CAIRNS TO DARWIN

Having seen Cairns a number of times we decided to do the train run up to Kuranda return, it was easy walk from the ship.  The Barron falls were not as spectacular as I have seen them and believe it is due to construction of the Tinaroo dam, so unless you were there in extreme weather conditions one may never see the falls again like they were, so a nice journey but somewhat disappointing in that respect.

Kuranda is a nice tourist town and pleasant for an easy stroll, we had a nice baked chicken pie and milkshake there, feeling a little peckish which spoilt our appetite for the banquet on the ship.

Darwin is our next port of call and the Captain made a run up the coast from Cairns to avoid Cyclone Nathan.  Surprisingly we had no rough seas or wind and the day cruising past all the islands before rounding Cape York was very scenic.

We then cruised for a day through extreme calm and wonder how those big sailing ships got on just lolling about, no wind and oily smooth sea.

The air conditioning is drying me out, and think I will be like a Smiths crisp when I get to Rouen.  My mouth and throat get so dry I drink a litre of water through the night.