Travel Guides and Stories

Our Australia adventure began on November 3, 2023, and after ten days, it left us with the best travel memories so far. Thanks to everyone who accompanied and cared for us along the way!    
   Day 6: Cairns — Hot Air Balloon Ride & Kuranda Rainforest & Great Barrier Reef    
   Itinerary: Hot air balloon ride – tropical rainforest – Kuranda Village – Great Barrier Reef – Botanical Gardens    
   Hot Air Balloon Ride — We set out at 4 AM, driving 1.5 hours inland from Cairns beach. At sunrise, we soared over the beautiful Atherton Tablelands in a hot air balloon. Towns, villages, hills, orchards, and farmland all passed beneath our feet. After landing, we helped the staff pack up the balloon, giving us a taste of a different kind of accomplishment.    
Morning farm views:

Morning farm views:

Rising slowly:

Lift-off:

Rising with the sunrise:

Aerial view—morning mist still floating among the trees:

Aerial view—five balloons in the sky at once:

First descent:

At the highest point, I thought of the song by Mayday “Leaving the Earth’s Surface”:

Gazing at the distant mountains, breathtaking:

Our closest neighbor:

Smoke rising—time for breakfast:

The local residences—so desirable:

Last ascent:

Fields glowing in the morning light:

Kuranda Rainforest — Kuranda Village is a small town on the edge of the Atherton Tablelands, set in rainforest. A hundred years ago, it was home to the aboriginal Djabugay people. Located in pristine tropical rainforest, it’s hot and rainy year-round—a classic tropical environment.      You can take the historic Cairns–Kuranda Scenic Railway or the Skyrail cableway (7.5km long, built entirely by helicopters to protect the rainforest), enjoying spectacular tropical scenery and waterfalls along the way.    
Rainforest plants:

Fan palms:

Rainforest mantis—very small:

Barron River:

Parasitic plants:

It’s said the bird world here is great—we didn’t go in, but saw these two parrots outside:

Koala park: After getting off the cable car, a short walk brings you to the Koala Park, home to koalas, kangaroos, crocodiles, and turtles—a mini-zoo.      “Hey, what are you looking at?”

Kangaroo—sadly, we never saw a joey in a pouch on this trip:

Koala — More and more evidence shows koalas originally lived in rainforests, but as Australia became drier, they adapted to eating only eucalyptus leaves.      10 koala facts:      1. You can find koalas in forests near Kuranda.      2. “Koala” comes from the aboriginal language, meaning “no water.”      3. Koalas get 90% of their water from eucalyptus leaves.      4. Eucalyptus leaves are toxic to most animals—koalas are the only ones that eat them.      5. Because eucalyptus leaves are high in fiber and low in nutrients, koalas need to sleep more than 18 hours a day to conserve energy (and for what? See the next photo!).      6. Koalas have two thumbs for better tree climbing (when I held one for a photo, its thumb dug into my skin!).      7. Baby koalas are called “joeys.” At birth, they’re just 20mm long and weigh less than 1g.      8. Joeys start on mother’s milk, then switch to a special poop called “PAP,” which provides essential gut microbes to digest eucalyptus leaves.      9. Joeys spend 5–6 months in the mother’s pouch, then 6 months riding on her back.      10. Koalas communicate by sound and scent. Males attract females with low-pitched bellows.      Soulful sleeping pose:

Shhh, don’t disturb him:

I took a photo with him—he supposedly has five “wives”; okay, I admit I’m being cheeky, but they sleep 18 hours a day just to save energy... for five “wives”!

Anyway, thanks for posing for my photo, and for your professionalism in not peeing while being held! That flexibility, that posture—only a “pro”!

Kuranda Village—after a simple lunch at a burger shop, take a stroll around the town, a great place for souvenirs. The burgers are good, but the chubby owner likes Chinese food better—she can say “Shanghai dumplings” in Chinese:

Wall mural in Kuranda:

Aboriginal market stall:

This candy shop makes everything by hand—a great gift for friends back home:

Sculptures on the street—very unique:

It’s called the “mantis signpost,” but I doubt even an octopus could find its way!

Great Barrier Reef—30-minute helicopter ride straight to the reef. For first-timers, be prepared: time will fly by while you’re taking photos—you’ll barely have time to take it all in.    
Our ride:

Waves rolling onto the sand:

Great Barrier Reef:

Close-up of the reef:

Panoramic view of the reef:

Panoramic view of the reef:

Distant view of the reef:

At the Botanical Gardens, there happened to be a “sexy & death” plant exhibition—remind you of any movie plants?

The following are all tropical rainforest plants—too bad I don’t know their names.

Dinner in Cairns—a big feast:

Steak—very tender:

Kangaroo meat—no strange taste, but a bit chewy:

Dessert: