Great Barrier Reef (and a train)

2000 kilometers and 2900 different reefs! After some initial grumbling about being forced to snorkel, the girls really enjoyed seeing the reef and all the fish and coral and the giant clams - the corals are incredible, tons of variety, the staghorns grow up to 30cm each year! Kate wants to SCUBA dive now...but is a little young still. Favorites included blue starfish, parrotfish, and the Maori wrasse. The water is incredibly clear and warm. We wore 'stinger suits' to avoid getting stung by jellyfish as it's their reproduction season - the box jellies in particular can be deadly. We went with a smaller boat, the Calpsyo the first day to several spots and on Quicksilver (huge boat with its own platform on the reef) the second time. In between, we took the Kuranda railroad to the small, cute, pricey tourist town of Kuranda - the train was originally the only link between the coast and inland and took 11 years to complete - 15 tunnels, multiple switchbacks, 55 bridges, (and 25 complaints from Kate about having to see the same things TWICE - on the way there and back). The weather has been spectacular considering we're in the rainy season - maybe some rain tonight though. Two more days in Port Douglas and then out to Green Island to spend a few days before heading back to Sydney and starting work, school starts on the 30th - so have to get those uniforms!