So the drive continues northward bound. Australia is so vast in comparison with the UK, we have been driving for hours before we reach anything remotely considered as a town. So we have ended up in Rockhampton. What a weird place!
Greeted on almost every street corner by a huge carved bull, Rockhampton is apparently the beef capital of Oz. This is cowboy territory yeeeeha!
After seeing the movie Brokeback Mountain I was particularly keen on meeting some real life cowboys however not only is the weather grey but so is the town.
After exploring I felt so disappointed, not only did I miss the only worthwhile event in Rockhampton, The Bull Show but well I’ve decided there’s nothing here!
The town is square, flat and lacklustre; there is no character or charm here. To put it bluntly it’s a load of old bull!
So back in the ‘Death mobile’ we go. The stormy weather in the south is heading up north and we’ve been advised against the Whitsundays, this is supposed to be another ‘must do’ in Australia so I am deeply disappointed.
And so to stop off, this time in Mackay, which is a large city but nothing in comparison to Brisbane. It's nicer than Rockhampton but to be fair that's not a difficult fete!
Again nothing too exciting here to mention and I’m beginning to feel I’m not enjoying my time in Australia as much as I would have expected. I guess I just have to keep on moving........
As we drive frantically out of Townsville in the rain, the skies start to clear and become bluer to reveal a beautiful sunny sky.
And so we reach Cairns. Cairns is by far the youngest, trendiest, prettiest city in Australia since Noosa. It's packed with bars, restaurants, cafes, shops and good looking people. Ok so this is more like it!
It definitely has a tropical feel and the natural beauty is breathtaking. We find an amazing camp site just near Lake Placid and Jonny and I are once again filled with the joys of summer!
Time to hit The Great Barrier Reef! What can I say bout the reef? It’s beautiful, I’ve never attempted snorkelling before but on an island called Franklin I gave it my all, having the island to ourselves made it a little easier, the Reef is so clear, you can see the different colourful fish swimming around your legs, it’s overwhelmingly beautiful.
We decided to travel around Cairns on a moped, nipping around the town with our beach wear on, popping to the beach and then for a bite to eat, so much fun.
Yes I like Cairns very much and maybe I’ll stay for a while, who knows?
