Travelling further... Townsville
Door: Webmaster
30 September 2006 | Australië, Townsville
Again a message from down under... seriously you don't have to read it all, but it is also kind of my second diary and when I start writing I want to tell everything, although probably most of the thing doesn't make sense anyway.
So the journey goes on...
WEDNESDAY TABLELAND WITH UNCLE BRIAN
Another tour I was really looking forward to, cause everyone told me it was a great way to see the tableland. Cuisine Kai, in stead of Uncle Brian, picked me and Rashmee up from the hostel with Gus the Bus. With GUS FM turned on, we drove through Gordonville (the very last traffic lights for the day) and Babinda (who won the Golden Gumboot Award for the highest rainfall in Queensland) to Boulders for our morning tea. As Cyclone Larry went past here, we couldn’t actually go in the park, but cuisine Kai managed to tell heaps of interesting and funny stuff of the trees and plants at the car park. After the morning tea with lemonade and cookies we drove to the first main stop, the Josephine Falls in Wooroonooran National Park. Cuisine Kai made sure we weren’t bored during the drive by telling all these funny details (do you know what those silver trees are called? That are Electricitrees) and by letting us do games. The waterfall was nice, but we actually came there for the rockslide. Although the water was freezing (it poured last night) we had heaps of fun sliding of the rocks in various positions, including the Cowboy where I was sitting on Kai’s back.
Then it was time for lunch, so we drove to Mr. Lunch at Millaa Millaa with the world smallest cow. A small teahouse was located in the backyard of a farm house and we had a delicious home cooked meal on the veranda. Of course we didn’t leave Millaa Millaa without visiting the Millaa Millaa Falls. Apparently the famous Timotei Shampoo ad on tv, with the model washing here hair under a waterfall and doing the hair swing (do you remember?), was filmed here, so we all had a photo doing the hair swing. The water was even more freezing (I didn’t feel anything at all after a while), but I have a shot of the hair swing!
All wet and cold we drove to Lake Eacham, where Cuisine Kai made us hot chocolate with home made muffins. Lake Eacham is a volcanic lake, very pretty and we could see sea turtles. No one was keen for another swim, so we relaxed in the sun for a bit. Our last stop was at another lake, with platypus (NL eendenbekdier). We sat on the water’s edge, all quite, watching the platypus while the sun set. Very special. We had such a long day, so I was looking forward to a sleep on the way home, but Kai gave us tambourines so sing along with funky music, much fun!
This was such a feel good, personal tour, we all felt happy and relaxed when we were back in the hostel. It were the small things that made it great! Thanks Kai!
THURSDAY CAIRNS TO TOWNSVILLE
After a six hour drive I arrived in Townsville. After lunch, where I walked into Anja, Christy picked me up and drove us to her house. She just moved up to Townsville with Zane and they live in the downstairs part of her parent’s house, an old really nice Queenslander. We just relaxed for the day, as I was pretty tired of the drive, but in the evening we had a real Aussie bbq on the beach with the whole family.
FRIDAY MAGNETIC ISLAND
Today I went to Magnetic Island, 30 minutes from Townsville by ferry. It is really pretty up there and the atmosphere is just relaxed. After visiting Picnic Bay, I did the forts walk with great views of a the bays and I saw a koala sleeping in a eucalyptus tree. They are sooo cute!!! (I think I’m gonna take one home) I had a tasty lunch at Horsoe Bay, but there were quite a lot of people so I thought I could walk to Radical Bay for a swim. It was way further then I expected so by the time I got to the beach I had to head back to Horshoe Bay to not miss the bus… so no swim, but still a nice day!
FRIDAY: PALUMA
Christy took me to Paluma today, a small town up in the mountains. We had lunch in a nice little tea house (the Ivy Cottage) and went for a short walk through the rainforest. It was again a beautiful day with clear blue sky, but that is apparently an exemption in Paluma, with touristy signs mentioning “Paluma: walk in the clouds” everywhere. We went to McClelland Look out for a great view and then we drove to Little Crystal Creek for a swim, nice & refreshing! On our way back to Townsville we ate a delicious ice cream at Frosty Mango, yummm!
Well, we are going out tonight, to check out Townsville's nightlife so I should get ready soon.
Talk 2 u laterrr...
-
30 September 2006 - 12:33
Ariette:
he lieve karin, klinkt allemaal really great (ik maak gelijk 3 typfouten als ik engels moet typen...). Als je toch een koala meeneemt willen wij er ook wel 1 in de achtertuin. Je naam valt nog met regelmaat hier, dus we zijn je nog lang niet vergeten en we verheugen ons er op je in december (je weet wel: sneeuw en zo, of regen) weer te zien. liefs van Houdijn, Eline en Ariette -
30 September 2006 - 14:04
Mandy:
Een Aussie BBQ noemen ze downunder een Barbie of niet? -
01 Oktober 2006 - 02:10
Bieb:
Meis, het klinkt alsof je het heerlijk naar je zin hebt! Maar ik had ook niet anders verwacht! Geniet er lekker van! Ik heb vrijdag m'n reis voor december geboekt met Jes! :) Jou verhalen zorgen ervoor dat ik er nog meer zin in heb! Geniet er nog eventjes van en we zien je snel weer voor een wine and dinner!
Dikke kussen! -
02 Oktober 2006 - 12:03
Emily:
Wow Karin.. sounds like you're having a blast.. I'll have to try follow your footsteps one day soon and truely see whats in my backyard. Keep livin it up.. get some pix of you with hot boys for me too! can't wait to see you!
-luv Emsxxxx -
06 Oktober 2006 - 05:38
Jessica:
Hey Karin,
Super dat je het zo naar je zin hebt! Ik heb gisteren Nieuw-Zeeland geboekt, dus alles gaat zoals gepland. Je bent al weer bijna terug toch? Ben benieuwd naar al je verhalen (en tips natuurlijk)!
Liefs, Jessica -
06 Oktober 2006 - 12:00
Janneke:
Heey vakantievierder
Wat klinken de verhalen goed zeg. Ook goed om mijn engels weer even te refreshen!!
Grappig van de Millaa Millaa falls, wij hebben de swing daar ook gedaan.
Ik ben stikjaloers!!!! Hier gaat alles z'n gangetje, studie, werk etc. Vanavond komt emma gezellig naar Uden. Zullen we wel weer na een aantal borrel onze good assie times bespreken!!
Geniet ervan, vooral van de blauwe lucht... het enige wat hier blauw is zijn mijn tenen. Het begint echt kouder te worden en natuurlijk gaat dat met erg veel regen.
We moeten snel weer even bellen als je terug bent van je tripje.
DOEI Dikke kus
Janneke -
12 Oktober 2006 - 21:34
Renate:
hee heb je die hair swing fotos niet dan? ben benieuwd! -
12 Oktober 2006 - 21:37
Renate:
Oh, enne, je zit daar te lang, tis een vogelbekdier, muts!! ;) :) haha
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