Two weeks in Australia: 2015 Trip Report
Jul 11th, 2015, 11:29 PM
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Two weeks in Australia: 2015 Trip Report
I have posted many Trip Reports on this forum, but almost always I would start writing them the moment we returned from a trip, when memories were still fresh in the mind. This time, work pressures have necessitated a 45 day break from our return ; have started penning the report down from today, while I can still recall most of our journey (aided of course by a small notepad of travel jottings).
We are a couple from India in their late 50’s, avid travellers of the independent variety, who have already been to more parts of the planet than most. Australia has been high on our agenda for long, but has been getting short-changed for other destinations repeatedly, despite a Lonely Planet guide for Australia being on my bookshelf for over two years. This time the planning witnessed no change, and we made it through to the land down under.
Our rough itinerary was :
Melbourne : 2 nights
Great Ocean Road : 2 nights
Port Douglas : 4 nights
Ayers Rock : 2 nights
Sydney : 4 nights
Here goes the Trip Report in many instalments.
Day 1 : Saturday/Sunday, May 9th/10th : For once, our flight out of India was in the afternoon, and not in the middle of the night ! Left our hometown Pune at 7 am in the morning, reaching Mumbai airport by 10 am. We were flying business class in Malaysian Airlines all the way to Australia. The check-in was smooth and efficient, and their Lounge at Mumbai was excellent. Our outward flight was marginally late, but we had an uneventful journey to Kuala Lumpur, reaching at 9 pm local time.
The Malaysian Airlines Lounge at KL was nice, but the food there was not to the liking of us vegetarians. We snacked a bit, then had a brief stroll through the airport shops, and then boarded our 11:30 pm flight for Melbourne. This sector had wonderful seats, fully reclining beds adjustable to multiple positions. Food and service quality were top-notch, and we had a very comfortable sleep through the night.
We landed on schedule at Melbourne at 9:30 am local time on Sunday. Realized that my international SIM card on the cellphone was not working. With some difficulty we located a friend who had come to the airport to receive us, and loaded our baggage in his car. We were booked at the Sofitel Hotel on Collins Street in CBD area, where we headed immediately. On reaching there we were told that there may be a long wait till our room got ready. We had a light breakfast at the Atrium Bar of the hotel, and managed to get our room just before noon. A welcome shower, and we were ready to go by 2 pm.
One of the nice things about Melbourne is the free tram service all through the CBD area. There was a tram stop just outside our hotel, where we boarded a tram to Queen Victoria Market. Roamed around this very interesting market, and then hopped on to another tram to Flinders Street. We crosses the bridge on foot, past Federation Square, to the Arts Centre Makers market, which operates on Sundays, and had an interesting walk through the pavement stalls.
From here we took a taxi to St Kilda area, where we had heard a very nice Sunday market springs up. Alas, it was a cold and windy day, and the market had folded up early. The waterfront looked nice, and the pier looked inviting, but it was too cold and windy to venture anywhere. Having had a late breakfast, we had skipped lunch, and we ducked indoors into an Italian restaurant for some pizza. We called up some old friends from India, now settled in Melbourne, and set up a meeting with them at our hotel for 6:30 pm. We took another taxi back, and were overjoyed to meet our friends whom we had not seen for 16 years. We all caught up with old times and current affairs of our lives, and went to some nearby restaurant for Mexican food. The food was average, but the evening was great, and we all had a lovely reunion. Finally, returned to our hotel and crashed into bed at 10 pm.
We are a couple from India in their late 50’s, avid travellers of the independent variety, who have already been to more parts of the planet than most. Australia has been high on our agenda for long, but has been getting short-changed for other destinations repeatedly, despite a Lonely Planet guide for Australia being on my bookshelf for over two years. This time the planning witnessed no change, and we made it through to the land down under.
Our rough itinerary was :
Melbourne : 2 nights
Great Ocean Road : 2 nights
Port Douglas : 4 nights
Ayers Rock : 2 nights
Sydney : 4 nights
Here goes the Trip Report in many instalments.
Day 1 : Saturday/Sunday, May 9th/10th : For once, our flight out of India was in the afternoon, and not in the middle of the night ! Left our hometown Pune at 7 am in the morning, reaching Mumbai airport by 10 am. We were flying business class in Malaysian Airlines all the way to Australia. The check-in was smooth and efficient, and their Lounge at Mumbai was excellent. Our outward flight was marginally late, but we had an uneventful journey to Kuala Lumpur, reaching at 9 pm local time.
The Malaysian Airlines Lounge at KL was nice, but the food there was not to the liking of us vegetarians. We snacked a bit, then had a brief stroll through the airport shops, and then boarded our 11:30 pm flight for Melbourne. This sector had wonderful seats, fully reclining beds adjustable to multiple positions. Food and service quality were top-notch, and we had a very comfortable sleep through the night.
We landed on schedule at Melbourne at 9:30 am local time on Sunday. Realized that my international SIM card on the cellphone was not working. With some difficulty we located a friend who had come to the airport to receive us, and loaded our baggage in his car. We were booked at the Sofitel Hotel on Collins Street in CBD area, where we headed immediately. On reaching there we were told that there may be a long wait till our room got ready. We had a light breakfast at the Atrium Bar of the hotel, and managed to get our room just before noon. A welcome shower, and we were ready to go by 2 pm.
