Sunshine at last

Against all expectations, it’s sun, sun, sun in the far north. All of a sudden we understand why Queensland is known as “The Sunshine State”.

We have stayed five nights at the Rydges Sabaya Resort in great comfort, apart from the catering. The introductory barbecue on Friday night was rubbish, and the breakfast at £14 per person was quite simply inedible. But the grounds and the swimming pool are great; all the floral photos were taken in the gardens surrounding the resort.

Port Douglas out of season is a small sleepy town geared up for tourism, and an ideal base for exploring the surrounding countryside, most of which is either beach, jungle or Great Barrier Reef.

There are plenty of cafés and restaurants, and a few genuine oddities. Such as the Iron Bar, a pub made from scrap metal, which hosts nightly cane toad races. A genuinely laid-back town ideal for eccentrics. Peter wants to live here. Michèle doesn’t.

There are pictures of Bill Clinton everywhere. He was staying here in September 2001, when the planes hit the World Trade Center. His family were not with him, but many of the local girls swear that he did not have sexual relations with them.

Our first day took in the Mossman Gorge. More walks in the rain forest for Michèle. But at least the sun was shining, so she was a happy wallaby. The swim in the Mossman River was one of the finest swims Peter has ever had.

The second day took us north to Daintree and Cape Tribulation, the end of the surfaced road. We had a riverboat cruise on the Daintree River, in the hope of spotting some big salt-water crocs in the wild. It’s the wrong season for spotting them because they are too busy mating, and don’t come out into the open. However, we were shown a dead cow, which is perhaps a good substitute. On a more serious note, these crocs are genuinely dangerous. Three people have been taken by crocs in this area within the last month, including a boy of five who was playing on the river bank. They say: “Be croc-wise in croc country”.

Then we took the cable ferry across the Daintree River, and Michèle insisted that we go walking again in the rain forest. We found another swimming hole in the Hutchinson Creek, which, we were told, had no crocs. No leeches either.

Cape Tribulation itself, the furthest point north in our Australian journey, was a bit of a disappointment. Quite a nice view, but that’s about all. A scrumptious stop at the Daintree Ice Cream Company on the way back to Port Douglas. They make their ice creams from fruit grown in their own orchard; exotic tropical fruits that no one has ever heard of. Such as wattle-seed.

The following day Peter went scuba diving on the outer Great Barrier Reef, on board the Poseidon. Three great dives, with good coral, sharks, rays, turtles, nudibranchs, hump-head parrot fish, and everything else that makes up a good dive. Michèle had a rest from Peter and the rain forest, and did the ironing instead.

Looking back on our impressions of the country, there is no doubt that we have been here in the wrong season, and this has impaired our experience of the country. It would have been so much better without the rain, and a little cooler. Also, we have not been able to swim in the sea due to the jelly-fish. However, there is no doubt that it’s a vibrant place with much to offer, and we are not surprised that young people come here for a holiday and stay for a lifetime.  The lifestyle is laid-back and unashamedly hedonistic. The food in restaurants can be quite outstanding, if you are prepared to pay the price. Peter keeps on saying that he wants to emigrate. To fit in with the locals of his age, he would have to grow a beard again, and wear his hair long enough to have a ponytail or a bun. He already has the regulation tattoo.

Peter’s only regret is that he was not able to meet Nicole Kidman. He was offered Kylie Minogue, but politely declined.

Farewell Oz. Enjoy! No worries!