Cairns

We are in Cairns.  Say "Kens."  It has taken me two months to be able to pronounce the name of the city in a way that Australians don't give me a blank look, or try to correct my pronunciation.  "Kens." 

"Kens" (Cairns) is a city in Queensland, far in the north of Australia, a three hour flight from Melbourne.

What?  You ask.  Another holiday?  Yes indeed.  The second term of Jonathan's school has finished, and he has another two week break.  It's kind of nice, these staggered breaks.  The Melbourne school child gets about six weeks off for Christmas, New Years Day, and the month of January.  Then they work hard until April, and take two weeks in the fall.  Then they go until July, and take two weeks in winter, and then a third term lasts until... October?  Presumably?  I haven't looked into it, since it won't concern me.  But after their two week spring break, they finish up the school year and end in the summer in December. 

Jonathan says he likes the staggered breaks much better than three summer months.  The holidays don't get so boring, for him.  From my perspective, I think kids forget a lot less with shorter holidays.  And it makes it easier to plan family outings one week in every three rather than three or four weeks in a row in the summer. 

In any case, Australian school calendars aside, we are in Cairns, in the state of Queensland.  Cairns (remember, you are supposed to read that as "Kens") is a city on the sea -- the coral sea -- in the tropics, far north of Melbourne. 

Cairns is surrounded by tropical rainforests to the west, and the Great Barrier Reef to the east.  What a better way to spend a week in winter than in the tropics?

It's warm, but not as warm as one could hope with the tropics.  I am not dripping in sweat, but merely warm enough to wear shorts and a T-shirt comfortably outdoors.  Swimming is an option, but a little chilly.

On the plus side, it is not jellyfish season.

I remember learning in school about the worlds most dangerous man-eating jellyfish.  When I realized they were far far away off in the Great Barrier Reef of Australia, I knew I had nothing to worry about.  I would never, never make it that far away.  Never.

And yet, here we are. 

We went snorkeling today.  I will upload pictures later -- probably next week -- and then I will tell you all the fascinating details of our day. 

For now, letting my child swim off into the open ocean with nothing more than a plastic mask and life vest was one of the most frightening things I have done as a parent.

Swimming back with him an hour later and having him tell me that snorkeling was the coolest thing he had ever done? 

Wow.

I know you are thinking that the Great Barrier Reef in Australia is so far away that you will never, never ever get there.  But if you can?

Wow.