Have camera will travel

Up at the crack of dawn, well at 6:00. We are getting picked up just after 7, so a run through the shower and a quick breakfast of toasted english muffins and chocolate milk, and then out the door for a full day at Kuranda. Bright blue sky today.
Wow what a day. Thr driver that took us to Kuranda was trying to be a tour guide, he was telling us about things along the way. Some of the stuff sounded made up, and others were partially the same as “real” tour guides.
Anyway we got there without mishap, and started our day. We hoped aboard the skyrail (gondolas), and travelled 7 km over top the rain ofrest to the town of Kuranda. We got off twice, once at the top of Red Peak to take a walk through the forest, and once to look at Barron Falls.
We decided that an english muffin wasn’t enough to hold us until lunch, so we shared a veggie pastie and a custard tart & and an ice cold lemon squash. That settled us down. We wandered the markets looking at stuff. We made our way back to the Butterfly place and waited at the bus stop for out ride to the rain forest station. The driver wasn’t having a good day, 2 young chinses girls got on and off twice and came back a third time and stayed on. Neither one could speak english.
Once there we were directed to the army duck for a ride and the rest of the people went somewhere else. Ya, not too many people with us. Except the 2 chinese girls followed us, they didn’t seem to know what they were doing. As they got on, one ofthem banged her head on the overhead rack, adn she sounded like a 2 year old crying and whining.
Anyway enough about that, we drove down a narrow track toward an irrigation ditch, the driver pointing out butterflys (ulyseus & another one that I don’t remember), and lizards and plants & trees. The Ulyseus butterflies are a brilliant blue, and rarely stay still.
Down the trail around the corner and into the water. We wandered the area looking at lizards and turtles, no crocs. We saw big termit mounds high up in trees to escape the floods. The water was very brown, from the rains over the past few days.
Once back at the station, we wandered to the resturant for our bbq lunch. They seated us at a table out on the veranda, in the shade and a cool breeze ( as much of a cool breeze you can get in 30 degree heat). Steak, chicken, sausages, lots of veggies and salads, and fruit for desert.
Then on to our guided tour through the koala and croc area. We didn’t get close to either. We saw blue tongue lizards, monitor lizards, wallabys and kangaroos, turtles, and a large cassawary (big bird with a blue head).
Then on the to aborginal theatre for some dances. Most of the dances looked the same as we saw the other night, but then they should be, it was probably the same tribe.
After that we learnt how to throw a boomerang – both of us did really well – the guys was impressed. He said that we related to him on his father’s side. Of course Vicki threw is left handed, there are different shaped ones for lefties.
From there on to learn about how to play a digerdoo – no we didn’t try – you blow a raspberyy with your lips, and make noises, and wiggle your tongue, all the while breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth, and making a continious sound.
On to spear throwing, we didn’t do that either – we just got to watch. Back through the gift shop (of course), and on to the bus for our trip back down to Kuranda. Then onto the train, and the 1.5 ride back down to the train station. We stopped along the way to see the falls from the other side.
Into the station, and on the bus and a fast ride back to Port Douglas. It is over cast again on the coast, and we went through a shower or two on the way back.
We had sandwiches for supper, we are finishing up the food we bought for the week.
Tomorrow is a travel day, so there won’t be an update for a day or so. We flyout of Cairns at 12 onto Brisbane. Hopefully the bad weather has gone farther south.
New photos will go up in a day or so as well.