One of the nice things about Melbourne is the free tram service all through the CBD area. There was a tram stop just outside our hotel, where we boarded a tram to Queen Victoria Market. Roamed around this very interesting market, and then hopped on to another tram to Flinders Street. We crosses the bridge on foot, past Federation Square, to the Arts Centre Makers market, which operates on Sundays, and had an interesting walk through the pavement stalls.
From here we took a taxi to St Kilda area, where we had heard a very nice Sunday market springs up. Alas, it was a cold and windy day, and the market had folded up early. The waterfront looked nice, and the pier looked inviting, but it was too cold and windy to venture anywhere. Having had a late breakfast, we had skipped lunch, and we ducked indoors into an Italian restaurant for some pizza. We called up some old friends from India, now settled in Melbourne, and set up a meeting with them at our hotel for 6:30 pm. We took another taxi back, and were overjoyed to meet our friends whom we had not seen for 16 years. We all caught up with old times and current affairs of our lives, and went to some nearby restaurant for Mexican food. The food was average, but the evening was great, and we all had a lovely reunion. Finally, returned to our hotel and crashed into bed at 10 pm.
Jul 12th, 2015, 01:03 AM
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Day 2 : Monday : May 11th : Sofitel is a lovely hotel, and its beds were really comfy. Of course we were tired, and slept for a full 12 hours, waking up at 10 am in the morning ! Luxury of being on a holiday. We got ready, and were off by 11:30am or so.
We headed to Degraves Street for brunch. It was a really thin alley, full of pavement restaurants – a really cute place indeed. Had a very nice brunch of fluffy omelettes, till we were stuffed to the neck. Next we embarked on a ferry ride to Williamstown and back. It was a leisurely ferry ride, with nice views of Melbourne city from the Yarra river, until we disembarked at Williamstown. This was an antique town, preserved with all its quaintness and antiquity, and a delightful place to stroll around. Unfortunately, we did not have much time, as our ferry would leave in about 30 minutes. So we saw what we could, and boarded the ferry again on its return journey.
It was late afternoon, and we spent the next few hours walking all over CBD in Melbourne. Of particular interest were the thin alleyways, with good street art on the walls. We also walked through Block Arcade, Royal Arcade, the Bourke Street Mall, where we did do some shopping in a Myers store. Then over to Chinatown.
My wife wanted to meet a friend of hers who lived near the St Kilda area, near the ISKCON temple. We had purchased all day transport passes for today, and we boarded a Tram to St Kilda, alighting near the temple. A short walk, and we were at the very pretty ISKCON temple, where my wife also met up with her friend. A brief meeting with her family, and we boarded the tram back to CBD.
We returned to Chinatown, and dined at “Flower Drum”, an upscale Chinese restaurant. I had a very fiery preparation of prawns and scallops, while they managed to conjure something vegetarian for my wife. It was an excellent meal, and we loved it. After dinner we went to Southbank for a brief stroll. But the place was dead, perhaps because of the cold weather, and we quickly retreated to our hotel for the night.
We headed to Degraves Street for brunch. It was a really thin alley, full of pavement restaurants – a really cute place indeed. Had a very nice brunch of fluffy omelettes, till we were stuffed to the neck. Next we embarked on a ferry ride to Williamstown and back. It was a leisurely ferry ride, with nice views of Melbourne city from the Yarra river, until we disembarked at Williamstown. This was an antique town, preserved with all its quaintness and antiquity, and a delightful place to stroll around. Unfortunately, we did not have much time, as our ferry would leave in about 30 minutes. So we saw what we could, and boarded the ferry again on its return journey.
It was late afternoon, and we spent the next few hours walking all over CBD in Melbourne. Of particular interest were the thin alleyways, with good street art on the walls. We also walked through Block Arcade, Royal Arcade, the Bourke Street Mall, where we did do some shopping in a Myers store. Then over to Chinatown.
My wife wanted to meet a friend of hers who lived near the St Kilda area, near the ISKCON temple. We had purchased all day transport passes for today, and we boarded a Tram to St Kilda, alighting near the temple. A short walk, and we were at the very pretty ISKCON temple, where my wife also met up with her friend. A brief meeting with her family, and we boarded the tram back to CBD.
We returned to Chinatown, and dined at “Flower Drum”, an upscale Chinese restaurant. I had a very fiery preparation of prawns and scallops, while they managed to conjure something vegetarian for my wife. It was an excellent meal, and we loved it. After dinner we went to Southbank for a brief stroll. But the place was dead, perhaps because of the cold weather, and we quickly retreated to our hotel for the night.
Jul 12th, 2015, 01:49 AM
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Day 3 : Tuesday : May 12th :
GREAT OCEAN ROAD :
Woke up at 8 am, and managed to check out of the hotel by 9:45 am. Had a light breakfast at a café below the hotel building, and took off with our bags in a taxi, to the Thrifty car rental office in downtown. We had booked an automatic Camry, which we got, and by 11 am we were on our way.
