Monday, 5 August 2013
Daintree Rain Forest
Monday 5th
We were heading to the Daintree. This is the view from the mountain looking down onto Mossman in the direction we were to travel.
Sugar cane on both sides.
We had to go on the ferry to cross the Daintree River. The kids thought that was fun. It cost us $23 return.
Us on the ferry in our car. It didn't take long to get to the other side.
The road to the Daintree centre. It was like we were driving through a jungle.
Zane standing next to a life size Cassowary. Baylee reading about the Cassowary. The thing around Baylee's neck is the audio guide that tells you about the rain forest and the animals as you walk around. It kept our kids very interested.
This guy was the local scientist who talked about what causes the different lumps and wholes on the leafs. He was very interesting also and has a wealth of knowledge to share.
Kimberly showing us how to use the audio properly.
Tim and I showing how not to use the audio. We had to share one and I must have got carried away listening and forgot it was attached to Tim!
Just a snap shot of the rain forest we were walking through.
Kimberly with the Cassowary.
Our whole family with the Cassowary. We all look like Cassowarys with these orange audio things hanging around our necks. The kids can all tell you now why the Cassowarys are so important to our rain forests. We didn't see a real one though, and we didn't see many butterflies but at the Crystal Cascades on Saturday I saw 2 Ulysses butterflies. The rain forest is just fantastic to walk through and just sit and watch.
Sunday, 4 August 2013
Horses
Sunday 4th
Robin , Glenda, Ian and Helen cooked bacon and eggs for us all for breakfast and we all loved it. They were heading into Cairns with their caravans to stay there a couple of nights before heading up the Cape with a tour group. So we chatted as long as we could before they headed off. We will look forward to hearing of their trip up north later on in the year.
As the morning went on quite a few horse trucks pulled up and eventually they were out in the main arena so I went over and sat in the stands to listen in. It was a school/clinic so I listened in but just wished I had my horse Zeb to try out what I was hearing. The instructor was a good teacher and could demonstrate on any of the horses what he was talking about. By the end of the day he was doing flying changes on a couple of the horses. He was great to watch.
The kids have made friends with another family here that have 4 kids and they play with them constantly. Soccer and Cops and Robbers, during the day, at night, any time. There is so much space here it is perfect.
As we were driving into Mareeba to get McDonalds for tea there is this metal person at an intersection and Zane bursts out with "The bird is not on the human any more!" Just out of nowhere these comments come. The day before there was a bird sitting on his head and there was a lot of discussion about whether the bird was real or not. What made it funny was he called the statue a human.
The kids trying their muscles at pulling a car! Baylee and Josiah.
Robin , Glenda, Ian and Helen cooked bacon and eggs for us all for breakfast and we all loved it. They were heading into Cairns with their caravans to stay there a couple of nights before heading up the Cape with a tour group. So we chatted as long as we could before they headed off. We will look forward to hearing of their trip up north later on in the year.
As the morning went on quite a few horse trucks pulled up and eventually they were out in the main arena so I went over and sat in the stands to listen in. It was a school/clinic so I listened in but just wished I had my horse Zeb to try out what I was hearing. The instructor was a good teacher and could demonstrate on any of the horses what he was talking about. By the end of the day he was doing flying changes on a couple of the horses. He was great to watch.
The kids have made friends with another family here that have 4 kids and they play with them constantly. Soccer and Cops and Robbers, during the day, at night, any time. There is so much space here it is perfect.
As we were driving into Mareeba to get McDonalds for tea there is this metal person at an intersection and Zane bursts out with "The bird is not on the human any more!" Just out of nowhere these comments come. The day before there was a bird sitting on his head and there was a lot of discussion about whether the bird was real or not. What made it funny was he called the statue a human.
Crystal Cascades
Saturday 3rd
A horse float and quad bike came in to the grounds and they headed off and got some cattle into the yards. I went and asked if they were going to do much today but they said that they were just going to do some work with the cattle in the small yards. So we packed lunch and headed to the Crystal Cascades near Cairns. It is just fantastic driving through rain forest. The driveways look a little scary though. Very steep and narrow up into the rain forest. As we were driving into the car park there was a sign and Josiah read it out so we would make sure we knew what to do. "Suck all vehicles!" . Then he repeated it a couple of time realising that that sounded a little weird. Then we all asked him to repeat it and asked him where he saw this sign. Then after a lot of laughing we said, it said "Secure all vehicles". I then told everyone that I didn't want them sucking all vehicles just in case Manning thought that was a good idea.
