Day 2 & 3 - Cairns

The smooth flight to Cairns takes us to a different world and we feel the humid heat as we step out of the aircraft. We are ready to meet Dorrise who is kindly picking us up. Our flight landed ten minutes earlier than scheduled and we sneak straight outside while she is actually inside the building holding a VT flag and I catch her by surprise a couple of minutes later. We’ve been virtual friends for long years through Virtualtourists and it’s exciting to meet in person at last. Very active and energetic, Dorrise proudly takes us around to explore the beauty of Cairns surroundings after a stop for tea at her cozy place. First is Palm Cove and its quaint beach, nice houses and good choice of restaurants. Lunch at Alassio - which is the name of a popular seaside town some 90 minutes drive from our hometown Torino - was a great occasion to taste local barramundi fish and a 4X beer. Nope, XXXX Gold isn't a privilege membership card to a porn club. Just a popular Aussie beer! We're now ready to check-in at the apartment we have booked, we have an appointment at 2 PM on-site as it's in a different location than their office. The apartment has just been renovated and it's nice, the building is otherwise still suffering from a flood that ruined it a couple of years ago. Dorrise is patiently waiting downstairs and it doesn't take long before we're aboard her car again and ready for new adventures.
The steep and twisty road to Kuranda recalls of our corner of the world but with the addition of lush tropical vegetation. It would call for a motorcycle ride although most visitors to Kuranda rely on the historical Skyway train. We're inside the Barron Gorge National Park where a waterfall finds its way into the gorge carved by its ancestor molecules. The view from the lookout is spectacular, and one can only imagine the full force in roaring swing during the wet season. Our full day with kindest Dorrise can only end with the promise she will visit us on the 45th parallel north and we talk it over dinner at a food court in the heart of Cairns. Asian food, why not? At this time we are supposed to see each other in a week in Brisbane although the circumstances won't then let it happen. The twilight period is quite short in the tropics and it gets pitch dark before one knows. Time to scan the sky for the Southern Cross constellation and check whether - of course it does - it still looks like we saw it from South Africa and Brazil. Now I even remember that the south direction can be found at the intersection of two imaginary lines, one drawn as the elongation of the longest axis of the "diamond" stars, the other as a line drawn in the middle, square to the two "pointer" stars. Easier done than said though.
Our Day 3 is dedicated to the Great Barrier as we venture out to Michaelmas and Hastings reefs. We set foot on the tiny sand island of Michaelmas. The tour operator provides goggles, fins and wetsuits which, at least for me, proves insufficient to keep me warm during the two hours afloat through the wonders of the submerged universe. Corals of all kinds, shapes and size. Giant clams and fish galore, and the sudden surprise to be surrounded by a school of batfish as we approach the boat. They are curious and within arm's reach in crystal clear waters. Just magical. I feel cold as never before and I'm violently shaking as I climb the boat's stairs and try to pull out of the wetsuit. I can't speak properly and I'm shocked, and still shaking while attending the buffet lunch aboard.

Next morning (Day 4) we're on our own and we head to the car rental location not far from our aptly chosen room. Time to show the official translation of my Italian driver's license which I had requested prior to leaving home. Driving in the states of Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria requires a translation if the license is not in English language. Our small baby outside the office is immaculate white and ready for dirt and who knows what through the next 5,000 Km. I'm used to drive to the left but it seems I can't get accustomed to operate the signals with a lever on the right side of the steering wheel. All right-hand-drive cars I used before had such lever to the left, like at home, so I'll keep swinging the wipers's lever instead for most of our journey. (NOTE: guess what? Upon return home, the first time I signaled I've obviously hit the wiper instead)
GPS is on and off we go! We'll be pointing south for good. Coming across place names of Aboriginal origin, often composed of two repeated words, makes me think of Bunga Bunga. Our ex-premier certainly knows what it means.