Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef

[Sat 11/19 - Mon 11/21]

We landed in Cairns around noon, grabbed our bags and stepped outside into sunshine, 90 degree weather and 85+% humidity. Welcome to the tropics! Caught an Uber to our apartment, a spacious 2 bedroom with a view of the water and surrounding mountains, and across the street from the cruise ship terminal (theme here?). Checked in, dropped our bags and headed back out to explore the town. 

Cairns is in the northeast corner of Australia, in the state of Queensland ('The Sunshine State'), on the Coral Sea, and is known as the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef. We were both expecting a beach town - and it definitely feels like one - but the waterfront here is a muddy crescent-shaped lagoon. There's a waterfront boardwalk, the Cairns Esplanade, that's lined with restaurants, bars, and a large, man-made swimming park. We walked the length of the boardwalk, stopped for a light lunch, then walked back through the city center toward the aquarium which, unfortunately, was about to close. We shopped for a couple things, then went back to our apartment to relax and start a load of laundry. We went to an early dinner across the street at Hemingway's Brewery, then headed straight home and to bed to rest up for our reef excursion on Sunday.

Lagoon on the left, (massive) waterpark on the right

Hemingway's Brewery - good food and brews, right on the water

Up at 6:30 Sunday morning and out the door at 7 for a short walk to the harbor, where we checked in for our reef tour with Ocean Freedom tours. Karri, of course, had done her research and Ocean Freedom is one of the top-rated tour companies in Cairns. We boarded our 70-person boat around 7:30 and were underway by 8, cruising for about an hour, some 20+ miles off-shore, before we arrived at Upolu Cay. The tour offers the option to scuba, snorkel or both - we opted for snorkeling and were happy with our choice. We put on our gear ('stinger' bodysuit, fins, snorkel and mask) and jumped in!

The reef was amazing - colorful, varied, full of amazing fish and sea life. We snorkeled for over an hour, rested a bit, then climbed in a smaller, glass-bottom boat for a short trip out to another section of the reef, where we jumped back in the water and let the current carry us back to the main boat. Buffet lunch on the boat, then we headed to another section of the reef, where we snorkeled for another hour or so. Equally amazing reef, plus a sandy spot where you could stand in 4' deep water... 20+ miles from shore. Our only regret is that we didn't have our GoPro camera to capture some of the underwater sights (though we did befriend a young German woman who had a GoPro and happily took our email address with the promise to upload and share some of her footage... fingers crossed).

Heading out to the Reef

Crystal clear - and calm - water

Snorkelers on the Reef

We returned ashore around 4:30, then headed back to the apartment to shower and relax before heading out to an excellent seafood dinner at Tha Fish on the waterfront. We were both exhausted after an amazing day, so headed back to the apartment and, again, were in bed by 9:30.

Up early Monday (Happy Birthday, Karri!!), organized our stuff, then took an Uber to the airport for an aerial tour of the reef. Karri had booked a 45-minute sightseeing flight with Daintree Air Services in an 8-person prop plane - another amazing adventure. It was such a cool way to gain perspective on the immensity of the reef and see some spectacular sights. We also spotted the boat we had been on the day before.

Green Island

Patch of white sand in the middle of the Reef

Our boat from yesterday at Upolu Cay

Pilot announced he saw a shark in there (can you find it? - I couldn't)

Back on the ground!

After the flight, we caught an Uber back, with a stop at the main airport terminal to pick up Victoria, who had just arrived from Sydney to join us for the rest of our travels. We went back to the apartment, packed up, then Karri and I walked a couple blocks to Avis to pick up a car we have reserved for the next 6 days. I have to confess I had been a little anxious about driving on the left side of the road in a right-side drive car, but after riding in several taxis and Ubers, I was ready for the challenge. We picked up Victoria and our bags back at the apartment, then drove for about 90 minutes up into the mountains to the town of Atherton in the Tablelands region.

Ready to roll

The Tablelands is a farming region, but it's also home to several lakes, rivers, waterfalls and a rainforest. Karri booked us for 2 nights at the Chambers Wildlife Rainforest Lodge, a small, eco-lodge in the middle of the rainforest. We arrived around 2, checked in, then headed to the nearby town of Yungabura for a quick lunch at The Gillies Cafe & Bar, arriving in a thunderstorm, just before they closed at 3pm. After lunch, we drove to a few sightseeing spots Karri had researched - Cathedral Fig Tree, Malanda Falls, and Curtain Fig Tree, and a platypus viewing area that was lacking platypuses (best viewed at dawn and dusk). I was skeptical of the fig trees, which made the experience all that much more impressive.

