In June/July of 2008, we decided to dodge part of the chilly Melbourne winter and head north for a holiday in the sun.

We spent seven days in the sun - snorkelling the reef, travelling the coast and bumming around Port Douglas.

All in all, it was a great holiday. Pity it had to end really! :)

Day 1 - Saturday 28th June

We left Melbourne on a reasonably nice day, ironically, and jumped onto our Virgin Flight to Cairns.

I hadn't been on a VirginBlue flight for a while so the first surprise I got were the TV screens in the back of every seat! I was impressed until I realised you had to swipe your credit card to watch one of the movies. Oh well, I had my book.

The three hour flight took its toll on our backs. Those seats are only comfortable for the first few minutes.

After an uneventful flight, we landed safely in Cairns and boarded our overpriced transfer from Cairns to Port Douglas. Here is the first warning to travellers - the transfers are a rip off! Most tours will pick you up and ferry you around for nothing or at least very little. The Airport transfers charge an arm and a leg by comparison. Not sure if there is an alternative though.

We were staying at The Newport on Macrossan. The Newport is reasonably nice but it is nothing to write home about. The staff are really nice and very helpful but The Newport is at the wrong end of Macrossan St. We were right opposite a pub that could have been a little more discerning when booking bands. I would have sworn it was bad karaoke on the first night. It was only after a few songs I realised it was the same bloke singing!

Anyway, it was early evening when we arrived and checked ourselves in. The room was okay - except for the bathroom - and the bed was better than many we've ended up with on previous holidays.

We wandered Macrossan St for a while before hitting the sack ready for the markets on Sunday ...