I'm Baaaaack - Part 1

So, is everyone enjoying Autumn? Is it getting a bit chilly? Hmm, it is about 90 degrees here. October, a warm month, that is a first for me. I am loving the sun back at the village, and I practically lived under the sun on our 17 day holiday. Speaking of, I have a lot to catch you up on, and I apologize for not doing so earlier; when we returned I should have updated it straight away.

We began our quest down the East Coast by flying into Cairns, and spending 4 nights/5 days there. Whitewater rafting down the Tully River was a blast! The difficulty of the rapids were grades 3 and 4 on a grade 6 scale. It was hard work, and we even fell in the water after some of the grade 4 rapids- part of the raft would tip or bounce people out if they didn't hold on! The next day was even more intense! I went skydiving from 11,000 feet over the Great Barrier Reef and landed on the beach! It was a SPECTACULAR view. We took this really tiny plane, that fit 4 people plus the certified divers strapped to us! I was the first one to go- this is how the conversation went leading up to the dive:
Man attached to me to keep me alive: we're at 11,000 feet! are you ready for this? (the side door slowly opens and he scoots us over to face out the door)
Me: ...
Man: ok swing your feet outside!
Me: wooooaaaah
Man: good job! ready, ONE
Me: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!
(there was no 2 or 3!)
It was such a rush, so exhilarating! My face was flapping in the wind, but only until the parachute got opened, and then we slowed down to a drift. I was actually able to stop screaming, too! As soon as I landed I was ready to go back up... hahaha, not really. It took me a while to realize that I really just jumped out of a plane- I wanted someone to pinch me ;-D

We followed that by getting in a Jungle Minjin Swing, the next day. Richie and I were strapped in side by side and hoisted up, practically into the rain forest, and looking out over the outskirts of Cairns. I had control of the string which would released us; when I pulled it we went plummeting down and swung like a pendulum amongst the trees! (Can you see us way up in there??) We also had the option to bungee jump there, but I was way too frightened I'd snap all my bones or something extreme like that. Richie, on the other hand, faced his fears and ended up loving it!

Our last two days in Cairns: One day, we went snorkeling at three different parts of the Outer Great Barrier Reef. The weather was perfect and the sun was beating down, so the water was so much warmer than the first time we went out there. We also saw a lot of different kinds of fish and got to tough a sea cucumber - slimy and squishy creatures. The other day we spent at a northern Cairns beach. The water was clear and so refreshing. That night we took a 13 hour coach bus ride & arrived at our next destination, Airlie Beach.