Tag Archives: Cairns

Australia 2014, Travel

Day 8: Cultural Mystery Tour

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What we planned:

Just outside Cairns is an Aboriginal Cultural Center named Tjapukai. The Aborigine people, as you may know, are the original inhabitants of the continent. The white man pushed them aside when settling and expanding in this land (sound familiar?).

We are taking the opportunity to see a few young people descended from the Tjapukai nation of Aborigines demonstrate and discuss the life of their people. I’m going to give you the best guide to pronouncing their name that I can, but keep in mind that I’m having loads of trouble saying Cairns as CANS! I think you say Tjapukai as:

  • cha’ – pook – EYE  – – with the accent on the last syllable but some emphasis as well on the first syllable

Now you can speak aboriginal!

What we saw and did: Continue reading Day 8: Cultural Mystery Tour →

Australia 2014, Travel

Day 7: What’s in Cairns?

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What we planned:

Off we go toward the Great Barrier Reef. Day 7 is primarily a travel day with an early pickup from the Melbourne hotel and an early afternoon arrival in Cairns. That’s pronounced CANS in Australia, just like tin “cans.” This city that I thought was 30,000 people is now told to me as having a population around 100,000. Either being true, that makes it the biggest city in north “Queensland,” our second of three Australian states that will be visited.

Cairns is a one-night layover convenient to the tour attraction we have booked for Day 8. It’s a major hub for the Reef and a seaside port.

What we saw and did: Continue reading Day 7: What’s in Cairns? →