On the leg between Cardwell and Cairns the only item of note was the discovery that Hughesy's new iPad, with WiFi rather than 3G technology, lacks GPS capability, which is a pity since I was looking at it as a navigation aid in Japan. We might still be able to use it in cases where we've got access to WiFi along the way, but the lack of the helpful blue dot indicating your actual GPS-located position limits the value as a navigational aid, and on that basis it looks like the old model will still be in use when we're travelling in Oz.
There were a couple of minor delays on the highway north of Tully, and we found ourselves rolling into the main conurbation at Cairns just after three.
With nothing on the agenda apart from checking into the night's accommodation at Bay Village Tropical Retreat, we made a booking for the restaurant at seven and eventually managed to squeeze The Possum into the parking space.
You'd reckon it should be easier to get it out again in the morning, but these predictions seem to have a habit of coming unstuck..
With five hours' complimentary WiFi, we settled down to read email, checked the odd link out of there, and, having passed that particular baton over to Madam I set about jotting down the start of the Travelogue. The complimentary WiFi came with a few quirks that seemed to prevent two devices accessing the came connection simultaneously, so a tag team approach seemed the way to go.
In any case, after the drive Madam wanted a rest before engaging in brain-related activity.
We wandered through to the Balinese restaurant on the premises that had been the motivation for making the hotel reservation, and while dinner wasn't as gobsmackingly scrumptious as it was the previous time one suspects that might have something to do with the fact there were just the two of us this time around.
Our previous visit had The Sister and The Rowdy Niece with us and was, therefore, a matter of four shared dishes between us rather than the one each thin time around.
But the food was good, the service attentive and the Mitchell Watervale Riesling the way it usually is, so Hughesy went to bed a happy camper.
Thursday, 5 December 2013 Cairns > Kansai International > Kobe