1st January 2012
Happy New Year! 2012 started in style. Just before midnight, I walked the short distance to the beach to watch the Cairns fireworks display. I was so impressed by the scene; good humoured and low key, very Australian. On the stroke of midnight, the spectacle began. There is something uplifting and quite thrilling about fireworks. A large black man standing beside me, who I had been eyeing with a degree of suspicion, turned to me and with a smile and 4 little words, lit up my night, “Happy New Year, Lady”
This morning a stretch limousine arrived to drive me to the ferry for my trip to Fitzroy Island. I felt like I was living the dream. I arrived and checked into my hotel room for an overnight stay. It I ever win the lottery, I will head straight back to Fitzroy Island. I am in heaven. Not only is this little island out on the Barrier Reef, stunningly beautiful but I am staying in the most amazing place. A luxury apartment on the top floor overlooking the gardens and a private beach with…. wait for it girls, its own laundry facilities!
There is no Wi-Fi here, so I will write the blog and post on my return to Cairns.
With love from paradise X
2nd January 2012
I spent one night and two days on Fitzroy Island. It really was beautiful. On the ferry over, I got talking to a rather genteel lady who told me that she used to live on the island. Her husband was the lighthouse keeper and she raised her children there. She was on a family outing with her daughter and grandchildren. On my first afternoon, I decided to walk to the lighthouse. It was a 2.8km walk up a steep path in the sweltering heat. The view from the lighthouse was stunning but it struck me that this would have been a rather lonely and remote life for the lighthouse keeper’s family.
When I was booking my holiday I told Jamie, my travel agent, that I wanted to be somewhere special on New Year’s Day. She didn’t let me down. After that little bit of luxury, I need to prepare myself for the budget aspect of my trip – Alice Springs and Ayers Rock. This also happens to be the trip that I am most looking forward to. As a young girl, I was enthralled by the film, A Town Like Alice. The film was based on a novel by Neville Shute and on checking Wikipedia; I discovered that the film was made in 1956.
Off to pack again.
Ann x
myaussieadventuredotme 
Hi Ann
I went up to Dundrum this morning to poke through the remains of the sales, it was closed I had forgotten that it was a bank holiday, saved some money!!!
I will definitely go to Australia in my next life, I know I was there before but had forgotten how great it was and how lovely the people are.
Love Mam
Hi Mum. Pity about the sales but there is always tomorrow 🙂 Ann
Hi Ann, have to say that Fitzroy Island looks absolutely stunning and the apartment sounds like it was really special. So far the trip seems to be going brilliantly well and it is making me hanker after some exotic travel.
Back up from Achill today – weather dodgy and big storm brewing tonight but we had a lovely couple of days to ring in the new year. Getting bag packed for Paris – the girls are all in town (six of us travelling tomorrow) and we catch a plane at 9am. It will be an exciting few days. 🙂 Carol
Hi Carol. Have a brilliant time in Paris. I will be looking for a full report. Ann