Day 5 Australia - Cairns

Thursday 26th February, 2015 - (QG) Quicksilver Cruises Outer Barrier Reef
Cruise ex Cairns
Transfer Type: Seat in Boat
Duration: 10 hour(s)
Pick up: 8:00am Pacific International Hotel Cairns
Drop off: 6:00pm Pacific International Hotel Cairns

For an experience of a lifetime, Quicksilver's wave piercing catamarans and friendly crew will
take you to a reef at the very edge of Australia's Continental Shelf, to an underwater world that is
a dazzling kaleidoscope of colour and brilliance. Agincourt Reef is a magnificent ribbon reef
where you can experience first-hand the magic that is the Great Barrier Reef. Choose to dive
(extra cost), snorkel, or stay dry and explore the stunning reef from the comfort of a semi-sub,
just one metre underwater. Watch the fish feeding from a unique underwater viewing platform
and underwater observatory, or fly in a helicopter over the reef (extra cost). Whichever way you
choose; you'll bring home a lifetime of memories from this living natural wonder.

Includes: Morning and afternoon tea, tropical buffet lunch, snorkel equipment, coral viewing semisubmersible, underwater observatory and informative talk by a Marine Biologist.

We are picked up and stop at several more hotels for more passengers. We are in the minority, most are Lunar New Year travellers with lots of children.

The driver does a nice commentary as we make our way to the boat terminal. It is HOT as we line up to board.

Once on board we wander looking for somewhere to sit. There are 400 passengers, 90 % Lunar New Year travellers from China and the noise level is deafening. There are seats in the middle and tables around the windows on two levels. We find a table and sit with a British couple.

The staff try to explain various safety items but as the majority don't understand English it is impossible to understand.

Quicksilver's wavepiercing catamarans and friendly crew will take you to a reef at the very edge of Australia's Continental Shelf, to an underwater world that is a dazzling kaleidoscope of colour and brilliance... Agincourt Reef, a magnificent ribbon reef where you can experience first hand the magic that is the Great Barrier Reef.

It is a ninety minute trip to the Agincourt reef where the boat anchors for the day.

The signs says the air temperature is 32C and the water temperature is 29C.

John, all geared up. I didn't go in, even though the water was enticing. Didn't matter to me and there aren't any lockers to store your stuff and I wasn't about to leave two cameras, wallets and a watch sitting unattended.

John ask took an optional 45 minute guided snorkeling tour with a marine biologist for $56. He was probably the only one who could understand her.

 I took the submarine tour, John would have hated it as it was rather tight quarters.

We were to be back on the boat for departure at 2:50. I boarded at 1:45 and every single table upstairs and down, had stuff on the chairs. The Chinese had taken over any good seats.

On the way back to shore.

For dinner, we had Indian. Once again, service does not exist in Australia. Our plates are taken away before we are served our main course. We watched some people just leave.

Monday Mural

I'm linking up at Monday Mural hosted by Oakland Daily Photo.

February 2015 - Singapore

These were found in the Arabic area of town. So very vibrant and not what I expected at all.

Australia itinerary

22-25Feb15 Accommodation Swissotel Sydney - 3 night(s)

23Feb15 Excursion The Rocks Dreaming Aboriginal Heritage Tour

23Feb15 Excursion (J6) Downtown Sydney, Bondi and Kings Cross

24Feb15 Excursion (A183) Blue Mountains Wildlife Discovery

25-28Feb15 Flight Qantas departing Sydney

25Feb15 Transfer Cairns Airport to Cairns City

25-28Feb15 Accommodation Pacific International Hotel Cairns - 3 night(s)

26Feb15 Excursion (QG) Quicksilver Cruises Outer Barrier Reef Cruise ex Cairns

27Feb15 Excursion (CKB) Kuranda Classic Tour with Train Skyrail and Rainforestation

28Feb15 Transfer Cairns City to Cairns Airport

28Feb15-08Mar15 Car Full Size 4Wd Toyota Prado Or Similar - 8 Day(s)

28Feb15 Generic Goway Standard Australia Self Drive Kit

28Feb15-01Mar15 Accommodation DoubleTree by Hilton Alice Springs - 1 night(s)

01-03Mar15 Accommodation Desert Gardens Hotel - 2 night(s)

01Mar15 Excursion (Y13) Kata Tjuta and Uluru Sunset

02Mar15 Excursion (Y18) Uluru Sunrise, Base or Climb Tour

02Mar15 Excursion Sounds of Silence Dinner

03-05Mar15 Accommodation Desert Cave Hotel Coober Pedy - 2 night(s)

