Australia - Cairns

G'day from Australia!  I'm fulfilling one of my dream trips by going on a tour of Australia and New Zealand.  I wasn't sure I'd be able to get internet access or how often and I likely won't be able to upload pictures until I get back home but I thought I'd try snatching some time to blog while I can and wherever I can get cheap internet access.  I'm at an internet cafe at the moment for $3 an hour although my goal is not to spend more than 20 minutes a day online.  I'm here to experience the trip, not just write about it.  I'll be hijacking my baking blog to blog a bit about my trip.  Although knowing me, you know food will feature prominently here.  It'll just be Aussie and NZ food.


I've been in transit for almost 24 hours now and am operating on 3 hours' sleep over a 2-day period so I'm a bit punchy.  We're in Cairns for the first leg of the tour.  Flew to Brisbane first to go through Customs & Immigration.  I finally got an Australian stamp on my passport (although I confess to being disappointed that it doesn't actually SAY Australia on it.  But I'll know what it is).  Then boarded another plane to fly to Cairns.  It's more tropical here, i.e. humid and 90 degrees.  First thing I need to stock up on is water to keep hydrated.  And I thought I had packed the sunblock I had bought especially for the trip only to discover it's nowhere in my suitcase.  So that's the second item on the buy list.  There's a grocery store near our hotel so I'm checking that out as soon as I log off.

Australia is actually quite expensive and our tour guide, Erica, corroborated this.  The store prices so far confirm it.  Fortunately I don't have a lot to buy other than food and souvenirs.  Gotta go - tomorrow is a trip to the Great Barrier Reef.  Stay tuned....

ETA: aerial view of Cairns as we approach the airport to land