DAY EIGHTY-FOUR: Mysterious Platypus

DAY EIGHTY-FOUR: Mysterious Platypus

Today was wet and overcast but it didn't bother us. We were going to the Atherton Tablelands. Today’s journey is essentially a paid tour just without paying $120 each so driving ourselves was our best option. Starting at the Boulders we drove to Josaphine falls, it was nice but the water was too rough to swim in. It would have been good in a kayak. From here we drove the scenic waterfall drive, stopping at different stops and admiring the falls until we reached Mila Mila falls is famous for being in a shampoo advert and for being the place where Peter Andre filmed the music video Mysterious Girl. We had a quick swim where being the big kid I am I swam through the falls.

            From here we drove to our spot for the night. It looked terrible with no toilets so we decided to return to Babinda for another night.

            Along the way we came across Tazali lakes which advertised itself as a Platypus Park so we stopped and went in, it cost $5 each to go on the guys land. We walked to the pond, as soon as we got there we saw them. I was made up 3 females swimming about. We took some photo's but unfortunately my camera zoom isn't great, neither of my eyes I wish I had binoculars to get a better view.

DAY EIGHTY-THREE: The bugs are back in town

DAY EIGHTY-THREE: The bugs are back in town

Today is cool and wet. For some reason the Mosquito have been out all day driving the pair of us mad they've made a mess of Vicki's legs.

            I thought it would have been a good idea to go for a swim to sooth the bites. It helped a little but the water was bitterly cold again so we didn't stay long but like yesterday I saw more water creatures, this time it was a yellow and black eel.

            We didn't do much more the rest of the day. The only sceptical was me trying to make my pen work. It was about 3 days old. So far I’ve used up 3 pens and a pencil and all I've done is type up this blog. The pens must be drying up in the heat.

DAY EIGHTY-TWO: Let there be light

DAY EIGHTY-TWO: Let there be light

For the past 37 nights we have struggles with no interior light and limited fridge power, the battery must be knackered so before left cairns we went to the Jucy depot in town and had it fixed. The trip is now heading back south to Sydney and to the comfort of Wollongong. Our first stop is to return to The Boulders in Babinda because we liked it so much.

            As soon as we got there we went straight to the creek, it was quiet, and no wonder it was freezing. Not completely deterred I put my mask on and went for a swim. I was only in for 10 minutes but in that time I caught a turtle, we took some photos then I put it back where I caught it.

            The rest of the day was spent by the van chilling. The evening we marvelled at the interior light working. I'm amazed we managed to see anything with our head touches compared to the halogen bulb.

DAY EIGHTY-ONE: Rain in Queensland?

DAY EIGHTY-ONE: Rain in Queensland?

Since leaving Calope 14 days ago there hasn't been a drop of rain, it has been great, hardly ever dipping below 30 degrees C except at night where it hangs around the mid 20's. But today it rained, it was still hot but the rain did cool us off a little.

            The day was uneventful we've washed all our stuff which will be the last time in a long time and Vicki plotted our route back. We're going a little more inland, staying in the state forests and in some places we have stayed before.

            Driving up here was great but I think it will be better going back, especially now we know where to avoid and where to stay longer.

DAY EIGHTY: Second trip to Cairns

DAY EIGHTY: Second trip to Cairns

Yesterday we had both burned so we planned on an easy day. We decided on having a second trip to Cairns, I thought we hadn't seen everything when we went to the lagoon, it turns out we had. There isn't much here. If it wasn't for the reef you wouldn't bother going, this was a little disappointing considering we had driven so far. Not to worry it's the journey not the destination.

            We were both hungry in town so we treated ourselves to a pub lunch. There is an 'Irish' bar next to the bus stop so we went in and had lunch. During the time we were there we saw three different travellers on separate occasions asking for jobs, each being turned away. Clearly it isn't just us looking for work. Only we have given up trying. We have noticed a few things about travellers who have managed to find work, the first thing is their pretty much all French who don't understand a great deal of English which makes minimal sense and second ally is the majority are tall, blonde females. If you don't have any of these features forget trying for work. 

DAY SEVENTY-NINE: Great Barrier Reef

DAY SEVENTY-NINE: Great Barrier Reef

Today was a day I have been looking forward to for a long time. After years of watching documentaries with David Attenborough narrating about the Technicolor aquatic world, I couldn't wait to see it for myself. It was a little over two hours to sail out to Upolu reef. During that time we spoke to the other 14 other passengers about how much we are looking forward to finding Memo. Before we arrived there was a brief tutorial of the do's and don’ts.

            Once we arrived I was straight in, first one in and the last one out. We only snorkelled because at the most it was only 4 meters deep which is easy to swim to and hang around for a while before heading back up for a quick breath and returning. The colours were amazing, blues, greens, reds and purples. It was a sight we will never forget. The colours are in fact more vivid on TV, It must because of HD TV and high tech cameras and enhanced computers to make everything even brighter. Even my photos are enhanced but the films are not.

            During the first dive everyone was given a swimming noodle, everyone except me, I swam off before they could give me one and I had no intention of sticking to the surface. As soon as we went in I saw two huge butterfly fish being cleaned by a bunch of wrasse. Soon after a little green turtle swam beneath us, I was in my element snapping away with my waterproof camera. I think Vicki was a little jealous because her camera was at Fuji being fixed and wasn't returned before we started the trip so we were limited to one camera. After a while we found nemo hiding in an anemone. There were dozens of groups of clown fish but we didn't find Dory. We saw plenty of other fish, squid, starfish, giant clams even sea pens. There was so much to see and process it was impossible for everything to sink in in such a short time.

            Both Vicki and I could have easily done a week trip but lack the money. People say a picture paints a thousand words so 173 pictures paint far more than I can write.

DAY SEVENTY-EIGHT: Cairns Lagoon

DAY SEVENTY-EIGHT: Cairns Lagoon

Today is another scorcher, we were woken up to the intense heat of the van slowly beginning to roast. I have no idea how the locals function, as soon as I have a shower and dry off I'm instantly dripping with sweat if it wasn't so nice having a shower it wouldn't be worth having one. Also today I had a proper shave which doesn't happen often I've removed the beard, to Vicki's disgust I now look about 17 but "It's purely for tomorrow" I assured her, "It's to stop the water getting into the mask so quickly. It'll be back soon enough."

            We took the hostel bus into the centre of town to go to the lagoon. The town centre was only small but packed with diving shops. If it wasn't for Vicki being there I would have probably bought all sorts of stuff I do not need.

            When we arrived at the lagoon it was packed with people, the water wasn't sea water like I expected but chlorine fresh water, neither of us liked it very much and we left shortly after arriving. Along the way back we went into Woolworths where we found  the barging of the century, a $9 box of doughnut for $1.80, we spent the day eating the box of 18 till we couldn't eat anymore.