Kuranda

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Our plan for the day was an excursion to Kuranda, and everyone was happy that we didn’t need to hit the road until 9am. (Actually, some still found this a bit early). John and Sonia were up early enough to head to the beach boardwalk in search of a take-out breakfast which was well-received back at the hotel by Lauren and Andrew. A short drive brought us to Freshwater Station, where we boarded vintage train cars for the rail journey to Kuranda. The steep and winding train route through the hills and through river gorges was built over a hundred years ago and is still considered an impressive feat of engineering. Today it’s a tourist attraction, but the two-hour (very slow moving) train journey gave some great views as we wound our way through many twists and turns to Kuranda. We chatted with an older couple on holiday from Melbourne who expressed horror that we had opted to drive while in Sydney, saying they would never dream of trying to drive there. Once we arrived at Kuranda, lunch was the first order of business. The town is entirely focused on tourism, but the many cafes lining the main street were not very appealing. After passing by several we chose one that looked like it might be a bit better, but looks can be deceiving. Unimpressed with the food, but no longer starving, we headed out for a circuit of the key tourist attractions of the town. First stop was Koala world. Lauren noted that on day 1 we saw a koala, on day 3 we petted a koala and now on day 5 we would get to hold a koala. Surely on day 7 we will get one to take home with us… Yes we did get to hold the koala, as well as pet the kangaroos. At this point it is challenging to find anything new at each successive zoo, but we all were surprised by the wombat. Looking sort of like a small bear, his appearance was (for whatever reason) not what we expected a wombat to look like. After Koala world, it was off to Bird World (a trend now becoming obvious). Sonia enjoyed photographing the birds and Andrew enjoyed watching one who appeared to be bent on disassembling the closed-circuit TV camera, potentially as part of an elaborate escape plan. The final “world” on our circuit was “Butterfly World” where we all became landing-pads for the spectacularly decorated insects. Before long it was time to head back for a return trip by “sky rail” (a gondola system). The return trip over the rainforest canopy was a nice complement to the train ride in, giving more sweeping views as well as two stops to disembark at view spots. A massive orb spider who inhabits one of the sky-rail transfer station was a highlight and continues to give Andrew nightmares. While still very touristy, we enjoyed this day much more than “Scenic World”. At least the railway was authentic and the “Animal Worlds” were quite nicely done with lots of interesting animals to see and touch. Or maybe, we are finally over our jet-lag? But the family had lots of laughs listening to Lauren trying to perfect her Australian accent all day while popping accidentally between the States, England, Scotland, Ireland and unknown lands where the English language is mangled. After our short bus ride from the Skyrail dropoff back to Freshwater Station to retrieve our car, we were off on a one hour drive to Port Douglas. The scenery for this short leg was coastal and gorgeous, reminding us of Highway 1 in California, but without the cliffs. Mangroves, with their tangled roots in the sand and their fluffy green tops, lined parts of the coast. In short order, we located our Hotel, the Sea-Temple Resort. After check-in, and shock that once again the on-line photos were not overstated (the resort boasts swim-out rooms and a seriously extensive meandering pool) we drove off to find a place to park near our two-bedroom suite. We tried to navigate based on the resort map we were given at reception, but circled multiple times, each time needing to make a u-turn in sight of the reception desk. Embarrassed, and so grateful that no one came out to try to help us, Andrew figured out what we were doing wrong and directed us. Once settled, we tried unsuccessfully to get a dinner reservation in town and had a lovely dinner at the hotel restaurant instead. After dinner, Sonia, Lauren and Andrew took a long swim, exploring the pool end-to-end in the dark. We dared each other to touch or pick-up to the strangely shaped things we could make out on the floor of the pool, and floated quietly for a minute to enjoy the stars. John joined us for a poolside chat and then we returned to our room for showers and to get ready for tomorrow’s snorkeling adventure.

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Photos

Kuranda Railway
The rear of the train viewed from our train car window as we cross one of the more spectacular rail bridges.

View from the Railway
In this opening it's possible to see all the way back down to the shore.

Barron Falls
The train stops briefly here for us to get a view of the falls.

Kangaroo Pose
Lauren imitates the relaxed sitting position of the kangaroos. We noted we probably have a good series of photos of Lauren imitating animals across our vacation trips.

Sonia feeding the Kangaroo
They weren't very hungry but could be coaxed into eating a bit before lying back down.

Koala Holding
Lauren thought the painted backdrop was corny, but still enjoyed the opportunity to hold a koala.

Andrew with Koala
The koala was quite sweet, despite here showing off her impressive claws.

Orb Spider
Viewed from the underside. This was a big spider. The folks working nearby say they occasionally toss bugs up into her web because it's good to keep her happy.

Butterfly roost
Andrew with Butterflies in his hair

We can see why they call it the "Sea Temple"
Lauren, Sonia, and Andrew enjoy an evening swim at the fabulous pool at the Port Douglas Sea Temple Resort. Sonia says it may be the coolest hotel pool she has ever seen.