Really lazy start today walked in to town for breakfast at the coffee club which is starting to become a habit. Toms eggs are any way. Cairns has a sleepy feel at 9am all the tours have left so just the people left behind who are doing b***** all. That's sort of us.

Up in the highlands about 20km away there are a number of touristy things todo in a place called Karunda. We skipped the cable car and railway. And took the bike straight up to the village. Kuranda is a mix of market place and tourist site.
First we went to the koala gardens enclosure which has a number of Australian animals to view up close. The fresh water crocs busy minding there own business. The Koalas are sitting munching on foliage shoulder height so you get a really good view of them. They almost appear to be posing for the camera.
As you continue walking round there are masked wallabies they look like they should highway robbers with the black flash across their eyes. Then a wombat who was only interested in its food. Kangaroos & wallabies could be hand fed if you wanted too.

Then on to bird world. An aviary full of parrots and other native breeds. As we walk in they warn us about jewellery thefts earring and necklaces anything bright, including hairbands and hats. We walk into the aviary, admiring the blue and red macaws greeting us. This was a bird ploy as we were immediately dive bombed by a green parrot luckily I ducked in time. However Tom didn't and ended up with the parrot sitting on his head. Lucky he thought he had his hat on but not really as the parrot had pulled off the button, his new hat. The parrot quite aware of what he was doing sat just out of reach gnawed at the button. We walked a bit further another parrot came to have a look, this time just sat on toms shoulder. By this stage we were getting dive bombed from all directions. Then luckily we were forgotten as a family came in with food. Straight away the parrots and Macaws were there. First casualty another hat, the same cheeky parrot. It didn't stop a young girl had her hair band pinched, they tried to take the mums straw hat but when the parrot couldn't manage, it chewed instead until she shewed them away. Then a yelp as the macaw had the dads ear in its beak and would not let go. We were lucky to get away with a little bit of hat damage.

Tom has a huge juice drink made with carrot celery and beetroot yuck ....

Butterfly world seemed quite tame in comparison. Hundreds of butterfly are released into this huge aviary. The one every one ?... Comes to see is the Ulysses a beautiful turquoise blue and black butterfly. They fluttery by, if you stand very still they will land on you just for a second and then flutter off again. They are very beautiful.
 
Had to have a last look at the Koalas before we leave, no one was around so I asked to have a photo cuddling one. I was really surprised how soft and light it was. It just sat on my arm snuggled just like a baby except no wriggling or crying. Wonderful even if it meant carrying another photo around the world.