Port Douglas, Great Barrier Reef

The week we spent in Port Douglas was probably my favorite. First of all we had a real apartment with  normal size kitchen and our own washer and dryer. It was nice to feel not so transient. This is also where we saw the most wildlife, at a wildlife rehab/conservation center, around town (and next door!), and at the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) where Eric and I were able to SCUBA dive. This was truly an amazing experience and I kept thinking "am I really doing this?"
Cadie was sick for a couple of days (stomach virus that we all passed around at some point) and so the kids and I went to the wildlife center on a different day than Paige, Eric and the students. The students met a frisky kangaroo who kicked Paige so I was a little nervous to take the little kids on my own but we had a great time. Petting a koala and feeding wallabies, kangaroos, emus, and birds are the things C will tell you about Australia and they all happened at the center.
A cockatoo moments before it tried to use C's head as a landing post.

 Asher was there! We have a photo:

 The cassowary - yes that is a real bird.

The 'roos were a little too intimidating to C so she placed their food on the ground rather than let them eat out of her hand.

 No problem with the wallabies:

One day Paige joined Eric and the students on the boat to GBR and I looked out the window and saw a HUGE python on the roof of the next door apartments. I did not feel comfortable letting the kids play outside after that!  Can you see it in this picture?

Four-mile beach in Port Douglas was beautiful and within walking distance. We spent our spare moments there, Cadie hunting for shells and coconuts and Asher checking on the flavor of the sand.

 I've tasted better dirt/sand, but let me try one more handful:

 Beautiful beach, beautiful Paige:

 I can't believe I am posting a picture of me in a swimsuit but...           O-H-I-O!

 How does the sand taste over here?

 Sand crocodiles:

I could spend a lot of ink (bytes?) on the Great Barrier Reef. The colors were so vivid and the coral teeming with life. The pictures don't do it justice. I'll try to post one of our under-water videos when I can figure it out.
Our boat with Eric and our guide Jimmy talking to the students:

 We saw a few of these:

 And fish everywhere

 A great time out at sea with my favorite: