elisebutt
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Aug 7, 2001
- Messages
- 590
Trip participants Colin (43) Me (38) and Zach (8)
Day 4 2nd June 2003
We had to get up at 6.00 am today as we were being picked up at 07.15 for our day trip to the rainforest and Kuranda. Only to remember I hadnt confirmed the trip aaagh. The receptionist quickly phoned for us and found out they were scheduled to pick us up in Cairns (oops) but luckily had a driver in port Douglas who rescheduled to pick us up. We were duly picked up at around 07.20 and arrived at the train station about 08.15. Gorgeous little station but didnt really have time to look around, just grabbed a bacon sarnie and a coffee and then off we went winding through rainforest and over the Barron Gorge for about and hour and a half, beautiful scenery, lots of waterfalls until we got to Kuranda the village in the rainforest at about 10.00 am.
This was a lovely little village but totally spoilt by the tourism aspect loads of tacky cafes and shops etc. The Heritage market was lovely, with loads of local arts stalls, things made of dead kangaroo (not so lovely), opals etc. We had the 2nd half of breakfast a shared bowl of nachos and coffee. Then went shopping. I bought an opal necklace for Mums Xmas pressie and a bullroarer for Zach. We visited the Koala experience, which is where we got the piccy of Zach, also saw some freshwater crocodiles and fed some roos and wallabies aaah so sweet. Pity I switched the camcorder off instead of on duh!!!
*And in case anyone is wondering I forgot my camera double duh!! Colin took loads tho on his digital and Ill upload some soon. Zach managed to have all 3 disposable on the go at once so I only have one complete film. *
Anyway we made our way down to the Skyrail station for 12.15 to get our tickets. Zach then threw the first of his major wobblers and I narrowly missed a black eye (ow), only through lack of force though, when told he couldnt have an ice cream on the gondola. Dragged screaming onto gondola where we all relaxed for the longest gondola ride in the world (about 6.9 km I think) over the top of the rainforest. We got off at one of the stops to have a look from the lookouts and to play in the interactive area. The whole journey took about 1½ hours.
Then at the bottom we made our way to the aboriginal experience Tjapukai. First of all we had the inclusive all you can eat buffet lunch yummy. I had vegetable curry, steamed veg, curried reef fish, cous-cous, lentil daal and a little spoonful of a couple of desserts (blancmange and pavlova). I couldnt resist the fresh pineapple and melon tho and had heaps.
We then went to the dance theatre to see the aboriginal dancing, didgeridoo playing, spear and boomerang throwing and the history theatre. Then we took a break for a drink and back on the bus for 16.40, where we all zonked out until we got back at 18.15. Zach went straight to bed so we ate downstairs I had an omelette and Col had a burger, before hitting the laundry and going to bed at 10.00 after a glass of white.
Day 4 2nd June 2003
We had to get up at 6.00 am today as we were being picked up at 07.15 for our day trip to the rainforest and Kuranda. Only to remember I hadnt confirmed the trip aaagh. The receptionist quickly phoned for us and found out they were scheduled to pick us up in Cairns (oops) but luckily had a driver in port Douglas who rescheduled to pick us up. We were duly picked up at around 07.20 and arrived at the train station about 08.15. Gorgeous little station but didnt really have time to look around, just grabbed a bacon sarnie and a coffee and then off we went winding through rainforest and over the Barron Gorge for about and hour and a half, beautiful scenery, lots of waterfalls until we got to Kuranda the village in the rainforest at about 10.00 am.
This was a lovely little village but totally spoilt by the tourism aspect loads of tacky cafes and shops etc. The Heritage market was lovely, with loads of local arts stalls, things made of dead kangaroo (not so lovely), opals etc. We had the 2nd half of breakfast a shared bowl of nachos and coffee. Then went shopping. I bought an opal necklace for Mums Xmas pressie and a bullroarer for Zach. We visited the Koala experience, which is where we got the piccy of Zach, also saw some freshwater crocodiles and fed some roos and wallabies aaah so sweet. Pity I switched the camcorder off instead of on duh!!!
*And in case anyone is wondering I forgot my camera double duh!! Colin took loads tho on his digital and Ill upload some soon. Zach managed to have all 3 disposable on the go at once so I only have one complete film. *
Anyway we made our way down to the Skyrail station for 12.15 to get our tickets. Zach then threw the first of his major wobblers and I narrowly missed a black eye (ow), only through lack of force though, when told he couldnt have an ice cream on the gondola. Dragged screaming onto gondola where we all relaxed for the longest gondola ride in the world (about 6.9 km I think) over the top of the rainforest. We got off at one of the stops to have a look from the lookouts and to play in the interactive area. The whole journey took about 1½ hours.
Then at the bottom we made our way to the aboriginal experience Tjapukai. First of all we had the inclusive all you can eat buffet lunch yummy. I had vegetable curry, steamed veg, curried reef fish, cous-cous, lentil daal and a little spoonful of a couple of desserts (blancmange and pavlova). I couldnt resist the fresh pineapple and melon tho and had heaps.
We then went to the dance theatre to see the aboriginal dancing, didgeridoo playing, spear and boomerang throwing and the history theatre. Then we took a break for a drink and back on the bus for 16.40, where we all zonked out until we got back at 18.15. Zach went straight to bed so we ate downstairs I had an omelette and Col had a burger, before hitting the laundry and going to bed at 10.00 after a glass of white.
