6 things about life in Cairns

1. We are spending heaps more time in the car then we have for the last few years. In Brisbane, work, school, church, gym and the shops were all in the one small suburb. It's a 3.5km drive to primary school, 6kms to the shops and 6.5km to church and high school. And these are all in different directions. But there isn't too much traffic so it's not too bad.

2. Andrew is driving to Townsville and back (8 hour return journey!) for a meeting tomorrow. Locals don't think this is ridiculous. It's just what you do.

3. In Cairns, grown up people do community things. A few teachers on staff at school are in the local orchestra. Many are in sports teams. The PE teacher coaches a couple of women's soccer teams. Being involved and doing stuff is normal.

4. It has been really hot since the rain stopped a week ago. 36-37 degrees. This is unusual for Cairns. (33 is normal.) In Brisbane, a week of very high temperatures would have been unbearable. Up here it is bearable, thanks to the wonders of air conditioning (all classrooms at school have ac and half our house also does) and pool which is 3/4 in the shade. We've developed a nice little ritual of sitting in the pool after school, talking about our days, and playing silent 'Marco Polo'. I don't enjoy long innings of Marco Polo so I've taken to reading to the kids while sitting on the steps in the pool. Tonight we also swam after dinner.

5. Micah and I started our cello and viola lessons this afternoon. Our new teacher is excellent (our old ones were too!)

6. Long time, older Cairnsites do speak differently. When crossing the road with the kids this morning I pushed the button. The crossing supervisor said, 'Ya should'a learned him ta do that, eh?' He meant that I should have taught Joel to push the button at the traffic lights. BTW Joel does know how to push the button. I was just standing closer at the time.