Phil and I returned home (Melbourne) today from our 9 day vacation! We had a wonderful experience in Cairns! It was a lot warmer in the north... We snorkeled, kayaked, hiked, basked in the sun, ate good seafood, and got a good look at the surrounding reef and islands. If you look at the Photo Albums 4-6 you will see the kinds of places we visited. I have truly never seen anything like the Great Barrier Reef. It was so fun to swim with all the different kinds of fish around you and in the coral! Even the beaches were covered in coral remains! It was everywhere! The kayaking was the next best thing! Although the water was a bit rough, we managed to get around the island just fine.

We spent 6 days in Cairns altogether and our next stop was Sydney! Sydney itself didn't have too much going on outside of the hustle and bustle of everyday life but it definitely provided for some beautiful walks along the harbor!

I only have 4 weeks left now of teaching and this will be the hardest stretch. The secondary kids here are some of the toughest kids I have seen to deal with but I am optimistic that I will do alright.

Wish me luck!