Our life in Tropical North Queensland

You wouldn’t know it, but apparently (according to the weather bureau) it is teeming with rain and howling with wind here in Cairns today. Apparently (from the impression that you get from the news) we are even under flood.

The photo above was taken this morning, right before I washed my car and hung a load of washing out to dry. It is the view from our balcony, looking over the suburbs of Cairns and out to Green Island.

The inaccuracy of the weather forecasts over recent days would be laughable if it wasn’t having a measurable effect on our business. Rentals of digital underwater cameras had been busier than ever this month, with near perfect conditions most days. But since the bureau started forecasting doom and gloom several days ago, rentals have dropped off markedly.

Right now it is just after 12:00noon; it’s 30degrees with blue skies and a gentle, refreshing sea breeze. This is the greatest place on Earth.

With just one full day and night left in New Zealand, we made tracks back towards Christchurch. But we had been told of a small place inland of Christchurch called Hanmer Springs. Unsure of exactly what to expect, we decided to give it a visit.

And a good thing we did.

The drive from Westport to Hanmer Springs via Lewis Pass was nothing short of magical. Many times I wished I had my black car instead of an automatic Toyota Corolla, but then I remembered that Maria gets carsick if you take curves at high speed. Then I still wished I had my black car

Hanmer Springs is a resort town, a popular weekend getaway for Christchurch residents. But during the week it is less visited. We quickly chose a pleasant hotel a short walk from the springs complex, and spent the day soaking in a variety of hot pools.

But don’t worry, there was something for everyone, even the littlest of us…

The photo below does not do justice to the spectacular geological formation that is the ‘Pancake Rocks’ at Punakaiki. You just have to go see it yourself.

And - if you want to be tacky and cliche - have some pancakes while you’re there

In Westport, we stayed in a B&B with a super friendly couple and spent the evening sharing stories with them. But we couldn’t sit still for long, as it was time for yet another adventure: