Reefs and rainforests

Cairns is an interesting place.  Perhaps most notably, it is incredibly hot and humid.  We are here during the rainy season, which as far as I can tell just means that we get one or two rain showers a day, which typically don't last long.  We are told that it also means that there are a lot fewer tourists than during the peak seasons.  However, I don't think I would want to see this place crowded with twice as many people (there still seem to be plenty).

The town of Cairns itself doesn't have all that much going on, and instead seems to function mainly as a jumping off point for a whole slew of tropical activities.  The most prominent and surprising feature of Cairns, in my opinion, is the thousands of huge bats that live here.  On our first evening, we were walking to dinner and noticed hundreds of what we thought were birds darting in and out of the trees.  A closer look told us, however, that these were definitely not birds.  They were flying foxes, which wikipedia tells me are the largest bats in the world.  They are huge, and loud, and there are thousands of them hanging upside down in the trees and flying around Cairns in the evening.  The sight is at the same time incredibly fascinating and incredibly creepy.

Bats aside, the obvious draw of Cairns is its proximity to the Great Barrier Reef.  On Tuesday we took a day long boat trip that allowed us to snorkel at two different spots in the reef.  The second spot was an area of the reef for which they only issue 28 permits each year, so we were incredibly lucky to get to see it.

The reef is incredible.  I've been snorkeling in a few other places around the world, and they just don't compare.  Usually, the highlight of snorkeling is seeing pretty fish.  Here, the coral formations of the reef itself are breathtaking, and seeing pretty fish is just the icing on the cake.

The pictures don't do it justice - it was truly one of the most impressive things I've ever seen.  We will be spending two nights on an island in the reef and I can't wait to get out and see more of it.

To take a break from the sun, yesterday we ventured into the rainforest to a small village called Kuranda, where there are a number of small shops and restaurants.  Kuranda also has the largest butterfly aviary in Australia, which was very impressive (if sweltering and humid).  We took a scenic rainforest walk before heading back to Cairns via a 45 minute ride on a sky bucket, skimming the top of the forest.

Today's adventure involves me learning to drive on the wrong side of the road in one of our hotel's complimentary smart cars.  Wish me luck!