Starting Week Two

This morning’s first job, after a leisurely breakfast and coffee obviously, was to fuel the triple up. Then it was off to the Mowbray River for a bit of croc-spotting. There is a point where the road crosses the river, and a large crocodile can often be seen there as you drive past. Someone had seen it in those circumstances a couple of hours earlier, but when I arrived it had disappeared. Maybe it saw me coming, decided it didn’t like foreign food and took off up the river to get lunch elsewhere. I’ll keep trying.

Then it was off into Port Douglas to get the bits for tonight’s tea. Like the supermarkets at home Christmas goods are appearing on the shelves, but here Mr Kiplings mince pies just seem a bit out of place when its twenty-nine degrees outside!

A quick call in at the Bottle Stop for a six pack, and back to sit in the pool with a cold one and just let the world get by without me. I’ve had many worse Thursday afternoons!

After a walk along the beach, I made the tea. Chicken and chorizo paella. It seemed to go down ok, in that Kerry and Conor ate it and got up for work this morning, so I’ll have a think about what else I can do. Tomorrow (Friday) we’re going to eat at the golf club, which isn’t as elitist as it might be seen in England. Apparently it’s just good food at reasonable prices, and the same casual dress code that applies everywhere to suit the climate.

On Friday morning I woke after Kerry and Conor had gone to work. I didn’t hear a thing, and was surprised I’d slept for about nine hours. That never happens, so must be down to all that fresh sea air. That might also be the reason I haven’t used my blue inhaler after the first day here, or my GTN spray at all, despite the walks through the rainforest and on the beach. Result!

I decided to have a ride south today which meant I could stop at Mowbray Bridge and have another look for the crocs. Plenty of people had the same idea, but despite the water level being down there were none to be seen.

I carried on riding with the sea on my left and the rainforest on my right, wishing I’d mounted the camera on the bike. I’ll have to go that way again because there’s some stunning scenery to be shared. Every so often there are traffic lights where the road is down to one lane due to damage or erosion, but it’s almost a pleasure to stop and take in the view. Beats a wet Wednesday on the M6 where you’re just sat still staring at cones and an empty lane that’s being denied to you.

I stopped at Ellis beach for a brew. It’s where Kerry and Conor took me last week after picking me up from the airport. There’s a container of chilled water and a supply of fresh glasses, and you just help yourself free of charge. Nice touch in hot weather. The coffee’s good too, and it’s cheap.

The Captain Cook Highway that I was on is one of a network of roads that collectively make up Highway One and circumnavigate the country, joining all mainland capital cities except the national capital of Canberra. It means that if I’d continued my journey I would have eventually returned to Port Douglas. However, given that it’s the longest national highway in the world at approximately 14,500 km (9,000 miles)  and we’re going out to eat later I decided to leave it for today and headed back the way I’d come instead. Stopped at Mowbray Bridge as I was passing, but still no crocs.

Back at home I got my dive gear out and tried fins, mask and snorkel in the pool as they haven’t been used since I last dived eight years ago. No issues so they’ll be ok for the reef on Sunday.

Dinner at the golf club was preceded by a walk along the beach and a quick drink at the Tav. Kerry had prawns, and Conor and I the short rib beef, plus a plate of haloumi sticks and a bottle of wine between us. We sat outside to eat, and couldn’t fault any of it.

Back home for a quick drink and an episode of Clarksons Farm, and then turn in ready for an early start tomorrow.

Pictures show the warning sign at Mowbray bridge, also at the bridge and a similar one was at the golf club, the triple parked at the bridge but well over three metres from the water's edge, views up and down river with no crocs, a walk on the beach, drinks at The Tav, dinner at the golf club.