Kids Great Barrier Reef and Memories!
Cairns, Melbourne, & Phillip Island!
When you are so close to a Natural Wonder of the World, you take your kids to the Great Barrier Reef. Australia is a big country so decisions have to be made on what highlights you want to see.
Similar to a tourist visiting the United States, you just can’t expect to see it all in two weeks! (Check out my first post on our trip here!)
Jump to:
1. Cans? Karen? Cairns? How the heck do you say it?!?!
As with traveling we frequently run into places that we have no clue how to pronounce. It is usually only once we get there that a local informs us of our ignorance and sets us straight, usually with an easy way to remember the pronunciation.
Cairns sounds like cans….trust me.
Ryan fell in love with this shirt, even though we never bought one. (Maybe we need to take the kids Great Barrier Reef again!)
We only spent three nights, two full days in Cairns. There is always more to explore than time, but this was a highlights tour. We wanted to get our kids Great Barrier Reef!
2. Lessons learned at the Great Barrier Reef…Finally! (Traveling with kids is an adventure.)
The first full day we had arranged an excursion to the Great Barrier Reef with Quicksilver Cruises. OMG! I visited the Great Barrier Reef! Kids, the Great Barrier Reef!! That is one of the wonders of the world. Seriously, who am I that I am able to do this in my life?!?!
I grew up in Kansas for goodness sake! It was a surreal opportunity…and gave S another chance to show us one of the joys of her….and I think we FINALLY learned the lesson.
Remember how I explained S getting sick 8 hours into a 15 hour flight? This time she couldn’t make it the 45 minute boat ride to the reef….
As they were handing out motion sickness pills on the boat we finally put two and two together. Maybe S gets motion sickness? Duh!!! (Face palm moment.)
We thought back over the years and our travel adventures…..like the time she threw up a virgin strawberry daiquiri shortly after arriving in the Bahamas, or the countless times we had to locate the bag in the seat back pocket of the plane, or how any long car ride always included a pit stop.
Looking back it was so obvious, but for some reason it did not hit us until that particular boat ride. Since that time we are always carrying Dramamine and S takes it anytime we fly or plan to be in a car for longer than a half hour.
With very few exceptions (hey we aren’t perfect) she has been vomit free on trips and a MUCH better travel companion. We do have to give the girl props though. Even when she was very small she always rebounded quickly. She would get sick, then shake it off and move on ready for whatever came next.
Oh, funny story……years after this trip Ryan and I went on a trip with friends. As it was over our kids spring break they flew with Jeff (f-in-l) to Florida. Cece was there full time at this point.
Anyway, on their way home Cece drove the three of them to the airport about a half hour from their FL home. S did not take Dramamine. In her true form she got out of the car at the airport, walked directly to the nearest trash can and well, hit her target like a champ.
Jeff, in complete obliviousness that frequently accompanies grandpas just walked on by her into the airport. C had to stop him and tell him to hold up until S was done. Cece had already pulled away in the car, unaware of what was transpiring.
I’m so proud of my kids for the independent people that they are and have always been.
S was 8 at the time and after a pit stop in the bathroom to rinse out her mouth she went along for the day and flew home with her grandpa companion. Honestly they could have traveled alone and mastered this all just fine, but I was a worried mom and wanted them to have a grandparent by their side since Ryan or I couldn’t be.
3. Visiting a Natural Wonder of the World! (The Great Barrier Reef)
Back to the Great Barrier Reef. Hey kids, it’s the Great Barrier Reef! Did I mention that I am terrified of fish?
I grew up basically living at a lake each summer of my childhood. My dad told me that I was an excuse for a bigger boat and I went sailing for the first time when I was six weeks old.
The Kansas lake that we had a sailboat at for most of my childhood liked to breed carp in the marina. Gross! These fish would get disgustingly big and would occasionally suck on you while swimming.
Is it any wonder why I think fish are gross?!?! This had not even entered my mind when booking this excursion. I was there to see one of the natural wonders of the world for goodness sake. No time to think about fears!
When we got to the platform that had lots of ways to explore the reef, my kids were anxious to put on the snorkel gear and get in. Ryan wanted to take pictures of everything before he got in. I began descending down the platform behind my anxious kids when on the first step something underwater brushed by my leg.
4. Conquering fears, and teaching your kids a lesson at the Great Barrier Reef.
I looked up to Ryan, panic on my face. I was frozen in fear.
I don’t think he had ever seen me so terrified before or since. Sensing my worry he hollered to the kids…”Hey, let’s put on the wetsuits that were provided.”
