Topic: Mittens 2019 booked! Cairns, Australia, 05 - 12 October

[AGA]

Booked!  I'm glad I Googled the venue though, because booking.com have it listed for significantly cheaper than airbnb.  The price per person (assuming we all attend) will at today's rates be $293.59 AUD / £157.88 GBP / €182.99 EUR / $205.47 USD.

[Privateer Puddin']

Nice work! See ya'll down under 

[Wiggy]

Geez! I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but...

You've been had, conned, bullshitted and potentially ripped off. Stop immediately your planning and DON'T send any money to anyone. This "lovely" house in Clifton Beach may well be close to the water (in which you cannot swim in October), and you can look at the ocean once you cross the walkway over the 20 foot high concrete block sea wall, but there are no pubs or clubs in Clifton Beach, nothing is walking distance from that location but it is on the bus route. There is one bottle-shop/off-licence in the Clifton shopping centre and one licenced restaurant in Clifton Road which sells alcohol at restaurant prices. I know because I live here - postcode 4879!!

You will not be able to get cheap transport from the airport because it's not a resort, they cannot organise tours and pick-ups, you will have to hire car(s), and you will leave this paradisical area disheartened and peeved. You've picked the wrong spot, and you made the #1 error - you believed and trusted someone in Aussie Real Estate. Either go to Palm Cove or look at "Gilligan's" in Cairns city. The current way forward is one I cannot recommend. If you need further explaination, PM me.

[AGA]

Wiggy, I appreciate the local knowledge, but none of the things you mention are dealbreakers for a Mittens.  We rarely even book typical tourist villas, we're often out in the suburbs away from stuff.

For instance. the house we rented last year was on an island that required cars to get anywhere, wasn't within walking distance of shops or restaurants.  Iceland the year before was at the tip of a peninsula that was nowhere near anything.  Sweden the year before was also quite remote, driving or bus required.

So taking this all into account, would you still not recommend it?  As a local, is it a nice, quiet place to live?  Close enough to the city by car?

[Wiggy]

Ah ha! All becomes clear now AGA, and yes, it is quiet, peaceful, inspirational - which is why I live here. The beach itself is magnificent, and many are the times I have wandered down pre-dawn to see Venus (the morning star) herald the dawn. Walking north along the beach will lead you to Palm Cove eventually. I welcome you to my home, and will attempt to meet and greet with appropriate beverages and food in October. I really hope you enjoy this paradise, and I apologise for seeing you as usual tourists. We must visit the reef though! We may talk about this over a "frothy fun glass" or six at a later date. Cheers!

Wiggy

[AGA]

Phew!  But yeah, I'll definitely copy you in on the finer details when I send them out; would be silly for you not to be involved if you live so close.

[Privateer Puddin']

Hello! I have booked my flights today.

There's only one direct flight a day with Cathay, so I'll arrive at 06:30 on the 5th.

[sonneveld]

Sorry guys, I was keen on going but unfortunately the dates landed right on my sister's wedding (oct 10)

[Snarky]

So, I've just booked my flights.

To make the most of the trip, I'm taking some days in Sydney in advance (arriving Tuesday morning; and hoping thereby to be jetlag-free by Mittens). I then plan on driving down to Brisbane afterwards before flying back from there the Friday after Mittens. If anyone wants to meet up or join in for some of this, that'd be cool. 

I'll be arriving in Cairns from Sydney at 16:15 on Oct 5.

[AGA]

Tamara has done some research on things to see and do in the Cairns area: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1iReDtd2IiRER6y-2jxgz34qY8HbUymiF/view?usp=sharing.  Plenty there already, but might be good for us all to see if we can find anything else we want to do.

[Wiggy]

You could always ask a local...
I've been to all islands apart from the Franklins and all resorts, and have done every diving tour from here. It's all wonderful, but it doesn't suit everybody. I know from my life experience that you cannot please everyone, it is all available, if you give me a clue as to what you want, I can advise, guide and accompany if you'd like. I live in a paradise, and I've found there are three types of people's response to the tropics of Queensland:

#1. Too hot, I hate it.
#2 It's a beautiful place, but I need 4 seasons or a bigger city.
#3 I'm never going to leave.

I naturally fall into the latter group, having seen all of Oz and most of the world, well a large part of it anyway. As there are so many of you, I would recommend against all-in-a-group activities, and give each one an option. For example, some may want to snorkel and see the outer reef, some may want a day spa and a relaxing massage, some may want to see the rainforest by SkyRail. I have a car that can fit 4 adults at a bit of a squeeze, and I am always happy to showcase to visitors this wonderful part of the world. Tell me your needs, either by PM or in this forum, and I'll give my honest opinion. I look forward to seeing you all, and welcoming you to a beautiful place. It will be what you make of it.

[Wiggy]

Awww, the heart grows warm. I look forward to you people visiting, and nothing inspires me more than the sight I've just witnessed. The Brown-faced wallaby lives in this area, and in my yard are a boomer (male) and two does (female) and a joey - the young. We used to get a herd of 9, but all the new neighbours have decided to own dogs, who scare them off. Where do they go when there's nowhere to live?? My place, of course!

[Esseb]

I'm really sorry but I'm not going to be able to attend Mittens this year after all. I'll still pay for my share of the house, of course.

I wish all the other attendees to still have a great Mittens, even in my absence.

[scotch]

Current plan is I get to Cairns at 6:30am on the 5th on CX147. Stoked.

[Privateer Puddin']

Thanks as always to AGA for organising everything.

Tamara has done some research on things to see and do in the Cairns area: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1iReDtd2IiRER6y-2jxgz34qY8HbUymiF/view?usp=sharing.  Plenty there already, but might be good for us all to see if we can find anything else we want to do.

Do we need to look at booking anything ahead of time?

[AGA]

Do we need to look at booking anything ahead of time?

Not sure!  Possibly, but no one has said if they're particularly for or against any of the activities, so haven't looked too closely.