We spent a couple of days in Cairnes (pronounced “cans”), the resort town near the Great Barrier Reef. The hotel was amazing. We took a boat out about 40 miles into the Coral Sea to the reef and moored next to a semi-permanent platform from which we could do snorkeling. I have to say that I was a bit disappointed by this experience. I guess my expectations of the reef were set too high. One of the highlights of this stop: I got to pet a koala!