Ocean Safari ~ NOT

The There & Back Again Tour to FNQ

Today we had booked to go out onto the reef from Cape Tribulation.

Made our booking and paid our deposit with a booking agent on Monday for a morning reef trip on Wednesday.

Turned up for our tour this morning ... and they had screwed up the booking. I’m standing there with the paperwork and receipt saying WEDNESDAY and they said we should have come on Tuesday ... if fact, the @*$#@!* at the counter actually said “You were a NO SHOW, We should charge you!”. And I have the paperwork in my hand saying Wednesday!!!

We just wanted to rebook but they were flipping out about whose fault it was (and sure wasn’t ours) ... we weren’t looking to blame or complain ... just rebook for another morning. They were aggressive and obnoxious and just kept saying that they were tour operators and didn’t make mistakes.

Have to say if they can’t even take responsibility for a paperwork error then I am not sure of their level of responsibility looking after people on the reef.

Have since learnt that they are a newcomer business who put the local operators out of work ... shame ... as there is now no competition.

So a curse on OCEAN SAFARI (TripAdvisor report coming up!)

Cooper Creek Wilderness tour

The There & Back Again Tour to FNQ

This tour was excellent.

It wasn't expensive. It only went for an hour. It wasn't tourist-hyped. It had just the right amount of information. AND ... there were CROCS!!! Crocs in the wild ... not in an enclosure, not in a zoo, not performing tricks.

There were two VERY large, old males, three females and a cute (?) baby.

Daintree

The There & Back Again Tour to FNQ

I am blogging this on the ferry across the Daintree River. We have no mobile access (curse you Optus) and no WiFi access at the van park where we are staying. We are doing a quick trip across the river into the village of Daintee (checking out next van park, and getting some WiFi access).

Daintree rainforest is just awesome. I should have had this blog entry done in advance so that it was ready to post. It is too beautiful to rush the description.

So many photos to sort through. Booked in till next Friday but may stay longer. It has been drizzle, showers and rain. And this is the dry season.

Hoping we get some sunshine. Booked to go out on a crocodile safari river cruise this afternoon, the reef on Wednesday and a sea kayak planned for when the weather improves.

Marrja Boardwalk

The There & Back Again Tour to FNQ

Don't you love this picture of Alphie in the rainforest! He looks like a little Lego Man in a giant forest!!!

This boardwalk was absolutely stunning.

The boardwalk covered mostly rainforest area with a mangrove section at the end. My favourites were the wonderful Fan Palms and the amazing Strangler Figs. The Daintree is among the oldest rainforest sections in the world.

I can't understand why people come here and stay in Luxury Lodges and have expensive spa treatments ... I feel TOTALLY cleansed ... physically, spiritually and mentally ... just walking and breathing in this green utopia.

Caravan Travel ~ 1 Month Anniversary

The There & Back Again Tour to FNQ

OK ... we have just had our “One Month Anniversary.

I had initially planned to take a photo at every stop but that proved to be too difficult. Basically it would have looked like I was a Misery Guts determined not to have a good time .... after all everyone said “You will love it”.

In hindsight I SHOULD have taken those photos ... because there are (like it or not you Van Dwellers) negative aspects of Life On The Road.

• You give up a lot of your privacy -shoulder to shoulder with the next van.

• You have to like the smell of shit-and-shampoo in the morning (sorry for those delicate readers ... I am just telling it like it is)

• You have to like being a contortionist to enjoy showering in most of the amenities block cubicles.

You are maybe wondering about the picture??? As someone who like to “name” their car (ahhhh ... I miss you Scarlet O’Cara) I told Alphie that we should call the van “The Brunswick” (after my favourite brand of sardines) and the car “King Oscar” after another brand.

I still have that feeling of confinement ... not necessarily from being enclosed in the van but from the proximity of neighbours in the van park. And more than once our scenic view has been of the ablutions block!