Lovely Outliers

I arrived in Cairns in order to do my open water diving certification and spent several days bookending that wandering Cairns.

Cairns is a pretty small city with a well-developed tourist strip along the waterfront and what seems to be pretty desolate sprawl beyond that area. It was hawt hawt hawt!

The priority of my first day was finding a sun hat and re-plenishing my sunscreen stores.My favourite part of the downtown was the Lagoon – a public free swimming pool along the water, it think it was opened because of the alligators and other deathy things along the shore, which would be a hustle for the tourism industry and town.There is also a didgerydoo shop which will give you free lessons. I came dangerously close to buying a didgerydoo, but figured a big instrument would be a hassle as I had a few more flights to deal with.

I also spent a few hours in the art museum, where they had an amazing exhibition featuring modern art created by women.My new diving family went out for drinks, pool, and large platters of nachos. Another highlight of Cairns was where I scored the best (and only) placenta-based face cream I have owned. As an impulse, I decided to go parasailing the morning before I left, which was the most chill “extreme” sport. You literally sit there as the boat pulls you around and you float up into the air. It is so quiet and calm when you are sailing around 80ft above the water. It was the perfect way to end my time in this holiday paradise.