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:

Hold the Wheel and Drive

One of the things I definitely look forward to doing here in Australia is hitting the road on a 4WD vehicle, with a camper trailer in tow, a couple of mountain bikes on the rack, and a tray filled with everything needed for an adventure in the outback. The missus and I would set-up camp in a caravan park close to a mountain (and a beach), ready to go hiking in the morning and retiring to foldable chairs, with a cold beer in my hand and a glass of wine in hers, to watch the sunset in the afternoon. But to get that scenario from daydream land to fruition, I’d need to start from scratch. And by scratch, I don’t mean getting a licence. I actually need to re-learn how to drive.

I’ve had a lot of experience driving in the Philippines and no one could fault me for thinking that because I’ve driven for years back home, I ought to be eligible for a non-expiring licence to drive anywhere in the planet. My skill to safely manoeuvre a vehicle from Point A to Point B in streets where unpredictability is the norm should render me exempt from all driving exams. Unfortunately, the state of Queensland does not agree with my logic. So, I went on my first driving lesson this morning.

Pic of the Day: Driveway

In my vision of a perfect world, all driveways look like this