To continue the trend of giving a current position update before I continue my attempt to catch up on everything that’s happened since my last instalment that I am yet to write about, I am in Darwin sitting outside Matt, Lachie and Lou’s (Queen’s friends) house still sweating and listening to Matt’s interesting music. So yes I made the long drive across the baron, endless Overlander’s Way from Townsville to the centre of the Northern Territory and the up the Stuart Highway to Darwin.
Jumping back now to one month ago and I spent Anzac Day eve driving up a very windy and ridiculously foggy mountain range to reach the campsite at Wallaman Falls – the biggest drop waterfall in Australia. Reaching camp we (the Dutchies and I) soon discovered that we had the whole camp to ourselves and made ourselves at home in the very primitive and basic camp kitchen. Unsure of whether it was the fact that we were in the rainforest, that maybe it was residual rain dropping of the branches above, or maybe that we were just in cloud, we seemed to be constantly wet. With everything from clothes, sleeping stuff, to the Duties tent saturated and already starting to smell we went to the lookout to the falls the following morning and were not surprised to see nothing past the cloud/fog two metres in front. We decided to venture down the very steep and slippery walking track to the base of the falls where although we were now completed soaked to the bone (I had a raincoat but somehow sweated through my clothes underneath) it was worth it however to look up at the 268m of projectile waterfall.
Heading north once again with George full of wet soggy smelly clothes and camp stuff we arrived in sunshine at Paronella Park. Paronella Park was started by Spanish man José Paronella to fulfill his dream of building a castle. On 5 Hectares beside Mena Creek Falls he built his castle, picnic area by the falls, tennis courts, bridges, a tunnel, and wrapped it up in an amazing range of 7,500 tropical plants and trees (now a lush rainforest!). It opened to the public in 1935. After a brief period of neglection the Park now boasts remarkable architecture, an incredible story, 5ha of tropical gardens, fantastic photo opportunities, a fully restored and operational 1930's hydro electric generator, wildlife and fish feeding, a boutique caravan and camping grounds, and a café with fresh local produce.
The very friendly staff at this tourist attraction quickly convinced us to come inside and purchase a ticket which included a day tour about the history of the Park, a night tour with a sound and lights show and a campsite at their adjacent campground. Embarking on our tour we soon learnt to explore the park on our own to avoid listening to the enthusiastic and sarcastic voice of our computer geek turned tour guide. Again on the night tour I decided upon some alone time this time to avoid kids shining torches in my eyes, the frightened cries of younger kids and the many couples being all soppy as they admired the lit up castle. All in all it was a magical and intriguing experience and I’d definitely recommend it.
Waking up to sunshine again and finally the thought of everything drying off we arrived in Cairns to meet a carload of backpackers that the Dutchies were then going to join on the next part of their journey to Darwin. Parking George at the buzzing lagoon and esplanade precinct the Dutchies transferred their stuff from George, accidentally leaving behind their tent! It was a sad farewell as I promised to visit them whenever I go to Amsterdam, but saying goodbye was somewhat a relief to once again have my own space in George. In my relief at being alone and finally arriving in Cairns where I would be based for the next few weeks and luckily not have to do too many kms for a while, I relaxed by the lagoon and treated myself to a delicious focaccia for lunch.
Finally it was time for my very much anticipated chance to pick Harriet up from the airport and see a familiar face for the first time it what seemed like forever.
And so it seems with a lack of lonely time and too many travel companions comes a lack of opportunity or motivation to open up my laptop and fill in the rest of the world with tales of my travels!
So right now I am signing on again this time from Mission Beach. I think it may just be pot luck that each time I write for my blog I seem to be in an picturesque location and tonight is no exception, but then again maybe these beautiful beaches that I camp by provide inspiration for me to write. [side note: I most certainly wont still be in Mission Beach when I upload this too my blog] but enough of the philosophical thoughts... So I am camped tonight in the cheap campground with George parked literally 15m from the sand under palm trees. Despite the ocean still looking like a muddy washing machine it is beautiful and just to add to this me and Tom (my travel buddy to Darwin) used my hammer to hack at a coconut and finally opened it so we had free coconut milk and pulp for dessert!
