THE NEXT EIGHT DAYS

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Left Bundaberg on the Sunlander train around 7.30 on Thursday night. Phil obviously had visions of the Desert Express (Namibia- Southern Africa) so was somewhat disappointed about the quality of the train........no quiet club lounge to slowly sip a Pimms; no starched white table clotheon dining table with three course meal being served by trained staff! Just a toasted ham sandwich taken in a crowded, noisy and dirty eating cabin. Dark out so not able to see the view from the train which appeared to be the back end of buildings and deep cuttings.........................daylight and we were into canefields and more canefields. Fortunately I had a touch of tummy so was able to spend the day in the cabin taking it easy. Phil adjourned to the lounge cabin (see comment above re quality) with his headache to read his book........and watch more canefields pass by!

Arrived in Cairns around 7.15pm on Friday. Immediately struck by the smell of Singapore. Through Wotif had found a great room at the Pullman Reef Hotel (Casino hotel).......five star! Phil went out exploring and to get a bit to eat.......I just enjoyed the shower and the bed.

Saturday a slow walk through town to pick up the hire car. Got my bearings. Found a great gallery which we will revisit on our return (or on their website)......may have the perfect painting to fill the "watch this space" wall back home.........brekkie and coffee at place next door. Picked up hire car - booked out of our five star accom and headed up to Yungaburra in Atherton Tablelands.......stopped off at Coffee Place in Mareeba. We need to support Australian products by purchasing more locally grown (and produced) coffee and tea. Great Chocolate Factory - bought some which we rationed out over the next couple of days - almost as good as Margaret River choccies!

What can I say about Yungaburra........had not prebooked accom as had read on a webiste about this fantastic newly renovated hotel in the "town". Hotel accom could only be described as one star - but booked in anyway! By next morning has restarred the hotel - generously to three star based on the evening meal and the shower! Phil did his usual thing and hit the sweet buffet in a big way - after a huge baked dinner. Just a small hamlet which apparently comes alive once a month on Market Day. Breakfast in Yungaburra with the bikies having a meeting - one of the quickest, best organised meetings I have every observed.

Retraced our steps enroute to Cooktown. Took a side trip to Tinaroo Falls Dam - appears to be where the folk from Cairns go to get away from it all - very crowded as still school holidays. Stopped off at the Rocky Creek War Memoria Park at Tolga. A very moving experience - completely chocked us up. The Park is situated on the grounds of the hospital wards for wounded soldiers from the war in the Pacific. A group of diggers (men and women) was meeting there planning their Anzac Day activities. I took the opportunity to speak to them to thank them for their service. I am surprised that I was actually able to speak as I was an emotional wreck.

Enroute to Cooktown passed (and stopped at) an amazing sight - Black Mountain - two nights in a really well kept Caravan Park - have I mentioned that we are mainly staying in cabins at Caravan Parks for the trip? run by a grey nomad couple from the WA Murray River Region (near Mandurah) who have stopped over on their travels for a year or so. Phil thought that he could consider this as a retirement job as the male of the couple seemed to spend a lot of time riding around on his electric golf cart. I agreed as long as he cleaned all toilets and showers! Note - don't arrive in Cooktown late on a Sunday as they run out of bread early and seemed surprised that someone would want bread after 3 on a Sunday! Really great meal of Fish and Chips on Monday night - Coral Cod! The only decent restaurant in town was closed on Mondays (and maybe other nights as well). Our little hire car could not make it up to the lookout so am not able to comment on what is supposed to be a spectular view! Served by another grey nomad at the tourist shop who shared the view of the man at the caravan park that the locals are just not into tourists and if it wasn't for the nomads (and backpackers) many businesses would not operate as the locals are not really into working. Certainly had a spectular CentreLink building. Overall view - no wow factor! Putchased petrol for 133.9cpl.

Cape Tribulation - retraced our steps - awed at the sight of Black Mountain from the other side - enroute to Cape Tribulation/Daintree region.

Bypassed the Daintree Village on way up and went straight to the Vehicle Ferry - once on the other side certainly in a different world - very rain forest! Lots of signs about recent cassowary crossings but not one to be seen during the entire time there. Drove straight up to CT planning on doing food shopping to tide us over for the two days............very very basic shopping! Made our way to our prebooked accom at Thornton Beach - TB Bungalows or as Phil says "cubby house". Very very basic - no cooking facilities or fridge (though did provide an "icebox" - esky - and fortunately there was a cafe across the way for ice and breakfast..........after having a major spacko re my "mistake" in choosing this accom Phil convinced my to turn "adversity into an adventure"........the cherry ripe he went out and purchased helped turn the mood around - if we had had the abovementioned creature comforts we would have missed out on experiencing the Cows Bay Hotel (twice!).......where dress code was very very relaxed - not too many shoes worn by patrons! and you are served by 12 and 15 years olds. Night one we had a pub meal - Phil corned beef with white sauce (which I just refuse to cook); and me a delicious piece of wild barramundi pan fried. Night two was "Pizza Night" so we joined the locals for this event - it was great to see that some of them had actually put on their glad rags (and jewellry) for the night but obviously shoes were not factored into their outfits!

Day two we did the obligatory croc spotting cruise in the mangroves and went to the Discovery Rain Forest Park - which we did in the rain - added to the experience. All very interesting and certainly gives one an appreciation of the need for mankind to retain our natural habitats.

A quick trip into the Village once we crossed the Daintree River (by ferry) - clearly exists to service the tourists going on river cruises!

On to Port Douglas and another cabin in a Big 4 Caravan Park (just a little way out of town). The washerwoman got into things and we can continue on with clean undies and outies. The town certainly has grown since we were last there (way back in 86/87 on our round Australia trip with the kids). Very much tourist focused - and expensive! Petrol purchsed at 132.9cpl. Decided not to do a reef trip as done in the past and while great - done! Did the sights around town - all very relaxed. Had a lovey couple of hours at the Port Douglas Combined Club right onthe inlet - started off with a great cup of coffee waiting for the sun to set watching the cruise boats come in before starting on a bottle of bubbles (for me) and a couple of beers (Phil) - great meal - service fantastic. Very very busy - with lots of local family groups. Phil won 6 bottles of beer. Interesting how things happen - we were doing our gallery thing that afternoon and a local and the gallery owner were talking about going out to eat and mentioned the Club - sounded good so decided to give it a try (had picked out another spot to watch the sun set) - pays to overhear conversations and follow up on them.

Before we left PD today we revisited an art gallery we had been to yesterday and after some discussion with the artist and her husband have commissioned a piece of work for the "watch this space" wall at home...............impressed by the artist and her work and she was very open to taking on our wishlist for this work - all going well we will have the ideal piece of art for the wall! She is from WA (husband from USA) - interesting that we have come all this way to return with art from a WA artist!

Have now arrived in Kuranda - a quick trip down to the Village but all shut up as after 4 - will return tomorrow! Icecream man was open though and I had a great coconot icecream and Phil a mango one - the man would not sell him a rum and raisin one as it would have put Phil over the limit - had a small taste and Phil will be having rum and raisin icecream for breakfast tomorrow. Cabin is in a CP in the rainforest - we have wildlife oudside out door - very small wallabies, bush turkeys etc.........apparently we will also see kangaroos and bandicoot - we will see!

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