1st trip to Queensland: Townsville + Cairns in May!

JerseyVics · 25-04-2009, 11:15 AM

Man I'm loving these travel deals, May will be a good month!

Just booked a crazy itinerary for US Memorial Day... meeting some Americans in Cairns but also making a stop in Townsville for two half day exploring opps...

Okay, it goes as follows if anyone wants to meet up anywhere along the way:

Friday, May 22nd: 9am Sydney departure, 11:40am Townsville arrival... no plans all day, staying at the Holiday Inn if anybody wants to grab a beer after work, or cruise the city... would love to check it out!

Saturday, May 23rd: 6am Townsville departure, 7:25am Cairns arrival... there are some activities scheduled with the Americans, but I'm sure if anyone from here is around maybe I could meet up with them as well!

Sunday, May 24th: 11:59pm Cairns departure, 5:25am Townsville arrival... by way of a Greyhound bus... for the price I paid I couldn't even get a hotel room for the night, so I'll attempt my darnest to sleep on the bus, and wake up fresh as a daisy for another half day in Townsville.

Monday, May 25th: 12:25pm Townsville departure, 3'ish arrival in Sydney.

the airfare... AU$200... bus AU$50... hotels US$55 in Townsville, US$40 bux in Cairns... 4 star American chains... couldn't believe it... where were these deals when I was dying from price shock in Melbourne???

Anyway... anybody out there wanna up for a brewski or at least a quick hello?

thanks,
--Russ

:

**fordomatic** · 25-04-2009, 12:32 PM

hey mate would have liked to take you out and around in townsville, but im going overseas with work two days before you get here lol. sorry mate.

JerseyVics · 25-04-2009, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fordomatic

hey mate would have liked to take you out and around in townsville, but im going overseas with work two days before you get here lol. sorry mate.

no worries dude! thats like the story of my life... always a day late and a dollar short... maybe next time

351EL · 25-04-2009, 06:31 PM

What a pity you aren't driving between Cairns and Townsville as I live halfway. I could show you what a right hand drive 2001 cobra mustang is like to drive.

JerseyVics · 26-04-2009, 03:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 351EL

What a pity you aren't driving between Cairns and Townsville as I live halfway. I could show you what a right hand drive 2001 cobra mustang is like to drive.

oh man... I'll be sleeping on the bus during that drive.

any chance you can send me some pictures and a build # of your Cobra for my registry? www.SVTregistry.com

thanks!

csv8 · 26-04-2009, 09:49 AM

Remember the AEROGARD Cairns has Dengue Fever and you really really don't want that...

xr8chick · 26-04-2009, 04:06 PM

I just got back from Cairns.
I used to live there, but have now just realised how much of the tourism side of it there is to see.
Recommend spending a couple days in Cape Tribulation.

**GasoLane** · 26-04-2009, 05:16 PM

There's a lot more to see in Cairns...

Townsville is ok........if you like Army or Airforce bases

GS608 · 26-04-2009, 05:44 PM

if only you were going in July, could catch the V8's in townsville.

351EL · 26-04-2009, 06:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JerseyVics

oh man... I'll be sleeping on the bus during that drive.

any chance you can send me some pictures and a build # of your Cobra for my registry? www.SVTregistry.com

thanks!

Sleeping on the bus. You obviously haven't seen the road.

If you come back up for more of a look around give me a yell (PM me). I have all kinds of good stuff here eg blown 351 in a EL, f150,3V falcon ute, cobra etc.

JerseyVics · 26-04-2009, 07:24 PM

I've signed up for the following things in Cairns:

1. Kuranda Scenic Railway and Skyrail
2. The Harbour Dinner Cruise
3. Green Island Discovery Tour

this should keep me busy for the whole two days I'm there.

thanks guys,
--Russ

**Elks** · 26-04-2009, 08:44 PM

Just spent 10 days Port Douglas (about an hour north of cairns) Very good.

Did the Kuranda rail thing. Good stuff, highly recommended tourist stuff.

Port is great as is the trip to Cape Trib. But you need a hire car and you will probably run out of time.

It's HOT & humid, only pack shorts and light shirts. You will love it.

How come the bus back takes 5 1/2 hours?

JerseyVics · 26-04-2009, 08:47 PM

Greyhound must make a lot of pee stops.

the same distance trip from Sydney to Canberra I'm doing the week before is estimated at just over 3 hours.

351EL · 26-04-2009, 08:54 PM

They go into Mission beach and stop in Cardwell for a while.

**GasoLane** · 26-04-2009, 09:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JerseyVics

I've signed up for the following things in Cairns:

1. Kuranda Scenic Railway and Skyrail
2. The Harbour Dinner Cruise
3. Green Island Discovery Tour

this should keep me busy for the whole two days I'm there.

thanks guys,
--Russ

The Scenic Rail going up is good, make sure you book a seat first though.
Kuranda Village is nice but pure tourist, the whole village virtually shuts after the last Skyrail leaves.
Skyrail down is also good if you've never seen a rain forest. There's two stops on the way down where you can get out and wander.

Green Island is a quick way to see a little part of the reef, swimming/snorkelling should be ok as the stingers should be gone by the time you get there.

The Harbour dinner cruise is nice and relaxing, you may even see a croc or two...but you only get wine and bikkies. No Dinner though.

The Green Island ferry and the Dinner cruise leave from the same wharf which is not far from the Cairns (FREE) pool. Worth a look if only for the walking scenery

XR6_661 · 27-04-2009, 08:50 AM

If you get a chance, and if you are into that kind of stuff, go check out the Mareeba Wildlife Safari...

It's about 10 mins out of kuranda and they do bus links there I think.

Me and the missus went there a few weeks ago, was a great day. Just make sure you go before 11am to catch the pride of male lions feeding!! Or if not, just go to see the Rhino.

Umm what else...Green Island of course is quite good...very small though and I'd probably take a packed lunch as $15 for a burger equivelant to one from maccas is a bit rich if you ask me. Not to mention $3 for a can of coke.

If you have some extra coin and want to book ahead, get out to moore reef pontoon for the day. A much better experience. When me and the missus went there, we got to swim with and feed a huge green turtle. Was amazing.

I wouldn't worry too much about port douglas...not much up there really, but I guess if you've never been there it's not too bad.

If you want a bit of fun, head to the cable ski park! That's a hoot. Or hire a jetski at Palm Cove.

Ummm, if you wanna know anything else, I've done basically all the tourist things in Cairns, some I've done more then once. So yeah, any questions, feel free to ask me!

JerseyVics · 27-04-2009, 11:56 AM

thanks for all the information!

the events I listed I'll be doing as part of the group... so I'm not sure what they have planned... or how much free time I'm going to have left over.

I must admit, I can't wait!

JerseyVics · 18-05-2009, 09:05 AM

only a few days left...

any place in Townsville people would recommend to buy swimming shorts?

I've been in Australia for three months already and haven't been in the ocean yet... don't even have the proper "equipment" to go snorkeling in Cairns, LOL

**GasoLane** · 19-05-2009, 12:14 PM

In Cairns? Anywhere!!

Snorkelling gear is usually supplied free with any water/reef tour.