First posted on May 5, 2013
A few days before leaving for Cairns the weather reports showed a cyclone out at sea but heading in that direction. I don’t know where it went, but certainly not here in Cairns. On the other hand, I’ve never been on a plane before that was rockin’ n rollin’ while still at the gate. It was Very Windy when I left Melbourne, but surprisingly it was an un-bumpy at take-off.
Dropping altitude on the approach to Cairns, my first glimpse once through the cloud layer was of a big patch of green – a bit different I thought. Well, I was thinking land, grass or crop of some sort. It was the sea, as green as could be! No Mediterranean blue here. Then, as I could see the coast, it was so beautiful, treed hills right to the water’s edge. A thin strip of sand, as though someone had pencilled a line, separated water from hills. No photo of that – I was using my phone camera and it was turned off by then, sadly.
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| First sighting of Far North Queensland coast |
As soon as I got off the plane you could feel the warm, damp air. It’s a humid part of the world. But thankfully bearable at this time of year.
First stop was to pick up the hire car. Second stop was at a hazy lookout on the road to Kuranda. Third stop was the butterfly house at Kuranda itself. It was a small but beautiful place, and SO frustrating! Butterflies move surprisingly quickly. Too good for a feeble photographer like me.
Spot the flash of blue …. a Ulysses butterfly.
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| Blue flashes |
When they stop they’re a much less impressive brown.
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| Ulysses at rest |
However, I have seen a couple since, “in the wild” – once while driving along and once I watched one fly above the path of the river at Herberton Village, flash, flash, flash of the most vivid blue as it flapped its wings. When close by, as at the butterfly house, you can really feel the air move as wings flap.
The Cairns Birdwing butterfly does look good when its wings are folded. I later saw these "in the wild" too - on my long walk in Cairns.
And the hand model had gone AWOL so this gorgeous fellow had to make do with me.
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| My butterfly friend |
It was a quick stop at Barron Falls. Not a huge amount of water. It would be interesting to see after a lot of rain. But the rocky surrounds were quite stunning. In the distance I could see cable cars gliding along. I’m sorry to miss the train to Kuranda but not too sorry that I’m missing the cable car return ride!
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| Barron Falls |
From there it was an easy, uneventful drive to Atherton. I was going to stop at a tourist coffee/chocolate place in Mareeba for a late lunch but as I pulled into the carpark I saw it was open daily, 9-4. I looked at the car clock. Spot on 4.
After settling in to the (highly recommended) Atherton Hinterland Motel, complete with sounds of the stream running behind the building to soothe the travel weariness, I went off to the Boston Twins paternal grandparents’ place to meet up with the family and some other friends of theirs. It was great to see everyone again and meet Kiera and Jeremy for the first time. They’re gorgeous!!
And I was well ready to tuck into the feast of a meal that was waiting!
And the hand model had gone AWOL so this gorgeous fellow had to make do with me.