Getting out of Melbourne was easy, and after a little driving, we were on the Great Ocean Road. Driving here was smooth and a lot of fun. Our first stop was at the Visitors’ Centre at Torquay, where we collected maps and information. Then off to Bells Beach nearby, where we gazed at experienced surfers hitting the waves. Next lookout stop was at Point Addis.
Driving on the Great Ocean Road is a great experience. Sometimes you are right next to the ocean, which makes for excellent scenery as you drive, and sometimes the road veers a little inland. Sometimes the road seems to head straight into the ocean, which is exhilarating, until it suddenly turns parallel to the water ! I enjoyed every bit of the drive, and we stopped ever so often to admire the views and click pictures. At Anglesea, we managed to spot a large group of kangaroos on the golf course (our first spotting of kangaroos in Australia !). At Airey’s Inlet, we stopped and walked to the Split Point Lighthouse, which made for some great photo ops. On the way ahead we must have stopped at many scenic points, but I remember the Cinema Point as being one of the better ones. Finally, we reached Lorne for a late lunch.
It was 3 pm, and Kafe Kaos which we had earmarked, had already closed. We did find another café which was open, where we had lovely burgers and fries. At about 4 pm, we went to Teddy’s Point in Lorne for great views, and then proceeded on the GOR. Mount Defiance made for another lovely stopover, and then we rushed on, as it was beginning to get dark. We reached Apollo Bay in the evening, and stopped for coffee, but it was already dark. It was also beginning to rain heavily, with gusty winds. So without any further stoppages, we drove all the way to Port Campbell, where we halted for the night at Portside Motel, making it there before 8 pm.
It was a decent motel, and we had not expected anything fancier at this place. On the host’s recommendation, we went to nearby “Club Bar” for a quick dinner, and retired to bed.
GREAT OCEAN ROAD :
Woke up at 8 am, and managed to check out of the hotel by 9:45 am. Had a light breakfast at a café below the hotel building, and took off with our bags in a taxi, to the Thrifty car rental office in downtown. We had booked an automatic Camry, which we got, and by 11 am we were on our way.
Getting out of Melbourne was easy, and after a little driving, we were on the Great Ocean Road. Driving here was smooth and a lot of fun. Our first stop was at the Visitors’ Centre at Torquay, where we collected maps and information. Then off to Bells Beach nearby, where we gazed at experienced surfers hitting the waves. Next lookout stop was at Point Addis.
Driving on the Great Ocean Road is a great experience. Sometimes you are right next to the ocean, which makes for excellent scenery as you drive, and sometimes the road veers a little inland. Sometimes the road seems to head straight into the ocean, which is exhilarating, until it suddenly turns parallel to the water ! I enjoyed every bit of the drive, and we stopped ever so often to admire the views and click pictures. At Anglesea, we managed to spot a large group of kangaroos on the golf course (our first spotting of kangaroos in Australia !). At Airey’s Inlet, we stopped and walked to the Split Point Lighthouse, which made for some great photo ops. On the way ahead we must have stopped at many scenic points, but I remember the Cinema Point as being one of the better ones. Finally, we reached Lorne for a late lunch.
It was 3 pm, and Kafe Kaos which we had earmarked, had already closed. We did find another café which was open, where we had lovely burgers and fries. At about 4 pm, we went to Teddy’s Point in Lorne for great views, and then proceeded on the GOR. Mount Defiance made for another lovely stopover, and then we rushed on, as it was beginning to get dark. We reached Apollo Bay in the evening, and stopped for coffee, but it was already dark. It was also beginning to rain heavily, with gusty winds. So without any further stoppages, we drove all the way to Port Campbell, where we halted for the night at Portside Motel, making it there before 8 pm.
It was a decent motel, and we had not expected anything fancier at this place. On the host’s recommendation, we went to nearby “Club Bar” for a quick dinner, and retired to bed.
Jul 12th, 2015, 02:20 AM
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Day 4 : Wednesday : May 13th :
GREAT OCEAN ROAD :
We tried to get ready and check out of the hotel as early as possible. The weather forecast continued to be grim, with gusty winds, although not much rain. We had breakfast at a nearby “Waves” restaurant, which was quite good, and we were on our way.
On the motel host’s recommendation, we drove further west on the GOR for about 30 minutes, to Bay of Islands, which was very pretty. From here we started our return journey eastwards on the GOR, stopping first at Bay of Martyrs, and next at the Gorge lookout, which was fabulous.
As we drove further east, going past Port Campbell, we stopped at London Bridge, and next at the Arch. Both were super viewpoints, and we loved them. If only the fierce winds had not been beating our faces, I am sure we would have enjoyed more. Next stop was the Loch Ard Gorge, which I consider to be the best sight on the GOR. You could easily spend two hours here. Loved the Razorback and other sightings here. Finally, we stopped at the famed Twelve Apostles, where a nice viewing area has been constructed. True, the Apostles were nice, but I thought they were a bit of an anti-climax after the Loch Ard Gorge. Just my views.
We continued our return journey, and some distance before Apollo Bay, we took a detour to Otway Fly. Here we took the rainforest walk at the elevated walkway, walking at the top level of eucalyptus trees. It was a wonderful experience, and we enjoyed it fully. It was also very informative, and one learnt a lot about rainforests and the plant species in it.
