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Published: June 26th 2015
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Andrew, roughing it at Jabiru
They weren't the comfiest beds, but they were beds... We slept well in our rustic tents (we did have beds with mattresses and blankets…) awaking to the sound of rainfall through the night and then the birds at daybreak. The laughing kookaburra was particularly remarkable and did seem to be amused with us. After making coffee (or something approximating coffee) with water heated on the gas barbeque, Lauren, Sonia and John went off for a short hike before breakfast. We spotted some wallabies just a few yards down the road. The short walk was a pleasant climb to the top of a hill with views overlooking the lagoon. Back at the lodge we had a light breakfast. John argued that since he had tasted the ants up at Cape Tribulation, it was Sonia’s turn to try the Vegemite® at breakfast. This Australian food staple is a paste made of yeast extract and rich in vitamins. Sonia commented that it tasted like the broth used in biology labs to grow bacteria and both children were fascinated and horrified that she knew what THAT tastes like. The 90-minute drive back to Cairns was uneventful and we arrived in time for a leisurely lunch at the Salt House (a name Sonia found very
Andrew outside the eco-tent
Does it seem like there is an "eco-" version of everything these days? appealing) overlooking the water. The kids ventured off on their own to get gelato, and were recognized as North Americans by the gelato vendor from Detroit. Back at the hotel, Lauren didn’t want to pass up the opportunity to visit the casino. Like the drinking age, the gambling age in Australia is 18. Sitting in front of a complex electronic slot machine and really unsure of how any of it worked, she unwittingly wagered $2.50 at a time, winning $37 on her third pull. She and John were both so confused by the machine that they were stunned when, upon hitting the “collect” button, coins started spewing out. Confident now in her skills, she quickly repaid John his $10 initial investment and took her profits off to parlay them, ultimately walking out of the casino with $40 of their money. We enjoyed a relaxing afternoon at the hotel before heading out to “Reef Teach”, a session given by a biologist on how to get the most out of snorkeling or diving at The Great Barrier Reef. Reacting negatively to the word “teach” the children were difficult to persuade (Andrew came along only because he thought we were on our way
Bizarre Sculpture
This large, stainless steel sculpture entitled "reptile" was donated by a Japanese visitor who was so excited about the many types of wild rices which grow around the reserve. Yeah, we don't get it either. to dinner). But what followed was an amazing and informative two-hour slide show of beautiful animals of the reef, energetically and humorously presented with props in a way that felt more like a trip to a comedy club than a lecture. The kids were smiling ear-to-ear, we all learned a lot, and will be better prepared for our next interaction with the Reef. (Even Andrew admitted it was pretty good.) After Reef Teach, Lauren wanted to head to the hotel gym, so we walked her back before heading out to find a light dinner for the rest of us. We wanted snacks from a supermarket, but just missed the 9PM closing time, so decided on take-out kebabs to eat in our room. We needed to be up very early for our flight to Hamilton Island.
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