Hey, hey Thursday!
You know I love me a Thursday 🙂 .
If you’l recall, in PART THREE of our trip to Australia, we had the most epic day and night on New Year’s Eve. Truly, it was one of my very best days.
Today, we pick back up on January 1, 2025 🙂 .
What did we do on this day?
Well, we headed to the airport, boarded a plane and flew three hours north from Sydney to Cairns for the second half of our vacation.
Here’s a little map so that you can see…
We arrived in Cairns and checked into our hotel…
…ta da! This property had “apartments”, so we had a very lovely three bedroom apartment for our family and my parents had a one bedroom for themselves. It was the perfect spot to unwind. We wanted the first half of our trip to be about going and seeing and the second half to be about relaxing and unwinding.
Here are a few pics…
Our apartment was right on the ocean which made the views extra gorgeous.
Speaking of which…
…we knew this going in, but it was one thing to “know it” and another thing to “experience it”. This is the hotel’s ocean front property…
…so gorgeous, right? What’s missing though at this resort? People. Why are there no people anywhere on this beach? The answer…salt water crocodiles. This part of Australia has gorgeous beaches but due to the crocs, you can only swim in a few designated areas. Per the signage and the locals, this isn’t a “suggestion” it’s a YOU DO NOT WANT TO GO NEAR THAT WATER. So, we admired it and then…
…enjoyed the rest of our travel day in the pool 😉 .
Because yeah, I’m not gettin’ anywhere near a crocodile.
Our resort was in the cutest town…
…called Palm Cove. After some pool time, Andrew and I walked from the resort into town to explore a bit.
I personally thought this entire area felt like Maui. It was mountainous like Maui with the gorgeous ocean and beaches and palm trees…I don’t know? It just gave me Maui vibes, and I was lovin’ it.
We stopped here for a drink and to chat. So cute, right?
We are beach people and being by the ocean makes us oh so happy.
Later that night, we cleaned up and headed to Cairns for dinner.
I was really diggin’ my dress…
…so fun, right? It’s an AMAZON FIND (which means it comes in a lot of other color options too!) 🙂 .
Dinner was right on the water…
…so we took some pics…
…and then headed to our table…
…this is Salt House and not only was the location perfect, but the food was delish too!
I wrapped up my day with delicious fish and chips.
And that was our January 1st!
Don’t forget, you can also catch my recaps of PART ONE (Arrival, Sydney, Bondi) or PART TWO (Manly Beach) or PART THREE (The Blue Mountains, Koalas & Kangaroos!) too!
If you want to go to Australia yourself, hop on over HERE and complete an easy little inquiry with our travel agency for more info. (You can complete the inquiry for Walt Disney World, Universal, Europe, Mexico, Hawaii, the Caribbean, cruises and more too!).
Happy happy Thursday, friends! I hope you have a great day! I’ll see you tomorrow. xx
Elspeth says
I’ve been loving your recaps! Can’t wait to see what’s next!
http://www.elspethsdaybyday.com
Emilee says
My husband would love to visit Australia, but I feel like I’ve seen so many pictures of gigantic snakes and spiders there. 🫣 Did you see any big critters?!
Petra says
Hiya 🙂 Aussie girl here! Have lived here all my life and yet to see anything dangerous in the wild. You don’t tend to see them in the cities, and just be cautious in the bush. Don’t let it deter you from visiting, it’s perfectly safe here promise.
Rita says
From an Aussie living in suburbia I’ve never come across a snake or even a giant spider. Even when walking in the bush. What I do have near my home is kangaroos and yes have seen a few hopping down our street and surrounds. I’m only 50 minutes out of the centre of Melbourne. You should come for a visit.
Susy says
My favorites still waiting for you. . .
Tasmania
Uluru
Kangaroo Island
Heron Island
Erika Slaughter says
Saltwater Crocs? Absolutely NOT!
Kacey says
This looks like the Pullman Palm Cove!! (if not, they could be twin hotels) That’s where we stayed and LOVED it!! There was a private rooftop terrace attached to our room, it was insane! Your posts are bringing back so many amazing memories. I just know you had the BEST time and can’t wait to read about the rest of your trip!! Snorkeling the GBR was my favorite day of our trip and I’m sure that re-cap is coming!
Mix and Match Mama says
It is! We loved it too!
Taylor says
Have you read any Bill Bryson? I highly recommend (a lot of his books) In a Sunburned Country. He’s very witty, dry sense of humor, and his section on everything in Australia that wants to kill you is laugh-out-loud level. He definitely talks crocs. 🙂
(If you enjoy audio, he reads his own audio books, which makes them even better!)
Mix and Match Mama says
I don’t think I have??? I need to look them up to see!
Britni N Ruth says
Can you link Mades dinner dress please, it’s adorable!
Mix and Match Mama says
Awwww! I would but it’s one that used to be Ashby’s. I *think* it was from Nordstrom, but it’s a few years old. She loves it!
Rebecca W says
It sounds like a fantastic trip! Did you see any crocodiles? I would be looking over my shoulder the whole time.
Mix and Match Mama says
We never did. I would have died right then and there of a heart attack.
Kristin Smith says
I would love to know (generally speaking) how you handle laundry etc on week long trips. I have only really ever travelled using VRBOs with a washer and dryer. So the idea of travel with varying temps, needs for different clothes (dress and casual etc) and space available stresses me out. Do you pay for laundry at your hotel or are you packing enough clothes for everyone for every day and just come home with a suitcase of dirty clothes? I am a chronic overpacker and would want to pack for every possible contingency 🙂 but I would think that is not possible going overseas!
Mix and Match Mama says
We did one load of laundry through the hotel in Sydney and then our apartment in Cairns had a washer and dryer, so we did some there too. We factored both of those things in when we were packing 🙂 .
Elizabeth says
We were warned by our guide in Cairns to not even stick a toe in the water… in his words, “everything out there either wants to bite, sting, eat, maim, or kill you!” We heeded his advice and just enjoyed the beauty from the safety of shore! The flying foxes, which became active around dusk, were also a wild sight to see!
Jeanette says
Thank you for the map 😉. Loving the recap.
Sheri says
We just studied saltwater crocodiles in the 3rd grade class I help with. They’re not just any old crocodile either – they’re the largest reptile in the world. Up to 3000 lbs and 20 ft long. Because they’re so big and fast, any contact with one doesn’t usually work out well for anything else, including humans. Can you even imagine?!
Mix and Match Mama says
Everything you just typed is what the locals kept telling us too. Words like “big” and “fast” do not mix with me and a crocodile.