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| 2010 - No. 4 www.malecek.com | |||
| SIX DAYS ON THE ROAD | |
 From Cairns it was one-night stands down the Queensland coast to Brisbane.  We stayed at Ingham where we explored the Tyto Wetlands in the rain and oncoming night (Gail feared we were lost but we got out alive without a crocodile attack). It was jumping with many agile wallabies.
I booked places that had swimming pools, but we found that the water temps were cooler that our pool back home. So we only swam in 3 pools out of 7.  We liked Townsville which has so many nature activities within and surrounding it. Just the one day so all we could do was drive to the top of Castle Hill for the views and spend a few hours at the Coral Reef Aquarium.
Also liked small town Ayr where we stopped for lunch before hitting Mackay for the night.  Stayed at While Away B&B in Yeppoon. Walked on top of Mt Archer (in Rockhampton) with its Grass Trees.
 Rained stopped all outdoor activities in Bundaberg and Bargara, but we were able to go along the beaches at Caloundra.
 At the pump: $1.85/litre $7.12/gal |
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 To celebrate her successful head tumor removal Gail wanted to see the Great Barrier Reef. So that’s just what we did in November. We left Waiuku where the sun goes down around 9PM to land in Cairns at 8PM in total darkness. Seems that the sun sets in Nov around 6:30PM. We had pre-booked a tour package that found us staying at Hotel Cairns, a lovely place and setting, close to everything.
 First day found us out on an Ocean Spirit boat with around 100 or so others who took to the water to snorkel at Oyster Reef and Upolu Reef. Gail thoroughly enjoyed seeing the coral and fish. I enjoyed the whole day as we were lucky and the weather was perfect for cruising the tropics.
 Next day we headed inland through and over a tropical forest. Took an old time train to Kuranda where we had a interesting time in Bird World. An eclectus parrot, Bentley, latched onto Gail and didn't want to let go. A helmeted friarbird kept pecking the top of my head. We were both impressed with the rare cassowarys. (Bird World video and photos)
On the return we traveled by Skyrail over the tops of the rainforest and got off at two stations to walk below the canopy.
 We lucked out with the weather for two adventures, so weren't disappointed when rain finally came on our “free day”. Before leaving on day four we managed a couple hours in the Botanical Gardens, doing only about one quarter of the total area. I definitely loved Cairns with the evening buzz downtown filled with tourists, the flying foxes display at dusk and hope to go back one day. | |
| Age is a question of mind over matter — if you don’t mind it doesn’t matter |
is actually Mount Manganui, across the harbour from Tauranga. An area of New Zealand that gets a lot of sunshine days. We have been there 5 times and always liked it. So in October we went to visit our Fiji days friends, the Atmores. And while there they joined us to look at four retirement villages. 
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Malley Muses Bugger All |
| While in OZ I thought about the phrase “Bugger Off” and its other forms such as: “Bugger Me”, “Bugger It” and “Bugger About” but I am Buggered if “Bugger On” has ever been used. | ||
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