Flew up to Cairns on Wednesday, stepped out into bright sunshine, hired another Hyundai and drove North on Captain Cook Highway to Trinity Beach, our 3rd airbnb in a small flat near the sea. By sheer luck, our hosts are tour operators, so our first hour or so over a cup of earl grey was discussing the excursions we wanted to make. They were most helpful, if a little over zealous and competing with one another, he wishing us to do wild things like white water rafting and she suggesting much more realistic stuff, especially when I said I get sea sick!
Thursday set off on our own to Cape Tribulation. Stopped for a walk in Mossman Gorge, rainforest. Then on for lunch at the Beach Hut in a backpackers complex of wooden dorms dotted through forest down to a very empty and secluded beach. Met a young man waiting tables from Warwick, who like several others we have spoken to, told us of his travels and how easy it had been for him to get work and stay here. Having fruit picked and bar worked, he has decided he is a 'jungle boy' enjoying the thrill of coming across the odd crocodile and practising spear fishing. This is still a land of opportunity for the young.
On Friday we took an organised excursion with our hostess, Gabi to Wooroonooran NP on a mini bus with French and Japanese. The drive took us through sugar cane fields and banana plantations with a backdrop of tree covered mountains to rainforest canopy walks and waterfalls. The most stunning views, waterfalls with clear blue water pools which we could swim in and steamy heat all around. A huge handsome cassowary strutting the car park to finish it off! We stopped at a crocodile farm to view Fat Bill, Martin, Brian, Steady Eddie and many more! Ghastly creatures, prehistoric, ugly, lazy and evil! In my opinion, that is. On the other hand the tame kangaroos that came to feed from your hands were simply beautiful. Soft gentle and pretty. These are totally domesticated of course; rescued kangaroos who have been looked after by humans all their lives.
Sculptural buttress roots of the red tulip oak
Golden Orb spider with spinning thread so strong it can be used for sutures
Smiling wallaby!
Thursday set off on our own to Cape Tribulation. Stopped for a walk in Mossman Gorge, rainforest. Then on for lunch at the Beach Hut in a backpackers complex of wooden dorms dotted through forest down to a very empty and secluded beach. Met a young man waiting tables from Warwick, who like several others we have spoken to, told us of his travels and how easy it had been for him to get work and stay here. Having fruit picked and bar worked, he has decided he is a 'jungle boy' enjoying the thrill of coming across the odd crocodile and practising spear fishing. This is still a land of opportunity for the young.
On Friday we took an organised excursion with our hostess, Gabi to Wooroonooran NP on a mini bus with French and Japanese. The drive took us through sugar cane fields and banana plantations with a backdrop of tree covered mountains to rainforest canopy walks and waterfalls. The most stunning views, waterfalls with clear blue water pools which we could swim in and steamy heat all around. A huge handsome cassowary strutting the car park to finish it off! We stopped at a crocodile farm to view Fat Bill, Martin, Brian, Steady Eddie and many more! Ghastly creatures, prehistoric, ugly, lazy and evil! In my opinion, that is. On the other hand the tame kangaroos that came to feed from your hands were simply beautiful. Soft gentle and pretty. These are totally domesticated of course; rescued kangaroos who have been looked after by humans all their lives.
Smiling wallaby!
Oh I want to hug that smug looking wallaby..!
ReplyDeleteYes, smug because he had endless tourists feeding him!
DeleteNot the one wearing shades!!
ReplyDelete