The Great Barrier Reef

 Arriving in Melbourne | The Great Ocean Road | Melbourne Sightseeing 

We set off for Cairns our 5th morning in Australia! Once we landed we rented our car and Matt took the wheel for the first time driving on the left side of the road and the right side of the car (he had previously driven on the left side in Grand Cayman but the car was made in America so the steering wheel was still on the left side!). 

We immediately hit the road to try and catch the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway before the closed for the day. We made it! But the weather had different plans. We made it to the first stop where we had to stop for a storm in the rainforest. We waited about 45 minutes and there were signs that it wasn't going to let up so they put us back in a cable car and we headed back down to where we started. We were bummed! We got our money back, hit the gift shop and then headed to our hotel.

Since we now had some unexpected free time and it wasn't raining on the coast we took a walk along the coastal sidewalk, headed to a local grocery store to check out what foods are like and packaged like in Australia and had a bite to eat at Muddy's Café. 

{flying into Cairns, snorkeling, Fitzroy Island, view from the Skyrail, reef, helicopter ride}

The next day we decided to have breakfast at Muddy's Café too and then we headed to the marina to check-in for our day long snorkel trip to the Great Barrier Reef! Our boat stopped at Fitzroy Island to pick up and drop people off (must stop here next time!) and then headed on its way to Moore Reef. We spent the whole day there! We snorkeled, took a helicopter tour of the reef and sunbathed. The excitement for the day was when we were snorkeling and a turned around to find a jellyfish right in front of my face! Luckily I was able to swim away before it stung me! We also saw some sea turtles while we snorkeled. And while we were in the helicopter we spotted a reef shark! It was a nice day on the water! 

Once back on land we decided to head up to see Barron Falls before it got dark. We would have seen this form the Skyrail had we been able to ride all the way up. It was quite the twisty and turny ride up the hillside and being on the opposite side of the road I think I had a few minor heart attacks! But we made it! 

{Barron Falls, more from the Skyrail and more from the Great Barrier Reef day trip}

After Barron Falls we returned to our hotel kind of late and it didn't look like much was open for food so we ate at the hotel. They didn't prepare my food right the first time I didn't end up eating until almost 8:30pm! And if you know me, that's late! If I hadn't had the fries to keep my tummy happy I would have been very hangry! 

It was a quick 1.5 days in Cairns and I wish we would have booked more time here (next time!). We stayed in Cairns at the Holiday Inn and if we had spent more time here I would have liked to have stayed at the Sheraton in Port Douglas and added the Daintree National Park to our list of activities.