After the underwater experience yesterday, today we are heading north to the Daintree Rain Forest. We had a very early start as we had to arrived for an 8.20 meet up with our guide for the 4-hour walk around Coopers Creek, a pristine part of the rainforest.
It was quite an adventure to get there and involved a chain ferry over the wide Daintree river and strict instructions not to get out of the car - we are now in crocodile territory!
In the event as I was driving briskly we actually arrive half an hour early although I think the host and guide could work a little on his greeting as he didn't offer us a toilet or coffee but told us to go away and come back a bit later - not that impressed although he did improve as the day went on. In the event there were actually 7 of us on the walk - a family from Long Island New York and a couple from somewhere in mid America who insisted on recording everything on their iPad video and then asking questions on everything that Neil our guide had just told us - a tad annoying! I had hoped for a glimpse of a Cassowary but we were not in luck.
The rainforest was truly impressive with huge trees, strangler figs and forest palms. Neil pointed out giant stick insects and strange spiders and then the rain forest lived up to its name! The rain started and I had read something about the Rainforest canopy protecting us from the rain. Not sure where I got that idea from but let's just say we have never been so wet in our lives. I think we were drier yesterday when snorkelling the reef! We put covers on our ruck sacks and at first my back was dry. Not for long as the rain soaked through every article of clothing and I mean everything! The walk went on and the rain made the narrow trail very slippery. At one point we had to climb down into a small ravine using the tree roots as foot holds and for the last 8 feet or so go backwards hanging onto a rope. By this stage even the mid west Americans had quietened down as we all lost the will to live! I have to say the walk really was interesting but the rain rather put us all off. It was such a relief to see the open meadow where we had started as I did feel our guide may have taken the 'pretty' route back.
We were supposed to go on a one hour croc spotting boat trip a couple of hours later but we were so wet that we asked Prue (Neil's mother) if she could reschedule the trip until Friday especially as she said the crocs don't tend to come out in the rain as much. She kindly did this and lent us a much needed towel although I was more concerned about my camera.
We were drenched and had to sit on plastic bags on the fridge e home as we were worried about the hire car upholstery. I am normally the upbeat one but even I found it hard to remain quite as enthusiastic on the way back. Today's image is of the pristine tropical rain forest at Coopers Creek wilderness before the heavy rain set in!
In the evening we popped into a pharmacy with a very charming and 'easy on the eye' pharmacist called Brad who was sure he could download our snorkelling pics for us as he has the appropriate card reader. Unfortunately in the end he could not but it was well worth the visit just to watch him try - Colin is not letting me in the pharmacy again - Ha! Ha!
