4th-7th Day 19th-22nd September Cairns

Wednesday 19th September

Today we continue, Singapore was very nice and exciting and I am already looking forward to the next part. Australia

My alarm clock rang at 5:30 and I went straight to the airport. I had already packed yesterday, so I went with 2 full backpacks on the crowded MRT to the airport.

Once there, after check-in, I had time to explore the airport. After some initial confusion about the flight and the airline with SilkAir instead of Singapore Airlines, everything went well and I was on the plane. 6.5 hour flight and arrival in Cairns at a smaller airport. At customs it was a bit strange and I had a bit of an uneasy feeling about my knife. But after intensive inspection and scanning, everything was okay and I could leave the airport.

Once outside, I ordered a shuttle bus by phone, but it didn't come. Lisa Keating was also at the airport, with whom I talked but unfortunately only understood half of what she said. And that was the first moment when I thought, 'Fuck, my English is really not good!'

She also booked the Gilligan's Backpacker Hostel, and included was a shuttle bus, which we caught after about an hour of waiting and feeling like we got a 100 mosquito bites.

When we arrived at the hostel, we went to a restaurant and then had 2 cocktails at the bar. But at 11pm we both said, let's go to bed and see what the next day brings. I was in an 8-bed room, very comfortable with its own shower and toilet.

Thursday 20th September

So, new day, new game. I slept really well for the first time today, enjoyed 10 hours of comfortable sleep. In the morning, I talked to my roommates for the first time, and each had their own little story, but most of the conversations were short. I arranged to have lunch with Lisa, which was very tasty but also quite expensive. In the afternoon, I checked out the hostel pool.

Friday 21st September

Today I got up at 9 o'clock and went on a little city exploration on foot without breakfast. Cairns doesn't have a beach, or rather one that consists only of mud, birds, and invisible crocodiles. In general, North Queensland is known for many saltwater crocodiles, called "Salties". But there is a nice alternative for swimming with a very large free-access swimming pool right on the shore.

On the way, I saw a Bavarian Beerhouse with a Franziskaner wheat beer on offer. But when I saw the price, I just kept going. $13 (about €8) for their half a liter of beer, even I lose my appetite.

Afterwards, I went to a travel agency to get information about a diving course and after some consideration, I went for it. Monday morning until Wednesday afternoon. Three days and two nights on board of the Great Barrier Reef. After a nap in the afternoon, I met 4 guys from Melbourne (Simon/German, Martin and Christoph/Swedish, Steve/USA). We went on a pub crawl together, an event that takes place two to three times a week, moving between 5 bars and clubs and had a lot of fun. There I also met Alisa, a clean-shaven Japanese woman, with whom I experienced a few problems. The evening was really great, lots of beer, cocktails, and being awake until 2 o'clock.

Saturday 22nd September

Like at home after partying, I needed sleep. I got up at 12:30. What's the best for a slight hangover? RIGHT! Off to the pool and first of all, drink a jug (1.1l) of beer and enjoy the sun. There I met Justin again and we booked a skydive from 14,000ft (4300m) for the next day in the late afternoon. In the afternoon, I met Alisa again, the Chinese girl, who told me her story. In short: also broke while traveling, homeless since today, and drunk. In the afternoon, she mooched off a rugby team and in the evening I saw her being transported to the hospital by security, police, and paramedics. In the evening, Lisa, one of her roommates, Justin, and I went to a Greek restaurant. Then it was time to go to bed, as we wanted to be fit for the skydive the next morning at 10:15.