The bairns in Cairns - Part IV

All in all, a good time had! The girls coped really well with the flying and airports and loved having their grandparents around 24/7. Josh and I had a couple of nights out, thanks Granmarg! It was great going with Margaret and Alastair as they have been before and knew the good spots to visit.
The sunrises were spectacular

There is a fantastic playground, including watery bits, on the Cairns Esplanade. The girls had a wonderful time.

Phoebe's toes got a good clean courtesy of this friendly kangaroo.

Josh and I saw this snake on a walk to the Barron Gorge. Identified by a local as a red-bellied black snake - poisonous and, thankfully, a couple of metres below us and the boardwalk we were on. This was the first live snake either of us had seen in the wild (saw plenty of squashed ones on the highways in the Northern Territory) and was exciting for both us and the hoards of Japanese and German tourists.

The bairns in Cairns - Part III

Kuranda

On the train to Kuranda. Iris would like you to take special note of her new Wiggles t-shirt.

Plenty of room to move on the lovely old train.
Iris and I chill out on the walk from the station up to Kuranda. The seat is made of old railway bits.

Phoebe was very taken with the occupants of the butterfly house in Kuranda.

Taking the Skyrail back down to Cairns. This is an amazing gondola that moves you, at great heights, over rainforest.

The bairns in Cairns - Part II

The Cairns Tropical Zoo.

Phoebe and I kept a healthy distance from the enormous python...

...unlike Josh.

Iris really liked cuddling the koala. Their fur is quite coarse, not really soft like it looks.

Alastair and Margaret enjoying some of the aforementioned good food, washed down by a delicious Australian bubbly.

No photos please, I'm eating.

The bairns in Cairns - Part I

We recently spent a week in Cairns with Josh's parents. This was a chance to spend some quality time and soak up some warmth. As most of you will know by now (and apologies for the medium for those of you who don't), Alastair has been diagnosed with stomach cancer and, with his grim prognosis, spending time together as a family is particularly important right now. We managed to pack a fair bit into our week - cuddling koalas, patting kangaroos, handling snakes (Josh only!), good food, lovely weather and a very comfortable beachfront apartment.

A very thick layer of frost greeted us on the morning of our departure - jetting off to a tropical climate was perfectly timed.

A Campbell family friend, Dave Major, came to Brisbane Airport for a brief, in-transit catch-up.

Iris, enjoying the sunset at Yorkie's Knob.

Phoebe doing the same...

The view towards Cairns from our apartment complex at Trinity Beach.

Dandad Juice

Sarah's father, Bruce, was recently in Wellington to attend a conference. He was able to spend a bit of extra time here and meet his grand-daughters before heading home to Darwin. Iris was very taken with "Dandad Juice" and is still asking after him!

Two grandads.