This man is wanted for entering the wrong toilet and refusing to tell police his correct name. He used the code name Betty but we were wiser. The paparazzi were all over it, waiting at the toilet door to catch the illegal user! He was soon captured and made to walk 1.2km along a river in the rain forest!
The ladies toilets were the only ones that were working and most of the kids were happy to use that one but Baylee thought it just wouldn't be right. It took a lot to convince him that it was okay and it would just be like at home where we all have to use the same toilet!
It was very pretty and I loved looking up into the big trees and all the ferns. It actually spat with rain. It is the first time we have had rain since Port Hedland. I haven't missed it. The water was cold so we didn't swim. I think we were a bit spoilt with the warmth up Darwin way. The kids still climbed all over the rocks and it is a real adventure through the forest.
The king
King junior
When we got back to the caravan Robin and Glenda Evans had rocked up with their caravan. Again amazing that we are in the same area as they at the same time. They are from Cleve so it was great to catch up with them and swap holiday stories. They had some friends travelling with them. Ian and Helen Burton. We found out that Helen is an Auntie to my cousins wife. This is just funny. It was great getting to know them and look forward to seeing them another time back home. We did a lot of laughing and it was a nice time. Manning quickly took to Glenda and had her reading him some books. He also took a liking to Helen as she had chocolate!
Tim, Ian , Helen, Robin, Glenda.
A horse float and quad bike came in to the grounds and they headed off and got some cattle into the yards. I went and asked if they were going to do much today but they said that they were just going to do some work with the cattle in the small yards. So we packed lunch and headed to the Crystal Cascades near Cairns. It is just fantastic driving through rain forest. The driveways look a little scary though. Very steep and narrow up into the rain forest. As we were driving into the car park there was a sign and Josiah read it out so we would make sure we knew what to do. "Suck all vehicles!" . Then he repeated it a couple of time realising that that sounded a little weird. Then we all asked him to repeat it and asked him where he saw this sign. Then after a lot of laughing we said, it said "Secure all vehicles". I then told everyone that I didn't want them sucking all vehicles just in case Manning thought that was a good idea.
This man is wanted for entering the wrong toilet and refusing to tell police his correct name. He used the code name Betty but we were wiser. The paparazzi were all over it, waiting at the toilet door to catch the illegal user! He was soon captured and made to walk 1.2km along a river in the rain forest!
The ladies toilets were the only ones that were working and most of the kids were happy to use that one but Baylee thought it just wouldn't be right. It took a lot to convince him that it was okay and it would just be like at home where we all have to use the same toilet!
It was very pretty and I loved looking up into the big trees and all the ferns. It actually spat with rain. It is the first time we have had rain since Port Hedland. I haven't missed it. The water was cold so we didn't swim. I think we were a bit spoilt with the warmth up Darwin way. The kids still climbed all over the rocks and it is a real adventure through the forest.
King junior
When we got back to the caravan Robin and Glenda Evans had rocked up with their caravan. Again amazing that we are in the same area as they at the same time. They are from Cleve so it was great to catch up with them and swap holiday stories. They had some friends travelling with them. Ian and Helen Burton. We found out that Helen is an Auntie to my cousins wife. This is just funny. It was great getting to know them and look forward to seeing them another time back home. We did a lot of laughing and it was a nice time. Manning quickly took to Glenda and had her reading him some books. He also took a liking to Helen as she had chocolate!
Friday, 2 August 2013
COFFEE Works
Friday 2nd
Something I missed out on yesterday was letting everyone know that there was a sighting of Super Man at the Lagoon in Cairns yesterday. He was wearing a disguise, although people knew he was a super hero! He tried to dress like a 13 year old in bathers with a towel as a cape. But we all new it was him. Those muscles, that jaw bone. And he mingled like an ordinary person. Very clever super man!
Zane is onto him.
Each morning at 7am we see these hot air balloons up above Mareeba but today they came up over our caravan!
We could see the people in this one as it went over our caravan and definitely could hear as they gave a blast of hot air into it to keep it up. They had a bus and 4wd following it to meet the people when it landed.
And it landed in our camp ground! Kimberly hasn't been called up yet so we have until Monday, but watching them is a lot of fun too as you don't know where they are going to land.
We found this good looking Brahman in Mareeba and had to get a photo with him.
