Cairns

Cairns is a funny place. It's branded a city, but then everywhere, according to the locals, is classed as a city. It cannot though deal with anything too specific, as we found out with the netbook, and relies upon its bigger neighbours down south to help out.



It's also and more obviously a tourist destination. Two million people arrive in Cairns each year just to visit the Great Barrier Reef! If diving's your bag, you go to Cairns. Don't forget Cape Tribulation and Kuranda too!




It's a shopping district. Due to the masses of high rise hotels, hostels, apartments that attract the people for business and pleasure, plenty of shops line the seafront and the nighttime markets and geared for everyone's needs.






It's also an ex-pat haven. Many Brits head to Cairns to enjoy the spoils of the hot weather and up to very recently the impressive exchange rate between the pound and the dollar. Needless to say this has now slowed! (We're only getting 1.7 dollars to the pound!)



It's also end of the line, or start of the line, for many backpackers. Deals including the free meals at the Woolshed bar for hostel users are commonplace...



...as are the $10 pitchers for televised matches such as the appauling England vs Slovenia match so watch out for some roudy-ish behaviour!!!






Fellow travellers that we bumped into weeks ago turned up out of the blue to form a mini-reunion...goon and all...and at one point we knew 6/8 people in an adjoining dorm just between here and Brisbane.



It's also home to loads of Australians and what a home it must be. The Esplanade, the walkway along the seafront is a marvellous feature that itself is home to memorials,




parks, benches, trees



and information boards about Cairns' history that are sensitively lit up at night.



At the far end is the Lagoon, a man made swimming area to protect the residents (and tourists) from the dangers out at sea (it was being refurbished when we were there!).



Behind that is more grassland for evening fitness classes, football kickarounds, picnics etc that looks out to sea but has its own toilet and changing areas.

It's a good place for foodies. Due to the cosmopolitan nature of the city, outside eating is the norm especially on the forward facing streets out to sea. Restaurants, takeaways, cafes for every budget can be found here and it seems like pizza is the city's favourite. Amber & I with Mel & Sophie were fortunate to be entertained by Anthony, another Whitsundays alumni member, who cheffed at one restaurant, with superb pizzas and ravioli with lamb & truffle oils!!!



It's a place for outside entertainment. The Esplanade was playing host to an event promoting local Aboriginal artwork and music by an organisation called UMI (You-Me). It was inspiring to hear of their work trying to break down some of the boundaries and prejudices between modern day Australia and modern day Aborigine communities.



So, to summarise Cairns, its just an allround great place. I loved it here.




The amount of outdoors living, be that socially or recreationally, is important to the people and seems too be recognised by the town authorities. There's plenty of activities going on within the community, but also provides an outlet for the more adventurous through scuba diving, skydiving, bungee jumping, you name it!



As with Poole & Bournemouth, the urban centre isn't very far from interesting natural countryside that can offer camping, 4WD, walks etc. It probably isnt that suprising that I like it here then :)