Cape Tribulation

On our way to Cape Tribulation, we traveled along the Coral Sea to Mossman Gorge for some free time to explore and take a cool dip in a waterfall pool. I jumped off the waterfall a couple times, and even did a back-flip once! Of course, my camera is too slow to capture any of this in the low rain forest light (hint: get me a new camera).

Then it was into the Daintree National Park, where we settled in for the night in preparation for a day of adventure. The next day started off with a great jungle hike through the Daintree, where we explored the different levels of canopy, vegetation, and animal life. We saw some green ants who hold a sour secret - you can bite (or lick) their butts for a tart but tasty treat. I tried it, and it wasn't that bad. What made it worth it though, is the look on everyone's face as you eat an ant.

We hiked up to Cape Tribulation, one of the only spots in the world where the rain forest meets the beach. The view was just so invigorating and calming at the same time, like focused energy.

On our way back to the lodge, we saw a cassowary! These are huge birds, like ostriches, that are descended from dinosaurs and are extremely endangered. It's like spotting a leprechaun.

The afternoon was spent doing one of my all-time favorite adventures, jungle surfing. Basically you're attached to a zip-line and you fly from tree to tree, so high above the rain forest floor that I couldn't see it through the canopy! I even zipped along upside-down on one of the legs.

On the way back to Cairns, we stopped at Port Douglas, the celebrated beach resort town. Despite the town's tony reputation, we saw some great Aussies drinking full pints of ale at about 10am. Nice job, guys! Meanwhile, I got a pedicure.

Atherton Tablelands

On our way from Cairns to the Daintree Rain Forest and Cape Tribulation, we stopped at Tjapukai Aboriginal Culture Park for several demonstrations of aboriginal life. We learned about the didgeridoos and the various animal sounds they can imitate, rain forest vegetation and its medicinal uses, and how to throw a boomerang (I was awesome, naturally). Our morning was capped off by a traditional fire dance ceremony.

We made a quick stop in Kuranda, a small town high in the rain forest mountains with only a few streets. I bought some mango wine, a kangaroo skin wallet, and other little things, but it was all a little sleepy, although very scenic.

And so began the long drive to Cape Trib, when I was tempted more than once to pop open that bottle of mango wine.

Cairns

Ah, Cairns. Between the Woolshed, Gilligan's, and all the other party bars, the "Adventure Capital" of Australia is a virtual backpacker's paradise.

Days were spent white water rafting, diving the Great Barrier Reef, and hiking through the rainforest, while our nights were filled with "Battle of the Sexes," Woolshed table dancing night, and, of course, dollar bets to dance in the go-go booths.

Rafting on the Tully River in the Misty Mountains was quite an adventure. We had great weather, which meant lots of great rapids, and also lots of great spills. I, of course, took a refreshing dip in the river, by which I mean I choked half of it down while flailing around helplessly. Thankfully, our fearless guide, Kiwi Chris, yanked me back into the raft just in time to catch the current back to shore.

A night of recovery (by which I mean good food, good drinks, and good friends), and then it was off to the Great Barrier Reef. Even learning to dive off Pennecamp Park in the Florida Keys, I had never seen anything like this. White-tipped reef sharks, sea turtles, and clownfish, oh my! It was just as breathtaking as all the documentaries and tourist posters say.

Whitsundays

So we took a ferry to Long Island in the Whitsundays, which are lots of little islands that basically all look the same - which is to say, beautiful.

The beach at sunrise

It was exactly what you'd expect a beach resort to be: large patio, nice buffet, poolside bar.

Me, Sara, Rachel & Katie

The next day, while some of our group were on a two-day live-aboard sail, the rest of us went on the Carina day sail. The cloudy (sometimes rainy) weather didn't slow us down much; we just lounged on a huge catamaran all day, stopping on a pristine beach to snorkel and also to refrain from playing beach cricket. Honestly.

A little karaoke and pool-time later, and our three days in the Whitsundays were quickly over. Some of us, like Rob, could have used a little more time to recuperate, I guess.

Beer: part of Dodgy Rob's breakfast of champions

Capricorn Coast

Lots of bus time along the Capricorn Coast. Here I am at the Tropic of Capricorn in Rockhampton, the heart of Australia's beef industry and the "gateway to the tropics":

Fun fact: the students in Rocky, as they call Rockhampton, like to break the...bullness...off the bull statues all over the city, and then keep them as trophies.

We went to a really cool crocodile farm, where we not only saw some huge (5 meters) crocs, but also got to see a baby croc hatch. All the babies are named Gucci because that's who the croc farm markets their croc leather to...ha!

Nibbling already

This yellow stuff attached to the croc's stomach is the egg yolk.
It will feed him as he learns to eat solid food.

Proud papa

Then we all held a 2-foot long croc called Harley (the owner likes to brag that he owns 7 Harleys).

After some fun at the local pubs, including some great dollar-bets (nice one, Dodgy Rob), it was off to Airlie Beach and the Whitsundays.

Fraser Island

We took a ferry from Hervey Bay to Fraser Island, the world's largest sand island. After a quick dinner, we had our "No Clothes Party," which entailed dressing in anything besides regular clothes. I just wore a toga, but some people were really creative, making full outfits out of magazines, placemats, saran wrap, even a kiddie pool and a strategic towel!

The two Monicas

Amber & Paul

Jackie (perky smile + those abs = aerobics instructor)

Marvin and Brock

Larry (Brooklyn Boy) and Rhys (The English Avenger)

"Dodgy Rob" and Brett

Matt, our reliable driver, and Brett, our fearless leader

Jack distracts Dodgy Rob from his precious billiards

Several cocktails later, we barely had time for some rest before we were up again for a 4-wheel-drive tour of this incredible island. It's made entirely of sand, yet it somehow supports and extremely complex tropical rainforest. It has 8 cocentric dune systems, which makes it the oldest dune-system island in the world.

This tree was thousands of years old before it fell!

We went to Lake Mackenzie, Fraser's famous freshwater lake, were we exfoliated with the sand as our guides instructed us to do.

After a really cool walk through the rainforest, we drove to the ocean-side of the island, where we had lunch, visited a crazy shipwreck, and walked along Eli Creek.

Then it was back to our camp-style cabins for some beachside barbeque and a good night's rest (6:00am wakeup tomorrow!)

Sunshine Coast

After an ungodly early start, we made our way east, back to the Sunshine Coast. We spent a while in Noosa, the last surfing town on our way north (the Great Barrier Reef blocks the break for the rest of the Queensland coast). Noosa is a lot like the beach towns in the Hamptons or Cape Cod - a mixture of surfers and underachievers with posh shops and socialites.

After a fantastic cheeseburger and a final surfing attempt (I did stand up), it was off to Fraser Island.