G'day again!

I believe we left you with arrangements to pickup Campervan Numero II and roam around the Cairns countryside - well, that didn't really go to plan. We managed to book and pickup the campervan okay, and we were happy with what we recieved (the damn thing even had a DVD player and mini TV) BUT ... it was p*ssing down with rain when we picked it up and it just got worse for 5 long days. It finally stopped the day after we gave it back (typical!). I personally believe it was a very clear sign from the Lord Almighty himself that we should never rent another campervan in Australia.

We cooked in the rain, looked at waterfalls and lots of them in the rain (which incidentally were all the better for it), we "relieved" ourselves in the rain and we listened to the rain bombard our "Spaceship" each and every night. The rain became so bad at one stage, it trapped us in an area of Daintree where roads in front and behind were flooded so high with water people were wading out in it up to their waist.

I'm a firm believer that the weather alters your perception of a place so I'm not going to fully accept the veracity of my current views on the Atherton Tablelands, Port Douglas, Palm Cove and the areas around Cape Trib. Needless to say, they're not currently in our top 10. However, on a fine sunny day I have no doubt, they could be fun and beautiful.

Thankfully, the last 3 or 4 days have brought us more sunshine and perked us up a little. We had a chance to lie around the lagoon in Cairns in 34 degree heat; we visited Darwin for a day and a half which was okay but our length of stay prevented us from visiting the finer sights in the area like Katherine and Kakadu; and we've been back to Brisbane (to see Ian and family) before flying to Hong Kong.

Hong Kong seems great, unfortunately I don't think we're going to make the most of our short time here because we're shattered. We're going to pop into the city on the Airport Express but only for a couple of hours.

This is our last blog I'm afraid folks, unless Lauren manages to squeeze one in about our flight home and our travels through UK customs!

Although we're sad to have left Australia, I'm pleased to be heading home, if only to rid myself of the giant backpack and all of the clothes I'm thoroughly fed up of. I think I might burn the clothes in the back garden when I get home. I hear the weather in England is positively tropical so I shouldn't need to reclimatise - speedo weather, isn't it? :-)

See you all in the next day or so and thanks for reading.

Cheerio-bubye-ta-ta! xxx