Life's a Beach

Today we went to the beach--twice!  In the morning and after lunch and a break, returning to have dinner.  Our last day in Palm Cove.  We will not miss not having enough forks, having inadequate pots and pans, and no oven.  But we will miss the deck, the view, the beach, and the appliances (dishwasher, refrigerator, and washing machine/dryer).   Only having to walk down to the pool, through the lobby, and across the street has been wonderful!  We all enjoyed standing in the waves today.  The children wore t-shirts over their swimsuits and sunscreen to protect their sunburns.  When we returned from the beach the first time we came in to find beds with fresh sheets and clean towels (we have had no housekeeping because we are renting from the owners--not staying as a resort guest).  Then the head of housekeeping came and it turns out that she had the wrong date written down for our departure.  She was glad that her staff had done a mid-stay clean and not a final clean (in which case all of our belongings would have been removed!).   We were glad too!  The fresh sheets and towels are nice for our last night (though unnecessary).   For our last dinner, we had grilled chicken kebabs, pasta, and fresh fruit and vegies.

The fruit:  the mandarin oranges here are not as good as New Zealand's.  They are sweet and juicy, but the skin around each segment is thicker.   The pineapples are beyond wonderful!!!  The apples are good. We have not bought bananas because they are so expensive (even though they're grown just down the road and they say Grown in Australia).

The Aussies are much less worried about the environment than the Kiwis. In NZ, there were reminders everywhere about recycling, turning off lights, saving water, composting, etc, etc.  Even some of the hostels here in Oz don't even have recycling let along composting!   There were signs in the Outback about saving water, but that was because they don't have much!  And some isn't suitable for drinking.    Drinking water sites warned not to use the water for washing, and camping sites charged $3 for a shower--and it had to be quick.  In our condo, the showers have good pressure, plenty of water, and are nice and warm.  Not much worry here in the tropics about the water!  

Magnetic Island next.  We're not sure about cooking facilities, internet capabilities, or much of anything other than our ferry reservation.  Always a new adventure!  

Mossman Gorge

After breakfast this morning, we headed out and drove north.  We drove to the city of Mossman, to the Mossman Gorge National Park.  We walked on a lovely trail that slowly increased from very easy to moderately difficult.  We took the longest trail--the Rainforest Circuit Trail.  And to think that up until a few weeks ago, we had never seen a rainforest!  We saw a fig tree, and a great Milky Pine that were just incredible!  We learned about buttress roots that hold up the tree in wet conditions.  The Mossman Gorge has wet tropic rainforests; although, this being the dry season, they're not so bad.  It was very humid, though.  Minnesota humid.  We walked on a suspension bridge and learned about how trees at high altitudes do cloud catchment, in which, as the clouds pass over the trees, water in the cloud "catches" on the trees and this is sent down to the lower rainforests--which is especially helpful during the dry season.  At one point I dared Randy to take a vine and swing across the forest yodeling like Tarzan.  I said that I would videotape it to show to the emergency room staff when we arrived there.  He declined.  He also was not in favor of kicking open a dirt ball filled with termites.  Go figure.  

As we were driving to and from Mossman, we saw what we had finally figured out a few days ago were fields and fields of sugarcane.   They even have cute little "cane railways," with tracks laid down between the road and the fields and tiny trains of cars drive down them to be filled with sugarcane.  We saw many being filled and full.  We pulled off the road in one part and went up close to the sugar cane.  It looked brown, but was green under the brown leaves.  We also saw banana trees with the bananas in plastic bags (to prevent pests?).  We also saw a field of palm trees full of coconuts.  Oh, the agriculture!  The children were surprised to see tractors and other farm machinery and thought the little cane trains were cute.

We also stopped in Port Douglas and walked down the street of cute little shops where we decided not to pay $12 for a tube of aloe vera gel for the children's sunburns.  We went down to the park by the ocean and a cute little non-denominational church, St. Mary of the Sea, was there.  Very cute.  We couldn't go in because of a wedding.  In fact, we saw the bride walking to the church.  Behind the alter is a huge picture window that looks over the ocean--perfect!

As we were driving, I looked past the palm trees and sugarcane fields toward the misty green mountains in the distance; it was an image I'll keep in my brain for a long time.

As I see all of the beautiful beaches and palm trees, I remember a poster that my best friend had up in her dorm room of a deserted white sand beach with palm trees and blue ocean.  She also had a poster of the Sidney Opera House.  Well, Tram, I've seen them both now!    

More Rainforest

We visited the small town of Kamarra today after lunch.  The guide book said that it had many cute shops and hiking trails.  The shops were OK, the TI person showed us the trail to the Barron Falls.  Since the trail she showed was about 2 hours, we elected to walk around the town first, then drive to the start of the Falls trail.  It was in the Barron Gorge National Park and the TI person said that it was about an hour round trip--it ended up being less than 40 minutes with parts of that taking photos.  The trail is on a boardwalk through the wet tropics in the Barron Gorge National Park.  Since it is "the dry" the rainforest was rather tame and not too wet or steamy and the Falls were tame as well.  Evidently in the "wet", when they get torrential monsoons, it is much more full.  It was pretty though, and interesting where the rainforest gave way to the forest as we got closer to the creek.  The trail was easy--ramped and boardwalk.

