Travel: OZ Blog Ep: 14 - Week 9 Cairns

We finally got to the top of our East Coast trip. Cairns. We were going to be spending 8 days here before we moved to our next spot. We stayed in Gilligans for the full 8 days. it was the ideal place to stay tbh. Great pool, close to everything in town, nightclub downstairs which everyone in town finishes there night in. Clean and comfy beds and rooms, can’t complain at all. They had things going on most nights as well. One I can remember the most is a talent contest and going up with Jack and Reike to perform ‘Little Talks’ by Of Monsters and Men. We came second to a guy who did the best Man in the Mirror by Micheal Jackson Accapella I’ve heard.

We promtly got into the party spirit, during our stay in cairns we did two pub crawls with Ultimate Party Bus Cairns. We got them for free with the offer we book 4 days get a free pub crawl at Gilligans through Monni Travels. The pub rawls were great! start off in a bar where you get free pizza and a free drinks, play some games with everyone. Blowing up a condom with a foot pump but you pump it up with your bum on someones lap. Intresting right haha. You hop on a double decker party bus between each stop, Beweare of the low trees if your upstairs as its open top, an dyou hit the odd branch haha. Then you move to the Salt House bar by the marina for a beer pong tornement. I came Second! then onto the Irish bar P.J O’Briens for Kareoke, Jack forcing me to go up and doing a great attemot at A Team by Ed Sheeran. I was not drunk enough. Then onto Woolshed where you can dance on tables, and the crawl organised a dance off which was funny to watch. We found ourselves in Woolshed many nights while in Cairns. We even watch the royal wedding of Prince Harry and Megan Markel on the TV’s in Woolshed one night while partying. .Then finally finsihing in Gilligans where you continue the night after already having a skin full.

So other than drinking and partying we actually did do some other stuff. One of the most memorable being going to The Great Barrier Reef. Got there nice and early, You take your shoes of when on the boat, took my trainers off, and might as well have broken my little toe kicking a bit of metal, to then turn around and have this photo (on the right) hold in the pain and smile. The boat ride was pretty choppy, which didnt help the hangover. an hour later and having to look at the horizon we were nearby thank god.

So with this trip, you Snorkel and get a free dive off the reef. I will warn you to know the medical form they give you asks if you have ever had asthma, which I did when I was 5. And due to this and Queensland law, I wasn’t able to dive even though I have dive a few times before. If I had a Padi I would have been able to do it as proof. But sadly I was only able to snorkel while the lads got a dive. I wasn’t too annoyed tho as you still saw so much from the surface. I was more annoyed that I took my GoPro out my bag to find the battery was dead. And due to this, there is a lack of photos. I saw all sorts in the water, lots fish, Barracuda, Stingray and possibly the scariest moment ever a shark. Let me put the moment in context. The sea is rough and even with a snorkel its a struggle to not take water in. I’m minding my own business swimming away from the boat with Jack shortly behind. All of a sudden I hear Jack shout (Scream) I turn around to see this shark going towards me and jack. So not having any experience with marine life, I thought if I go next to jack it wouldn’t attack us. It swims closer and closer, Jack and I shitting it a little and then bam, it darts off. Thankfully. When back on the boat we told the Marine Biologist and he says they haven’t seen a shark in a while and that there was a possibility it could have nipped us, joys haha. After an even rougher ride back to the shore, all limbs intact we were ready to get some food and rest. Of course, we ended up going out in Gilligans.

Another Spot we checked out while in Cairns was Josephine falls. Its basically a natural rock slide on a river. But be warned it’s super slippery with the algae and people have died there, and the water is baltic! Like going into the sea in the UK. See the photos below of that spot.

With our time on the east coast coming to an end it was time to tie up some loose ends. Having to Sell the beloved guitar that I travelled from Bondi to Cairns with. I was well chuffed that I got what I bought it for back in Bondi. 50 Bucks. Sold it to a guy and it was for his son, I wonder if it still has my band sticker on it from what Andy put it on when the guitar was his back in Bondi.

Our next port of call was to get rid of our beloved Subaru Forrester. Sadly there was an issue with the car and having the Rego in New South Wales and we were trying to sell it in Queensland was annoying. No one bit at the ad so Jack scraps it sadly.

This was the place out boys Justin, Hayden and Mclovin were flying back to Canada. Sad times. Shout out to tall the people from the countless nights out and the good times.

Next stop the airport to fly to Alice Springs.