There are coffee plantations around Mareeba so while we were here we thought we had better go to one as I'm sure Tim drinks 50% of Australia's coffee, and they should recognise him as soon as we walk in the door! Well that didn't happen, and it cost too much to go through the coffee museum so we just looked through the coffee shop at all the different beans. Amazing how there is so many different flavoured beans and they smell so different. Very strong for me but Tim just took it all in as every pore in his body soaked that smell up. They also had a chocolate shop. They had chocolate coated coffee beans if you needed a quick hit!
Tim had his coffee and the kids and I shared a couple of caramel iced coffees. Manning had a taste and shook all over, Zane had a taste a exclaimed " This tastes like panadol!" It was very bitter and needed a lot of sugar added, so the kids at this point had had coffee and sugar and they look like they are on something.
It was a nice place to sit, over looking their gardens.
This is after shopping. Near our caravan is a cement area which the kids have enjoyed playing on. In the back ground you can see the rodeo grounds.
This is our car and caravan with the rodeo grounds behind. It would be fun to ride in that arena. Full of sand.
Something I missed out on yesterday was letting everyone know that there was a sighting of Super Man at the Lagoon in Cairns yesterday. He was wearing a disguise, although people knew he was a super hero! He tried to dress like a 13 year old in bathers with a towel as a cape. But we all new it was him. Those muscles, that jaw bone. And he mingled like an ordinary person. Very clever super man!
Each morning at 7am we see these hot air balloons up above Mareeba but today they came up over our caravan!
We found this good looking Brahman in Mareeba and had to get a photo with him.
There are coffee plantations around Mareeba so while we were here we thought we had better go to one as I'm sure Tim drinks 50% of Australia's coffee, and they should recognise him as soon as we walk in the door! Well that didn't happen, and it cost too much to go through the coffee museum so we just looked through the coffee shop at all the different beans. Amazing how there is so many different flavoured beans and they smell so different. Very strong for me but Tim just took it all in as every pore in his body soaked that smell up. They also had a chocolate shop. They had chocolate coated coffee beans if you needed a quick hit!
Thursday, 1 August 2013
Cairns
Thursday 1st
It was time to tackle the Great Divide and head down into Cairns. We packed lunch to spend the day in Cairns. The drive from Mareeba to Cairns was fantastic. Slow windy roads and if you looked out your window down the edge you could see through the trees down into a creek or river. It would be great to see in the wet season. Water would be flowing in huge amounts down the side of the mountains. They were doing quite a bit of road works through there which made the drive even slower but I guess the dry season is the time for up grades and making sure the drains are ready for the monsoons.
In Cairns we found the Lagoon which the kids enjoyed swimming in but it was a little cold.
It looked really good with the mountains in the back ground. This is man made as you can't swim at the real beach for the same reasons that we couldn't swim at Darwin. The tide was out a long way too as you can just see in the back ground the sand. When the tide is in that would be covered in water. It was packed with people at the Lagoon. Most were sun baking though, not swimming. After that we went to Cairns Central shopping centre.
Kimberly has saved up her money and has put her name down to go on a hot air balloon ride over this area. It only costs $50 but you are on standby and they call you up the night before if they have a space to fill. Tim or I will go with her. What hard jobs us parents have to do some times! We watched the balloons this morning as we were having breakfast as they come pretty close to the camp grounds here. Then a bit later on we met a guy that was actually on one of them. He said it was excellent, so we will see if we can get on.
It was time to tackle the Great Divide and head down into Cairns. We packed lunch to spend the day in Cairns. The drive from Mareeba to Cairns was fantastic. Slow windy roads and if you looked out your window down the edge you could see through the trees down into a creek or river. It would be great to see in the wet season. Water would be flowing in huge amounts down the side of the mountains. They were doing quite a bit of road works through there which made the drive even slower but I guess the dry season is the time for up grades and making sure the drains are ready for the monsoons.
In Cairns we found the Lagoon which the kids enjoyed swimming in but it was a little cold.
Kimberly has saved up her money and has put her name down to go on a hot air balloon ride over this area. It only costs $50 but you are on standby and they call you up the night before if they have a space to fill. Tim or I will go with her. What hard jobs us parents have to do some times! We watched the balloons this morning as we were having breakfast as they come pretty close to the camp grounds here. Then a bit later on we met a guy that was actually on one of them. He said it was excellent, so we will see if we can get on.
