Kuranda

Today was another great day! A couple people had recommended that I take either the train or Skyrail (gondola cable car) up to a little village in the rainforest called Kuranda. I decided to do a package that included the Kuranda Scenic Railway going up and the Skyrail coming back down (plus transfers from my hotel -- always a plus!).

The train ride was really nice with gorgeous views of the Cairns coast, Barron River Gorge and Falls, and the surrounding mountains and rainforest. Once I got to the top, I decided to do a little hike through the rainforest and along the river. It was HOT and I was glad to be under the rainforest canopy! Regardless, I was pretty sticky and sweaty before long. Again, this area reminds me a lot of Costa Rica. We certainly don't have anything like this in the States!

Then I walked around the town a little and (mostly) resisted the urge to buy anything. I got some ice cream and this neat little shop that sold fudge and sweets. The ice cream had all kinds of fruits that were local ingredients -- including mango and lychee. Yum!

I took the Skyrail down in the afternoon and that was really neat as well. It was really interesting to be up above the canopy and to be able to look out to the ocean.

Tomorrow is my last full day and I plan to walk around Cairns (which probably won't take long) and the Cairns Botanical Gardens and Whitfield Range Environmental Park. I feel like I really need to get some exercise each day as a good salad is kind of hard to come by. (Plenty of burgers and fish 'n chips, though...)

Nana and Sam, there's a bird that I see a lot. It's about the size and shape of a robin, mostly brown, with bright yellow legs, beak, and yellow around the eyes. When it flies, there are wide white stripes across the wings. There are a lot in this resort complex and they call to each other quite a bit.

It occurred to me again today how much I love traveling and seeing new and interesting places!