Extra extra long weekend in Cairns

[harvyk]

CBR - SYD
B734

At 4:30am my alarm went off, I should almost be used to it as I've done a couple of other trips away over the last few weeks, but alas, no it does not get any easier. After both the Mrs and I had showers it was time to get baby harvyk up. This was her first experience with an omg o'clock wakeup call that was not initiated by her.

We got the bags into the car, got the baby into the car, and then subsequently de-iced the car. We got to CBR airport at 6:00am. Yes it was very early for a 7:30 am dom flight, but if there is one thing I've learnt it's way too much time on your hand is better than a lack of time when you're travelling with kids.

We went to check in, where the check in lady said she'd move us onto an earlier flight because our flight could be delayed. So with now only 15 minutes before boarding we went through security, and up into the QP for about the most ordinary cup of coffee we'd ever had.

As it was baby harvyk's first time in a lounge, it was a perfect time to grab a photo...



Soon after it was time to board... After take off we started turn left, and left again, I have to admit I started wondering if we'd gotten on the wrong flight, as this was the way to MEL, luckily enough the pilot put my mind at ease explaining that we'd been put into a holding pattern. Sure enough we soon turned towards SYD and the flight became the standard CBR-SYD positioning flight I love soooo much...

 

[harvyk]

SYD - CNS
B767

After arriving in SYD we made our way upto the QP where loads of pancakes where eaten



After doing the waiting thing for about an hour it was getting close to boarding, so we decided we'd walk down to the gate, as we where leaving the QP there was e call over the PA to say boarding had started. It looks like we hadn't skipped the lines and sure enough there was a nice line around gate 4, that said they where boarding the plane pretty quick.

We'd nabbed 23J and 23K so we had a bassinett in front of us . After push back we taxied over to 16R. That was strange I though, as we'd landed on 34L, and we'd seen a/c take off from 34L not 15 minutes before hand. After a wait which felt like forever we finally taxiied out and were soon underway.

Shortly after take off we pulled out the bassinett and put baby harvyk down, we won't goong to hear a peep out of her for the next 2 hours

Breakfast was served a short time later which was a rather acceptible egg tortia, and they put the movie on, men in black 3, which I hadn't seen so I decided not to get out the iPad.

About 45 minutes from landing baby harvyk decided it was time to see what was going on




Soon after I felt the plane starting to decend. It was of course at this point in time that baby harvyk decided she needed a new nappy. As I was walking towards the toilets, the pilot asked the cabin crew to prepare the cabin for landing. With that it seemed like half the cabin got up to use the loos as well. I almost felt like asking the ppl in the line for the loo "she's only 6 months old and doesn't know any better, what's your excuse" but decided the better of it. After about the quickest nappy change in history we raced back to our seat, and put o. our seatbelts just before the sign came on. Flying into CNS was impressive. We landed from the north, and sitting on the right hand side of the plane gave us some spectacular views.

With that we landed, and a short time later was inside a terminal that did not feel like we where still in AU. Every sign was in both English and either Japanese or Chinese, not sure which, which whilst makes sence, it was still a little strange to see.

Once we picked up our bags we made our way to the taxis as we'd found out that the shuttle to our hotel was $10 a person (so $20 for the two of us + baby harvyk) or we could taxi it for around $25 and get there in a fraction of the time of the shuttle bus without the scenic tour of the various other hotels. We decided the extra $5 was worth it.

On arrival at our hotel our room was not yet ready (no surprises there) and with that we left our bags and went out to find both lunch and a pair of shorts for me.

 

[Justinf]

Good stuff!
Your little un looks like she is about to begin teething. Have fun with that.

 

[harvyk]

Good stuff!
Your little un looks like she is about to begin teething. Have fun with that.

Been through it before 3 times, so we should survive...

 

[Simo]

Good TR

Look forward to more instalments

 

[harvyk]

After dropping our bags off at the hotel (the Mantra Trilogy) we walked over to the esplanade markets, whilst We didn't see any shorts there mrs harvyk did spot matching dresses, one for baby harvyk and one for little miss harvyk. Since we still didn't have shorts for me we wondered up to the nearby mall where we found shorts which only cost half the earth rather than a full planet. We also quickly grabbed lunch at the food court. After lunch we walked back towards the hotel, stopping past a gelato place on the way back.

After getting changed we wondered down to the esplanade again, and went for a swim in the lagoon. Neither us us could barely believe the esplanade, it was very clean and very well looked after, amd you just know that had it been placed in CBR there would have been some bloke ready to take $5 off you for entry, and yet here it was free.

After a way too short while, baby harvyk decided she'd had enough, so with that we walked back to the hotel, and the three of us had a much needed nap.



After a sleep we wandered out to find somewhere for dinner. Walking along the street we came across the "Night Markets", lets just say, and as someone who normally dislikes such things, it was so bad it was good. One of the more interesting places was the "Everything in this store glows" store, there was also more australian souvenir sotres than you could poke a pointy stick at. We walked upto the food court end and found a seafood and chinese self serve place. We could tell it was good as it was packed, and everywhere else was empty. So after getting our fill of seafood, we walked back to the hotel, through the night markets, abusing the plastic on the way.

 

[harvyk]

Day 2

After a 2am wake up call thanks to the fire alarm, the real alarm woke us up at 6:30.

After getting ourselves ready, we walked down to the Ferry Terminal (grabbing brekky on the way) and went to check in for our trip across to Green Island. Our boat was the appropriately named "Big Cat".



After boarding I went up and got my snorkelling gear for the day, as well as a couple of coffees.

The ride across was interesting. Lets just say baby harvyk did not enjoy it, and both mrs harvyk and I needed a clean change of clothes afterwards.



