MONDAY 15 JUNE     CAIRNS

John is feeling really miserable with the cold. I can relate to that.

I did a couple of loads of washing, whilst he decided whether he was getting up at all today. Eventually he managed to.

We drove into Cairns city, firstly to check at the PO for our mail – which was not there yet. Went to a couple of other shops.

Went to the seafood co-op that M had directed us to, and bought prawns. Good value.

I checked out a craft supply shop I’d seen advertised – wonderful place, with a good supply of the sort of fabric I use, and also books on Hardanger. When we come back from the Cape, I will be coming back here!

After a late lunch, we drove to the Royal Flying Doctor Base at Aeroglen, which is where Cairns airport is. The displays there, about the work of the RFDS, were really interesting. We watched an excellent video. It performs such an essential service over so much of our remote areas. We donated $10 to the cause.

Went on to the School of the Air, to try to get some information about the VISE scheme. They were not very helpful at all. About the best they could do was give us a phone number for a contact at Einasleigh, which is a tiny place inland from here; that does not seem likely to be much help. We will shelve that idea for a while, anyway.

Had prawns and avocado for tea. I’d bought cooked prawns, so all I had to do was peel them – might sound simple, but takes me ages and it is such a messy job. But the eating makes it worthwhile.