November 12, 2025
This is my second time here in Cairns and we did so many excursions last time: the Great Barrier Reef Snorkeling, Daintree Rainforest, Cape Tribulation, Kuranda Skyrail & Scenic Railway and the Butterfly Sanctuary. I was happy to explore the City and try something new.
Above is the Cairns Public Esplanade Lagoon that runs right along the coast line and provides a Free safe swimming area since the waters, of the Coral Sea are full of crocodiles and stringing jellyfish. The Port was a great in that we could walk right off the Ship and right into the heart of downtown. Tons of shops and restaurants and great open park space with nice murals, sculptural art and tile mosaics. Bosco & I walked around, did some shopping, got some supplies and had a nice dinner at Tokyo Dumplings.
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Fun day in the waters of Tioman Island, Malaysia snorkeling with friends. Life is good! It was nothing fancy, a boat & captain, who spoke minimal English and barely interacted with us, for roughly 7 hours. We started the outing spotting a group of dolphins and was quickly at anchor drop 1 of 6. The distances between the 6 snorkel spots was minimal, which gave us lots of time in the water (at least 45 minutes, at each spot) with an added stop for a lunch break at local restaurants. Even the restaurants were fast and efficient, definitely used to catering to the boat crowd.
Wishing everyone a Happy 4th of July! Here on the Odyssey we celebrated in the SE Asia Sea on our way to Tioman Island, Malaysia . We have such a talented and dedicated group of residents here, they put together a fun hour of things to celebrate and embrace a lot of what we collectively love about the USA. Even our residents from other countries - Canada, England, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Germany , etc. joined in the fun! ( I lent my flag below for decorations)
Vihara Avalokiteshvara Graha or Guan Yin Temple is near 500 Lohan, so we also toured the grounds of this large Temple complex. It's dedicated to the Goddess of Mercy and is one the tallest brass statues of her in SE Asia. She is just over 55' tall, coated in 22 carat gold and is surrounded by scenic dragon fruit plantations. The tile work is intricate and textured with great details. The whole place is very tranquil and calming for meditation and prayer.