CAIRNS AND THE GREAT BARRIER REEF

Arvin, Debbie and I traveled by bus then train to the airport and then boarded Virgin Air for Cairns....an experience!

  Our balcony of our apartment was surrounded by trees....beautiful!  We are waiting by the office for our tour bus to the Rainforest National Park

Flying Foxes....bats hanging all over 3 or 4 cashew trees.   Debbie and I took a tour of the city and surrounding area.  We went to the Cairns Botanic Garden with so many unusual flowers and trees!

The bus stopped at this cute little cafe and treated us to hot fresh scones with jam and cream...yummy

 Palm Cove where the Paper Trees are huge! The government told the developers that they had to build around the trees.

  Our dive and snorkel experience was aboard the Reef Magic.  We were onboard for about 2 hours before we reached the outer barrier reef and our floating launch! Debbie went diving and I went snorkeling....Arvin went on the submersible glass boat!! Our last day Debbie and I went to Green Island to snorkel for a half day off the Green Island beach! They had a great little shopping area between the pier and beach area that was all wood flooring.  There was also a hotel and swimming pool and eating places!