Cairns

Happy Birthday Uncle Paul.  A low key day today.  We left Mossman and headed to Cairns to collect my phone from Coles after leaving it in a shopping trolley over a week ago.  How lucky to get it back and how honest of the trolley boy to hand it in.  From there we mulled over which route to take to Atherton, our planned destination for the day, as the trip back into Cairns had us going up the windiest track.  We decided to stay put in Cairns for the night back at the Big 4 Coconut Palms to give it some thought.  The kids were ecstatic.  Rick went into town to do a few jobs and I took the kids across to the waterpark and then swimming pool for a dip. They had a ball and Mr Zachie kept me very busy chasing him around the pool and out of the spa.  A quick duck into town for a present for Miss Chontelle's upcoming 1st birthday and we were back in time for cheese and bikkies and a chit chat with other caravaners. The kids were most concerned we'd miss it and harassed poor daddy to hightail it home. Needless to say they scoffed a serious amount of cheese cubes and jatz bikkies to make up for lost time. A BBQ for dinner and I was very glad to get our chickens to bed.  Zachie lost the plot in the shower.  The late nights and lack of lunch time sleep over the past few days have worn him out.  He is getting very bossy and I see visions of things to come, so bed couldn't come quick enough for him or me.

Mossman

Break out the tissues.  We farwelled the Port Hedlands today and Rick and I were very sad.  Our eating and drinking has come to an end thankfully which our belly's will be all the better for.  Tammy and Chris are supposedly starting their diet today.  I wish Rick and I had the same will power. They are heading inland to the Territory via Townsville and we will start to make our way south in the morning.  There were lots of hugs and promises of reuniting at some point next year.  Where, who knows, but we are hopeful its on another great adventure, perhaps the south of WA.  The kids were sad to see them go and gave them a grand wave off.  Funny though how kids just get on with things and no sooner had the Leveys driven out of the drive way and they were off skipping down the road moving on to the next lot of kids in the caravan park.  Rick and I mourned the loss a little longer and mulled around for a few hours.  A lady in the cabins across from us was sketching a tree and drew Scarlett sitting in the trolley of her beach toys.  So we went for a chat and the next thing she was teaching Scarlett to draw with charcoal.  It was lovely and she really got into it and spent the next hour lost in her sketch pad. It was time to get on with the day, so we headed to Mossman Gorge around midday.  It was beautiful and they've done a fantastic job of presenting it to the public with walkways suspended through the rainforest and great vantage points.  We took a mini dip up to our knees in the freezing water which was totally limb numbing.  Funny how the kids didn't seem to think so.  We striped Zachie down and he was happy to jump in, naked.  The tourists around thought he was particularly cute, and chubby. The walk across the suspension bridge was lovely as was the trek through the trees. We were all suitably impressed.  Into Port Douglas for lunch, which turned into an ice-cream and walk through the street when we couldn't get into the restaurant we planned as we were so late.  A lady we met in a cafe suggested we head back to Mossman for dinner at Mojos so we took a sunset cruise on the Lady Douglas, an old wooden paddle ship, to fill in time.  It was fantastic, complete with up close and personal spotting of numerous crocodiles sunning themselves on the banks and swimming in the rivers.  An eagle also paid a visit along with other Marine life.  All good and the kids thought it was tops.  Back to Mossman for dinner which was OK.  The spring rolls were to die for.  Home late and we threw the kids into bed, packed a little before the rain set in and were into bed shortly thereafter.  A nice family day with just the 5 of us again.

