Enjoying Cairns

Hi All,  Well our stay in Cairns is nearly at an end. Today is  sheet wash day and collect the meat order from the butcher who will kindly cryovac it for us. Tomorrow go to Rustys markets to get fresh veg and Woolies for the stores. We are heading off on Monday with Kay and Paul to explore Cape York. Our first stop will be Palmer River on the way to Cooktown. We will be travelling in convoy and I am looking forward to the trip very much. In Cooktown we will meet Caleb Zaicz who is Annie's son (Annie is Vance's partner) He is a ranger there and will be a font of knowledge for us. Looking forward to meeting him and his wife Tara. after Cooktown our plans will be day to day depending on road conditions, etc etc  we are planning to get to Cape York, Normanton, Weipa. The internet connection and phone is likely to be very sporadic, but we do have a satellite phone for emergencies and I will get the number and send on. From fellow travellers we hear that the roads are getting very busy up there.

We had a thoroughly good time sailing and had mostly great weather on the reef. Gil such an experienced captain. His whole life has been at sea catching crayfish or whiting or mackerel.  he no longer goes to sea but still has a couple of cray boats out of Geraldton. After we got off the boat their son Simon and family from Melbourne hopped on. Yesterday afternoon I went with Sheryl and the little girls age 3 and 5 to the Stardust Circus. It was great. Performing lions, monkeys, goats, dogs, pigs, horses and of course the trapeze, jugglers, clowns. Then last night we had a delicious meal at Limmys Malaysian Restaurant. Sheryl and Gil leave tomorrow back to Perth and have just packed up the boat and will leave it here in Cairns until the next trip next year.

Paul and Kay are in their caravan parked only a few bays away. We all had a little pool time this morning. But tonight we are out for some fun. We are off to the bull riders rodeo thingie at the convention centre. not actually rodeo … they ride bulls and it seems to be a really  big event with stars from USA and Canada competing. Can't wait to hear all the razz matazz, big boots big hats and plenty of cowboy music!!!!!!

I have spent a long time understanding my brand new Toshiba laptop. I can finally download the photos from my phone anto the laptop and store them…hooray….

so … love hearing from you all.

Poor little Emily has foot and mouth a nasty virus apparently very very common. body rash and temperature.

lots of love to you all

Pen

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