Cathedral Fig Tree; started from a seed... about 500 years ago!

Curtain Fig Tree

With our late lunch - and few restaurant options - we decided to stop at a grocery store to pick up some snacks, then a 'bottle shop' (aka liquor store) for some adult beverages, then headed back to the lodge. We're now sitting in our living room (which doubles as a kitchen and Victoria's bedroom), enjoying cheese, crackers and a beverage, telling stories about our travels, hearing more about Victoria's time here in Australia, and celebrating the birthday girl!

43 hours of birthday celebration (spanning time zones)!!

Sydney - Day 3

[Fri 11/18 - Sat 11/19]

Left our hotel around 10am with the plan to walk to St. Mary's Cathedral, then catch an Uber to Macquarie University. As we approached the cathedral, we noticed a sign for the Hyde Park Barracks and, at the encouragement of 2 docents near the entrance, decided to purchase the 90-minute audio tour. We're both glad we did. The museum is housed in barracks dating to the early 1800's and tells story of the convicts who lived here and who constructed much of early Sydney. In 1848, it was converted to a boarding house for unaccompanied women arriving in the colony. The tour also addresses the devastation to aborigines people. Definitely recommend.

Hyde Park Barracks

After the (de)tour, we skipped the Cathedral and caught an Uber to Macquarie University, where Victoria showed us her dorm/apartment and took us on a walking tour. It's a beautiful campus with lots of green spaces, and an impressive new hub, called Ubar, with restaurants, coffee shops, study areas, a bar, and more. We grabbed lunch and sat on a patio overlooking a large green space. 

Last days on a beautiful campus

Ubar

One of Victoria's friends, Grace (fellow USD student though they didn't know each other before coming to Sydney), joined us, then we walked more of campus, said goodbye to Grace, and hopped an Uber to Wendy's Secret Garden, a beautiful park on the banks of Sydney Harbour, opposite from our hotel. We walked a bit, then chatted with a delightful older Australian couple who had stopped to ask what we thought of their beloved park. They strongly encouraged us to stop for a drink at the nearby Kirribilli Club to enjoy the view of the Harbour Bridge and downtown Sydney. And so we did!

Walking trail through Wendy's Secret Garden

Harbour Bridge from opposite bank

Deck view from Kirribilli Club

We walked across the Harbour Bridge, taking in more harbor and city views, back to our hotel, where we relaxed a bit, then cleaned up and got ready to head out for the night.

Bridge walk

The rooftop deck of our hotel (the brick building under the crane) from Harbour Bridge

First evening stop was at Baxter Inn, an underground speakeasy that came highly recommended. It's hidden at the end of a dark alley, down a flight of service stairs - difficult to find if you don't know what you're looking for, but totally worth the effort. They're known for the whiskey collection and bartenders who take pride in making craft cocktails. We grabbed a table, ordered drinks and soaked in the atmosphere while we waited to finally meet Victoria's 'friend' Keenan, who was coming to join us after work. Keenan arrived and we chatted a bit, finished our drinks, then headed to dinner a few blocks away at Bopp & Tone.

A portion of the whiskey collection at Baxter Inn

We had a delicious dinner and thoroughly enjoyed getting to know Keenan (both Karri and I approve). After dinner, we headed to Old Mate's Place, another speakeasy - this one up 5 flights of stairs, but equally impressive - to meet more of Victoria's friends for a nightcap. It was fun to hang out with the youngsters from the US and UK, but Karri and I had a morning flight, so said our goodbyes around 11, walked back to the hotel and were asleep before midnight. [Shockingly, neither Karri or I took photos of Victoria, Keenan and/or friends.]

The alarm went off at 6:45am Saturday. We quickly showered, packed up, checked out, and grabbed an Uber to the airport for our flight to Cairns. Check-in, bag-drop and security were quick and easy, so we had time to grab breakfast at the airport before boarding our 2.5hr flight. I was pleased to find Qantas offers free wifi - which I used to write this post.

Next stop Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef!

Exploring Sydney

[Thu 11/17 - Fri 11/18]

After grabbing a coffee and pastry at a local cafe, we headed back to the Royal Botanic Garden around 10am Thursday on another beautiful day, with clear skies and temperatures in the mid-60's. We both thoroughly enjoyed exploring the gardens, filled with hundreds of species of plants, flowers and trees, all set in a well laid-out, beautifully manicured park, nestled between the harbor and city center. There were amazing views everywhere you looked.

