Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Cairns to the Tip

Lachlan

We arrived in Cains to very hot weather and ever since i have not been cold once. We almost strait away we did at least 450km. and for the next while until Chili beach we did about 300km a day. but it was nice because it was mostly through cane fields mountains and rain forest. i always wanted to go to the rain forest but not so much anymore. Never ever leave your tent door open. i was sleeping with spider, beetles and anything else that crawls. but it was still good because we got to chase bush turkeys and climb coconut trees. Almost. It was good walking along the beach. on the way from chili beach on mums birthday the car broke down. some other people went to get parts for the wheel less trailer. the closest town ways 3 hours away. so that was mums birthday. in the end we did get back to our camp. a few days later we made it to the tip. the was a sign that said " You are standing at the northern most tip of the Australian continent". that was all. i thought there would be a building but there was nothing. in Seshia we did some fisher i caught one fisher and a big one got away. it was actually a big fish it bent the rod and i had it for 5 min. we are know in Port Douglas in a 4 star hotel. it has rained allot here so i am afraid of setting up in the rain as we head south.

Lachlan with his new friend the praying mantis
Pippa

We meet Mum, Lachie and Josh at the airport at 12:30 and went back for lunch. We went in the pool and went down the street. The next day we left for Cooktown. At Cooktown we saw a statue of James Cook. We travelled for many hours til we reached Chilli Beach. Chilli Beach had lots of rubbish on it but also was very pretty. The next day our trailer broke down. Steve took us back to Archer River and we set up in the Dickins camper trailer. The next day we went for a swim in the Archer River. My favourite part of the Archer River was the snatchem strap. We travelled to some falls called Elliott and Twin Falls. My favourite was Elliott but you had to jump into it. Twin was very pretty too because it was split level.

We then went to Loyalty Beach and had dinner on the beach at a restaurant. We went fishing and I caught the only fish. We watched a movie under the stars. We left for the Cape the next day. When we got there we had to walk for 10 minutes and we reached a sign saying "You are at the most Northern point of the continent of Australia".

We headed back down south and went to Fruit Bat Falls. We had a short swim. We travelled through Lakefield National Park and saw pretty lilly ponds. After Lakefield we are staying at Port Douglas. We are staying in a hotel room and we overlook the bay.
Pippa with her big catch
Kathy

Well, what an adventure. Our trip to the Cape was an adventure rather than a holiday. We had a bit of a flying trip which involved lots of time sitting in cars and not so much seeing the sights. The weather hasn't been as great as we would have hoped so it meant we couldn't stay as much where we wanted or see the sights at their best.

There were, though, many highlights including swimming in the Archer River - beautiful white sand and lovely gnarly trees. We had a magnificent meal at the resturant at Loyalty Beach Tourist Park. Lovely meal on the beach front, great company and atmostphere. The day we went to the tip was great weather. From the walk to the tip you look out over beautiful tropical beaches - azure water, white sand and rainforest kissing the beach - magical. We've also had great company in Dad and Joshua and the wonderful Dickins, thanks guys for helping make the trip so special.

The challenges? Hmm where do I start? No, not really. Red dust that gets into everything (EVERYTHING) and then turns to sticky staining mud when it is wet. A birthday sitting beside the road as the trailer did the wheel bearings in both wheels but alls well that ends well Steve saved the day and zoomed to Archer River Roadhouse and back with the necessary spares. We also met a wonderful indigenous local who did all he could to help us.

We're now in Port Douglas doing it very tough in a lovely unit looking over the water. I know, someone's got to do it. We'll now be heading slowly down the coast so Rhys can visit sugar mills and hopefully we can dodge the wet and cold weather. Love to you all.


Kathy on "the tip"
Campbell

We've just been travelling for a long time. We reached Cairns. We met our friends the Dickins and Grandpa and Joshua. We travelled to Cooktown and then Chilli Beach. Chilli Beach was so polluted and I found two cocoanuts which we ate. The wheel bearings failed on our trailer so travelled in Steve's car to Archer River Roadhouse for the night. We went to Elliott Falls but there was actually three falls. We then went to Loyalty Beach near the tip of Australia and then we travelled to the tip. There was a very strong current and I went fishing at the jetty near Loyalty Beach. I caught two big fish.

