Cairns, Australia

G'day Mate, I am passing time in a hostel on the outskirts of Cairns, Australia while the rain pitterpatters down the palm trees and lush tropical environment. Having just listened to some great ambient/downtempo music on my Ipod while reading up on Vietnam, I am relaxed and wondering what I am going to do today, that would be better than yesterday. Cairns is kind of a party town and with the whole of the country's young population on Fall Break, the downtown nightlife is more remenesent of my trips to Acapulco in high school. For example, I was sitting in a bar with Halen and Ricky last night, listening to throbbing yesterday's techno, sipping on the $1 special and I swear I was on Sixth Street at Danny's home away from home, Treasure Island. It even smelled like it. Its fun to dapple with the locals and tourists in a light hearted atmosphere, but its time to switch things up a little - I didnt travel across the world to do the same things I wouldn't want to do back home... But the past few days have been different. After an excruseating 17 hours in the airport waiting for our Auckland, NZ to Cairns, Australia flight (which would have been longer, less my great negotiating skills to Air New Zealand telephone operators), we arrived in sunny, 85 degree-filled Cairns and smiled while shedding our jeans and coats for the hopefully perpetual bathing suit. We checked in, looked at the town, made some reservations and took naps before going and checking out the nightlife a little. We met people here and there but it all seemed too much of the same, and the next day we went out thirsty for adventure. Therefore we rented scooters.

My affinity for 2 wheeled cycle type vehicles made me smile the whole time we road the outskirts of Cairns on our rad little orange scooters. We found a dirt bike park on accident, and decided to jump the dirt jumps with our 50cc's of pure power. This would most likely void any kind of rental agreement we hastily signed, but it was so worth it - my crying laughing at Halen doing 30 kph over a 2 foot gap was enough to justify it. I even broke the kickstand on mine on my last jump and then laid it down, unhurt, unphased and histerically laughing, none the less.

We got back out, asked some nice lady where to go, then found Crystal Cascades - a river/waterfall/multiple pool area where we took a dip and stayed away from the dangerous stinging trees. Beautiful.

Yesterday I had the opportunity to dive the Great Barrier Reef 3 times and it was an experience to remember. In addition to meeting new friends from Brasil and Sydney (the reason I went out list night - the new friends from Sydney). Colors of coral, bountiful fish and excellent diving conditions made me super happy and super content to overlook the party atmosphere of this nice little touristy outpost of Australia. Again, I never thought I would dive something like the Great Barrier Reef - shows what you can do with your life and your will and your priorities (its not all about the money!). A few more days in Cairns then we say goodbye to Australia, the Western world, and Halen as he heads home. October 9th will be a long day full of travel (Cairns to Darwin, Australia - Darwin to Singapore, Singapore to Ho Chi Minh City). We will couchsurf with a nice lady in HCMC then start going to the beautiful lands of Vietnam! I am so excited. Put another shrimp on the barbee! Taylor