We have been in Cairns now for nearly two weeks, it has certainly been a different fortnight! It's beautiful up here, very hot - 29 degrees most days, we have had a lot of cloud and high winds, but the last few days have been clear and calm - just sunshine. Cairns is surrounded by rainforest - very tropical, a nice part of Australia. We have been for lots of swims in the man-made lagoon down on their Esplanade - it was all rebuilt after the cyclones went through around ten years ago, and is a really nice area. The actual bay itself looks great when the tide is in, but when it's out it is just mud flats, fed from estuaries and rivers, one would not venture into the water up here thanks! Anyway, let me tell you about my adventures! (with apologies to those who have already heard the tale.) Wozzie and I booked in to the skincancer clinic thing last week, as he needed some sunspots burnt off and I had a little thing on my hand I was concerned about.
Anway, I had a warty thing cut off my hand and then had an allergic reaction to the cream the specialist gave me. The skin on my hand was all blistered as you can see from the photo above and the hand got so swollen that by Wednesday night we went to the Cairns ambo station to get them to cut off my rings. they didn't have the right tool so called around the firies. they arrived would you believe it, in the fire truck!!! four of them , we laughed and laughed. i said - its only for me, they said, we dont do things in half up here. must have been a quiet night. so here's little me with one guy holding the torch, one cutting of the rings, one of the ambo's getting the rings off my fingers. they were all just terrific. Thursday night we went back and took them some chocolates. Couldn't see the ambos, they were out on a call, but did see the firemen.
Anyway it's now nearly a week later and my hand is clearing up nicely, the swelling has all gone and the blister is starting to heal. So, on to more exciting things. First Saturday here we went over to Atherton to see a "Birds of Prey" display. So interesting. There were only four of us with the handler (pictured below). It was so interesting and we got some great photos. So neat to get so close to these beautiful creatures. Mike is holding a sooty owl. He is so passionate about what he does, it's wonderful.
And guess who got to hold a wedge-tailed eagle. Talk about excited, he was on a high for hours, couldn 't believe it!
This is a Falcon - how beautiful is this.
And a quoll - had never seen one before, they are very cat like.
On Thursday we drove up to Kuranda, way up in the rainforest highlands, amazing scenery. There was another bird sanctuary up there, so in we went! Finally got to see a Cassowary up close, talk about territorial, they were trying to attack their keepers, simply because the keepers enter their enclosure. This is one weird looking bird!
This little fella was very taken with my bag - would have loved to jump inside it.
And these parrots decided that Wozzie's hat was VERY tasty - they were actually blueing over who was going to sit on it and eat it. We had to get them off before they destroyed it. How pretty are they!
I had my arm in a sling to try and get the swelling down, had to keep it elevated. If I'd had to tell one more person what had happened ...........................!!!!! ha ha
Remember in the last blog I told you about the curlews who live in this park, well the mummy has laid two eggs (out in the open!!) She laid them under one of the caravans, so the park owners shifted the people to the next door site, put these cones around the bird, and no-one is allowed to use this site until the eggs hatch! These babies are costing the park thirty dollars a night!!! They are great parents, take turns to sit on the eggs.
Wednesday we hitch up again and move on up to Port Douglas, where we are going to attempt another snorkelling trip. Let's hope it goes smoothly this time, as this will be our last chance before we start heading across to the territory. Love to all, hope you are all going well.
Anway, I had a warty thing cut off my hand and then had an allergic reaction to the cream the specialist gave me. The skin on my hand was all blistered as you can see from the photo above and the hand got so swollen that by Wednesday night we went to the Cairns ambo station to get them to cut off my rings. they didn't have the right tool so called around the firies. they arrived would you believe it, in the fire truck!!! four of them , we laughed and laughed. i said - its only for me, they said, we dont do things in half up here. must have been a quiet night. so here's little me with one guy holding the torch, one cutting of the rings, one of the ambo's getting the rings off my fingers. they were all just terrific. Thursday night we went back and took them some chocolates. Couldn't see the ambos, they were out on a call, but did see the firemen.
Anyway it's now nearly a week later and my hand is clearing up nicely, the swelling has all gone and the blister is starting to heal. So, on to more exciting things. First Saturday here we went over to Atherton to see a "Birds of Prey" display. So interesting. There were only four of us with the handler (pictured below). It was so interesting and we got some great photos. So neat to get so close to these beautiful creatures. Mike is holding a sooty owl. He is so passionate about what he does, it's wonderful.
And guess who got to hold a wedge-tailed eagle. Talk about excited, he was on a high for hours, couldn 't believe it!
This is a Falcon - how beautiful is this.
And a quoll - had never seen one before, they are very cat like.
On Thursday we drove up to Kuranda, way up in the rainforest highlands, amazing scenery. There was another bird sanctuary up there, so in we went! Finally got to see a Cassowary up close, talk about territorial, they were trying to attack their keepers, simply because the keepers enter their enclosure. This is one weird looking bird!
This little fella was very taken with my bag - would have loved to jump inside it.
And these parrots decided that Wozzie's hat was VERY tasty - they were actually blueing over who was going to sit on it and eat it. We had to get them off before they destroyed it. How pretty are they!
I had my arm in a sling to try and get the swelling down, had to keep it elevated. If I'd had to tell one more person what had happened ...........................!!!!! ha ha
Remember in the last blog I told you about the curlews who live in this park, well the mummy has laid two eggs (out in the open!!) She laid them under one of the caravans, so the park owners shifted the people to the next door site, put these cones around the bird, and no-one is allowed to use this site until the eggs hatch! These babies are costing the park thirty dollars a night!!! They are great parents, take turns to sit on the eggs.
Wednesday we hitch up again and move on up to Port Douglas, where we are going to attempt another snorkelling trip. Let's hope it goes smoothly this time, as this will be our last chance before we start heading across to the territory. Love to all, hope you are all going well. 
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