Monday 8th August

Today Dad went on a trip around Port Douglas.  Mum and I had a relaxing day in the pool and on the beach whilst Dad trekked around North Queensland.  Today, he is my guest blogger and will be telling you about what he did.  Over to you Dad ...

I had actually spent several days hinting about a trip to the Daintree and Cape Tribulation, but Lindsay and Megan showed about as much interest in the idea as in flying home to attend SUFC's away fixture at Hartlepool in the first round of the League Cup, ie none.  When I said 'Rainforest' Megan just looked at me as if to say 'I don't want to see any more trees thanks!' and Lindsay said she didn't like dark forests and would get bitten by insects. 

I then tried the 'C' word - Crocodiles and when they both said they didn't like crocodiles, I realised it was a trip to go on alone or not at all.

So here's what I did...

Set off early (7.45 ish), drove up to the Daintree river crossing through fantastic forest and sea views, crossed on the ferry (which is small and uses a cable - the ferry man told me off for taking up too much space, even though it was nearly empty), then drove up towards Cape Tribulation until I reached a tea plantation - very interesting to see tea bushes I must say (don't fall asleep now). I'd been driving for two hours so I decided to turn back and I had breakfast at a sort of lodge-cum-campsite in the forest, where they had a sulphur-crested cockatoo called Barry (at least that's what the bird kept saying) and two baby crocs in a tank.  Note that I had Daintree tea and not coffee. 

Suitably refreshed, I then did a 3 km marked walk through some rainforest - I didn't see any cassowaries (ostrich-like big bird which can kill you apparently, if it comes at you, you're supposed to put something solid between it and you - I only had a water bottle) but I did see a red pigeon and lots of fungi, ferns, trees, cobwebs, and tree roots that looked like snakes (note: Lindsay and Megan would not have enjoyed it). 

Then I raced off to the highlight - Bruce Belcher's 12 noon Crocodile Cruise (the 12 noon sailing was chosen because you got a free pie for lunch!).  Acually it was ace - saw loads of crocs (see pics), including a 90 year old one called Scarface (but unlike Barry, Scarface did not recite his name), kingfishers, assorted other birds, mangroves and a white-lipped tree frog (see pic). 

The only negative was a funny urine smell whilst I was on the boat.  To start with I thought I must have had a little accident when on my walk, then I thought perhaps it was Bruce's assistant as he was upwind of me, and then I decided it must be the river.  Anyway, the smell went when I got off so it wasn't me. 

The pie was excellent but why do all Aussies have tomato sauce with everything?  A lady opposite me lifted up a flap of pastry and injected it into the pie, as if she was giving botox to it.  Her husband simply squirted it all over the top of the pie, from where most of it was transferred to his face.

Pie eaten, visitor book signed (someone from Sheffield had been the day before - it's so disappointing to think you've been intrepid and find out you haven't), jumped in the car and drove back to the paradise that is Palm Cove, flopped on beach with L & M, told them about my day and their responses confirmed that I was right to go alone!