Well, Port Douglas was a very pleasant stop - hot and humid, and oh so laid back and very typically North Queenslanderish. People walk more slowly, talk more slowly, respond more slowly. The best dressed wear smiles, singlets and thongs (that's the footwear variety of thong I'm talking about).

Port Douglas is sandwiched between two World Heritage listed sites - the Great Barrier Reef, the world's largest living structure, to the east and the Daintree, the world's oldest living rainforest, to the west. In the many years since we were last here the township has grown and modernised significantly, though still holds a quaint, tropical, small town feel.

Being another tender port, the ship anchored at sea and we were taken in small crafts to the marina. The shops and cafes were attractive, but the pubs were especially inviting in the thick heat. Reg earned his cold beer just by working up a sweat strolling the streets. At least I climbed a hill to a lookout with a marvelous view to earn mine.

Believe it or not, we only had the one beer. It tasted so good, but by the time we had walked a block it had already evaporated out of our pores. Many of the passengers complained of the heat, but we did not mind at all. Some of our fondest memories come from places like this where the warmth of the climate is equal to the warmth of the people who dwell there.