The Cairns Diaries

@Setanta,

Mrs Hinge and I discussed what would happen if authorities asked us to evacuate without the fur kids - we couldn't do it.

The native wildlife also cops a hammering, have been very happy to see Ulysses butterflys, willie wagtails, diamond doves and sunbirds already. A work colleague posted this that made me smile....

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_iXb0DHXT6Tg/TUwG9naGxWI/AAAAAAAAAg0/oroUKVbM_rs/s800/167625_10150129680053134_630908133_7877193_2824851_n.jpg

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@hingehead,

HeyA

Hope you and MrsHH and all furballs are going OK and the clean up hasn't been too horrendous.

Also hoping too that friends and family all fared well.

Are you back to work yet, or how long will it take for some kind of normality to return? Are supplies able to get to folk who have lost a lot of their possessions / houses / livelihoods?

Hugs to you guys and still, amazed really, that for something so destructive, that not more damage was done. Blessings in disguise, ya know.

(((((HuhHuh)))))

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@hingehead,

How did the guy who was just moving there do? I figure he/they went through a lot of angst, well, extra angst, re insurance.

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@Izzie,

I've been at work all week - Cairns largely untouched (if you don't count trees and fences).

Further south doing it tough though - not even sure all the little hamlets have road contact yet. Will post more pics soon.

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@ossobuco,

Hi Osso

No problems, they made it through unscathed and not the least bit scared - one of the cooks in the refectory on the other hand is very keen to get out of Cairns she was so frightened.

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@hingehead,

Quote:

The native wildlife also cops a hammering....

Just came across this video on the ABC News site, hinge:

Quote:

VIDEO:Concern grows for cyclone-hit cassowary habitat
Source: 7pm TV News QLD
Published: Tuesday, February 8, 2011 7:09 AEST
Expires: Monday, May 9, 2011 7:09 AEST

Wildlife carers are worried that endangered cassowaries at Mission Beach are running out of food and have nowhere to live after Cyclone Yasi hit north Queensland.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/video/2011/02/08/3133616.htm

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@msolga,

My understanding was that they were still feeding them 'in habitat' because of the damage caused by TC Larry, if not I guess they could reinstate the program....

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@hingehead,

I imagine you might now refer to one as a... casso-very-wary

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@hingehead,

You might well be right about that, hinge.
You're in a much better position to know.
Whatever the situation, the poor creatures have taken quite a battering between Larry & Yasi.
Say nothing of other wildlife whose habitat has been decimated.
A terrible situation for all of them.

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Bit of monsoonal rain up here. Closed the Captain Cook Highway just north of the highway, so all the northern beaches traffic is trying to use the Caravonica alternative route.

Cairns is long and thin with only one road really running from north to south (Cook/Bruce highway). With slightly more alternatives once you get closer to the centre. Fortunately I was travelling north while all the northern beaches traffic tried to get to work in Cairns proper.

The traffic was stopped bumper to bumper at Brinsmead - and stayed that way past the Smithfield village roundabout - no doubt at least to Kewarra beach - that 15km of gridlock - not bad for a town of 150,000!

Mrs hinge just called she can't even get out of our suburb, stuck in a filter lane and the traffic is bumper to bumper, stationary, heading north.

A traffic perfect storm?

1 Reply

@hingehead,

Traffic cams don't really demonstrate how stuffed it is
http://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/Community-and-environment/Regional-information/Far-North-Region.aspx

On the plus side the airport turn off is clear - because no bugger can get there!

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Did I mention we've bought a new house? A bit more north/central Cairns. Is very nice - now we just stress about the move, and getting the current house ready for sale.

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@hingehead,

Well, this is exciting.

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Lately on campus I see a guy with a little blue esky

http://img.myshopping.com.au/rsz400/cache/18/58/1205751858.jpg

If I saw him anywhere else I'd think, oh it's his lunch - but because it's a university I always think - TRANSPLANT ORGAN! WHY AREN'T YOU RUNNING! Too much tv

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@hingehead,

Quote:

Did I mention we've bought a new house?

No.

Quote:

A bit more north/central Cairns. Is very nice -

A few details please, hinge, if that's OK?
Only the sort details that are OK with you, of course.

Quote:

- now we just stress about the move, and getting the current house ready for sale.

Aghhhh, my very favourite thing: getting a house ready for sale (while trying to live in it at the same time! With critters!) ..... then packing up everything & moving. With critters! Rolling Eyes

1 Reply

@msolga,

Being successful capitalists we don't have to sell this place right away, nevertheless the sooner the better so to make the mortgage a lot less daunting. There has been lots of weekend cleanings in the rain - we've both slipped on wet concrete - Mrs hinge broke a thumb, the big dog's new knee is broke and he got the replacement cartilege thing taken out and is convalescing yet again. Weirdly my brother and his family are moving into their new place in Randwick the same weekend we are moving. Must be a genetic disorder.

Thank god it's friday.

On the plus side the new house is quirky, spacious, great location (in real estate terms) and immaculately presented - only one floor YAY. Pool - for convalescing dog, great outside areas that merge with inside areas, lots of privacy. Lovely couple sold it to us (who also happen to be real estate agents) in fact so nice they're coming to the current house tomorrow for a looksee because we want them to sell it for us.

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@hingehead,

How come these things go so seamlessly for some, yet are so traumatic for others? Confused

Must be because you are such successful capitalists! Wink

Though I see these things do take their toll:

Quote:

Mrs hinge broke a thumb, the big dog's new knee is broke and he got the replacement cartilege thing taken out and is convalescing yet again.

My commiserations to Mrs H & big dog. Ouch!
A bit of slowing down might be in order?

Quote:

On the plus side the new house is quirky, spacious, great location (in real estate terms) and immaculately presented - only one floor YAY. Pool - for convalescing dog, great outside areas that merge with inside areas, lots of privacy. Lovely couple sold it to us (who also happen to be real estate agents) in fact so nice they're coming to the current house tomorrow for a looksee because we want them to sell it for us.

This sounds so good it is almost hard to believe. (If you've gone through the horrors of buying & selling in Melbourne during years of boom times for real estate.)
I fact it sounds positively sane & good.
Good for you, hinge! Smile

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Two days of sunshine - Cairns actually looked pretty for a bit... now the clouds have come over again Crying or Very sad

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@hingehead,

must be the wet season up there? No!

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@margo,

It's been the wet season here since 2009 - never really stopped last year (well it might have in May/June while we were in France, who knows).

Ooh - I can see sun again! Soil is sodden - I expect to find a postie stuck in the bog that is the nature strip.

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