Open Water Dive | Scuba diving | Scuba Diving Lesson | Diving in Egypt

Some tips from my recent Holiday to Australia, New Zealand & the Pacific

Here’s some travel tips I found invaluable from my last adventure around Australia and the Pacific.

• In my mind Cairns is the all round best place to learn how to scuba dive on the Great Barrier Reef taking price, quality and safety into consideration
• Don’t think that you can wait until you arrive to sort out your Great Barrier Reef Cruise , in the busy season they all get fully booked 
• The Australian sun is insanely strong. Try to wear a shirt, hat, sunglasses and SPF 30+ sunscreen lotion, even on overcast days. If spending the whole day outside, reapply sunscreen often.  Be mindful of the sun during the middle of the day when the sun is worst. Make sure you drink lots of water to avoid dehydration
• There is a tremendous variance in the effectiveness of kava throughout the Pacific. A bowl is unlikely to produce anything other than a minor tingling feeling in the mouth, so fear is misplaced. The exception is Pohnpei where it is called “sakua” is about five times as strong as your regular, and is known among locals as “liquid quaalude”.
• Fiji Warning. I have been in contact with some associates who have just returned from a Pacific vacation.Try to use your bankcards as little as possible as both of them had $1000 stolen out of their accounts whilst in Fiji.Luckily they had insurance so will be getting it back.
• New Zealand was a frustrating place to drive, and as a 31 year old traveller, not much disturbs me…but when there are constant hairpin bends and the locals are trying to pass with 30 metre line of sight… There were accidents observed on the sides of the roads, and some vehicles that had fallen off the sides of the mountains.
• Never, Ever take fruit into New Zealand. Check your carry on before you leave to come to NZ to make sure you have not had an orange that you bought 3 days ago in your bag and have forgotten about it, for when it is found you WILL get fined NZ$200 on the spot and not even be able to eat the culprit! This means all fruit, seeds or food.

I trust these assist anyone about to leave.

Whitewater Rafting in Cairns.

Up here in North Queensland, we are blessed with some of Australia’s most impressive white water rafting rivers within a short drive. In fact there isn’t another place in Australia that can claim that they have tourist rafting operations operating on 4 local rivers.

The runs that we have close by are the Barron River, Tully River, Johnston River and Russell Rivers, as well as many seasonal rivers that only are accessible in the wet season}. This truly must make Cairns White Water rafting something special. The  Barron River Whitewater rafting and Tully River Whitewater Rafting run using whats commonly referred to as  scheduled release. This happens when the water is set free at a preordained time from a dam or Hydro Electric Scheme. These two are easily our most popular rivers with both full and half day tours operating daily. The Barron River has grades 2-3 rapids while the Tully has a more challenging grade of 3 to 4 and even 5 after some rain.

The Johnstone River runs just after out wet season, however offers fly in Rafting camping trips with up to Grade 5 rapids. This activity is kind of exclusive.

The Russel River has blow up double sportsrafts, although a bit different from the standard inflatable rafts, they are still heaps of fun and easy to use. This river does unfortunately require a  short trek in to the commencement point through some untouched rainforest. The Russel River has rapids in the range of grade 2-3 with possibly a few grade 4′s during the wet season.

All fun happens under the friendly guidance of highly trained river guides, and all rafting operators hold the neccessary Government licensces and Insurance. So there is nothing to fret about if you desire to have a go at some white water rafting while on your vacation in Cairns.