Cairns

The drive to Cairns was through more lush cane fields and banana plantations all backed by the green heavily wooded hills of the Great Dividing Range, spectacular countryside. We are staying at the Lake Placid camping ground which is in a rainforest setting about 15 minutes drive from the city centre. There is a national park across the road with a river running through it where you can swim and canoe, still a bit too cold for us.
Yesterday we went into town to check out the city scape. We took a long walk along the Esplanade which runs along the harbour, the path is bordered by lawns and landscaped gardens which look out to sea. At one end there is a Saturday craft market and as many beaches are off limits because of stingers and crocs there is an amazing 4800 metre salt water swimming pool designed in the shape of the State of Queensland - it has sandy shores, lifeguards, picnic facilities, the works! We were surprised at the number of people who were sunbathing, perhaps they were tourists but the slip slap slop idea doesn’t seem to have caught on up here.
The street that runs along the harbour behind the Esplanade is lined with coffee shops and restaurants and as it was lunch time we checked out their menus but ended up at the RSL club, not so commercial and always good value.
We have booked a trip to the reef for tomorrow, hope I can remember my snorkeling skills!