We're back in Cairns. Again!

We spent the last three days tearing around in a four wheel drive going through creeks, along beaches, through the rainforest and up and down the Bloomfield track with Toyah and Stuart.

We left Cairns and headed north towards Cape Tribulation as we figured that there was the best chance of finding some secluded beach land that we could drive around on. Once we got there it was still only early afternoon, so we took the Ute for a drive along the Bloomfield Track. This is a notorious 4wd only road through the rainforest and the Aboriginal community of Wujal Wujal, and driving along was quite a challenge. Once we had driven the length of it we decided that we should try to find somewhere to sleep for the night. After trying to get into a few of the National Park campsites only to be told that they were full, or had to be booked two weeks in advance, we ended up back at one that we had looked at a couple of hours earlier. It was a really nice spot, in a small clearing in the middle of the rainforest.

By the time we drove back along the track and got back to the campsite, we had to pitch up the tents in the dark in the middle of the powered sites area. At least it meant that we wouldn't have any neighbours apart from each other!! That night we had our dinner and a few drinks and made a toast to Pam who, in a twisted way, had made the road trip possible and we dutifully named the Ute in her honour...(this was also because they were both beasts!)

The next day we were woken up at 6:00am by the sun hammering down onto our tents as, due to having to pitch up in the middle of the powered sites area, we had absolutely no shade at all. As we were up so early, we thought we should make the most of it so we headed to the beach, which was only ten metres through the rainforest from our camp. The beach was beautiful, and the first proper on we had seen since landing in Australia, and we were soon spread out in the sun working on the tan. The only problem was that the sea was about a mile away as the tide was REALLY out! This meant that whenever we got too hot, we had to nip back to the campsite and jump in the shower for a few seconds.

After a few hours on the beach, and a bit of a kick-about (realistically, about three kicks of the ball as it was far too hot for much else) we wanted to drive around some more so we all hopped back in the Ute. The only problem was that the only place that was worth going to was back up the Bloomfield again, so off we went. We decided that while we were there we would go to the Bloomfield falls so that at least we were doing something different to the day before. However, when we got to the end of the track we drove along a little while and couldn't see a damn thing so we turned around and headed back to the campsite. *

That evening we had a visitor for dinner in the form of a strange little rodent thing that wouldn't leave, even if we waved our arms and legs at it (and everybody knows that this is the universal language for "b***** off and leave us to eat in peace" that spans all known life forms!?!), and then it was off to bed knowing we would be woken far too early the next morning.

Yesterday we headed slowly back to Cairns as the Ute had to be returned and we found a few spots to drive on the beach, but unfortunately it was prohibited in most places. Not surprising really, considering we were in National Parkland!!

We stopped off at Mossman Gorge for a swim in the lakes and around the waterfalls, and realised just how strong the currents are when we tried swimming against them and were still going backwards. The water was freezing cold, but it was great to be out of the car and cooling off for a little while before we headed back to Cairns.

We are now in the campsite in Cairns for a few nights until Lynn and Leslie Robb come out to join us and embark on a road trip of their own with us.

* Bloomfield falls are supposed to be pretty spectacular and it turns out we weren't all that far from them in the end. b*****!