Mossman

Another relaxed day in Port Douglas with Tammy and Chris and the kids.  The Sunday markets were on and absolutely packed.  They were lovely with plenty of interesting wares and nice stuff too, not just the bohemian crap you generally find at markets.  The fresh produce was limited and there was no cooked food as the restaurants have put a stop to it to encourage visitors into the local eateries.  The kids tried some fresh cane sugar juice mixed with lime and ice to balance the sweetness.  They were squeezing it on the spot via a very cool contraption rigged up to a bike that pushed the juice out as you peddled.  Maxie was intrigued.  We bought some coriander, beautiful sweet little tomatoes, radicchio and silverbeet for Minestra fagoli tomorrow night.  It all got a bit too much with the crowds and heat so we moved across the road to the pub for lunch which was pretty average but great for people watching.  Lots of holiday makers and well healed ones at that.  We didn't see many backpackers but lots of retirees and families.  A quick trip across to the marina and a walk around the boardwalk and through the boats and we were done.  So we took off in search of crocodiles as Tammy and Chris had said they saw some sunning themselves on the banks of a river just before the Port Douglas turn off.  And sure enough there they were.  Big, mean and ugly and I was very glad to be looking at them from such a distance.  Home via the supermarket and it was time for dinner.  Tammy whipped up some eggs, baked beans and spaghetti and the production line began.  A quick play and it was time for bed for the kids and a well earned curry and vino for the parents. And what a curry, it was better than any I've ever had from an indian restaurant.  Our friends are leaving for Alice in the morning, and we will be very sad to see them go.  The kids have had a ball.  Bella and Scarlett held hands down the main street all day today and Mr Max and Matt are great mates and seem to bounce off each other without hiccup.  As for Billy and Zach, well, they're still ready to kill each other at any chance, but I guess that's pretty normal for the age. Lets hope we meet again, we have very much enjoyed our time with them.

Mossman

Farewell Cooktown, we have very much enjoyed this little place.  The morning started with a swim for the kids in the pool before we headed into the markets, if you could call them that.  There were about 10 stalls spread out along the path near the park in the main street.  Most were selling food and good food at that.  One lady had the best home made pies I've ever eaten.  Two others were selling Asian goodies like spring rolls and curries, so we sampled spring rolls from both and were pretty pleased with ourselves.  The kids had a milkshake from another stall and I had a mango fruit crush from another.  And that was pretty much it.  There was a seafood van but we'd exhausted our love of seafood the night before.  Another quick drive through town and it was in the car for the trip back to Mossman, this time via the main road.  And it was lovely and totally different to the trip via the Bloomfield Track.  We drove out via the Black Rocks which were all very mysterious again.  There were termite nests as far as the eye could see alongside the road and the countryside changed as we went with sweeping valleys, lots of red dirt, endless trees and breathtaking views as we drove through the mountain ranges.  Just beautiful and probably the most like the rugged outback that I remember through NT and the top end of WA.  We were very sad to see the Weipa turn off and were tempted to head to the Cape until we saw it was another good 800km plus up the road.  The drive back took around 3 hours and the descent was lovely through Mount Molloy which is a rainforest area with spectacular views.  Home to our friends and dinner was pretty easy, pasta for the kids and a divine scallop and prawn spaghetti for the big kids when the chaos was over.  Another night of too much eating and drinking, but the company was worth it.

