Cairns Festival

Sunday, 31 August 2014

Local band being led by the drummers

Interested spectator on the 10th floor

 

"The audience don't seem to be taking much notice!"

Neptune - and Mrs Neptune

Taiko drummers

Costume characters

A school cow 

Cairns Family Church were all aflutter

Girls from the Chinese community

Lion dancers

Chinese dragon

Hare Krishnas

Reef fish - and a million bubbles

The Pier

Tide is still out

The sky was filled with light

 

Last night we enjoyed the opening of the Cairns Festival for 2014 – the street parade and fireworks.  While there were probably as many entries in the parade as previous years, we felt there were less floats and more organisations and dance groups simply walking the route, dressed either in fancy dress or costume.  As always the fireworks were a spectacular finale to the evening.  We found a good spot to sit opposite the RSL Club, exactly opposite the lady who was the parade commentator.  Unfortunately, no one told her that her microphone wasn’t working and she spent an hour telling no one about the various parade entries.  She did seem to enjoy herself, though.

Today is our final day in Cairns; the vehicle has been fuelled, all the boy stuff has been done to the caravan and car, the cupboards and frig have been stocked, our hair has been suitably shortened and the toes prettied, and we have had our final ice cream until next year.  After paying for our treats, we discovered that Movenpick introduced a new menu this week and we will now have to wait until next year to try it!!!

Cairns Flora and Fauna

Saturday, 30 August 2014

 

Butcher bird

Juvenile butcher bird

Cairns birdwing butterfly

Aptly named: backscratcher ginger

A definite mozzie magnet!

Jade vine

There has been no change in the weather now for a couple of weeks – very pleasant!

Friday morning we decided to have another walk through the Botanic Garden, as the flowers seem to change every few weeks.  This time we also were lucky enough to see a couple of female Cairns birdwing butterflies and an adult butcher bird keeping close watch on a juvenile – all were very close to the path.  Lots of photos today and less dialogue.  On the way home, we stopped at the Whitfield Butchery to cash in His $30 meat voucher won at bowls a few weeks ago.  We ended up with enough meat for six meals; our small freezer is rather full now.  The day concluded with a sausage sizzle in the camp kitchen, which was a good opportunity to say farewell to the park owners – Russell and Jenine also leave on Monday for an American holiday.

This morning the frig restocking continued, with a visit to Rusty’s for our final purchases of fruit and vegetables – we hopefully have enough Sebago potatoes to last until we reach Melbourne.  Following lunch, we partook of a spot of fish feeding and watched the many Ulysses butterflies which have reappeared, before proceeding along the new bike track for a short walk.  On the way back, after leaving all the nasties hiding in the cane fields, we were only a short distance from the end of the track when Himself grabs me (for my protection, of course) and strongly suggests we stand still.  An enormous (at least four feet long) black snake was in the middle of the path, but fortunately he decided the rain forest offered superior camouflage!

Cat has been enjoying the play facilities of the caravan park – the new playground and the swimming pool, but could not be enticed near the water.

Hot Days

Thursday, 28 August 2014

 

Can't have too many helpers

Housing estate next to caravan park

Freshwater Creek

Model jet boat

Jenny, Brian, Us, Maureen and James

The weather this week has been just superb – hot, clear skies and low humidity.  We will be sorry to leave next Monday.

Tuesday morning and someone had to get out of bed very early and take the vehicle for a check-up, needing to be at the service centre before 7.30 am.  Fortunately, no major problems were found and nearly $250 later, we had a washed car and new fuel filter!

Meanwhile, back at the caravan park, major problems were happening!  The small motor home behind us decided to leave shortly after 7.30 am; only problem was that they neglected to disconnect their power cord and snapped off the services pole, which supplies four sites.  Evidently, they stopped a short way along the road, wound up the cord and kept on going, failing to report the damage.  The owner’s son, Phil, was quickly summoned and immediately shut off the water supply (electricity and water is NOT a good combination) and returned later in the morning to replace the structure.  We were without power for some time as the services pole did not want to come apart, despite Phil having the assistance (and advice) of some additional helpers.  For some reason, the motor homers decided to abandon the chair which they had left on their concrete pad and not return that night.  We enjoyed a walk along Freshwater Creek later in the day and came across a man, and his son, playing with a jet boat; the young boy said he didn’t get to play with it very often!

Wednesday was time for a bit of pampering, a major grocery shop to ensure the cupboards are full before leaving next Monday and a visit to Beaurepaires to have the tyres rotated and rebalanced.  While the tyres were being attended to, I took the opportunity to make a few necessary purchases at Cairns Central.  Later in the afternoon, we assembled outside Jenny and Brian’s caravan for a final happy hour with them.

This morning, we farewelled Jenny and Brian as they started to head south for home.  I then had enough time to make a banana and walnut loaf before heading to the hairdressers, and assuring the friendly girls that I would return next year.

There have been a few empty sites in the caravan park the last couple of nights as the southerners are now starting to head home.

Cairns Continued

Monday, 25 August 2014

 

Canefields pathway

Looking back towards the caravan park

Feathery grass

Freshwater Creek

Freshwater Creek

Freshwater Creek

Flowers of the African Tulip Tree

A pretty weed

Ferns along the bank of Freshwater Creek

Can you find our caravan?

Wow, only four months until Christmas!

The weather has continued to be very settled and very warm and very humid in Cairns and with only one week remaining here, we are not really looking forward to the cooler climes of the southern states.

Last Thursday saw the arrival and Brian and Jenny at Crystal Cascades Caravan Park – it has been so nice to catch up with them again.  Needless to say, there have been lots of stories to tell by everyone about our respective travels since we last met in 2013.

When we were driving into Cairns last Friday, the Pajero’s engine suddenly started surging, so we changed course and headed straight to the Mitsubishi dealership (also the dealership for a number of other vehicles).  While the service manager took our vehicle for a test drive, a salesman attempted to sell me a new Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited; very nice, but I was just lacking a few dollars of the $66,000 price tag.  The Pajero has to go to hospital tomorrow morning at 7.30 am(someone is going to have to get up VERY early!!!) and we are hoping it will be a faulty manifold sensor.  At this stage, we are still planning on leaving Cairns next Monday, however …

On Saturday, along with Jenny and Brian, we had lunch at Cazaly’s, where Jenny noticed a friend from her days in Cairns, in the 1980s, sitting at the next table.  Following lunch, we visited Rusty’s Market for the weekly shop and then introduced the couple to Movenpick ice cream.

Sunday was a fairly quiet day, mainly spent relaxing.  Himself made the big decision to borrow Brian’s bike and go for a ride and despite being a little saddle sore on his return, is walking okay now.  I went for a walk during the afternoon along the new bike/walk path along the edge of the canefields next to Freshwater Creek, being very careful to walk in the middle of the path away from the nasties hiding in the sugar cane and the other nasties waiting to drop out of the rainforest trees along the creek’s bank.  A couple of days earlier when feeding the fish, I had met three ladies from Papua New Guinea at the creek.  Two of them were very surprised at the fish which came to be fed, but the third lady was wading along the creek collecting ferns – she then walked back along the bank through the thick, shin high plants.  Obviously wasn’t too worried about all the snakes.  When I asked what the ferns were for, I was told that they tasted very nice with chicken!

Today, Jenny and I had a girls’ day out, leaving the men to fend for themselves.  We started off at DFO, doing our little bit for the economy there before heading into Cairns Central for some lunch and a bit more therapy.  I think we both enjoyed and appreciated the time on our own.