Cairns, Here We Come

The next couple of weeks are going to be tumultuous yet again for Mrs. PWW and I, with the stuff we unpacked not too long ago in boxes once more, ready for another move. As much as I'm going to miss Stanthorpe and its close proximity to fantastic sites, I can't wait to finally settle down in a space we can call our own, comforted by the thought that we won't have to move again anytime soon. Come Friday, we'll be starting our journey to the city we'll be calling home for the next couple or so years--Cairns.

So far, I've heard nothing but positive reactions from people about the place. Despite being a touristy-spot (it's the fourth most popular destination in Australia for international tourists), apparently it has still maintained a small city feel, and is not as daunting as other well established metropolises. And to someone who's an outdoor addict, this image is certainly quite pleasing to the eyes:


See that? A city surrounded by a whole lot of nature, be it land or sea. As a matter of fact, that's why Cairns is also often referred to as a "gateway city", because right at its doorstep are two World Heritage listed areas; one of which is the Great Barrier Reef. Living this close to one of the most premier dive spots in the world only means that I need to make the most of it, lest my good friends from back home (all of whom are divers) curse me for wasting the opportunity. At some point in time I'll need to drastically improve my water skills and learn how to dive, but until then I can spend some time meandering around the Wet Tropics Rainforest, the other area on the Heritage list. Imagine how awesome it would be to walk around a rainforest like this:

Moving up to a warmer climate is also something I'm looking forward to. It's bound to make me feel more comfortable, and I'll have one less excuse to skip a run. I've already looked at some popular running routes in Cairns, and there's a number that I'm already dying to try, such as the 5K route along The Esplanade (where topless sunbathing was approved by the Mayor in 2003), which can be continued to either the Airport Mangrove Run or Mount Whitfield Conservation Park, home to a trail running track which involves a lot of hopping in between rocks and tree roots, and where there's always the danger of being attacked by a cassowary.

You don't wanna piss me off, mate.

And speaking of feeling like it is back home, my good friend Kaloy just arrived in Sydney yesterday and there's a chance he might move up to Cairns sometime in the future too! Now that would be incredible.

All roads lead to Cairns.




Sources: 1, 2, 3