It is disconcerting here, to drive around and see chains that are common in the states.  Kmart, Toys 'r' Us, KFC, and Target (and, of course, McDonald's) are some of the chains that we've seen.

We went to the beach this morning and all three of the children burned their backs, despite sunscreen (that pale Scandinavian skin!). They had fun and spent most of the time working on sandcastles and a mini stonehenge, collecting shells, and just running up and down the beach since there were no waves to jump in.  The morning was warm and the water was warm enough for Randy and I to wet our feet.  I have heard that Minnesota is its typical hot and steamy July self, so I am enjoying the warmth with no humidity to speak of!!   : )  

Annie woke up to a birthday card and small gift (a book) this morning on the table.  : )  Our oldest little girl is 15--yikes!!  We will probably sing happy birthday at the beach tonight and will celebrate her birthday when we get home at the end of July.

Again, unable to upload photos, I am waiting for word from Blogger.

Millaa Millaa, Zillie!

Actually those are not a curse, they are two of the names of the three falls we visited today.  Near the city of Millaa Millaa (yes, seriously!), there is a waterfall circuit that we drove through the mountains to today.  We saw the Millaa Millaa falls, very pretty.  An Aussie couple we met said that it is supposed to be the best of the three.  You walk down a path to a pool at the base of the falls; close enough to feel the mist.  Very pretty.  They have changing rooms so that you can swim in the pool--it is very shallow and perfectly clear.   The next fall, yes Zillie, is only viewable from the top because it is surrounded by rainforest.  My favorite was the Ellinjaa.  Reached by a trail through the rainforest (?), it had a small stream at the base and rocks littering the edges.  We had a nice picnic lunch on the side of the stream and little lizards came out to sit on the warm rocks with us!  

I am having trouble (again) with my blog account, it will not let me upload photos (although Randy can upload photos and video to his!).  Aaaaaargh!  I'll keep trying and may need to contact the company.

We have loved having use of a free washer and dryer!   We have enough underwear for every day!  And not wearing the same sweatshirt, turtleneck, and jeans for days on end is nice as well!

I have noticed that in the US, we always walk on the right hand side of a path or sidewalk and I never equated that with cars--it was just what you did.  Well, with cars here driving on the left hand side, people walk on the left as well!  That has also been something to get used to!

Tomorrow (here) is Anneliese's birthday!  We'll have to have a special treat or something.  ; )

How many times can they swim?

Yesterday's blog was written poolside.  Today I am in the kitchen of our room, looking out the glass wall, over the deck to the palm trees surrounding the pool with the stream and waterfall gurgling below.  Yesterday we went to the pool after breakfast, then after lunch we went to the beach.  The children loved it!  It was slightly warmer than the pool and they had fun with the waves and sand.  Today we drove into Cairns (about 20 minutes), went to the botanical gardens, the Muddy's playground, and the Lagoon.

The botanical gardens were very cool--full of bamboo and palms.  Even a boardwalk through a "swamp" that had many unusual trees and vines (it looked more like a jungle).  It is fairly small but pleasant.  Then we went to the children's playground that the guide book mentioned.  It was big, but had many of the same features most playgrounds have, just spread out.  What sets it apart are the water features--streams and shooting water that children can play in.  They have a special walled-in small children's park that is nice for the little ones.  We were underwhelmed--I think we expected a special playground and it was a large typical playground.  Then we walked from there to the Lagoon.  The ocean in Cairns had some type of dredging happen that turned the area next to the shore into mud flats at low tide so it is not a pleasant beach.  Instead they have a swimming area right next to the ocean that is a man-made lagoon, complete with sandy bottom.  The water is not shaded so it wasn't cold, just cool.  The children swam, then played on the sandy beach along the edge, making sand castles and elaborate waterways.  This afternoon we will most likely go to the beach again.  We have decided to celebrate July 4th (it is July 4th here) by going to the beach and singing the "Star Spangled Banner."  The weather today is a bit cooler, though when the sun was shining it was warmer.  The air is definitely more humid than the outback, but not as bad as a Minnesota summer.

Out of the desert, into the tropics

I think our bodies are going into shock!  I write this in the morning sitting on the pool deck under palm trees in capris and a t-shirt.  The children chose to swim in the salty, very cold water; I’m good sitting here with a computer and book!  Like many places in Europe, I think they use salt here instead of chlorine to keep the pools clean. 

Yesterday (Saturday--2 July here), we did the Alice Springs museums.  First the telegraph station which was very interesting.  Alice Springs was first a telegraph station.  They set up a telegraph from the north to the south.  After that they went underwater to Singapore to receive telegraph messages from the rest of the world.  Alice Springs received mail every six weeks, and provisions every six months.  Everything had to be brought by camel from the nearest rail station, wagons often had trouble going through the sand.  The museum told about life at the telegraph station and then the development of the town of Alice Springs.  It also had a bit about the “half-caste” children--biracial children of aboriginal women and European male settlers, when the men died or abandoned the women.  The “solution” was to take all of the children from their mothers and warehouse them, teaching them European ways to “assimilate” them into white culture.  Much as every caucasian group did to the native peoples when they invaded their lands.  For the first time this vacation we saw dark-skinned people.  They are everywhere; some are working in stores or trying to sell artwork, but most we see are wandering around and hanging out.  We theorized that perhaps they are in the town becuase they like the amenities, but miss the culture and life of their native extended family--they are caught in-between; not truly belonging to either world.  But, we could be wrong.  

After the telegraph station museum with it’s many building to walk around and look at, we went to the “cultural center” with a group of three buildings with one admission price.  First to the art galleries to see paintings and sculptures, then to the museum of central Australia--mostly with meteorite bits (an abnormal amount of meteorites landed in Australia) and bones of present and extinct animals, then to the air museum with actual planes that have been used and video footage of them landing planes right next to Ayers Rock--back when that was the only way to get there.  They had to develop special planes that could withstand the heat of the area and could take off and land with short runways.  Each pilot traveled with an axe to chop out a runway if needed to take off.  The history museum also talked about the loss of fauna due to clearing of the lands and the introduction of non-indigenous animals and livestock.  

Then we went to the grocery store to buy food for sandwiches and ate a picnic lunch by the pedestrian mall (which was perhaps 200 meters from our youth hostel we had checked out of that morning).  

To the airport for our flight to Cairns.  Another snack and meal--kudos to Qantas!  Tortellini-yum.  Then getting the rental car and a long drive to Palm Cove.  They almost gave us a manual which would have been difficult to deal with shifting with your left hand and trying to remember to stay on the left hand side of the road!  We did it once in England, but it was difficult.  We got really turned around trying to find our place in Palm Cove (the map from the realtor wasn’t very good).  We are in a maze of buildings--condominiums that are very near the ocean.  We will go there this afternoon--it is supposed to be across the street from our complex.  

We have a condo which is very modern and very white.  White walls, white furniture, cream carpet and tile, white everything!  It needs more artwork on the wall (in bright colors) as well as some brightly colored throw pillows and accents.  But it is very posh, this definitely makes up for King’s Canyon!  We have two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a kitchen with a drawer-type dishwasher and cabinet-faced refrigerator, a living room, dining room and a deck with a lounging bed and furniture.  The smaller bedroom is actually more of an alcove with a double bed.  Joshua had his choice of where to sleep--he chose the couch.  We will have to find a blanket for him--last night he slept in his blanket sleeper surrounded by throw pillows.  We have two TVs, but we don’t watch much TV--if they had a DVD player and DVDs we might watch more.  Randy watched a TV show on the Discovery Channel last night about a huge new cruise ship.  The girls are looking forward to another game of hearts later today.  We are here for a week and have few things planned, but most of this time is beach, swimming, and relaxing.   Sounds good right now.    

(ooops, Aussie wi-fi is too slow to upload photos for now!)

gorges and gum trees

                                                                                                                        
Today we drove outside of Alice Springs to see some sights.  We visited some gorges and an ocher pit (don't laugh!).  The first gorge said that due to the rain (?) the last part of both trails had been washed out and would require swimming in icy cold water to finish them!!!!  Well, we said we weren't going to do that (although Shelby and Joshua were ready to try).  A family near us said that they did the longer hike we wanted to go on (the ghost gum trail) and had just gone on the sand and climbed over some rocks and were fine.  So we tried.  We followed the trail (beautiful by the way) to the river and then crossed over on a sand bar and continued back on the other side.  Well, we didn't ever find the trail, we just ended up with our shoes full of sand and spending double the time climbing on huge rocks.  We had to climb down a few harrowing drops but made it.  The way back took double the time the way there did.  But is was pretty and the gorge is green with all of the water.  On the trail we saw many ghost gum trees which are gum trees with smooth white trunks.

                                      

Then we went to another gorge, with this one, we couldn't find a trail--we don't think there was one.  But we crossed the river on rocks and hiked until we couldn't go any further (sheer rock cliffs surounding a lake).  The rock layers were vertical there--one area is called the organ pipes.

                                           

Next was an ocher pit.  The ocher is very sacred to the aboriginal tribes.  We found red, yellow, and white.  Some of it is very chalky and is painted on with a feather.

                                    

Tomorrow we fly to Cairns, where we get a car and drive to Palm Cove where we are renting an apartment for a week.  It will be nice not to have to go outside to get to the shower and toilets!  The forecast is for the same temperature as here (26 C=79F).  It probably won't be as cold at night as here in the outback.

Evidently, our hostel puts on an outdoor movie (not sure if it's every night).  Last night they put on Wall-E especially for us because we have children.  We ate at one of the outdoor tables by the movie screen so the children could finish the movie they started watching while we made dinner in the communal kitchen.