I'll check it out, Ebbie.

Yesterday was quite a trip. I wandered downtown looking for a newspaper and some brekky. I wandered into several likely looking estyablishments before I found a "news agent" who had the Cairns Post. Then I headed over for breakfast. I was hungry and ordered the big breakfast. I won't do that again. It included sausages, bacon, steak, eggs, some kind of fried potato cake and toast. Good thing I was in no hurry!

While I sat there little birds kept flying in through the open door to peck at crumbs on the floor. They were very funny. Then two women came in with a video camera. One of them kept filming the other. They were having a good time. At one point the camera panned around the room and I looked up in time to see it settle on me. After she put it down I waggled my toast at her as if to say, "Naughty girl!" We shared a smile and went back to our own lives.

After brekky I headed down to the waterfront park. I stopped to talk to shop owners and tour operaters. People are very friendly here. Down at the waterfront I examined St. Mary's Church and walked out on to the town dock to photograph the harbor and mountains. Then I found a picnic table in the shade of a banyan tree and lay down to rest my feet and listen to the birds.

There are birds here! The town is alive with the sound of birdsong from the screech of the lorikeets to the warble of the magpie larks (lark magpies?). Guam's bird population has been decimated by the tree snakes and the countryside is largely silent. I am surprised at how much I have missed simple birdsong.

A I lay there I heard sirens and a fire truck halted in front of the Court House Bar. I photographed that too.

Then I wandered back to the hotel and took a swim in the pool which was cool and refreshing. I went back to the room, played my guitar, read for a bit, and took a nap. What luxury, or is it decadence?

When I woke from my nap I found a gale going on outside. I went out to enjoy the rough weather. There was no rain but the wind was very strong. I headed for the beach but was sidetracked by a walkway that climbed a hill. I headed uphill and arrived at a very lovely overlook that gave me a dramatic view of the whole of the Four Mile Beach. With the wind and the waves it was wonderful. The trail ended in a rough road so I followed that back into town. It was my first introduction to undeveloped land n Australia.

I found a grocery store where I bought some water and fruit drinks. Then with my backpack weighty with my purchases I headed for the hotel again.

I kicked back for a while then headed out for some supper. There is a seafood restaurant near here called Coconutz. It was closest and I was tired so that is where I went. I order Morton Bay Bugs and a mango daiquarie (sp?). The drink arrived, dark yellow with a crown of fruit, a cherry, slices of lime, lemon, and pinapple, and tall palm fronds sticking out the top. I couldn't help but laugh at it. The other diners grinned and laughed too when I aksed the waitress where to start on the drink.

I ended up in a conversation with the couple at the next table who were very interesting in their own right. He works as an engineer at one resort and she manages another. They have 6 acres up in the hills where they keep horses. Eventually they joined me at my table while we aited out the rain. Did I mention that showers eventually arrived with the gale?

The bugs were good but not good enough that I would pay that kind of money for them again. They were expensive. The drink was not that good. I guess I'm not a fa of daiquaries.

Now I am in the internet cafe and ready to explore some more. I tried to get on a tour but that one was not going anywhere until later and I want to be here when Charley and Judy arrive.

Back into the fun!