Ryan’s Journal: Days 59 - 62

Day 59

Distance travelled: 156km

Although we loved Cape Trib, we, again, had to pack up. We drove through the Daintree NP and stopped at the Daintree Discovery Centre. The Discovery Centre was a little part of the rainforest where there are a few buildings with information, there were paths through the forest and they had an aquarium and reptile display.

We stopped at Daintree Village to have lunch, and kept going to Port Douglas. We got to Port Douglas and drove down the main street, it had shops!! So, after we set up, we went shopping!

Day 60

Distance travelled: 50km

We were in a caravan park near the beach, so we walked down and had a swim. We went to Mossman Gorge for the afternoon, catching a shuttle bus in and walking and swimming around. We did the walking track through the rainforest, which was nice, and swum in the river, which had a few little waterfalls that we floated quickly down. We also jumped off rocks into the deep, cold water.

When we got back to Port Douglas, we went for another swim at the beach and spent the afternoon relaxing.

Day 61

Distance travelled: 110km

We decided that we didn’t fit in with all of the rich people so we packed up and went to the market. The market was huge! And it had everything from sugar cane juice to clothes. We walked around the market for about an hour and tasted some local juices.

We weren’t excited about Cairns but we went into the city and watched some of the footy. We didn’t want to camp in Cairns so we drove on a windy road to Kuranda. Kuranda is a small town at the base of the Sky Rail, which takes you over the rainforest in a little carriage on wires above the forest. It also has a train that goes through the rainforest.

We camped in a nice park in Kuranda where we lit a fire which we sat around for the night.

Day 62

Distance travelled: 66km

I woke in the morning and Dad was cooking bacon and eggs. We decided over breakfast that we would stay in Kuranda and look around town. Lots of the shops were closed because the Sky Rail was closed, which brings people to the town, but there wasn’t many people so we had the town to ourselves. We spent all morning in town and ate lunch there.

We drove out to Barron Falls, still looking around Kuranda, and walked out to the lookout. It was nice, and had a view of a waterfall.

We dropped Mum and Jackson off at the railway station so they could take the train through the rainforest. While that happened, Dad, Nick and I went shopping.

We picked up Mum and Jackson from Freshwater and drove out to Lake Placid.

We spent the evening in the camp kitchen eating Dad’s awesome chicken in port dish and talking with the very interesting locals.