Queensland is Australia’s “Sunshine State.” It’s warm year-round and surrounded by palm trees, rainforests and coral reefs. It’s a little slice of heaven. A few days after arriving in Sydney, I flew solo up Australia’s eastern coast to the hippie resort town of Cairns.
As with all of my solo trips, I made sure to stay someplace where I would meet other travelers. Dreamtime Travellers Rest was a quaint bohemian backpacker’s inn housing several single travelers like myself. While I love nice hotels as much as the next person, on solo trips I prefer to be in an environment where I am going to meet people from all corners of the world. On principle, I refused to pay the $2 AUD for wireless internet, and for the first time in years I went completely off the grid for multiple days. No one even knew where I was staying. Risky, but on this particular trip, well worth it.
After spending a day exploring Cairns, walking the Esplanade and tasting some authentic Australian cuisine, I set sail from Port Douglas for a day at the Great Barrier Reef. (Click here to see some of my favorite photos from my experience at the Reef.)
After an exhausting day of snorkeling, I watched the sun set on the coastal drive back to Cairns.
The following day, it was all aboard the Kuranda Scenic Railway. This railway connects Cairns and the rainforest community of Kuranda. My main reason for heading to Kuranda was to hold a koala, which is illegal in New South Wales (where Sydney is located). Cuddling a koala named Princess was the highlight of my trip to Australia! Contrary to popular opinion, this koala was extremely sweet. Sharp nails though.
I also had the opportunity to feed kangaroos and wallabies, perfect for an animal lover like me.
This gecko came to visit me while I sipped a cup of coffee.
At the end of the day, I boarded the Skyrail back to Cairns. The views of the rainforest were breathtaking.
Like what you see? Don’t forget to like City Gal on Facebook and follow City Gal on Twitter! Also, don’t forget to sign up for email updates to get the latest posts delivered direct to your inbox!