After that was a long and uneventful drive to Melbourne Airport. We stopped again for coffee at Apollo Bay. Then drove on to Geelong and then on the freeway to Melbourne International Airport. Somewhere along the way, I was detected speeding by the speed cameras (allegedly driving at 108 kmph instead of 100 kmph !). This was to later land me a speeding ticket of $ 185 (plus a service charge of $ 66 to Thrifty !). Turned out to be an expensive drive.
It was late evening by the time we reached. We were booked at the Parkroyal Hotel, adjoining the airport building. The car rental returns were just below the hotel, where we dropped the car, and checked in. Called for dinner in the hotel room and retired to bed.
Cannot say we enjoyed Melbourne city very much, but the Great Ocean Road had been fabulous. If we had been blessed with a little less wind, it might even have been better. Anyway, we were now looking forward to the next leg of the vacation at Port Douglas.
GREAT OCEAN ROAD :
We tried to get ready and check out of the hotel as early as possible. The weather forecast continued to be grim, with gusty winds, although not much rain. We had breakfast at a nearby “Waves” restaurant, which was quite good, and we were on our way.
On the motel host’s recommendation, we drove further west on the GOR for about 30 minutes, to Bay of Islands, which was very pretty. From here we started our return journey eastwards on the GOR, stopping first at Bay of Martyrs, and next at the Gorge lookout, which was fabulous.
As we drove further east, going past Port Campbell, we stopped at London Bridge, and next at the Arch. Both were super viewpoints, and we loved them. If only the fierce winds had not been beating our faces, I am sure we would have enjoyed more. Next stop was the Loch Ard Gorge, which I consider to be the best sight on the GOR. You could easily spend two hours here. Loved the Razorback and other sightings here. Finally, we stopped at the famed Twelve Apostles, where a nice viewing area has been constructed. True, the Apostles were nice, but I thought they were a bit of an anti-climax after the Loch Ard Gorge. Just my views.
We continued our return journey, and some distance before Apollo Bay, we took a detour to Otway Fly. Here we took the rainforest walk at the elevated walkway, walking at the top level of eucalyptus trees. It was a wonderful experience, and we enjoyed it fully. It was also very informative, and one learnt a lot about rainforests and the plant species in it.
After that was a long and uneventful drive to Melbourne Airport. We stopped again for coffee at Apollo Bay. Then drove on to Geelong and then on the freeway to Melbourne International Airport. Somewhere along the way, I was detected speeding by the speed cameras (allegedly driving at 108 kmph instead of 100 kmph !). This was to later land me a speeding ticket of $ 185 (plus a service charge of $ 66 to Thrifty !). Turned out to be an expensive drive.
It was late evening by the time we reached. We were booked at the Parkroyal Hotel, adjoining the airport building. The car rental returns were just below the hotel, where we dropped the car, and checked in. Called for dinner in the hotel room and retired to bed.
Cannot say we enjoyed Melbourne city very much, but the Great Ocean Road had been fabulous. If we had been blessed with a little less wind, it might even have been better. Anyway, we were now looking forward to the next leg of the vacation at Port Douglas.
Jul 12th, 2015, 02:46 AM
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I’m enjoying reading about your travels, indiancouple. Too bad about the wind, and the traffic ticket! In Western Australia, which we visit every year, they are very rigorous in enforcing the speeding limits. They don’t let you get away with 10km or more over the limit the way we are accustomed to in North America.
Jul 12th, 2015, 03:26 AM
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Hi eliztravels. In no other country have I ever got a speeding ticket, because they all seem to ignore violations of upto 10-15 kmph in excess. There were hundreds of vehicles all around me in Australia doing the same, but I guess they were cautious when the speed cameras came near. I was a bit complacent, and paid the price !
Jul 12th, 2015, 03:51 AM
#10
Hi indiancouple,
just found your TR and decided to read it as your TR to NZ was so good and useful for our visit there. [thanks, BTW if I haven't already said so!]
This time you are following us, at least to PD - looking forward to seeing what you thought of it.
just found your TR and decided to read it as your TR to NZ was so good and useful for our visit there. [thanks, BTW if I haven't already said so!]
This time you are following us, at least to PD - looking forward to seeing what you thought of it.
Jul 12th, 2015, 04:21 AM
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Hi tripplanner, no we did not see koalas in the Otway. We saw some at Port Douglas, but they were not in the wild but in a Habitat Centre.
Welcome aboard annhig; we have been meeting each other at this forum quite often. PD reports follow shortly, and we just thought PD to be amazing.
Welcome aboard annhig; we have been meeting each other at this forum quite often. PD reports follow shortly, and we just thought PD to be amazing.
Jul 12th, 2015, 04:37 AM
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Day 5 : Thursday : May 14th :
PORT DOUGLAS :
Checked out of the hotel in the morning, and sauntered across to the airport terminal, where we had breakfast. Boarded a 9:20 am flight to Cairns, on which we slept most of the way. Landed at Cairns at 12:45 pm. We had pre-booked a transfer to Port Douglas through Krystal, who were there waiting for us. An hour’s drive to PD, and we were deposited at out apartment hotel : Reflections of Port Douglas on the happening Macrossan Street..