Cooktown

What a crappy nights sleep.  Zachie slept between Rick and I and coughed for most of the night.  The poor darling sounded terrible and just couldn't seem to get into any form of deep sleep.  And neither did we.  So as predicted, the kids were up and ready to socialise at 6.30AM.  Ah I don't think so. It was a slow start for mum and dad, with Rick doing some book work and me struggling to get moving.  The Levey's headed out for another 4WD drive up to Elim while we went into town.  First stop was the Cooktown Museum which I have to say was most impressive for a regional museum and town of this size.  Even the kids got into it and had many questions about the Endeavour, the brake (anchor on display), the canon and the many spears, weapons, dolls and jewellery on display.  Zachie was a nightmare trying to climb everything in sight but Maxie and Scarlett were really into it and seemed to understand what it was all about.  The museum is in a former Convent and the architecture was lovely.  On to Finch Bay and I was a little hesitant to get out when I again saw the "ACHTUNG" sign with crocodile image on it. They are everywhere up here.  Too bad we haven't seen a crocodile yet. Rick did a scout of the track first and only then was I happy to venture out with my chickens. Plus a few other tourists turned up so I felt safety in numbers.  On to the Lighthouse and Grassy Hill lookout which gave a spectacular view of the coast on one side and Endeavour River and Cooktown on the other.  It was gorgeous and probably the most scenic of all the small towns we've visited. Pretty than Town of 1770, but it was blowing a gale so our stop over was very short lived.  Back in the car for drive through town to check out the many monuments along the main street and waterfront.  We stopped for a paddlepop and play on the replica Endeavour which was a hit with the kids. On to the cemetery which was interesting in that the graves were so old, but boring otherwise. Ingham cemetery was much more impressive.  A quick swim in the pool back at the Big 4 and the day was over.  Our friends arrived back and chaos set in until we finally dragged the kids to bed and settled in for some adult time.  A couple of kilos of prawns later and one too many beers for Rocco and it was time for bed.  A good day in Cooktown although I was glad to see the end of it.

Cooktown

What a day. It was probably the highlight of the trip as we took a drive via the Bloomfield Track from Mossman to Cooktown. So basically there are two ways to access Cooktown, via the sealed road that's supposedly a good trip or via the coast along dirt roads and beaten tracks through the Daintree. 4WD's only and both Ricky boy and the Levey's were up for it. So not far from Mossman is the ferry that takes you across a crocodile infested haven which Rick and I had experienced via a cruise the last time we came to the Daintree. Sadly we didn't spot any croc's today but the ferry ride was fun and made up for it. Maxie was in awe. The road there after was sealed but very harrowing in some places and was down to one lane on the side of a very steep cliff in parts where road workers were attempting to build a road out of nothing. I'm still not sure how they could do it and I was glad that we were on the hill side and not the cliff side. We stopped part way up the mountain at the lookout which took in views of the coast and rainforest. Breathtaking and stunning on such a beautiful day. Over to Cow Bay for lunch and the beach was divine. We made sandwiches and the kids played in the sand. We took some great pic's of the kids on a log. The older four are getting on so well. Billy and Zachie are another story as both desperately attempt to push the other around. We heard many "bi-ie (short for Billy) nortie (naughty). He can't say much but he sure has mastered those two words. The trip was beautiful with lots of river crossings, a gorgeous canopy of trees that arched over the roads and the most dense rainforests. We had a photo taken at the base of a beautiful and very old fig tree just before we left the sealed road. The track from there on was very bumpy in parts, scary in others and very cool to be driving along. Rick was loving the 4WDing but truth be known, would have much preferred to be one of the numerous dirt bike riders that passed us doing the Cape York to Cairns ride. We met some at Cape Tribulation and Rick was in awe asking many questions. The Cape was very pretty with a sparkling stretch of beach, warm streams in the sand and many tourists soaking it up. We drove through an Aboriginal town where we saw lots of kids running through the streets. I wondered where the parents were and then saw them a few blocks away sitting on the porch playing cards. Right. We stopped at the Lions Den, a quirky shack along the route for a beer while the kids played in the playground opposite the pub. Back in the car past some amazing black mountains made from big black rocks which we guess were volcanic rocks. And finally we hit Cooktown around 5PM. The kids were very excited about the hotel. Honestly I was sick of them asking about it ALL day. We left the caravans back in Mossman as you can't take them on the Bloomfield track, so it was pandemonium when we arrived at the Big 4 Caravan Park but this time to stay in the cabins. Scarlett and Max thought it was 5 star, what a treat. And it was to have a proper shower with space and endless hot water. We headed out for dinner to an Italian Restaurant with an Italian owner, Asian cook and had Thai for dinner. Go figure but it was great. And there was live music to top it off and Maxie and Matt played the guitar with the singer. A good night and a great way to finish a really smashing day.