On arrival at green island we all went and got changed, and I went to go snorkelling. I first went straight out avoiding the jetty, and I was a little under whelmed at first, but I noticed most other people where snorkelling right under the jetty on the left hand side (the other side had some big boats coming and going, so you didn't want to go there) yeah that was impressive, and reminded me of all the photos you see of the great barrier reef in the various books and videos about the place. There was fish of virtually every colour, and there was some massive fish that if I ever tell anyone the size they will be like "yeah riiight". plus they where so used to ppl swimming that they had no problems with me swimming right up to them.



After that I swam back to the beach and met up again with mrs and baby harvyk. We wondered back down the wharf, where we stopped off half way and I jumped back into the water, where mrs harvyk took a photo of me swimming around the reef.

After the photo, we went back to the boat where they had placed out a buffet lunch.

 

[harvyk]

Me snorkelling over the great barrier reef

 

[jastel]

Coral around Green Is has been dead for decades, the bits on the left of the jetty are around the Underwater Observatory which have been placed there manually.
For better coral you need to go the outer reef...or somewhere less crowded.

 

[dfcatch]

Great TR Harvyk.

As mentioned - Green Is generally isn't a destination for us locals, but it's a perfect place to go when you have little ones in tow.

I have to admit - I went for a sail out to Green Is about 6 weeks ago when the sea was like glass, and besides the 12 humpbacks before lunchtime, I actually thought to myself that Green Is really is stunning when it turns it on.

It might not be the #1 choice for diving spots - but it sounds like you had a great time, and definitely a wise choice for baby Harvyk. It's also awesome for seeing Green turtles (hope you did)

Hope you enjoyed it

 

[Shane B]

I was sitting behind/opposite you in the Canberra QP on Saturday morning with my Mum. Took the same flights to Cairns.

I thought the egg tortilla thing was ok.

Thanks for the TR, hope you enjoy you stay. I am staying here for two weeks looking after a friend's house.

 

[harvyk]

Great TR Harvyk.

As mentioned - Green Is generally isn't a destination for us locals, but it's a perfect place to go when you have little ones in tow.

I have to admit - I went for a sail out to Green Is about 6 weeks ago when the sea was like glass, and besides the 12 humpbacks before lunchtime, I actually thought to myself that Green Is really is stunning when it turns it on.

It might not be the #1 choice for diving spots - but it sounds like you had a great time, and definitely a wise choice for baby Harvyk. It's also awesome for seeing Green turtles (hope you did)

Hope you enjoyed it

As someone who had never been to the GBR it seemed like a good place to start, and it didn't disappoint, and yeaterday morning looked almost postcard perfect.

Yes we saw several turtles swimming around. The guy driving the glass bottom boat pointed them out to us just before they surfaced.

 

[harvyk]

I was sitting behind/opposite you in the Canberra QP on Saturday morning with my Mum. Took the same flights to Cairns.

I thought the egg tortilla thing was ok.

Thanks for the TR, hope you enjoy you stay. I am staying here for two weeks looking after a friend's house.

It a shame we didn't catch up it's a good idea to check out Meetings and Social Events prior to flying as many of us post up trip plans there. Likewise, hope you enjoy your stay

 

[Limewood]

Pleased you had a good time in Cairns with family. We moved here nigh on 20 years ago from Sydney eastern suburbs, think we are blessed every time we return from OS or a big city, clean air no no pollution. traffic normally excellent, gets very hot 3 months of the year but we have aircon everywhere, best bit can wear shorts the year round!. Port Douglas 1 hour drive is nice too past all the beaches for lunch or a stay, then rain forests and cable car or train to or from Kuranda is icing on the cake.

 

[harvyk]

Pleased you had a good time in Cairns with family. We moved here nigh on 20 years ago from Sydney eastern suburbs, think we are blessed every time we return from OS or a big city, clean air no no pollution. traffic normally excellent, gets very hot 3 months of the year but we have aircon everywhere, best bit can wear shorts the year round!. Port Douglas 1 hour drive is nice too past all the beaches for lunch or a stay, then rain forests and cable car or train to or from Kuranda is icing on the cake.

the trips not over yet, thus the reason why this TR is going in drips and drabs

 

[k_sheep]

Thanks for the thread, heading there myself for a long weekend (no extra unfortunately!) next month So any locals with snorkelling tips, I'm all ears

 

[turtlemichael]

Thanks for the thread, heading there myself for a long weekend (no extra unfortunately!) next month So any locals with snorkelling tips, I'm all ears

I haven't been out for a good while but our visitors last week went out on Passions of Paradise and had a great time.

 

[Shane B]

Thanks for the thread, heading there myself for a long weekend (no extra unfortunately!) next month So any locals with snorkelling tips, I'm all ears

I'm heading out on Seastar Cruises on Wednesday, max 35 pax per trip.

Will let you know how it goes.

 

[dfcatch]

Thanks for the thread, heading there myself for a long weekend (no extra unfortunately!) next month So any locals with snorkelling tips, I'm all ears

Feel free to PM.

Don't want to breach posting rules - but have helped other AFF's with "Family and Friends" discounts on reef trips.

 

[harvyk]

Day 2 - Continued

Once we’d finished lunch we went and boarded the glass bottom boat, where we where taken further out over the reef. Again I saw a nice little collection of fish, and saw a turtle come up for air several times.



After the glass bottom boat we went back to the island, and wandered around a bit before making our way back onto the boat to take us back to Cairns.

On our way back we stopped past villa romana and picked up a couple of pizza’s to take up to our room. They had a $12 takeaway deal which seemed pretty good. We already had drinks up in the room, and the balcony was a very nice place to sit and eat dinner at.