Just been up in Cairns in the tropical north of Australia again for a brief holiday, about 2,500km 1,550 miles north of Sydney (where I live). Had great weather and it's pretty consistent temperatures (20-29C 68-84F) every day.
Just thought I'd post a few sample photo's of my trip:
Catching a boat out to Fitzroy Island, 45min trip from Cairns in the Great Barrier Reef
(http://img399.imageshack.us/img399/1661/smcairns050304ep.jpg)
Ariving in tropical paradise 8)
(http://img399.imageshack.us/img399/8385/smcairns050346ra.jpg)
Going for a walk eventually up to the summit, quite a steep track but some awesome views
(http://img399.imageshack.us/img399/5821/smcairns050486ce.jpg)
(http://img399.imageshack.us/img399/734/smcairns050612sb.jpg)
I could have sworn I saw Herman down near those rocks
(http://img399.imageshack.us/img399/231/smcairns050661qi.jpg)
(http://img399.imageshack.us/img399/2484/smcairns050749md.jpg)
(http://img370.imageshack.us/img370/6808/smcairns050756af.jpg)
Sunset
(http://img370.imageshack.us/img370/2569/smcairns050903zp.jpg)
(http://img370.imageshack.us/img370/426/smcairns050911ei.jpg)
The beaches around this Island are made up of coral, quite large pieces
(http://img370.imageshack.us/img370/4803/smcairns050986zd.jpg)
Leaving the Island :'(
(http://img366.imageshack.us/img366/2476/smcairns051097ja.jpg)
Back on the mainland I did a little trip to a place called Kuranda on a scenic old fashioned railway
(http://img366.imageshack.us/img366/9320/smcairns051173tl.jpg)
Barron Falls
(http://img366.imageshack.us/img366/9981/smcairns051255st.jpg)
The Barron River
(http://img366.imageshack.us/img366/4659/smcairns051296zu.jpg)
(http://img366.imageshack.us/img366/176/smcairns051328pz.jpg)
Catching the Skyrail back to Cairns which is fairly long and goes over the top of lush rainforest
(http://img366.imageshack.us/img366/2463/smcairns051448yk.jpg)
That's just a fraction of the photo's I took, I found it hard to narrow it down, and all the sizes are reduced from 1600 * 1200 and reduced quality to save download time, so the large versions are much better.
Hope someone gets some enjoyment from them.
If you missed my previous holidays, you can see them here:
Winter in the tropics (http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/yabb/index.php?topic=14774.msg180282#msg180282) - June 2004
Spring along the coast (http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/yabb/index.php?topic=16729.0) - September 2004
Those are some awesome views! You must have loved it! Even the train journey looked cool, was it pulled by steam or a diesel loco? Those parts of Australia look awesome - and makes me want to shoot a movie there :p Thanks for posting!! I enjoyed them :D
This settles it ...
My next big vacation will be Australia.
I love the images of the elevated train tracks and the waterfalls.
Good stuff.
They look great, indeed! :) I wish I could have a vacation to there...
I hate you
Good ol' Australia.
God I miss her...
you must have just missed elaine!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v54/oversizedchicken/meetthelocals.jpg)
I think i took her by surprise a little.
Thanks for the replies guys,
Yeah the train was diesel, although it was steam in the old days.
I missed Elaine in that pic, but I can't post the others cause it would be against the rules of the forum.
It is a great place to visit, and I can budget it well cause my sister lives up there.
It's well worth a visit if you have the cash, or are backpacking around, there are heaps of British, German, American, Canadian, Japanese and Chinese tourists everywhere you go, I felt strange being Australian.
It's a long way from any major cities in Aus, even Brisbane, which is in the Same state as Cairns (Queensland), is much closer to Sydney. I think even Melbourne is Closer to Brisbane and that's right down the bottom of Aus.
It's easily accessible though, as it has an international airport (although you'd still probably have to get a plane from another major city as I'm not sure what international destinations get direct flights)
If anyone is interested seeing where it is and to get some perspective, open Google Earth and find the co-ordinates:
16 degrees 55' 12'' South
145 degrees 44' 60'' East