Nice save honey. Thanks for being there for me. Maybe a layer between my skin and the fish will help.
Not wanting my kids to be aware of my fear we quickly donned the suits and with Ryan now got into the water as a family. Again this was a once in a lifetime opportunity.
Don’t let fear get in your way.
Admittedly I did not venture too far away from the steps of the platform, but my kids and Ryan explored all areas of the snorkel area.
We didn’t mention anything about my fear to the kids until later that night. I explained to them how scared I was, but that I didn’t want it to stop me (or them) from experiencing something so great.
We always try to be honest with our kids (as much as is appropriate) and I hope they did learn that their mom is human and that it is okay to be scared.
Oh the adventures you have with kids at the Great Barrier Reef!
5. Riding in the Tree Tops! (Rainforest Gondola)
Our second full day in Cairns we explored another majestic wonder, the rainforest.
We did an official tour with Skyrail doing a gondola ride and train ride on the Kuranda Rail. It was a perfect way to “fit it all in” and enjoy the beauty of the rainforest.
Up we go! Skyrail Rainforest Cableway 
Pape, CeCe and C 
Exploring the rainforest on these great walkways
6. Traveling First Class…in the Rainforest!
The railway was a perfect end to the day. We got “first class” tickets which kind of crack me up for a short train ride, but they included drinks! Always up for a bevy while on a trip and when traveling with children it sometimes becomes a must!
7. How our kids survived the trip…
One cultural thing we discovered when in Oceania, lemonade is not what Americans think of as lemonade. I see a can/glass of it in this picture. The kids would order lemonade expecting something yellow and sweet. What they got instead was more like a sparkling water with lemon flavor or even a Sprite.
Another concern when traveling with kids is what will they eat. I’m not sure that kids are naturally adventurous eaters and that was one of the reasons we picked Australia for this first big trip. We knew there would be options for them.
We quickly discovered that every restaurant kids menu had something called chicken schnitzel on the the list. While it was a fun word to say, schnitzel, we didn’t have a clue what it was. Thankfully it is their equivalent of chicken fingers! Basically a flattened breaded chicken often served with fries on the kids menu. The kids survived just fine!!
This trip was also around the time that we started falling in love with staying at apartments. There are so many benefits over hotel rooms and is very common in the region. Not only do we get access to a kitchen so we can prepare meals and save on food costs, everyone usually gets their own space to spread out.
As a parent you know you only have your kids attention for so long each day and that traveling can take it out of them on a daily basis. That is why the Christmas before our trip we took the plunge and got the kids iPad minis.
They were a fairly new thing at the time and due to the cost their whole Christmas became all about trip prep. Not only did they get the iPads, they got durable kid friendly cases and headphones.
During the trip the kids did not have these during the day, but I can say for long flights and laying low evenings they were lifesavers. What do you think? Where they a hit?
I know these days this is the “norm” for kids and there are pros and cons to technology. This was another thing where people thought we were crazy for giving them to our kids. Sorry!
8. Boats, heights and street cars….the modes of Melbourne
From Cairns we flew to Melbourne and explored what that city had to offer via different modes of transportation. First it was HOT when we were there. We all remember just dripping in sweat for the few days of our visit.
I think this was our first official VRBO booking (like EVER!) We had stayed in the Wyndham properties in both Sydney and Cairns. The place had beautiful views of the city. My main memories of Melbourne are of city architecture that we saw via the trolly and a boat tour.
9. Eureka!! (Skydeck)
Ryan and C (and to be honest others) seem to be intent to continue to push my boundaries and put me in uncomfortable situations. This may be the first time I write about being forced to the top of a tall building, but it is not my last!
I’ve always been a tad shy of heights, but honestly after 9/11 I would love to never go about the 20th floor of any building ever again!! This was one of those times I was “encouraged” by my family and we went to the top of the Eureka Skydeck…..the kids loved it…..
Also one of the FEW family pics we took on the trip!
Oh the things we do like taking our kids to the Great Barrier Reef!
10. Penguins, minus the pictures. (Phillip Island)
We also did a long day trip (one of those organized by a tour company on a big bus) to Phillip island. My mother in law wanted to see the penguins!
It was a wonderful day with sightings of koalas and kangaroo in their natural habitats, but they don’t let you take pictures of the penguins!! I have nothing other than a brochure they gave us as evidence of our adventure. Has that changed? Have you had an amazing penguin watching experience?
And with that Australia adventures complete. Next stop….New Zealand!!!
Don’t forget to check out my post on flying over an ocean here!
