Up, Up and Away

We've been adventuring again, well, more like heading to old haunts.

Can you guess where we were off to early Thursday?

When we caught a taxi to the airport it was still dark and the Southern Cross was very clear above us.

By the time we took off the golden sun was spreading light  as it peeked over the mountains.

First the plane headed east.

However it soon turned south.

The golden light started to change to the clear white light of day.

Clouds moved and changed during the around 2 hour flight.

Then suddenly, near our destination, the coast was in sight.

We got lower and lower, the port easily in view.

Then we were down, wheels on the ground and feet not that long after. 

Brisbane here we are!

My mother driven taxi picked us up then north it was again, to the next stop.

Note: Mr Sparky's first commercial flight was, as he described, boring. I kind of agreed however as it was nothing eventful but the clouds looked nice.  I specify commercial flight because Mr Sparky has almost done his pilots license for light aircraft.

A Palm Cove Afternoon

It was a hard afternoon at work I tell you.

Imagine having to put up with this.

See, very hard afternoon.

We headed to the beach, Palm Cove to be exact, for our Wednesday afternoon activity at Nova. Our student was pretty excited to say the least.

I think she was bouncing with excitement and happily joined us in our no shoes exploration which lead to wet toes of cause. It is stinger season so she got to see the stinger nets in action and learn about swimming between the flags.

The lifeguards had headed out, suited up, to find some stingers for beach goers to see as the plan is you don't see them if swimming in the nets.

The signs were up and with the 'king' tides and recent rain there is a high stinger risk so it is even advised that swimmers wear stinger suits inside the nets.

The water temp was 29 degrees C, which is warm enough to bath in, but with a top of 35 today and humidity turned on it was refreshing to dip our feet into it.

There were a few around enjoying the water, sand and sun.

Knowing there are stingers in there makes the water look not quite so 'nice' but it looks pretty all the same.

We spotted some noisy beach goers hanging out. Our student loved seeing a bird she had heard about and then seen in a zoo in the wild.

The rainbow lorikeets weren't the best of posers though.

This photo below almost gives the impression of a deserted beach but it was far from that with people lazing in the shade, swimming, walking and having BBQs up on the grass.

See what I mean below our school coordinator and student lazing working hard in the shade.

I wander u the beach meant the student got to see the crocodile sign in a real location. Did you know an attack by a crocodile my cause harm or injury. Much of an understatement? Now that water is looking even less appealing, isn't it.

We headed along the wharf/ pier.

There were a few people fishing but no matter how hard we looked we didn't see a fish in sight.

What we did see however was my school marmish hat floating away after it blew off my head. See above references to marine life as to why I wasn't going after it. Belated birthday present idea from a relative down south maybe.

At Palm Cove you can see Double Island and Scout Hat Island.

My new tale for Scout Hat Island is ... that is what happened to the last hat that was taken by the ocean.

It was a really nice walk but I can tell you hatless was not wise as unintentional as it was.

The good thing about taking our Japanese students places is that I fit in on the photo taking front.

Plus it is fun pointing out the normal and the interesting to them and seeing the area through the eyes of someone else.

On the walk back we saw more, discussed more and caught up with those noisy beach goers again.

They were still just as willing to sit still.

Before heading back into town we let the student lead us to the shops and enjoyed having a bit of a browse. We were also possibly strategically standing in front of air conditioner vents which might not have been the smartest idea when having to step back outside.

I tell you, my afternoon at work was such hard work.

Getting Older

Last night, I sat, listening to the clock ticking the seconds and minutes by as it edged closer to midnight and the end of my birthday. Sitting in solitude and sucking the last moments from it.

Okay so admittedly this is my normal after night work routine as when I get home I'm not ready for bed but the sucking the last moments from my birthday thing sounded much more entertaining.

The day started on the Atherton Tablelands after a relaxing night at a friend's farm. I was hoping to catch the sunrise but the late night interfered with that idea.

We were up early enough all the same and had a quick wander to see what the morning had brought.

It was so lovely to see early morning country vistas, dew on the grass and cooler morning weather than what the coast brings.

 After the morning coffee ritual, meaning water for me, we headed off as the family we stayed with were getting ready to pick pumpkins and we wanted to get back to Cairns early enough to relax before I had to head to work (plus I needed to wash my uniform).

We had a breakfast stop at Tolga bakery. Sooo good! I've turned into a it of a bakery connoisseur I fear.

The rest of the day was pretty quiet, nothing too exciting. I made life hard for Mr Sparky by not having a clue what I wanted for my Birthday. I honestly couldn't think of a thing (please feel free to give me an idea, my suggestion was lunch/ dinner or an experience/ trip).

 I had to work at night and up came the discussion on the best age. It kept us going all night. One of the fellas I work with reckoned 26 but then changed his mind to 30. He is old enough to have grown up kids but was a young dad. One of the ladies reckoned 50 because the kids had left home and freedom was hers along with the joy of grandkids but no schooling expenses. Mr Sparky when asked this morning reckoned 20 and I think (now being late 20s myself) maybe mid 20s, when you have grown up a bit, have more confidence but smarts as well along with the energy to have a lot of fun. I also think the age you think is best changes as you get older. What do you think is the best age?