Palm Cove Cultural Exchange

We have now returned from our prize holiday at Palm Cove on the Great Barrier Reef north of Cairns and it was fabulous.

We lounged by the pool (a lot), visited the tropical zoo, travelled on the skyrail and snorkelled in the outer reef.  We revelled in the intense green of the surrounding rainforests and the vivid hues of the tropical flowers.

On the first morning our children befriended some American kids at the resort pool.  The Morgans from South Carolina were staying at Palm Cove on their way to visit missionary friends in Papua New Guinea.  They had two boys and a girl, all similar ages  to our eldest three kids and very compatible in personality.  The adults really liked each other too.  For the rest of the week we travelled, relaxed and drank cocktails together (the adults, not the kids!)

Everyone had fun with the cultural exchange.  They had just discovered Tim Tams and had bought several packets.  Given that it was a beach holiday we were able to educate them about budgie smugglers (first, we had to explain that budgies are what Americans call parakeets).  And they were amused that we call flip-flops, thongs.  We discovered that the American and Australian definitions of 'fanny' are different, and it is not a wise expression to use in Australia.

By the end of the week they were referring to MacDonald's as Maccas, like true Aussies.

Over the next few days I'll post more pictures.  I took today's from the beach at Palm Cove.