Here and back again - A tale by Kendra

After a final, harrowing, two-day driving frenzy from Mt. Isa, the landscape dramatically changed from barren, arid, tumble weed blow outback to lush fields with dairy cows, windmills, and sloping hills. Green! We reached the coast with eagerness. Cairns was a treat. A quaint beach town resort with a beautiful esplanade, a marina for Mike to drool over the sail boats, pubs and a great energy. We treated ourselves to a movie (The Devil Wear's Prada - Mike begged me to see it!) and the next day we were treated to the final game of AFL (Aussie Football League). We spent the afternoon in an Irish pub cheering on the underdogs, who won by one point.


Nothing better than a pint, a big burger and a game of footie to watch! (Okay maybe a beach...)

Next stop was a mini trip up the coast to a rain forest World Heritage Site called Daintree National Park. I swear Australia has the most NP's in the world and Mike and I have seen them all! Not quite, but we've seen a lot of parks! After a small ferry ride, we arrived at Cape Tribulation and went to a Discovery Centre to walk along canopy trails and learn about the flora of the rainforest. The entrance fee was a whopping $25 each, so we tried to maximize our stay and read every piece of info on the bugs, animals and plants cohabiting in the park. We were also on the lookout for a bird called the Cassowary - the third largest bird in the world, endemic to the northern coast of Oz. However, after 3 hours the Cassowary had eluded us so with grumbling tummy we succumbed to our defeat and left the centre for a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. After we headed to a boardwalk with an outlook of a beautiful beach. Prior to the boardwalk, an urgent call of our own nature drove us to the loo, when all of a sudden, blocking our path was the weirdest looking creature I have ever seen. Part bird, part wooly mammoth, this 2 meter monstrosity stared boldly at us before deeming us harmless, walked slowly by while Mike frantically tried to get a picture of it. We had met the infamous cassowary! A definate highlight of the Daintree day.


The Cassowary.


Some of the flora we saw at the Daintree NP. This is a fan palm only found in this region.

Slowly, for the next week, we made our way down the eastern coast, trying to catch some beach action. The ABBA van was still holding strong and our routine was perfected. The evening life was a little lackluster, but games of cribbage filled the hours accompanied by frequent shouts of frustration as Mike lost another game. We still attemped to stay in free rest areas, which meant using free showers (i.e. COLD showers), whenever possible. About every 5th day I would break and want a camp ground with hot showers. A couple of times Mike and I risked the tap on our window in the middle of the night by the police and would park on the side of the coast or at Noosa Beach, beside an abandoned store.

Highlights of this week included sun baking on Mission Beach, Bundaburg Rum Distillary Tour (did you know Alberta is one of the 4 places that Bundy rum is exported to), doing 9 holes of golf at Bundaburg Golf & Country Club (scores: 68 K, 60 M.... I think we're improving!), eating Barra & Chip, and stopping in Airlie Beach to book our Fraser Island tour and Whitsunday liveaboard trips. A low light included an impromtu hair cut from a woman driving a purple bus with a sign in her window reading Call Roz for a haircut, Only $10. After blowing off a salon appointment to finish watching the AFL game (can't you just hear Mike saying "That's my girl"), my hair was in dire need of a trim. Thinking that Roz's Barney coloured van was a sign, I approached with glee. Once she sat me down in her camp chair, told me I had the finest hair she ever cut, further mentioned that she was a truck driver, and then continued to cut my hair as a wild wind blew around us, I knew I was in trouble. I wouldn't call it exactly butchered... well yes I would. Guess that's what you get for $10.


After the Bundy Tour is over, we got complementary free drinks at their bar.


Watch out for this bus, and definately do not "Ring Roz"!

On October 9, after 5 weeks, 11,850 km, over $2200 in gas, and 27 rest stops, we returned to Brisbane. Debbie once again welcomed us with open arms and we were further greated by her parents, Mike's Uncle Ron and Aunt Donna who were visiting from Calgary. Another Hand clan member was due the next day. Mike's sister, Nicole had decided to join us in Australia for a 2 week vacation. We were pumped and had planned an intense itinerary.