We had booked a 2-bedroom apartment, and it was gorgeous and comfortable, complete with a huge living area, washer & dryer etc. It was already 2:15 pm by the time we arrived, so we hurried out to have lunch, at the nearby upmarket restaurant called “Zinc”. It was a super lunch, and anyone visiting PD must dine here atleast once.
The Thrifty car rental office was also next door, where we picked up our pre-booked car. Just wanted to spend the afternoon visiting Mossman Gorge, which was only 20 minutes away. No traffic on the roads, and very easy to get to. We took the shuttle bus to the gorge, and walked through the Mossman Gorge area for about 90 minutes. It was very pleasant. A few people swimming here and there. Nice rainforests, and scenic surroundings.
We wanted to dine at Mojo’s restaurant in the town, of which we had heard so much. But we were too early, and it was not supposed to open for another hour. So we abandoned the idea, and drove back to PD. Strolled all over Macrossan Street, stopping for beer at Ironbar. Had dinner at a Thai restaurant across the street from Ironbar – one of the best Thai soups I have ever had. Nice and fiery ! It had been a long day, and we retired to our apartment for the night.
PORT DOUGLAS :
Checked out of the hotel in the morning, and sauntered across to the airport terminal, where we had breakfast. Boarded a 9:20 am flight to Cairns, on which we slept most of the way. Landed at Cairns at 12:45 pm. We had pre-booked a transfer to Port Douglas through Krystal, who were there waiting for us. An hour’s drive to PD, and we were deposited at out apartment hotel : Reflections of Port Douglas on the happening Macrossan Street..
We had booked a 2-bedroom apartment, and it was gorgeous and comfortable, complete with a huge living area, washer & dryer etc. It was already 2:15 pm by the time we arrived, so we hurried out to have lunch, at the nearby upmarket restaurant called “Zinc”. It was a super lunch, and anyone visiting PD must dine here atleast once.
The Thrifty car rental office was also next door, where we picked up our pre-booked car. Just wanted to spend the afternoon visiting Mossman Gorge, which was only 20 minutes away. No traffic on the roads, and very easy to get to. We took the shuttle bus to the gorge, and walked through the Mossman Gorge area for about 90 minutes. It was very pleasant. A few people swimming here and there. Nice rainforests, and scenic surroundings.
We wanted to dine at Mojo’s restaurant in the town, of which we had heard so much. But we were too early, and it was not supposed to open for another hour. So we abandoned the idea, and drove back to PD. Strolled all over Macrossan Street, stopping for beer at Ironbar. Had dinner at a Thai restaurant across the street from Ironbar – one of the best Thai soups I have ever had. Nice and fiery ! It had been a long day, and we retired to our apartment for the night.
Jul 12th, 2015, 05:15 AM
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Day 6 : Friday : May 15th :
PORT DOUGLAS :
This was the day we had looked forward to – the trip to the Great Barrier Reef. I had researched this a lot, and followed popular advice to book ourselves on the Wavelength Tour. They were supposed to pick us up at 8 am, and our hostess had recommended a restaurant nearby that would be open for early breakfast. The breakfast was good, but the waitress was very rude, and we vowed never to return here.
We were picked up on schedule, and we reached the marina, where we boarded the Wavelength boat. The captain was checking out everyone’s comfort level with swimming and snorkelling, and soon discovered that my wife was quite anxious and nervous. He said that it was supposed to be a windy day, which meant choppy waters, and not the best day for an inexperienced snorkeller. He highly recommended that we transfer to an alternate tour run by Quicksilver, which has a much bigger boat, goes to an anchored pontoon, and he strongly felt that my wife would enjoy that more.
With a heavy heart, I consented to the switch, noticing the anxiety on my wife’s face. The Quicksilver vessel was to leave later, at 10:15 am, so we bided our time having coffee at the marina. It was a huge vessel, hence a smooth ride out into the ocean, and we were there at the pontoon at 11:15 am.
We started off by taking a ride in the semi-submersible vessel of the pontoon, which was a small glass walled and glass bottomed vessel which went for a short ride underwater around the pontoon, where we could see the corals. This over, we changed into our swimming attire, put on the snorkelling equipment, and plunged into the waters off the pontoon. It was my first attempt at snorkelling, and despite various attempts, I was not comfortable breathing through the snorkel tube – I always ended up sucking in water ! I am otherwise a good swimmer, so I finally decided to ditch the snorkelling tube, and just swim slightly below the surface while holding my breath. Found this far more comfortable and enjoyable.
The next hour was absolutely exhilarating, exploring the coral reefs all around the pontoon. It was a strange feeling to swim amongst the colourful fishes, and I was loving it. There were portions where the coral reef was extremely vivid and colourful, and not very far from the surface. My wife was still scared, and did not venture very far from the pontoon platform in the water. Maybe it was a good idea to have switched to the Quicksilver vessel.
Next we had a lovely buffet lunch on the pontoon. Then I rented an underwater camera from the vessel, and dived into the waters again, this time clicking a lot of pictures underwater near the corals. There were periods when the crew did fish-feeding near the pontoon platform, which was a sight to behold as zillions of fish would zero in to have the feed. Kept swimming around to my heart’s content, knowing that I will never return to the GBR ever again. The winds were indeed strong, and it was a little difficult to swim around, but I managed and enjoyed to the hilt.
