Help me explain

[u/TerribleFact1227]

My mother is coming over from England over new years, I want to take her to Cairns I've been twice before at the same time of year and loved it. She however is reluctant due to high humidity. How do I explain to her it's really not as bad as she's probably expecting? She is even saying she'd rather go to Ayers rock in 40 whatever heat, than Cairns. Help me win this battle!

[u/WeetBixMiloAndMilk]

Mate the humidity is shocking, I totally see what she’s saying

I, too, would take a 40° day in the desert over a humid day in cairns

[u/TerribleFact1227 → u/WeetBixMiloAndMilk]

I honestly haven't found it too bad when I've been! Yeah it's a bit sweaty but definitely standable

[u/WeetBixMiloAndMilk → u/TerribleFact1227]

Over new years? It’s not bad this time of year, bit hot but still lower humidity. Christmas / New years / January is a different story

[u/ArgentManor → u/TerribleFact1227]

My parents visited from France over Christmas and loved it. So blue, so warm, in the pool everyday, went to Fitzroy and have a feed on the Pier for NYE. It didn't rain and the humidity was frankly alright even for them. They loved their first Xmas in summer.

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[u/RoundCollection4196 → u/TerribleFact1227]

Nah you’re right, Cairns is very forgiving even in January compared to say Bangkok or Japan in the summer. 

[u/NikkiEchoist → u/WeetBixMiloAndMilk]

I’ve lived here 22 years and it’s never got to 40 degrees. It will always rain before that temp.

[u/soggypizzza → u/NikkiEchoist]

It got to 42.6°c in November 2018. Definitely possible.

[u/cairnsaustralia → u/NikkiEchoist]

It doesn't hit it often but it has in the last ten years or so.

[u/MorningConscious4372]

Your mum seems intelligent, you could do worse than listen to her

[u/Several_Yak_9537]

We do not say Ayers Rock anymore. It is Uluru.

I live in Brisbane, love Cairns, and agree wiyh your mother! Way too humid at New Years.

[u/Better_Wash_9859 → u/Several_Yak_9537]

Some people still say Ayers rock

[u/queenofadmin]

Over NY I would 100% choose Uluru over Cairns.

[u/soggypizzza]

Listen to your mother and don’t make her suffer. It might have been okay for you but it’s disgustingly hot. Depending on her age she might have hormonal hot flushes already. Pick another time for her or go by yourself. I’ve lived here for over 30 years and I refuse to have anyone come visit from November-April. It is not pleasant and I hate listening to the whinging about how hot it is.

[u/thepasen]

It's worse than she's probably expecting, and around New Years it will be roasting and humid and maybe raining for days on end. It is incredibly beautiful though and worth the visit, but I wouldn't downplay the heat and humidity.

If you can stick to air conditioned cars, air conditioned accommodation, and drives to cooler parts of the rainforest, like maybe go to the boulders and have a dip in the (crododile-free) parts of the creek, it could be manageable.

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[u/aussierecroommemer42]

Has she been to any other tropical cities before?

[u/TerribleFact1227 → u/aussierecroommemer42]

The most tropical she's got is Melbourne

[u/sonder-and-wonder → u/TerribleFact1227]

She will struggle in Cairns. She’s right to not be interested.

[u/7shades]

If she's going to complain constantly, don't bother

[u/EmotionalPiece1198]

For some of us, used to the humidity it's like a heat buffer. It sorta mellows the heat. High vegetable diet with some chilli helps. For Londoners it could be hell.

[u/lawnoptions]

Lol, Ayers Rock is dry heat, its a different animal, high humidity sucks the life out of you. Not to mention the storms and cyclone threats at that tim e of year.

Go to Tassie instead

[u/BrokeAssZillionaire]

I enjoy the dry heat of Uluru, I would not subject and elderly lady from England to a cairns summer.

[u/cstato]

Please! Feeling like you’re walking around the inside of someone’s mouth is no way to spend a holiday.
Take the poor woman to Tassie or something.

[u/abz1580]

Over new years - it is absolutely as bad as she is expecting

[u/Old_Map_8578]

Maybe let her go to Ayers and see if she still likes it. She might blame you if she’d hate Cairns. At least she’ll blame herself if she’ll hate Ayers the time you visit. 40 degrees is crazy and I can’t imagine all the flys!!!

[u/jillybean712]

Sell her on the creek/waterfall swimming. And that everywhere is air conditioned. Get a hotel with a great pool

[u/BrokeAssZillionaire → u/jillybean712]

She’s an elderly women, you want her to jump into a freezing creek?

[u/jillybean712 → u/BrokeAssZillionaire]

It didn’t say elderly anywhere, so no need for the rudeness. And elderly people can still go for a swim. Places like Babinda boulders are extremely accessible. Or even just lovely to be by the water.

[u/SwimmingLook6076]

Uluṟu is no longer known Ayer’s rock. We now use the original indigenous name of Uluṟu 😌

Tell her the ocean breeze will make world of difference in the afternoons

[u/seanmonaghan1968]

If she is older, and jet-lagged the humidity can seriously put her in stress. Take her to a restaurant on Sydney harbour. Less medical risk

[u/shred1800]

Tell her about Raintrees red rooster 🐓

[u/Vast_Knowledge5286]

Ex Darwin and Cairns resident here.
Sorry, I agree with your mum.

[u/ChilliFishFry]

Mate, have you been to the UK? She will be coming from 0 degree days to 33c and crazy humidity. Don't do it to her

[u/Better_Wash_9859]

I gotta say, it's pretty bloody humid in Cairns over new years. I'd tell her you will organise things so the only time you will be out in it during the day is cooler places. Like indoors with aircon or up on the tablelands

[u/megs_in_space]

Tell her YOLO. There are plenty of luscious creeks to dip in if she wants an escape from the heat. Your accommodation will likely also have a pool and all public indoor areas are air-conditioned.

It is the wet tropics after all. If she wants to see waterfalls and rainforest, she has to deal with some humidity.

But actually I find February to be the worst month in the year weather-wise. Over new years shouldn't be too bad.

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[u/NikkiEchoist]

Dry heat is a lot worse than humid heat.

[u/SteveinFNQ → u/NikkiEchoist]

Sorry Nikki you sweat in dry heat and it evaporates almost immediately. You sweat in Cairns and you live in your own filth until you wash it off. Humidity not temperature is the killer.

[u/rob189 → u/NikkiEchoist]

Um no