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Published: February 9th 2010
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Giant Fern Frond
I just can't get enough of the fern fronds! This one is from a giant fern, which can grow to be a few meters tall. Friday morning I left for my 3 day little road trip. I rented an old Toyota Corolla with no A/C…a big sacrifice to make this time of year in the wet tropics. But it was the cheapest option. So I headed out to Babinda Boulders to take a look at the smooth, carved granite of the boulders and to take a dip in the clear rock pools there. It was quite refreshing even at 10 in the morning. After that I headed down to the two-tier Josephine Falls. The waterfalls are quite spectacular this time of year with all the rain. I had another dip there and took a turn sliding down a huge granite boulder.
After that there was a small afternoon shower, of course. But I found a campground near another set of waterfalls so I hurried to set my tent up while it wasn’t raining and then I headed off for the falls. Once I got back from the falls I was terribly hot so I took a dip in the creek to cool off and rinse off for the night. It gets dark early here, like 7:30 or so it’s took dark to do anything. So
Cathedral Fig
Me and the Cathedral Fig. I ate dinner and went to bed. It was so hot and humid that when I woke up the next morning my hair was still soaking wet.
On day two (Saturday) I drove a waterfall circuit, stopping every few minutes to get out and take pictures of another waterfall. I reached my campground early (that’s what happens when you go to bed by 9 or so and then leave camp at 7:30am) so I set up camp, ate lunch, and then explored the area. There were several walking tracks and streams in which to cool off around the camp ground. So I wandered around the rainforest and took a refreshing dip in the crystal clear Kauri Creek. I managed to find a cold shower at another nearby campground so I was able to clean off a bit. Now, normally a cold shower would sound not so good but believe me it’s one of the few ways to actually cool off around here. Plus the second you step out from under the cool water you are swamped with the heat and humidity. I spent the rest of the day lounging around reading and watching the rain roll in and out.
Babinda Boulders
Babinda Boulders have been worn smooth by centuries of rushing water. That night as I was in my tent about to turn the light off I heard a rustling outside. Then before I knew it the critter outside crashed in to my tent! But just as soon as it was there it was gone. Now, normally I would have been a little frightened, and it did startle me, but then I got to thinking that the critters here don’t want to attack you. They eat insects and fruit, not meat. It’s the spiders and snakes you have to worry about, but even those would rather flee than attack you.
It was another fairly early morning start for me so I drove around the Danbulla State Forest and saw the Curtain Tree Fig and the Cathedral Tree Fig. Figs are especially amazing because they start life high in the trees where the seeds are dropped by animals. They then send down roots to reach the ground. Eventually the fig tree strangles and kills its host tree. The result is a massive web of tree trunks and roots. I even saw a Tree Kangaroo! There were also more waterfalls along the way; the day was a bit cooler so I didn’t
Plumeria
Plumerias are common flowers of the tropics, and they smell wonderful. feel as big of a need to swim in the swimming holes.
I headed back to Cairns to return the car and find a place to stay for the night (Sunday night). I decided it was going to be my last night in Cairns; I’m tired of the rain and tired of being in that town. I booked a bus ticket south to Townsville to go to Magnetic Island.
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