffnet in die Stadt aufmachte. Interessant sind die Grillecken mit Planchas direkt an der Uferpromenade, die von jedem benutzt werden können. Das letzte Bild ist aus Laurenz Lernzimmer bei der Tauchschule 🧐. Wahrscheinlich essen wir heute Abend Burger bei Jimmy‘s, das sah beim Vorbeigehen ganz nett aus 👍.Read more

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    • Adventuring Down Under
      Day 104

      Welcome to Cairns

      March 24 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 84 °F

      A restful night on the Spirit of Queensland.

      Around 6:30a, the car attendants came around and restored the RailBeds to their daytime position. Breakfast service began at 7:00a. Why so early? Because we were due into Townsville — a turnaround station for crew and a good number of passengers — before 8:30a. No problem for us … both Mui and I were already up … Mui having taken advantage of the onboard shower facilities.

      Most of the stops the Spirit of Queensland makes are short … just long enough to embark/disembark passengers. Townsville was a longer stop, giving everyone a chance to disembark onto the platform to stretch their legs during the crew changeover. Just 10 minutes, but it was nice to walk around and get some fresh air.

      Once we were rolling again, the crew came around to take our lunch orders. And then it was time to relax again … reading, writing, watching a movie. The further north we went the more it rained … light and steady. But before the scenery was completely masked by the raindrops on the window, I saw a couple of kangaroos in the fields. Always fun to see wildlife out in nature.

      By lunch time, the engine crew had made up all but five minutes of the delay. Excellent. Airline quality food for our midday repast, and then it was time to get ready for our arrival in Cairns.

      We came into Cairns Station to continued rain … the wet seasons not entirely over up here. Making our way through the mall attached to the station, we ordered an Uber and got to our hotel without getting too wet. In the humid tropical heat, the slightly cooler rain was actually welcome.

      The Cairns Harbourside is a hotel on the Esplanade … the foreshore promenade. The reviews I had read when I booked this hotel are spot on. The facilities — a Holiday Inn until February of this year — are a little tired and could use a facelift. Clean, nonetheless. The staff are the stars. Everyone from the front desk clerk to the hospitality staff and the cleaners are exceptionally friendly and helpful. “No” does not seem to be part of their vocabulary.

      We settled into the sea view suite we had booked and took care of a few things while we waited for the sun that had come out at some point to descend on the horizon. The plan was to walk into town once things cooled off a bit. With the humidity and heat breaking a bit, the walk wasn’t too bad … about ½-hour to the CBD.

      When we were here in December 2023, I had an enjoyable lunch at Perottas. That’s where we went for dinner … good food, cold drinks, friendly serving staff.

      Even though the humidity was on the rise, we decided to walk back to the hotel instead of taking an Uber. The foreshore promenade was crowded … the locals doing what they usually do … coming out to enjoy the cooler evening hours. A good plan.      Read more

    • TravelerAustralien 2022
      3
      Day 10

      Cairns

      July 18, 2022 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 21 °C

      Wir sind heute morgen in der früh nach Cairns geflogen. Hier ist sehr schönes Wetter, heute waren es 27 Grad. Wir haben uns den einzigen noch verfügbaren Wagen für die 3 Tage Outback & Regenwald nach unserem Tauchkurs reserviert 😆. Schaut selber…passt aber gut zu unserem Abenteuertrip 😛. Das Hotel ist so lala, das beste ist noch der Pool. Jetzt geht es gleich auf den Night Food market von Cairns.Read more

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    • PE+N= (NZ+AU)*2024
      Day 47–52

      Cairns - tropical weather

      March 17 in Australia ⋅ 🌧 26 °C

      Jetzt sind wir in Cairns. Es ist heiß und regnet oft in Ströme. Am besten in Short, T-Shirt und Badelatschen bummeln bis die tropischen Regenduschen aufhören. Unsere Wohnung ist toll und gross und es gibt gluecklicherweise viele Restaurants, Shops und Ausflugs-möglichkeiten.

      Maintenant nous sommes à Cairns. Il fait chaud et il pleut des cordes ou il bruine tout au long de la journée . Il est préférable de se promener en short, en T-shirt et en tongs jusqu'à ce que les averses tropicales cessent. Heureusement, notre appartement est grand, tout à mon goût et très bien agencé. Il y a de nombreux restaurants, magasins et possibilités d'excursions. Il fait bon vivre dans cette petite bulle tropicale pour notre dernière semaines de vacances aux antipodes.      Read more

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    • PE+N= (NZ+AU)*2024
      Day 51

      Cairns - day 5 - Great barrier reef

      March 21 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 29 °C

      Endlich ein sicheres Wetter für den Bootausflug zum Great Barrier Reef. Wir nehmen den Katamaran nach dem Insel GREEN ISLAND, wo wir zuerst das Glas Boat dann den Semi-Submarine nehmen. Danach bleiben noch 30 Minuten Zeit, um uns aufzufrischen und am Strand zu baden.

      Enfin un temps favorable pour l'excursion tant attendue sur la Grande Barrière de Corail. Nous prenons le catamaran jusqu'à GREEN ISLAND, où nous prenons ensuite le bateau à fonds de verre puis le semi-sous-marin. Il nous reste encore 30 minutes pour nous rafraîchir et nous baigner à la plage avant de rentrer faire nos préparatifs pour notre dernière journée demain.      Read more

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    • PE+N= (NZ+AU)*2024
      Day 51

      Bye bye Cairns & Australia

      March 21 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 28 °C

      ...Und weil wir gestern nicht genug von der Unterwasserwelt hatten, haben wir heute vor unserem Flug noch das Aquarium in Cairns besucht.

      Et comme la vie sous-marine nous a tellement plu hier, nous,avons été voir l'aquarium de Cairns avant de prendre notre vol.Read more

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    Cairns North

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