Palace Rose Garden and Pavillion

Lavender garden

Roses

If this tree could talk...

Ever-present Harbour Bridge and Opera House

We could easily have spent half a day or more walking around the gardens but there was more to see and do! Victoria met us at the Circular Quay Ferry Terminal around 12:30 and we quickly boarded a ferry for Watsons Bay, a small, harbor town about 8 miles northeast of downtown, near the mouth of Sydney Harbor. The ferry system here is impressive - fast, efficient and punctual. The harbor is bustling with boats heading to various suburbs and points of interest. 

Circular Quay Ferry Terminal

The ride was beautiful, a great way to gain perspective on the expanse of Sydney and see some of the sights from a different vantage point. Our boat stopped briefly at Rose Bay, then continued to Watsons. 

Our hotel is just below those 2 cranes

(don't think I need to repeat the names of these two)

We grabbed brunch at Watsons Bay Cafe, a short walk from the ferry terminal, then crossed the street to Gap Lookout National Park. We hiked up a trail and soaked in the amazing views of the South Pacific and crazy rock formations at the mouth of the harbor.

Postcard day

Rocky cliffs and the town of Watsons Bay

From Watson's we picked up a trail that wandered along/near the waterfront heading back toward Sydney. We set our sites on Rose Bay, where we could catch a ferry back to downtown, about a 4.5 mile walk. The trail provided a great opportunity to experience a few beautiful beaches and walk through some of the (wealthy) waterfront neighborhoods outside of Sydney. 

Sydney in the distance

Trailside views

Boardwalk above a rocky shore

We got to the Rose Bay ferry dock 4 minutes before the next boat was scheduled to arrive (it pulled up right on time) and boarded for the short ride back to Circular Quay Terminal.

We were all exhausted, so headed to the hotel to relax and freshen up. Our plan to meet 'the boy' got postponed a night and so Victoria headed back to meet some friends and Karri and I (eventually) headed out for a delicious dinner on the waterfront at Lavana - a short walk from our hotel.

Dinner with a harbor view

By the end of dinner we were both at risk of falling asleep at our table, so headed back to the hotel - again impressed that we lasted til 9:30! - and went to bed.

Another great night of sleep. We (naively?) feel like we've avoided the worst of jet lag. Today (Friday) we plan to go see Victoria's apartment and explore the Macquarie University campus, then come back into Sydney for dinner with Victoria and said boy. A few more clouds this morning but they should clear soon, temperatures are again in the mid-60's. Perfect.

Made it to Sydney!

[Mon 11/14-Wed 11/16]

Our flight left LAX on time Monday night and we arrived in Sydney at 8:45am local time Wednesday (as if Tuesday never happened) in better shape than either of us expected. We both managed to sleep a decent amount - at least enough to power through our first day. Victoria was taking her last final when we landed and planned to meet up with us early afternoon.

We taxied to our hotel, the Rydges Sydney Harbour, dropped our bags and headed out for a walk until our room was ready. The Rydges in nice, nothing fancy, but in a great location near the waterfront and the Sydney Harbour Bridge, and in a cool neighborhood called The Rocks. We checked out a couple shops near the hotel then walked along the waterfront, from the cruise ship terminal, where Carnival's massive 'Ovation of the Seas' was docked, under the Harbour Bridge, around Dawes Point to Miller Point and the Barangaroo Reserve, a beautiful waterfront park with trails, open spaces and great views of the harbor. We headed back to the hotel around noon, but our room still wasn't ready. So we walked a block to the Endeavor Tap Rooms for a pint and an appetizer. We grabbed a table outside on a beautiful afternoon and enjoyed watching the locals and tourists pass by.

Campbell's Cove - our hotel (not visible) is behind the red brick steepled building

Harbour Bridge from Dawes Point

On the waterfront trail in Barangaroo Reserve

We had noticed a free museum, The Rocks Discovery Museum, right next to our hotel, so decided to check it out. It's small, but they have some great exhibits on the history of the area, from the early aborigines, through it's settlement in the late 1700's where it became known as a slum and home to many of the convicts who were shipped to the new colony.

We got into our room around 1:15pm, very excited to shower, brush our teeth and change our clothes! The room has a great view of the harbor (at least once the cruise ship heads out) and the Sydney Opera House. While we were cleaning up, the skies turned dark and we watched an intense storm pass through, with thunder, lightning, hail and heavy rain. Victoria arrived just as the rain was letting up. We were so happy to see her - and she seemed pretty happy to see us!

