We found out around the 19th that Jeff didn't have to work between Christmas and New Years, which was too late to get a flight back to the US for the holidays. Unfortunately. So, we decided to take advantage of the time and explore Australia. We booked a week in Port Douglas to explore the Great Barrier Reef and Daintree Rainforest. Both of which are World Heritage Sites (as defined by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as a site of as of special cultural or physical significance).
We flew out on Christmas Day, thinking that it would be quiet at the airport and we would arrive in Cairnes with no issues...EIGHT hours later, this actually happened. The airport in Melbourne is anything but quiet - school holidays (summer break) coincide with Christmas, so many families take advantage and utilize the entire break for their vacation time. It was a zoo. To complicate matters, Melbourne was experiencing a day of pretty severe thunderstorms. After we boarded the plane, we had to accommodate someone who was having a panic attack and needed to get off the plane - with her whole family and their baggage for over an hour. Then, we sat on the tarmac in 100km/hr wind, rain and hail for over an hour. Yes, we had a white Christmas!
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| If you look really hard, I'm certain that you can see dime sized hail. |
Once we finally arrived in Port Douglas, we got to FaceTime with Jeff's family and watch the kiddo's open their presents and chat with everyone...we miss you guys! Then we got up to FaceTime with my family just as they were having dessert - so good to see everyone. We miss you and love you!
We are staying at a Sheraton and it was likely built in 1970 or so, and at the time, it was HOT. Now, however, it is NOT. But, I will say that it is very clean, the staff is wonderful, and let's face it...we don't plan on spending that much time in the room from 1970.
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| Sweet-a$$ shell headboard. |
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| Gold fixtures, shell shaped sink, and triangle bathtub. |
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| Control panel night stand...can pretty much launch a satellite. |
Monday we hadn't planned anything but relaxing by the pool and exploring. It may occur to you that we went to the northern coast of Australia, and we were planning to sit by the pool...this seemed odd to us at first, too...until we figured out that we were visiting during "stinger" season, and these things mean business. The Irukandji jellyfish are in the coastal waters from October to March, so you can't swim in the ocean...if you want to be freaked out about these stinking jellyfish, follow this link. So, as expected, we decided to sit by the pool...and an awesome saltwater, 2.1 hectare pool it is :)
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| What the sign really says, "Don't swim in the ocean. If you do, you might die." |
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| Right next to the sign is one of these...a tube that holds vinegar...which will hold off the extreme pain from the stinger until you can get to the hospital and get morphine. |
This place is gorgeous...like what you see in movies and pictures that someone else takes. It is unbelievable...
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| 4 Mile Beach. Right outside of our hotel. |
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| Huge palm trees and coconuts everywhere. |
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| Our view from brekkie. |
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| Daintree Rainforest. |
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| What appears to be a smoking volcano, but what we believe is more of the Daintree. |
To end the day, we got back to our room after dinner and found this little guy.
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| Karma chameleon. |
He freaked me out - they are cute and fascinating outside, but not so much in our room. Jeff got him out of the room and outside, which is good, otherwise I would have had to change rooms. And I wouldn't want to risk a night without the shell headboard.
Tomorrow, we head out for a full-day of snorkeling on the Great Barrier Reef, complete with lycra suits, to protect us from the Irukandji. Hopefully the Great Whites will be immune to the powers of lycra, as well.
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| Awesome hats to protect us from the super strong Aussie sun! |
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