E is for Extraordinary

Just FYI, my Plan A: had been to do a great barrier reef trip tomorrow, then make my way down the coast from Cairns in the North to Brisbane in the middle (ish) of the East Coast of Australia. Then after my conference the plan is to continue southwards to Sydney and then Melbourne. 

So first the not so good news of the last 24 hours. Plan B: Yesterday around 6pm just as I sat down for dinner, I found out my once-in-a-lifetime Spirit Of Queensland Train with a reclining sleeper seat was cancelled and replaced with A COACH!😱 So after some consideration, I cancelled my hotel in Hervey Bay, my tour of K'Giri, my sorry-excuse-for-a-train, and my still-is-a-train-train from Hervey Bay to Brisbane. Instead I booked a Greyhound bus to Airlie Beach, a new hotel, an airport transfer, and a flight from there to Brisbane. Plan C: Today, just as I was getting back to my accommodation I realised I had a missed call from my reef organiser with the message that my once-in-a-life-time reef trip was cancelled (due to Weather which is fair). Not that my phone is actually receiving calls (even after 30mins on the phone to technical help). So I cancelled my newly acquired hotel in Airlie Beach, cancelled my airport transfer, phoned (via Teams) my air travel company and paid for a flight from Cairns to Brisbane, haven't yet been able to cancel my Greyhound bus or extend my accommodation in Cairns, hoping to do the reef trip Thursday instead. Tomorrow I have booked a new tour to go up the coast. I'm really hoping I don't have to make a Plan D! My number one tip is - if you want to relax do not go on holiday :)

The bumpy end not withstanding, today was all the good adjectives. Gorgeous, stunning, extraordinary!

Due to setting up Plan B I did not get breakfast but I did get the lovely lady at the train station to cancel my original not-a-train. Then across to the Kuranda Scenic Railway platform for my trip up the mountains to the rainforest. 

We road in 100-year old coaches on a 130 year old railway into a 130 million year old rainforest! Starting in the suburbs and towns surrounding Cairns. 

We saw waterfalls and rocks and so many trees!

At the top we had a chance to look around Kuranda, lots and lots of small shops and stalls. 

I saw a real live Kookaburra 

Then I switched to the Sky Rail :) for the journey down.

This was taken from the other side of the Gorge (train side)... tiny little cable cars.

And then I was in one :)

Skimming my way just above the forest sky with an excellent commentary in collaboration with the Buda:dji and the Djabugay People. 

We stopped to at one post to see the waterfall better

Then again to walk through the rain forest (on a board walk).

Before descending back to normality. 

T 

The Skyrail was in short extraordinary, you somehow felt part of it, even skimming over the top. The whole thing filled your senses, smell, taste, sight, sound, 

all except touch - because I have no idea what might bite me!