We finally set course for the return journey, and landed back at the marina at 4:30 pm. We were dropped off at our hotel, where we dumped our swimming gear, and put in some clothes for laundry in the washer. Returned for a stroll on Macrossan Street. We loved the feel of this town – very laid back and relaxed, and a very “vacation” feel about it. We had dinner at a Mexican restaurant, that served super-hot food, and we required ice-creams later to cool our tongues ! Then off to bed.
PORT DOUGLAS :
This was the day we had looked forward to – the trip to the Great Barrier Reef. I had researched this a lot, and followed popular advice to book ourselves on the Wavelength Tour. They were supposed to pick us up at 8 am, and our hostess had recommended a restaurant nearby that would be open for early breakfast. The breakfast was good, but the waitress was very rude, and we vowed never to return here.
We were picked up on schedule, and we reached the marina, where we boarded the Wavelength boat. The captain was checking out everyone’s comfort level with swimming and snorkelling, and soon discovered that my wife was quite anxious and nervous. He said that it was supposed to be a windy day, which meant choppy waters, and not the best day for an inexperienced snorkeller. He highly recommended that we transfer to an alternate tour run by Quicksilver, which has a much bigger boat, goes to an anchored pontoon, and he strongly felt that my wife would enjoy that more.
With a heavy heart, I consented to the switch, noticing the anxiety on my wife’s face. The Quicksilver vessel was to leave later, at 10:15 am, so we bided our time having coffee at the marina. It was a huge vessel, hence a smooth ride out into the ocean, and we were there at the pontoon at 11:15 am.
We started off by taking a ride in the semi-submersible vessel of the pontoon, which was a small glass walled and glass bottomed vessel which went for a short ride underwater around the pontoon, where we could see the corals. This over, we changed into our swimming attire, put on the snorkelling equipment, and plunged into the waters off the pontoon. It was my first attempt at snorkelling, and despite various attempts, I was not comfortable breathing through the snorkel tube – I always ended up sucking in water ! I am otherwise a good swimmer, so I finally decided to ditch the snorkelling tube, and just swim slightly below the surface while holding my breath. Found this far more comfortable and enjoyable.
The next hour was absolutely exhilarating, exploring the coral reefs all around the pontoon. It was a strange feeling to swim amongst the colourful fishes, and I was loving it. There were portions where the coral reef was extremely vivid and colourful, and not very far from the surface. My wife was still scared, and did not venture very far from the pontoon platform in the water. Maybe it was a good idea to have switched to the Quicksilver vessel.
Next we had a lovely buffet lunch on the pontoon. Then I rented an underwater camera from the vessel, and dived into the waters again, this time clicking a lot of pictures underwater near the corals. There were periods when the crew did fish-feeding near the pontoon platform, which was a sight to behold as zillions of fish would zero in to have the feed. Kept swimming around to my heart’s content, knowing that I will never return to the GBR ever again. The winds were indeed strong, and it was a little difficult to swim around, but I managed and enjoyed to the hilt.
We finally set course for the return journey, and landed back at the marina at 4:30 pm. We were dropped off at our hotel, where we dumped our swimming gear, and put in some clothes for laundry in the washer. Returned for a stroll on Macrossan Street. We loved the feel of this town – very laid back and relaxed, and a very “vacation” feel about it. We had dinner at a Mexican restaurant, that served super-hot food, and we required ice-creams later to cool our tongues ! Then off to bed.
Jul 12th, 2015, 05:48 AM
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Day 7 : Saturday : May 16th :
PORT DOUGLAS :
We had a leisurely wake up in the morning, and ambled out at about 9 am. Went for breakfast at a cute restaurant called “The Little Larder” on Macrossan Street, which had people waiting to be seated. Popular places are popular for a very good reason, and we soon discovered why. The breakfast was outstanding, and one of the best we had on this trip. Must visit this restaurant at PD.
Today was our Kuranda day, and the operator picked us up from the hotel at 10:15 am. Picked up many other tourists in PD, before heading out to Cairn’s Skyrail station. We boarded the skyrail at 11:45 am. It stopped at two stations enroute, and at each station we took the recommended 15 minute walk, which is highly recommended for the views. We finally reached Kuranda at about 1 pm.
Kuranda town is one of the cutest places on earth. We walked to the village centre, and strolled on the main thoroughfare. Lovely shops on both sides. Had excellent coffee at the Coffee Republic, and moved on. We roamed the Heritage Markets, which were great, and bought a lot of souvenirs there, including my kangaroo leather belt (which I now wear everyday). Had lunch at the Frogs Café which did not disappoint.
After lunch we walked through the Old Traditional Market, which was not as interesting as the Heritage markets. Wife bought some flavoured natural honey, and shopped for clothing. The town was cloaked in mist, and felt like out of a Harry Potter movie. Alas, it was already time to return, and we felt that the stopover provided in Kuranda was too short. Would have loved to stay here a few hours more.
We boarded the Scenic Rail on the return journey. The train station and the carriages were the most beautiful I had ever seen, and we thoroughly enjoyed it. The views from the carriage window on the journey were to die for. Finally, we reached the destination train station, and boarded our bus back to PD.
