Queensland Part 5

Janelle went for an early morning run along the full length of Four Mile Beach, we went for a walk after breakfast - it was a lovely morning...

We packed up our lunch again and drove to Mossman Gorge. Today we were lucky enough to see the sugar train up close on the way...

We caught the shuttle bus from the Aboriginal Heritage center to the Gorge walk...

The whole walk was 3km and it was stunning. We all agreed it was our favourite rainforest walk so far...

Some of the tree root formations were amazing...

After the walk we went back to Mossman and had afternoon tea in a little health cafe. Back in Port Douglas Janelle and I went shopping. We didn't find much to buy but had fun.

Next day we packed up again and headed away from the coast towards Mareeba. Our first stop was the Golden Drop Winery. This was a Mango winery and the meticulous rows of some 17 000 mango trees was an incredible sight...

We did some early morning taste testing (yes Janelle was questioned if she was old enough to drink!) and came away with some goodies...

We called into the Mareeba tourist center and looked through the museum which was interesting...

Next we went to Coffee Works where we paid to go in and drink unlimited coffee and tea and eat chocolate samples...

Janelle was again mistaken as a child but we just went with it and paid child entry and she got a free milkshake and activity sheet (we had a good laugh)...

We also spent quite a bit of time wandering around the gift shop there as well...

And a massive museum devoted to all things coffee and tea - it was an amazing worldwide collection of so many gadgets - coffee really is a huge and historic industry...

After the drive back to Port Douglas we walked to the markets on the marina - these 2 figs are on the way...

Harvesting sugar cane

It wasn't a huge market and we didn't buy anything but were impressed with a guy who makes handbags out of everything recycled and with positive quotes and messages...

It was a nice walk back to our unit just on dusk...

Another beautiful morning down the beach...

We met Janelle after she had been for another long run and climbed the lookout 10 times...   

We had another wander around the pretty Port Douglas streets and lunch in a cafe...

Peter and I found a car wash and gave our hire car a clean while Janelle logged onto her emails and started coming back out of holiday mode...

Later in the afternoon we had afternoon tea in this great little bookshop with a cafe in. Janelle and I sat for a few hours and read and browsed and drank - so very relaxing (Peter went back to the unit and studied new car tyres for the Colorado and made phone calls). Janelle purchased another great health book...

Time for another long walk up the lookout and through town and up to the highest point overlooking the beach and Port Douglas...

And witnessed another beautiful sunset...

We had had a few cheap dinners in our unit so on our last night we lashed out and went out to a nice restaurant and  splurged on very yummy barramundi!

Our last morning and one more look at the beach before we packed up and drove the windy road back to Cairns. We had to have to hire car back at the airport by 10am which we just made. We then sat around and waited for our flight to Brisbane. In the end our flight was an hour late. This was not too good as we only had an hour changeover at Brisbane airport for our flight to Perth! 

We landed in Brisbane at the time our next flight was meant to be departing and the captain said anyone going to Perth go straight to gate 22...

Coming into Brisbane

As we got into the terminal they were calling our name for a final time. We ran from gate 25 to gate 22 and onto the plane - slightly embarrassing  when everyone is in their seats and the plane is waiting for you! So that will go down as our shortest stopover ever ( we were in Brisbane airport for 3 minutes!). Pretty much as soon as we sat down the plane started reversing and we were off again...

Off that plane and straight onto this one!

Leaving Brisbane

We had a good flight home and watched another great sunset...

One positive about being the last on the plane was that our luggage was the first off so we didn't have to wait long at the luggage carousel! We then left the domestic airport and drove over to the international airport where Sarah had been waiting for us for a while. She had arrived from Athens via Dubai a few hours earlier. Then the last leg of a long day was the 2 hour drive home to some very happy doggies.  We had a great holiday with our "child" Janelle. We were often asked when we went to pay for things "is that 2 adults and 1 child?" or she was asked "are you still on school holidays?". At first we told the truth and enjoyed the shock expressions from people but as time went on we just went with her being a "child"! Good times :-)

Queensland Part 4

After breakfast we packed up and headed further north. Our first stop was at Thorntons Beach...

Then continued onto Cape Tribulation...

 Cape Tribulation Beach was beautiful especially as you just step straight out of the rainforest and onto the beach...

 There were masses of tree roots which I am guessing are mangroves but they look a lot different to ours at home...

We went for a short walk on the Cape Tribulation boardwalk to the lookout...

This guy hung around everyone at lunchtime...

After another stroll on the beach with the tide out we had reach as far north as we could go without a 4WD on these roads so we headed back down south...

We stopped and had a look at some pythons and snakes in the Snake House and called into one of the few small shops and got a bottle of wine. Next stop was the Marrdja Walk. As with all these rainforest walks it  was very pretty and I love the fan palms...

After our visit to Thorntons Beach in the morning and checking out their nice cakes we decided that that was the place for afternoon tea. They certainly didn't disappoint with a beautiful setting tucked in the bush and super yummy pumpkin and ginger cake and a big fat slice of moist apple pie...

Too much cake?

 It was during this driving around that I spotted an elusive Cassowary walking along the side of the road. Peter nearly ran off the road with me screaming with excitement. With all the panic we couldn't just stop quickly and we looked back to see it crossing the road in front of the people travelling a little way behind us. We couldn't even get a photo but at least we all saw one!...

After a busy day we headed back to our little hut in the forest. We walked down to the pools and decide to just paddle a bit...

 The water was freezing cold and who knows what was lurking in there but I decided I would regret it if I didn't have a swim so Janelle and I stripped down and in we went. All was good until Janelle started screaming that something was touching her leg so we scrambled back to the rocks...

During the night I was woken by Janelle and Peter at 3.30am shining torches and looking outside as they had both heard noises. Turns out they were both wrong and the noises were inside and something had had a good feed of our food...

 The time had come for us to leave our little hut...

 One more sit by our pools and waterfalls...

 We called in to the Daintree Tea Company which was just an honesty stall next to their tea plantations with information about how they operate...   

Next was a visit to the Daintree Discovery Centre. This is a great set up where you use a hand held audio guide and walk around the Ariel Walkway at different heights through the rainforest...

 You also go up the Canopy Tower which is 23 meters high and give great views on 5 different platforms over the rainforest...

Yes a self timed pose

 Back to the Daintree River and onto the ferry much quicker this time...

We then travelled to Daintree Village and had a picnic lunch and scones and a cuppa...

 It was then time to leave the Daintree behind and we drove down to Port Douglas. We found our accomodation and checked in. We had done well and chosen a place to stay just 100m from the beach and about the same from the main shopping street...

 Janelle was thrilled to find a Lorna Jane shop just 150m  from our unit!...

After some exploring and grocery shopping done Janelle and I went for a twilight walk on Four Mile beach...