CAIRNS

Cairns begins as the last city did - with industrial estate. This time however we're thankful as a couple of crucial things need attending to before we head of to the the festival. Gas bottle – gas bottles have a lifespan of about ten years and ours saw its tenth birthday a little while ago which is making getting it refilled a bit of a problem, as there’s only so many times you can chat up the assistant while they're inspecting the date stamp before you end up in trouble or feeling a little soulless. So, it needs an official once-over and hopefully giving a new lease of life, Vanny's also going back to a garage to have her rear break shoes replaced as recommended by the last mechanic and.. we have to see if the pharmacy here will let us the it as a dispensary over the next couple of weeks so we don't have to risk Jaimies whole stash in the scorching outback at the festival.

Cairns seems like a funny place. The end of the line for most travellers moving up the east coast, boasting to be the place from which to explore The Great Barrier Reef and the capital city of Queensland. It's obviously seen its fair share of travellers though you get the idea not in quite such high density nor quite as wacky and wonderful as the Eclipse crowd. Hilarious to see the Cairns locals utterly bemused by the hippie invasion. Utterly bemused but also rather inquisitive and a little jealous I reckon! 

Colourful people from the world over line the streets and adorn the sea front. Jugglers, spinners, dancers, wasters and chasers, all congregated in preparation for the festival. Lovely to see so many funky people around the place, feels like the party's started!