Tonight we had a round of beer at an Irish Pub on Macrossan Street, followed by dinner at a Chinese restaurant. Then back to Ironbar to watch the cane toad races. Interesting for a while, but too bizarre for our taste ! Some ice cream again, which always tempted us on our way back to the hotel, before we called it a day.
PORT DOUGLAS :
We had a leisurely wake up in the morning, and ambled out at about 9 am. Went for breakfast at a cute restaurant called “The Little Larder” on Macrossan Street, which had people waiting to be seated. Popular places are popular for a very good reason, and we soon discovered why. The breakfast was outstanding, and one of the best we had on this trip. Must visit this restaurant at PD.
Today was our Kuranda day, and the operator picked us up from the hotel at 10:15 am. Picked up many other tourists in PD, before heading out to Cairn’s Skyrail station. We boarded the skyrail at 11:45 am. It stopped at two stations enroute, and at each station we took the recommended 15 minute walk, which is highly recommended for the views. We finally reached Kuranda at about 1 pm.
Kuranda town is one of the cutest places on earth. We walked to the village centre, and strolled on the main thoroughfare. Lovely shops on both sides. Had excellent coffee at the Coffee Republic, and moved on. We roamed the Heritage Markets, which were great, and bought a lot of souvenirs there, including my kangaroo leather belt (which I now wear everyday). Had lunch at the Frogs Café which did not disappoint.
After lunch we walked through the Old Traditional Market, which was not as interesting as the Heritage markets. Wife bought some flavoured natural honey, and shopped for clothing. The town was cloaked in mist, and felt like out of a Harry Potter movie. Alas, it was already time to return, and we felt that the stopover provided in Kuranda was too short. Would have loved to stay here a few hours more.
We boarded the Scenic Rail on the return journey. The train station and the carriages were the most beautiful I had ever seen, and we thoroughly enjoyed it. The views from the carriage window on the journey were to die for. Finally, we reached the destination train station, and boarded our bus back to PD.
Tonight we had a round of beer at an Irish Pub on Macrossan Street, followed by dinner at a Chinese restaurant. Then back to Ironbar to watch the cane toad races. Interesting for a while, but too bizarre for our taste ! Some ice cream again, which always tempted us on our way back to the hotel, before we called it a day.
Jul 12th, 2015, 06:11 AM
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Day 8 : Sunday : May 17th :
PORT DOUGLAS :
This was our last day in PD, and the only day when we would actually be in Port Douglas the whole day. We were out of the hotel by 8:15 am, and boarded a shuttle bus to the Wildlife Habitat Centre on the edge of town.
We opted for an entry ticket which included “Breakfast with the Birds”, which was quite an experience. Excellent buffet breakfast, with birds all around you. Some of them waddle up to you and poke you for food. Others perch themselves on a vacant table, and start feasting on the sugar sachets lying there ! Volunteers come around with exotic bird species, which they perch on your shoulders or arms for photo ops. Had a whale of a time here.
We first roamed the Wetland section of the Habitat, where we saw a lot of birds, and many koalas (who spend most of their time sleeping). Next a tour of the Rainforest section, replete with crocodiles. By then it was show time, and everyone congregated to the show area, where volunteers brought two koalas to pose for pics. We could take turns holding the koala, petting him, and having our picture taken with him. What an experience ! Finally we toured the Grassland section, where there were kangaroos all around, who allowed you to pet them. Also saw the uncommon Tree Kangaroo species. Overall, a very enjoyable experience indeed.
We left at noon, and returned to PD town, where a Sunday market was in full swing at one end of Macrossan Street. There were a very large number of tented stalls, selling all kinds of artistic stuff. We purchased a lot of souvenirs, decorative artefacts and stuff, which were all of high quality. Then we had a round of beer at Ironbar, and a late and heavy Italian lunch. I went back to our apartment for some rest, while my wife shopped around Macrossan Street.
Late afternoon, at about 4 pm, we left for the Marina, where we boarded a sunset cruise on a gentle boat called Lady Douglas, on the inland waters. Pleasant relaxed outing, with wine and snacks, with tons of crocodile spotting. We returned to the marina by 6 pm, and we made a repeat trip to the Thai restaurant for dinner . Went home early to pack up, as we had an early ride to the airport the next day.
Port Douglas had been the perfect relaxation on this holiday, and a lovely place to spend 4 days. It lived up to all the expectations that we had.
PORT DOUGLAS :
This was our last day in PD, and the only day when we would actually be in Port Douglas the whole day. We were out of the hotel by 8:15 am, and boarded a shuttle bus to the Wildlife Habitat Centre on the edge of town.
We opted for an entry ticket which included “Breakfast with the Birds”, which was quite an experience. Excellent buffet breakfast, with birds all around you. Some of them waddle up to you and poke you for food. Others perch themselves on a vacant table, and start feasting on the sugar sachets lying there ! Volunteers come around with exotic bird species, which they perch on your shoulders or arms for photo ops. Had a whale of a time here.
