21st - 22nd Dec - Cairns

We arrive in Cairns and the hostel is pretty nice - got a pool and everything so things look ok. We went out for dinner and hoped for some entertainment cos Cairns and Queensland are supposed to be the places to go. The Hostel gave us vouchers for a local pub so after dinner we headed to the Woolshed. It was 12 dollars to get in but you get 6 drinks for that - none to bad. It looked OK when we arrived and pretty busy but then all the tacky sleasy competitions started - you know the club 18-30 type - wet tee-shirt compititions - we couldn't even make a hasty farewell as we has 6 drinks to down - well we weren't leaving them.

Next day we organised a trip to Karunda. You get there by the longest cable car in the world. It stretches for 7km over the rain forest tree tops and is quite spectacular. Karunda the wee village at the end, nestled in the forrest, is quite pretty but not much to do in the rain. We took a train back which was built by early settlers and still uses some of the original carriages and equipment.

That night we headed back out in Cairns determined to find a decent pub. Our search, which was extensive, was fruitless. Each pub was more tacky than the last and full of young things so desperate to be noticed they'd do almost anything. In one pub Gulligans, our hopes were raised only to be dashed. The bar decor was lovely and the clientel seemed ok until one guy was following me shouting hello - monkey. I scowled at him - in my best scowl - and ignored him - until he came right up and introduced himself. I had met him in New Zealand in Nelson - he had a toy monkey with him which made more sense that night than he did.

To call Cairns the cesspit of Australia is giving it airs and graces it don't have. Don't go there ever unless you like tacky sleasy club 18-30 type places - then do go there and leave the rest of Australia nice.