Day
Eleven - Skyrail, Kuranda, and the Scenic Train
A driver came to pick me up at 10am, and unlike most
drivers I've encountered, this one was very informative about the Cairns
area and history. It was an enjoyable ride. We made our way to the Skyrail
Rainforest Cableway, a 4.7-mile-long cableway that carries you high
above the rainforest. I paired up with Lilly, from Taiwan, and we boarded
a gondola cabin and enjoyed the spectacular view, stopping every so
often for a closer look at the rainforest or waterfalls..
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The Skyrail
(Click to Enlarge) |
Aerial View of Mountains and Sea
(Click to Enlarge) |
Kuranda
Rainforest
(Click to Enlarge) |
At the very end of the Skyrail there lies Kuranda
Village, which is a bit of a tourist trap, with many shops and exhibits,
happy to devoid you of some cash. We walked around for a while, sampling
some mango wine and other local products and then explored the rainforest
a little more.
To get back to Cairns, we boarded the Kuranda
Scenic Railway, an old-fashioned train that winds through the rainforest
for a 105 minute ride back to town. Once again we made several stops
for lookout points and items of interest. The train's final stop was
the Cairns train station, which was only a few blocks from the city
center.
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Scenic
Railway
(Click to Enlarge) |
Barron
Falls
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Inside
the Train
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I finished the evening back at PJ's, watching some
Australian League soccer with some guys from Melbourne and then I met
up with Lilly at the Wool Shed for a few drinks.
Day
Twelve