Showing posts with label Travels. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Travels. Show all posts

Monday, 13 June 2016

Sunset above the clouds

Ooops, I've run away on you again. Did you miss me? 


I had grand plans for a bit of blogging while I was away down south for a week. Well, that didn't happen. In fact just about the only thing I got the laptop out for was to take photos off my camera. That really was a good thing though. It meant that I was spending time enjoying the company of people, of my people, rather than having my head stuffed inside technology.


I've just had a week away down south with family. I headed down for a bit to be a carer for my brother for the weekend and it fitted in so nicely with my work roster that I was able to stretch it to a week.

Cairns City

On the way down, I flew into Brisbane, and for something really unusual I flew in the late afternoon. Do you know what that means? The sunset (and sunrise) obsessed me got to watch the sun set above the clouds.

Now I am pretty sure my non blind shutting habits annoy those sitting beside me but do you know what, I don't really care, because watching the sky change really is something and enjoying it is my relaxation thing. I really do try my hardest to get others to enjoy it with me, some are rather forced into it.


We took off on a bit of a rainy Cairns afternoon and it seemed to be a bit overcast and grey the whole way south.


The clouds were interesting though, once we rose above them, especially when the light started to change.


Unfortunately it seems that windows aren't something that gets cleaned much so mine was a little smudgy. My request to all airlines is to clean their windows ... a lot. Especially for me, you know.



As the sun sank lower the world above turned orange-ish.


You may think that all I do is stare out the window but I did attempt to watch a movie on the Virgin Australia app. What that really means is I watched a movie in subtitles because I've never been able to get that app to play sound on my phone. I guess my phone isn't smart enough for them. My phone is smart enough for me though, too smart sometimes like when it does whatever it wants to do. That reminds me, I think I should communicate that to them. I kept getting side tracked by the sky so I never finished the movie.



I always pack stuff to do on the plane like a book to read, music and usually a puzzle book too. So many times I've flown and these items barely see the light. Again, the view out the window is to blame.


The food also interrupts me. By the way, what is with the shoddy food and beverage service. I swear it is getting worse. This time we managed to get a drink of water, juice, tea or coffee and one teeny tiny sweet biscuit. I also didn't receive it until the plane had started slowly descending. By then it was dinner time, honestly. What happened to the days of an actual meal and copious drinks?


Well that was my little rant. Mind you, I am sure others would agree.


I spent most of the flight in quiet viewing. My seat partners were pretty quiet. That's right, they were Chinese, I forgot that. Anyway they were quiet and pretty intent on sleeping the flight away. It was fine by me, I was pretty intent on capturing a sunset. Actually the flight had a large percentage of Chinese on it so I guess that means tourism is doing pretty well. I hope they enjoy their stay.



By the time we descended the light was gone. I think it lingered so long because of how far up we were.


I was met at the airport by a very happy Mum (I was pretty excited to see her too). We chatted our way back up to the Sunshine Coast where we were spending the weekend. Really hard location for carer duty, don't you think.

Just for interests sake, I did a little labeling on one of the photos I took.


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Wednesday, 6 April 2016

On the High Seas

I can't believe this was about a week and a half ago. Such a short time yet such a long time.


On Good Friday Sis G arrived on my doorstep, ready for a bit of a holiday. This was the beginning of my first Easter with family in three years.


Sis G brought some of her mates along, or they just followed her, or maybe the idea of time away in Cairns was just catching. They didn't stay with me, but she did. She arrived to a house that had barely been touched in a week with Mr Sparky doing some serious overtime and me having day and night work happening. It is amazing how much cleaning you can do in the half an hour before someone arrives. That someone wasn't Sis G though, it was a friend whose car I am babysitting until she comes back from her holidays.


We had a relaxing Friday afternoon and on Saturday I waved off Sis G, who was off on a trip on the high seas with her mates.


It turned out that there was one place left on the boat and so I tagged along as well. Perks of Mr Sparky working for that company.


I honestly didn't think I was going to get on, I was on standby so couldn't find out whether I would get on until the last minute.


I would have loved to see Sis G's face when I called to find out where on the boat she was. I know when I did see her face, she was pretty pleased to see me.


As we headed out of Trinity Inlet, we got our mandatory safety talk. Then was the how to put on snorkel gear talk. Just before this Sis G was called to see one of the staff, on the deck, in front of everyone. Mr Sparky had been at work and pulled some strings, knowing she wanted a dive, and the staff needed to sort it out. He told me later that when the staff member had asked how to find her he had said to call her over the speaker system. He should write a book ... How to embarrass a teen 101.


On this sunny Saturday we were headed to Michaelmas Cay.


Even though I've lived here for over three years, this was the first time I'd actually been out to the reef. Well, past Green Island.


I'd wanted to visit Michaelmas Cay to see the birds but it wasn't the highest on my list because there is no shade except for what is on the boat. I burn in two seconds flat, got to be realistic about these things.


Well, talk about birds! There were plenty of sea birds around. It is a nesting place for them.

About Michaelmas Cay

Michaelmas Cay is a small, vegetated sand cay:
  • Located on the western tip of Michaelmas Reef 43km north-east of Cairns and 17km north of Green Island.
  • The vegetated coral reef island covers an area of 1.8 hectares and rises to a height of 3.5m above sea level.
  • Around 360m long x 50m wide.
For a period during the late 1800s and early 1900s the island was used by sea cucumber pickers (Beche-de-mer) and for guano mining. In 1937 it was declared a fauna sanctuary and formally a national park in 1975. The Cay has cultural significance to the local Gungandji, Mandingalbay-Yidinji and Yirriganydji indigenous peoples. 

http://oceanspirit.com.au/michaelmas-cay


The colours of the ocean and reef were amazing. Blue, blue everywhere. My favourite colour.


I sent Sis G and some of her friends off diving and then headed over to Michaelmas Cay to check out the birds up close AND to check out under the water too.


One thing about a crowd of birds like this is that there is a bit of a smell, and plenty of bird poo. A little section of the Cay was roped off for human use but I can imagine that when the humans leave for the day the birds take back over, kicking back and relaxing on that small amount of extra sand space.

Common Noddy

A lot of the birds had babies stuck in that stage between down and feathers. Super cute and awkward looking and pretty much as big as their parents, some even looked bigger.

Brown Booby

Brown Booby

Crested Tern

Crested Tern, Sooty Tern

The water from the Cay looked crystal clear.


Post card perfect view of a tropical paradise.



Unfortunately I filled my SD car quickly, forgetting that it was full of photos that hadn't been taken off. Luckily I had another back on the boat but that didn't help on the Cay.


I headed off for a snorkel and to get lost in the wonder of the underwater world. It was amazing! Pretty, textured and colourful.


I had to head back to the boat for lunch but otherwise I could have been out there for so long.
Some people said they saw a turtle, others ran into jelly fish, the non stinging type. I saw plenty of fish and boy the parrot fish a noisy eaters.


After lunch I just relaxed for a bit on the boat. The tide had lowered so the colours had changed a bit.









We also went on a semi-sub ride as part of the trip. It was pretty cool to be looking around under the water. We were a bit deeper than snorkeling so some of the colour was lost making most things a shade of blue, especially on camera.





When we came back it was afternoon tea time as well as time for the crew to do a count to make sure we were all still here. It was also time to get ready for the return trip to Cairns.


I wasn't ready to go, not really. I wanted to snorkel and explore some more. The day sped by in a very relaxing kind of way.






The trip back to Cairns was pretty relaxed and as we came in closer bubbly was served to all in celebration of a lovely day out on the water. Really it is just part of the package but it was a beautiful day out on the water, enjoying the reef.





Then that was that and it was time to head home. Sis G headed out for a night on the town. I don't now where she found the energy for that. 
I did get sunburnt but only where I couldn't reach with the sunscreen on my back. I should have worn a rashie. Also I don't think I saw a blade of vegetation on the Cay but this could be to do with nesting season.


I really enjoyed the day and am so glad I finally made the effort to go. Having people to go with helped with that.

Have you done anything recently that you were meaning to do and have just gotten around to?

http://paying-ready-attention-gallery.blogspot.com.au/2016/04/wild-bird-wednesday-192-black-fronted.html

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