A quick entry in between packing, washing laundry and getting ready for bed. We're back from tropical Cairns! We got there early Saturday afternoon and after moving into our loud, but otherwise nice little hostel room, walked around Cairns a little bit. First impression was that we weren't impressed. Unfortunately that didn't change much all in all, apart from a few exceptions. Cairns is small and really only seems to exist for tourists. Kind of like downtown Prague, just not nearly as "authentic", beautiful and old. People from all over the world (especially Japan, however) seem to go there to enjoy some tropical weather, sandy beaches (which are suggested to you on postcards, but don't exist in Cairns. Period.) ... and to see the greatest tourist magnet, the Great Barrier Reef, of course. In all fairness I should say that WE didn't like Cairns, because it's just not OUR kind of place. If you like souvenir shops wherever you go, kamikaze drinking, nonstop wet t-shirt and Ms Backpacker parties, however, Cairns is your place!
Anyhow. Instead of bashing Cairns I should talk about the good part of it: Nice weather, beautiful rainforest walks and waterfalls in the surrounding area and ... the Great Barrier Reef. We went on a snorkelling daytrip on Monday, which, if nothing else, made the trip to Cairns well worth it. We went out to the reef (a 2 1/2 hour boat trip each way) and then, well, snorkelling. The water was rough and freezing after a while, but the underwater world was breathtaking. Beautifully colorful corals and fish and turtles (and Patrick even claims to have seen a striped snake...yuck...). Definitely an experience!

















Yesterday (Tuesday) night we returned to Sydney safe and sound, where we spent our first rainy and last Aussie day today. Despite our first really rainy day here, our initial impression of the city was confirmed yet again: It's love! :-) No doubt it's one of the top three cities we've visited and we're very much hoping to return before too long to spend more time in the city and its surrounding areas (and to see more of Australia, of course).
For now, however, our time in "Down under" is up and it's off to the country of Middle Earth.(Much to our dismay, people keep asking us if we're adament skiers whenever we mention going to NZ ... as if there were nothing else to do there. Or is there (not)????) So, with "beanies", long johns, mittens and (hopefully) adequate raingear in our packs, we're leaving Sydney bright and early to fly to Christchurch tomorrow (Thursday). I don't know how much time and opportunity we'll have to check email and update you guys from there, but we'll try our best to send a smoke signal here and there. Again: Any travel suggestions from you guys are more than welcome.
Hope all is well in good old Germany and the US.
Good night, P & L


P.S. We are repeatedly asked if we hear anything about the Soccer World Cup "down here". Yes, we do! The Aussies are in it and cheering greatly for their team, the Socceroos (especially after beating Japan in their first game). Patrick and I cheer for Germany, by the way, just to create a counter weight for good balance here ;-)