Our visit to Sydney ends today and we journey on to Cairns. We have thoroughly enjoyed our time in Sydney and can easily see visiting this city and country again. The people were ever so nice and the city has a tremendous history and a lot see and experience. So we repack all our baggage which between the four of us consists of 6 rolling bags, a clip on extra bag, a backpack, two shoulder bags and a satchel. Off we go to roll, drag, and maneuver our party the three blocks to the train station so we can make our flight.
We are headed to the Domestic terminal and check in for our flight. keeping our bags from rolling out of control while on the train took all our efforts. At the airport this trip starts to hit our first sets of problems. The kiosk machine can find neither of our reservations. So we amble up to the counter to check in and the Quantas clerk was helpful but after reviewing my backpack and me putting it on the scale, it weighs to much to be a carry on. She says we should distribute the weight so we don’t get caught at the gate.
Going through the Australian version of the TSA is much more lax than the US. You bring botttles of water through, you don’t have to take off your shoes and jackets, you don’t have to remove your liquids. You do have to take out cell phones and computers. However it is not so lax as to allow you to pack sharp objects like scissors that both Joan and Fran have in their carry on bags. Then Steve sets off the metal detector and they pull him aside for a pat down because of his belt and then Fran, who most certainly looks like a terrorist, gets stopped to be swiped for signs of explosives.
Once at the gate we laugh and then begin unloading parts of my backpack into Steves carry on to distribute the weight. We certainly created a sight as the other passengers watched as we are passing little brack boxes between each other. 
Quantas is a great airline. We are in economy and are served a nice meal, a terrific chocolate truffle, and then the piece de la resistance….. a frozen ice cream bar. Oh and all the meals come with free drinks……and no charge for baggage.
We land Joan and I look at the area and made the comment that this looks just like Kauai. When they open the cabin doors and we walk into the jet way it clearly feels like it is Miami in peak of the summer. It is 85% humidity here and the cab driver who takes us to our hotel says we are fortunate as it just rained two days a go and cooled it off. We unload our bags and heave them up the steps to the reception area of the hotel and realize that not only are the four of us glowing with sweat from the heat and humidity, so is the office manager. There is only a slight difference from the outside temperature to the inside temperature. Definitely not at the Marriott any more.
Having checked in and been given our room keys (I mean literally a brass key) attached to a plastic insert that when entering our room we stick into the switch in the wall which turns the power on. Only 1 key per room so when you leave all the power shuts off. The heat blast the comes from our room as we open the door is stunning. We roll our bags in, I remove my sweat drenched shirt and search for the air conditioning. There in the back above the bed is a single unit. It takes 20 minutes to cool off the room with both ceiling fans beating the air like a helecopter taking off and the air turned to Maximum high.
We really want to run to town and get a bite to eat but it means pulling the magic key from the wall. We do so and head to the Esplanade where the restaurants and shopping are located. The hotel office manager, who is also the airport and downtown drop off service, fills us in as we drive the short distance sharing about the 1500 bats that reside in the trees off the Esplanade every night at dusk and make their way to the rainforest in the nearby mountains. She also makes several restaurant suggestions like the Cock and Bull, Devine Gelato, and barnacle Bills.
The tide is out as we begin our stroll on the Esplanade. It is more like a boardwalk with open sidewalk seating for restaurants and stalls to sell everything from authentic genuine hand painted aborigine designs, to snorkle gear and hemp clothing.
We decide to eat at Barnacle Bills. All we can think about is Popeye the sailor man and are making many snide and funny remarks. The food was actually very delicious. I had a Coral Trout prepared in cajun seasoning and Joan and Fran had Barramundi. Both are local fish from the GBR (Great Barrier Reef). 
After dinner we walk up a few streets and look for grocery store. as we cross the street about two blocks from the restaurant we here this chirping sound and soon realize we are under two very large bat filled trees. This hurries our pace along and are about to give up when we discover Worlworths. Not the drug store, but the grocery store. Did I mention earlier that this is Chinese New Years? The store is packed with what seems like an invading horde of chinese men and women pushing shouting and cleaning the shelves of all this consumable. We fight through this commotion to purchase our breakfast bars, cereal, milk, Diet Coke, and cookies. As we leave we are relieved to be in a taxi that happened to right outside the door like it ws waiting to rescue us like the state department evacuating US citizens from some terrible ordeal.
Turn the key, plug the plastic thingy mambo into the wall and slump onto the bed waiting for the cool air to hit our shell shocked bodies. A quick drink before bed as tomorrow we are going to The Great Barrier Reef.
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