05-06Mar15 Accommodation William Creek Hotel - 1 night(s)

06-07Mar15 Accommodation Prairie Hotel Parachilna - 1 night(s)

07-08Mar15 Accommodation Wilpena Pound Resort - 1 night(s)

08-11Mar15 Accommodation Miller Apartments - 3 night(s)

09Mar15 Excursion (HTCC) Kangaroo Island Highlights Cruise and Cruise

10Mar15 Excursion (AS10) A Taste of the Barossa and Hahndof

11-14Mar15 Car Toyota Corolla Or Similar - 4 Day(s)

11-12Mar15 Accommodation Merlot Verdelho Townhouse Penola - 1 night(s)

12-13Mar15 Accommodation 54 On Bank Port Fairy - 1 night(s)

13-14Mar15 Accommodation Captains at the Bay - 1 night(s)

14-16Mar15 Accommodation Hotel Lindrum - 2 night(s)

15Mar15 Excursion Colonial Tramcar Restaurant Early Dinner

16Mar15 Flight Virgin Australia Intl departing Melbourne

Day 4 Australia - Sydney to Cairns

Wednesday Feb 25, 2015

We make own way to the airport. It was a $45 taxi ride and check-in at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, Terminal 2 for:
QANTAS
QF 5938
Depart Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport at 11:40am
Arrive Cairns Airport Wednesday 25 February 2015 at 1:45pm

We tried checking in at Qantas but an attendant said we were booked on Jetstar. We have flown them once before and were not impressed. We crossed to another terminal and got checked in.
We are allowed 23 kg in luggage and John was right on and mine was 13 kg.

Good day for travel as it is pouring rain.

No lounge availability for domestic so we went to McDonald's for breakfast (don't judge us) it was good and it had been forever since we had been in one.


We go to the gate and then everyone is told they must line up to have their carryon weighed. Great customer experience, couldn't we do this at check in? I guess they worry people are going to buy so much.
Cost $50 for my camera bag to be checked.
Some of the others (Lunar New Year travellers) were weighing one bag at a time, switching contents and taking next bag up. Can't blame them!
Once on board we are settled in the middle and window seat. The attendant then tells us he has a problem, seems the 2 rows of exit seats need to be changed as no one could speak English that was seated so he selected a bunch of us to relocate, bonus!!
You can't even get a glass of water without paying on JetStar.


Transfer from Cairns Airport to Pacific International Hotel Cairns.
Transfer Type: Seat in Coach
Pick up: 1:45pm
Drop off: 2:15pm

We wandered looking for our transfer and finally asked a volunteer who said we weren't the only ones waiting and they had called the company to find out where they were.

Cairns is the heart of the Tropical North and is your gateway to some of the best scenery in Australia.
Founded in 1876 as the port for inland gold fields, Cairns has matured from a flighty frontier town to a friendly international gateway and has become the most welcoming of all Queensland cities. The Cairns region is internationally recognized for world class attractions, superb natural features and friendly north Queensland hospitality. The city is a delightful blend of colonial architecture, ranging from grand public and commercial buildings to wooden houses built in the distinctive north Queensland style. Cairns is the focal point for the magnificent Great Barrier Reef Marine Park and is surrounded by World Heritage listed rainforests. To the west are the lush Atherton Tablelands and the outback plains and gorges of the gulf savannah.

Pacific International Hotel Cairns
45 Esplanade,
Cairns QLD 4870
The Pacific International Cairns is the best location in Cairns - ideal for visitors who wish to
explore and enjoy all the attractions Cairns has to offer. The Esplanade Lagoon and Parklands,
the Sea Port, the Reef Fleet Terminal, the Reef Casino, Art Galleries, shopping and dining are
situated right at the hotel's front door. The Hotel also has the onsite Bushfire Restaurant and
Sugarcane Rhumbar.

The hotel is very central, the hotel itself is about 3 star. Basic room and furniture but we have a balcony.

View from our balcony.

 Lovely decorations in the lobby.

Once settled we are on our own to explore.

We head to the water and are amazed by the infinity pool going into the ocean.

We were going to take an impulsive helicopter ride but at $400 per person for thirty minutes I said no.

Strolling along the boardwalk.

We picked up some beer and headed back to the hotel before dinner.

For dinner we chose a steak house, Waterbar and Grill, a five minute walk away in the Shangri La Hotel.

The food was great, service was average as it seems to be here in Australia, no one tips so perhaps that is the cause. For example, we ordered red wine and got white wine glasses but another table got proper glasses.