I don't know what I thought I would find as Cairns tends to have a fairly ropey reputation as being full of backpackers, hippies and divers. I suspect that a lot of money has been and is being spent in trying shake off that image. The streets are clean, the Esplanade area is lovely with a long walk, bathing lagoon, artificial beach and marina for fishing and cruising boats. But, there are still lots of shout-loud, cheap and tatty, seaside shops even if they are in a town that's generally warmer than Southend. There's something just not quite right. It's the main start point for trips to the Great Barrier Reef and there are trips for all pockets and ambition. You can snorkel, dive, look through a glass-bottomed boat, go sea-fishing, hire an upmarket boat for your own personal cruise. Anything. Plenty of seemingly upmarket hotels as well as lots of dodgy looking backpackers places. I've been staying in the YHA which is bigger and noisier and different from my experience in Darwin. Last night at midnight I thought the hostel had broken - I couldn't hear anything! There's usually loud talking, guitar playing, general noisyness.
That's not to say I didn't get any culture on my walkabout. There was the Cairns Regional Art Gallery, fairly small and not very exciting I'm afraid. I did enjoy the pictures by Andrea Huelin. The shop was better than the gallery. I went off to find the museum that the lady in tourist information said didn't exist; "...because Cairns hasn't been here very long there wouldn't be anything to put in it". I have to mention that she was English. To be fair, the museum that had existed (and was still on the map she gave me) has closed while the premises are being refurbished. Wandering about, I did come across the Centre of Contemporary Art and that was bloody brilliant. Interesting, thought-provoking stuff, both aboriginal and not. Loads to look at, the shop was fabulous and it's lucky, yet again, for my bank balance that I can't get things home with me.
Up early to go to Daintree rain forest and Cape Tribulation where this wifi is working (outside the reception office only and no mobile coverage) as I type. But I'll tell you about that tomorrow. Right now, there's a beer with my name on it.
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