Aug 31, Cairns 'N' Great Barrier Reef

Today we went on a cruise, on a big Catamaran, to go snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef. Our first stop was at Michaelmas Cay island (just like in the films, a sand island in the middle of the ocean with a coconut tree), we snorkel around. The second snorkel stop was at Hastings Reef, which is an incredible reef site where we saw many colorful different reefs and fishes (including “Nemo”). We took many pictures, with an underwater photo machine…

By night we waited for the night bus to Airlie Beach... it is Friday night and Cairns it is plenty of life in the street…

Aug 30, Cairns 'N' Trinity Beach

Third part of our trip, beach party!

We arrived Cairns, the capital of tourism in Australia, just because is one of the best places to visit the Great Barrier Reef!

We had the afternoon free so we went to Trinity Beach, the nearest beach. It is beautiful (but it seams like we are in Brazil!). You only were allowed to swim by the lifeguard because of the stingers (jellyfish). After a good pizza lunch we just fall into sleep on the sand, so we miss the opportunity of a bath with the stingers…

Back to Cairns, it was the city festival, so besides the great city night life, there are animation by the Esplanade (street by the sea).

 

Aug 29, Kakadu National Park & Darwin

After a good camping night in the wild, we went to see one of the main attractions of Kakadu NP, aboriginal caves painting that is said to have thousands of years. We also went to a hill with great views 360º around the park.

At sunset we arrived Darwin. This city was bombed by the Japs in the II World War, and now is full of Asiatic people (including Japs)! Is also near by the ocean, has tropical weather and is full of rests and bars…

Aug 28, Nitmiluk National Park (Katherine Gorge) 'N' Kakadu National Park

It was a very full and amazing day! We joined our tour “mates”, a lovely English couple that lives in Aus, one Australian, three Germans and Jesu, our guide! Today we saw so many different wild animals, that I’m going to announce only the main ones...

Early morning we went on a cruise in the Katherine River thought the Gorge, where fresh water crocodiles lives (they are small and just eat fish). In the way to Katherine Gorge we saw two Dingoes and Wallabies (little Kangarros).

All around Katherine and Kakadu is full of termites, that are ants nests, and they are so big and resistant that some of them have 6 meters high! It is called “cathedrals”!

In the afternoon we went on a cruise by the Yellow River in Kakadu NP, we just loved so much! The cruise was on calm waters, full of salt crocodiles (the big ones). By the riverside we could saw Jabirus (name given by the Portuguese colons, because of the Brazilian bird), Eagles, Kookaburras (color lithe bird, typical in Australia), wild pigs, wild horses, wild ducks, lotus-flowers…

We took so many photos that they speak for themselves!