Sibling love. Great to have you here Nicole!

Upon Nicole's arrival to Brisbane, we spent an evening visiting with the family, slept in our first Aussie hostel and were off the next day to Steve Irwin's Australia zoo just north of Brisvegas. The zoo is incredible with excellent habitats for the animals. We got to pet koalas and actually saw some running around on the ground and jumping trees. We watched in awe as trainers held food and waited without fear as crocs charged them. We walked around roos in an open park area and even saw some beautiful siberian tigers (with trainers again in their habitat "playing" with them). Surprisingly, Mike and I had realized that we have seen the majority of the animals living at the zoo, in the wild on our trip. The memorial to Steve, the Crocidile Hunter, was heart breaking.


Crikey! Croc live at the Aussie Zoo


Mike getting friendly with the Koala's. Step away from the marsupial Mike.

The second item on Mini Travel Itinary for Nicole was a 3 day, 2 night safari self-drive adventure to Fraser Island. Fraser Island is the largest sand island in the world and boasts crystal clear fresh water lakes, gorgeous white sand beaches, and a lovely ocean surf. With places like "Champagne Pools" and "Wabby Sand Dunes", you know it's going to be great. Our group consisted of 11 people, mostly Canuks, English and one Frenchie. Our 4 wheel drive jeep was a beast of a machine, with a heavy top and touchy cluch and gears. There were 2 benches in the back where the majority of the group received the frequent bruises from the bumps in the roads. The roads on the island were definatley interesting; sandy one laned bitches that took all the driver's strength and constant awareness to navigate. We narrowly escaped the jeep tipping over, got bogged twice and one time all the guys had to push the jeep up a steep, sandy hill. Fun times! I won't mention that both times we bogged, Mike was driving - oh I guess I just did - but in all fairness, he was the man and it was the toughest part of the tracks and everyone trusted him to drive. Once we got out of the interior, we were free to drive up and down the beach coast which was a total blast. Basic road rules applied, with the only difference being we had to yield to planes landing. No kidding! We camped for 2 nights on the beach. So much fun the first night drinking 2 boxes (yes boxes) of wine, 3 flats of beer and 2 bottles of rum - yes the Greese tunes came out, plus a little limbo action, and a round of Waltzing Matilda. We peed in the ocean (don't tell the ranger!) and Mike introduced everyone to Bio Luminescence. During the day, we visited sand dunes, beautiful lakes, look out points and avoided dingos. All in all a gorgeous island. The only crappy part was the tides were out only during the early morning, so every day we were up and at 'em by 5am. Our group was so much fun and lively. Everyone pitched in with chores and no one grumbled about the early hour of rising. We were sad to board the ferry on the third day to return to the mainland. On a last humourous note, 2 girls on the trip confided to me that they called Mike the "Father Figure" because he drove the jeep, cooked the meat and could fix the cameras. Who knew?!


The "A" team's 4x4 jeep


The "A" Team: Ollie, Mike, Chris, Pat, Jess, Mo, Nicole, Me!, Kathy, William & Sam in front.


Our first stop on Fraser Island - Mackenzie Lake.


Chris, Mike, Sam and Pat strutting their stuff before jumping down the sand dune at Wabby Lake


View from Indian Head lookout. Priceless.


Birthday sparklers for Sam!

Tonight is phase three of Nicole's itinary. We are finally boarding a boat for our Whitsundays sailing tour. It's going to be a blast - I can't wait. Althought hopefully the cloudy, windy, rainy weather will dissapear NOW! And a good piece of news... we are keeping the ABBA van for the rest of the time we are in OZ!!! We got a wicked deal and in a funny way it is home now, so we are really happy.

Fair Dinkem!

Kendra & Mike