Cairns’ tropical climate definitely put me in vacation mode! We stayed at The Cairns Plaza Hotel just across from the esplanade. Nice hotel with a friendly helpful staff and a good breakfast. We took walks along the water watching the many birds in an out of the water. Masked Lapwing strolls along the beach Superb Fruit Dove and baby A large public swimming pool parallel to the seashore with people practicing snorkeling, swimming and generally enjoying the water was a major draw to the area. Several large sculptures marked inviting resting spaces all along the esplanade. We walked around the town, checking out the local grocery store, cafes, and parks. Wi-fi was free in the town and we caught up on emails, news, etc while sitting on the park bench. That was a real plus! Generally internet cost from $10 (a day in Cairns hotel room) to $22(a half hour in Sydney). So free wi-fi was appreciated! We...