We have been having a great time.
Campbell & Pippa at the James Cook Statue, Cooktown

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Home to Cairns

Pippa

I am just south of Townsville and it is about 20’C and every nice. So fare I have been to Dubbo Zoo and many other fun and not so fun places. At Dubbo Zoo we saw lots of different animals like Rhino, Elephant’s, Gibbon’s but my favorite was the Tiger. We have also been to Fraser Island and lots of other places most of you wouldn’t have heard of before. But at one place it was –5C when we woke up. I don’t miss the weather at all. We have been doing many other things. We hope to be up in Cains by Wednesday. We (as in Campbell and I) went in the pool and so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so freezing. We stayed at Gladstone for 1 night. Then headed off to Makay. When we got to Makay we had to see one of Dad’s clients after that we all decided to keep on going for one more hour till we got to Proserpine. So we got Red Roster for tea. When we got to Proserpine we also decided that we would stay in a motel. We got up early and headed off to Bowen for breaky we got to Bowen and had breaky on the rocks at Horseshoe Bay. We went snorkeling there and I saw a Spanish dancer. When we got to Townsville we headed off to The Strand to go to the Water Park and get an ice cream. I made tea, which was Steak, haloomi (Cheese), Potato, Sweet Potato and pea’s ‘n’ corn. When we woke up we went to the jumping pillow at lunchtime we went down to the strand for about one hour. Today we’re going to Cairns via Wallamen Falls. When we got to the Falls we walked down and walked back up the very, very, very steep hill. The falls are 268 meters high. When we got to Cairns and went in our apartment and got Chinese for tea. The next day we saw the dickens and went to meet grand pa on our scooters.

Campbell

I’m about 300km from Townsville it is about 26’C so its nice and warm. We stopped at Bimbi you’re a champion if you find it on a map. We had a very hot fire. We camped on the side of the road. We stopped at Dubbo zoo were you ride bikes and scooters

We stopped at my Dad’s friends place for the night near Parks. In the morning it was –5’C it was hard to pack up. We stopped at Maroochydore on the sunshine coast. Next we went to Fraser Island for two nights it rained for nearly the whole time.

Next we went to Bagara I found 4 or 5 geckos. Next we stayed at Gladstone I got bitten by a gecko.

At the moment we are staying at Proserpine. We some times wait in the car for 1 or 2 hours for Dad to visit clients. We stopped to have Breakfast at Bowen I went snorkeling I saw a coral Parrotfish In-between Townsville and Proserpine.

We stopped at Townsville for two nights the first day we had an ice cream and we went to a water playground at the strand. The next day we went to a church and after we went back to the water playground. We went to the biggest waterfall in Australia and then we went to Cairns.

At the moment we are at Cairns at a Motel.We have been sitting round the TV.

Rhys

What can I say so far, 4400kms in the car = a very sore backside! We have seen some lovely country and just about worked out once you get past Heywood sugar for large sections of the coast once you get past one sugar mill you can often see the exhaust stack of the next sugar mill.

Some of the memorable spots we have stayed so far:

  1. Drovers stop @ Bimbi 0’C but a nice warm fire.
  2. 2 nights on Fraser Island we tride to escape gale force winds so we stayed inland in a rain forest. I now know why it is a rain forest, it pored rain for 2 days, nice camping!
  3. Friends farm near Coonabarabran (minus)-5’C with a fantastic frost outside the camper trailer, just a much ice inside as well!
  4. Breakfast @ Horseshoe bay near Bowen. Ceral on the rocks, snorkeling with the coral chat with the local regular beach council.
  5. Wellaman falls 268 metres of free falling water, largest in Australia.
  6. Riding about 8km on scooters around Dubbo zoo.

Think normally it is about 3200km to Cairns but we have been doing some detours for work. Having seen sugar cane fields in Thailand and India I’m in awe of how far up the Australian east coast they extend for, truly an iconic Australian scene.

Tomorrow we are off to the cape with friends realy looking forward to it!

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Off Again!!

This week we are at it again, same camper same crew! On this trip we hope to visit many more of Rhys' clients sites and some that are not clients yet!

Pippa - It dosn't feel like time to go yet