Wednesday, 31 July 2013
Barron Falls
Wednesday 31st
We were leaving the dry and entering the rain forests. Yeah! So as we travelled to Ravenshoe the kids were all imaging what it would be like to go down the hills on a quad bike! Then we would drive through a rain forest like we were going through a jungle. It was impressive to look at. We went through Atherton on our way to Mareeba. We got to the camp ground which turned out to be the rodeo grounds and we have just missed the rodeo by 2 weeks! We are either too early or too late! Its a huge area that they have in this busy season and it makes a bit of money for them. It is the cheapest around here, except for free spots which there aren't any near Carins and you get everything you would in a caravan park.
Once we got settled we had lunch then headed to see Kuranda. We looked up going on the train and sky rail from there but it would cost our family about $800 so we thought we might give it a miss and just go see Barron Falls. Loved walking and driving through the rain forest!
Instead of signs about cattle, now we have signs about Cassowary. (probably not spelt right!) We saw our first sheep back at Mt. Garnet for a long time.
The road on the way to Barron Falls.
A fern on the way to Barron Falls. I love ferns!
Barron Falls. They were big and specky. They would be great to see in the wet season.
Everyone just fitted in the picture!
Walking back to the car.
These big roots give it a jungle feel. These monkeys give it a jungle feel too!
We are surrounded by coffee plantations here at Mareeba along with Mango and Avacado and Sugar Cane. So we are going to take Tim to a coffee plantation before we leave the area! Also we have found out that friends from EP are up here too. That's just funny.
We were leaving the dry and entering the rain forests. Yeah! So as we travelled to Ravenshoe the kids were all imaging what it would be like to go down the hills on a quad bike! Then we would drive through a rain forest like we were going through a jungle. It was impressive to look at. We went through Atherton on our way to Mareeba. We got to the camp ground which turned out to be the rodeo grounds and we have just missed the rodeo by 2 weeks! We are either too early or too late! Its a huge area that they have in this busy season and it makes a bit of money for them. It is the cheapest around here, except for free spots which there aren't any near Carins and you get everything you would in a caravan park.
Once we got settled we had lunch then headed to see Kuranda. We looked up going on the train and sky rail from there but it would cost our family about $800 so we thought we might give it a miss and just go see Barron Falls. Loved walking and driving through the rain forest!
We are surrounded by coffee plantations here at Mareeba along with Mango and Avacado and Sugar Cane. So we are going to take Tim to a coffee plantation before we leave the area! Also we have found out that friends from EP are up here too. That's just funny.
THE DINOSAUR
Tuesday 30th
It was a little cold again. We really shouldn't complain.
We have noticed ferral cats around . We had chucked out our leftovers and in the morning they were completely gone!
On the road again. The travelling all day is very costly as we fill up at least once a day and that means about $160. It's a good thing we are able to free camp it or else we would be heading home!
We got to Hughenden and filled up and stopped for a photo with the local dinosaur!
Here is the dinosaur about to carry my kids away!
We decided to take a cut through road to Cairns which meant turning north from Hughenden. There was some dirt on this road and it was red and sandy with some corrugation. Very dry and some very thin cattle. Hard to see any meat on them. There was no feed where they were either so I guess they are just hoping that they will survive until the wet season comes in. We saw 5 dead pigs on the road and a dead python as well as some kangaroos! We also had to negotiate a single lane bitumen for a while. You had to have half your vehicle off and the edges were quite a ditch as all the traffic had cut it away. As we neared Mt. Garnet there were more trees and hills. We camped in a free spot east of Mt. Garnet near a river that was flowing quite a lot. The caravan was quite dirty due to being on a dirt road but it saved us some time and kms.
The 3 kids on the double bed all snuggled in as it was a bit cold here, near Mt. Garnet.
It was a little cold again. We really shouldn't complain.
We have noticed ferral cats around . We had chucked out our leftovers and in the morning they were completely gone!
On the road again. The travelling all day is very costly as we fill up at least once a day and that means about $160. It's a good thing we are able to free camp it or else we would be heading home!
We got to Hughenden and filled up and stopped for a photo with the local dinosaur!
We decided to take a cut through road to Cairns which meant turning north from Hughenden. There was some dirt on this road and it was red and sandy with some corrugation. Very dry and some very thin cattle. Hard to see any meat on them. There was no feed where they were either so I guess they are just hoping that they will survive until the wet season comes in. We saw 5 dead pigs on the road and a dead python as well as some kangaroos! We also had to negotiate a single lane bitumen for a while. You had to have half your vehicle off and the edges were quite a ditch as all the traffic had cut it away. As we neared Mt. Garnet there were more trees and hills. We camped in a free spot east of Mt. Garnet near a river that was flowing quite a lot. The caravan was quite dirty due to being on a dirt road but it saved us some time and kms.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)