Cooktown

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I got on the bus to cooktown, and was slightly taken aback by how much older everyone else was on the tour. We had a description of what we were passing all the way along the journey. It wasn't quite what I had imagined bit I still enjoyed the journey. We crossed the daintree river on a cable ferry. Once in the daintree rainforest we stopped for tea and scones, the tea was grown in the rainforest and was very nice. We continued on the journey and not long had to turn on the 4wheel drive, the track became very bumpy and much less comfortable, but the views of the rainforest were wonderful. We stopped at the lions den for lunch before continuing onto normal roads, we passed the black mountains and into cooktown. We headed up to grassy hill, where cook had killed a 'kangeroo', skinned and eaten it. He also used the high advantage point to see the corals and the best way out of the endeavour river. Having fixed the endeavour ship. I then checked into my hotel room, showered and went around Cooktown.

The town was small, yet beautiful. The endeavour river had a park running along side the banks, I met up with some others who were on the trip with me and we agreed the meet for dinner. I headed round to the supermarket to get food for the following day, before heading back to my hotel, in time to watch the sunset over the river, my room had a wonderful view above the main high street.

We had dinner at the local bowls club, it had been recommended as a great place to eat that was cheap. We had the fish and chips, which was a local fish freshly caught and was very enjoyable.

The next day we were picked up for a trip with a local aboriginal guide. He took us to the caves that his family had used for centauries and explained the meanings behind the paintings and the spirituality that went with the paintings. We ate in the kitchen cave and marvelled at the paintings made so long ago. The general meaning behind the experience was family and love. This was emphasised mainly by the couple who had kindly invited me out for dinner the previous night. They had been married for 62 years and were in the area for a wedding, they had been given the bridal bouquet, in the hopes that the newly married couple would be in love for as long as them. The couple still showed love for each other, with the walk being a hike with climbing it was lovely to watch the husband, turn and help his wife down or up each bit of climbing. He even insisted on carrying her bag. They for me, we the embodiment of what Willie the aboriginal guide had been telling us trough the paintings.

After arriving back into cook town, we got our bags from the hotels and met the bus taking us home. The journey was Just as full of wonders, the evening closing in as we drew closer to Cairns.

Once back I got my main bag out of storage and headed to the greyhound bus stop. I was about to start my first over night bus journey, taking me all the way to Airlie Beach and the Whitsundays. The bus was at 12.05am....

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