We first roamed the Wetland section of the Habitat, where we saw a lot of birds, and many koalas (who spend most of their time sleeping). Next a tour of the Rainforest section, replete with crocodiles. By then it was show time, and everyone congregated to the show area, where volunteers brought two koalas to pose for pics. We could take turns holding the koala, petting him, and having our picture taken with him. What an experience ! Finally we toured the Grassland section, where there were kangaroos all around, who allowed you to pet them. Also saw the uncommon Tree Kangaroo species. Overall, a very enjoyable experience indeed.
We left at noon, and returned to PD town, where a Sunday market was in full swing at one end of Macrossan Street. There were a very large number of tented stalls, selling all kinds of artistic stuff. We purchased a lot of souvenirs, decorative artefacts and stuff, which were all of high quality. Then we had a round of beer at Ironbar, and a late and heavy Italian lunch. I went back to our apartment for some rest, while my wife shopped around Macrossan Street.
Late afternoon, at about 4 pm, we left for the Marina, where we boarded a sunset cruise on a gentle boat called Lady Douglas, on the inland waters. Pleasant relaxed outing, with wine and snacks, with tons of crocodile spotting. We returned to the marina by 6 pm, and we made a repeat trip to the Thai restaurant for dinner . Went home early to pack up, as we had an early ride to the airport the next day.
Port Douglas had been the perfect relaxation on this holiday, and a lovely place to spend 4 days. It lived up to all the expectations that we had.
Jul 12th, 2015, 06:28 AM
#16
sounds like you liked PD as much as we did, indiancouple. Our stay there was slightly ! marred by my eating something dodgy and its aftermath, but overall it didn't spoil our fun. Definitely a place I'd like to go back to one day.
Jul 12th, 2015, 07:17 AM
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Tripplanner, anyone going to Australia for the first time is sure to include the Great Barrier Reef in their itinerary. Having taken that as a sure visit, it is much much nicer to base in PD rather than Cairns.
Jul 12th, 2015, 07:57 AM
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Day 9 : Monday : May 18th :
AYERS ROCK :
We had to get up at 4 am in the morning, to make the 5:15 am pickup by Krystal transport, which deposited us at Cairns airport within an hour. Our flight to Uluru departed on schedule at 7:15 am. Felt bad to leave PD, but Ayers Rock was equally enticing.
We slept through the flight, which landed at Ayers Rock airport at 9:45 am local time. Yulara had a complimentary shuttle to pick up passengers, which deposited us at “Sails in the Desert” hotel in a short while. The rooms were not ready yet, so we left our luggage and walked over to the Shopping Centre nearby. We picked up our car rental from Hertz, which we had pre-booked (highly advisable to pre-book here, as inventory of cars is limited). We poked around the various shops there, and had a decent lunch at Gecko’s Café. Returned to the hotel to find our room ready, and we rested there for a while. We had read people trashing the Yulara hotels no end, but we found the Sails in the Desert to be a great hotel. Overpriced, yes, but only to be expected at such a remote location. But otherwise nothing to complain about at this hotel. The décor and furnishings were top notch.
We left the hotel at 2:30 pm, and drove to the Park, heading first to the Cultural Centre. Spent over an hour there, learning about the Aboriginal culture and history, and browsing through the lovely art shops. We left at 4 pm, taking a drive all around Ayers Rock, which was simply awesome. We stopped at the Kuniya carpark, and did the easy Kuniya Walk till the waterhole and back. At 5:30 pm we drove to the Car sunset viewing point, and watched the sun go down till 6:15 pm. It was a beautiful sunset, but no magical change in Uluru’s colours was visible.
We drove back to Yulara. Had a forgettable dinner at Ayer’s Wok, and went to bed.
AYERS ROCK :
We had to get up at 4 am in the morning, to make the 5:15 am pickup by Krystal transport, which deposited us at Cairns airport within an hour. Our flight to Uluru departed on schedule at 7:15 am. Felt bad to leave PD, but Ayers Rock was equally enticing.
We slept through the flight, which landed at Ayers Rock airport at 9:45 am local time. Yulara had a complimentary shuttle to pick up passengers, which deposited us at “Sails in the Desert” hotel in a short while. The rooms were not ready yet, so we left our luggage and walked over to the Shopping Centre nearby. We picked up our car rental from Hertz, which we had pre-booked (highly advisable to pre-book here, as inventory of cars is limited). We poked around the various shops there, and had a decent lunch at Gecko’s Café. Returned to the hotel to find our room ready, and we rested there for a while. We had read people trashing the Yulara hotels no end, but we found the Sails in the Desert to be a great hotel. Overpriced, yes, but only to be expected at such a remote location. But otherwise nothing to complain about at this hotel. The décor and furnishings were top notch.
We left the hotel at 2:30 pm, and drove to the Park, heading first to the Cultural Centre. Spent over an hour there, learning about the Aboriginal culture and history, and browsing through the lovely art shops. We left at 4 pm, taking a drive all around Ayers Rock, which was simply awesome. We stopped at the Kuniya carpark, and did the easy Kuniya Walk till the waterhole and back. At 5:30 pm we drove to the Car sunset viewing point, and watched the sun go down till 6:15 pm. It was a beautiful sunset, but no magical change in Uluru’s colours was visible.
We drove back to Yulara. Had a forgettable dinner at Ayer’s Wok, and went to bed.