So whilst it all sounds amazing I am about to embark on the next stage of my adventure – into the desert! Stepping back a few weeks though and I will continue my travel tales from Airlie Beach, the location of my last blog entry. Although it is a beautiful, vibrantly bustling backpacker town the relentless rain put a literally dampener on my stay. Nevertheless I checked into the cheapest caravan park in town and found myself a muddy site and opted to cook dinner in the dry camp kitchen where I re-met Justin (the only other single Australia I have seen traveling/camping/backpacking around Australia) a guy who I met in Bundaberg on the rum tour. It’s crazy how often you cross paths with different people all heading up the east coast! Anyway I also met Merik and Leonie here (I will refer to them as the Dutchies from now on) who are a 19 year old Dutch couple hitchhiking around Australia! After some good conversation over dinner and a morning together at the foreshore markets we went our separate ways as they headed off on a sailing trip around the Whitsunday’s. Opting to save my money for a trip to the reef in Cairns instead I swam in the lagoon and watched with fascination as all the backpackers attempted a hangover-curing sunbake under the cloudy sky and shrieked as they dashed for cover everytime the rain started again, a very regular occurrence! As the skies seemed to clear I picked the best part of the day and went for a bush walk up to a lookout in the National Park, which gave me magnificent views of the Whitsunday Island on dusk.
Leaving Airlie Beach the next morning I followed another brown ‘tourist route’ sign to the apparently untouched pristine Dingo Beach. Although he beach was pleasant I was more fascinated by the pub which was the only place in the whole town with any sign of movement, despite it being mid morning! Moving on I drove the short distance to the neighboring Hideaway Beach which although was prettier I wanted more so attempted dirt (off-road) track to what I thought would be a lookout. Needless to say George struggled a bit, and when I turned my head to find all the cupboard doors open and a sea of clothes, doona, crockery, and food all flying around the back as I bounced through continuous pot holes, I decided to turn around and continue my driving for the day back on the Bruce Highway. (Good old Bruce has served me well… Sorry that’s just a side note as I reflect on how many kilometers I have now done along the Bruce) Stopping for the night I Bowen I drove down to the foreshore and couldn’t help but notice the shrine-like-information centre dedicated to the film Australia. I joined the other tourists in reading about how they covered the roads in tonnes of red dirt and how Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman lived as locals. Finding a caravan park to check into wasn’t hard as there were about 7 of them, all with only 2 or 3 vans for the night! When I pulled up the old man next to me asked me to come in for a cup of tea or to watch the news on his TV. I kindly declined. In the morning I jumped on my bike to explore the many many beaches that Bowen is proud to offer, unfortunately not looking very inviting under the dark and stormy morning sky. On my way out of town, only shortly after breakfast I drove past the bakery with a sign claiming to bake the Hugh Jackman pie. Feeling like a post breakfast snack I enjoyed one of these meat pies and later read in my 150 things to do in QLD guide that the pies are a must so I am now very happy with my decision to try one!
Anyway continuing on up the highway to Townsville I reached the Bowling Green National Park and drove inland to the Alligator Creek Campsite suggested to me by Justin the guy from Sydney I met in Bundaberg and Airlie. I had a very enjoyable afternoon with a dip in the very refreshing (freezing) waterhole and a good chat to a retired Canadian couple on their way right around the country (they reminded me a lot of mum and dad!). I woke early the next morning and embarked on the 17km waterfall hike which unexpectedly included 6 creek crossing (one so deep my shorts and undies got wet), a lot of hills and rock hopping. Returning to the campsite five hours later absolutely starving and dying for another dip in the waterhole I was exhausted but glad that I did make it to the top as the falls were magnificent (but only the first of many many waterfalls I would discover in the following weeks).
Arriving in Townsville I decided to stop at the tourist info centre to get my next set of free maps and brochures about the road to Cairns and activities in the area. Who was I to park next to but a car with the Dutchies in it! Hearing about their last few days they told me they were keen to go to Magnetic Island and so I decided to join them. We made a quick trip to the supermarket and before I had any second thoughts we were all on the ferry across to the island! We then caught the public bus to the island’s north coast to Horseshoe Bay and checked into the backpackers there for two nights, me in a dorm and the Dutchies in their tent. After two nights on the island it was funny how I actually missed George and having my own space and ‘me’ time (sometimes also referred to as lonely time!) And although it was great doing all of the walks to all of the secluded, remote and sometimes nudist beaches and bays, many dotted with palm trees, two days on the island was enough. It was then decided that the Dutchies would stay with me to Cairns as I had to be there in 3 days for Harriet and they had a lift to Darwin leaving that same day. And so all three of us in George had a brief look around Townsville and found and caravan park just out of town for the night. The following day we went to visit Shalom, (the aboriginal school associated with my school back home) which was a great experience and a bit of an eye-opener for the Dutchies, but they loved it and I enjoyed having them with me so could all join in some activities with the kids and explore the school together. From Townsville we continued along The Bruce in George and stopped for lunch and a swim at Crystal Creek Falls in the mountains (National Parks) that run right up the coastline parallel to the ocean. Here we had a picnic and then spent ages climbing up the creek and diving off rocks and showering under the freezing cascades.