We caught up in our room for a bit, then walked along the harbor to the Opera House. We walked around the outside for a bit, then headed toward the neighboring Botanical Garden, just as the skies started to turn threatening again. So we decided to find shelter in a nearby covered, rooftop bar while the storm passed through. It was a great opportunity to catch up on Victoria's adventures.

Our hotel is just behind this monster

Happy mom with happy daughter, on the steps of the Opera House

View from the edge of the Botanical Gardens, just before we bolted for cover

We decided an early dinner - and early to bed - might be in order, so headed to Lord Nelson Hotel, Sydney's oldest pub brewery, for fish & chips, a (delicious) burger, and a couple pints. A great spot in a cool, old building. After dinner, we walked back to the hotel and briefly checked out the roof-top deck with amazing views of the harbor. We said goodbye to Victoria and quickly headed to bed, impressed with ourselves for staying awake until 9:30pm! Great first day!

Rooftop view; the cruise ship previously blocked the view of the Opera House

Harbour Bridge at night

One last squeeze before bed!

It's now Thursday morning. We both slept 9+ hours. We plan to head back to the Botanical Garden this morning, then meet up with Victoria and take a ferry to either Manley or Bondi beach and walk along the waterfront. Tonight we get to meet... a boy Victoria's been hanging out with! 

Heading 'Down Under'!

[Mon 11/14]

After months of planning and anticipation, we're on our way to Australia to see Victoria, who has been studying outside of Sydney since mid-July.

Only 90 more minutes until our flight departs

We left Seattle at 3pm today arriving at LAX around 6, where we've been killing time until our flight to Sydney departs at 10:30pm. Definitely not looking forward to our 15hr flight. Hoping to stay awake for the first several hours, then sleep as much as possible before arrival.... fingers crossed. We lose an entire day on the outbound trip, arriving in Sydney at 8:30am Wednesday.

We'll have a few days in Sydney before heading north to Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef, then working our way south back to Sydney. As usual, Karri has planned an amazing trip!

How did the LAX PF Chang's know we are going on a trip?!

Denver and Red Rocks

[Tue 6/21 - Thu 6/23]

Woke around 7am Tuesday at our Winter Park campsite and quickly packed up camp - didn't even make coffee, opting instead to find a breakfast spot when we got to Denver. The winding drive south on highway 40, up and over a Rocky Mountain pass, was beautiful. We picked up I-70 and continued east into Denver, parking in the Union Station area, a block from our hotel, around 9:30. Had a great breakfast at One Fold, walked back to the hotel and were pleased to learn our room was ready. Showers were a welcome treat after 3 nights of camping.

After cleaning up, we headed out for a tour of downtown Denver, walking from our hotel, past Coors Field, on to the State Capitol and Civic Center area, stopping for a pint at Pints Pub (a great British-style pub that claims to hold the World's Largest Single Malt Selection Outside Britain), then on to Laramie Street and back to the hotel, a nice 4-5mi walk. We really enjoyed seeing the city - one neither of us have spent much time in - and agreed we need to come back again and stay a little longer.

Colorado State Capitol

Two feet at 5,280 feet above sea level (on the Colorado Capitol steps)

A portion of Pints' single malt collection

Laramie Street - mid-afternoon lull

We got back to the hotel around 3, cleaned up in time to be picked up at 3:45 by my college buddy, JD, and his wife Kathy, our companions for dinner and a concert at Red Rocks.

JD drove us to The Golden Mill, a great restaurant/pub with self-service beer taps - you get a card that you tap before you pour; it measures how much you pour and charges by the ounce, so you can sample dozens of local beers (mixed drinks too). Sat outside and enjoyed a great meal, then headed over to Red Rocks, a spectacular venue for live music - especially on a gorgeous early-summer night. Saw Neko Case, Iron & Wine (the reason I picked this show) and Andrew Bird. All were great - especially enjoyed when Iron & Wine joined Andrew Bird on stage for a few songs. After the show, we headed back downtown, stopped for a nightcap near our hotel, then said our goodbyes after a great night.

Pre-show with JD & Kathy

I&W

Night sky over Red Rocks

Alarm woke me at 6:45. Karri was already up and showered(!). I showered, we packed up, grabbed breakfast at the hotel and were on the road by 7:30. Our destination today is Bozeman, MT, about a 10hr drive. We previously intended to head toward Chicago but (as previously mentioned) changed plans and are heading for home. Staying with friends, Jack & Diane, who joined us for a portion of our Yellowstone trip last year. If all goes according to plan, we'll have an 11hr drive home on Friday. Hard to believe this is our last night of the trip.