20 June 2014

Today was a slow day of just cruising about having a look at a few places, mind it was still 243.9 kilometres.  First up let me just say that Canberra could learn a thing or two about roundabouts, there are that many of the things on the way north that there is nothing like traffic flow, it is all just a constant crawl from one round about to the next, either that of the number of sets of traffic lights that are about 50 metres apart so you just crawl all the way into and out of the city. Anyway I drove up to Daintree Village, so basically as far as I can get along the coast without catching the ferry across the Daintree River. I went all the way up first, as I knew I had to come back to Cairns anyway, then had a look at a few places along the coast on the way back. Daintree is a very small place with a very sleepy feel going on, it is completely not what I expected as to there are a lot of cleared acres with cattle grazing and cane farms all the way up. I suppose I was expecting the whole thing to be thick rainforest but, well, no.

 The Daintree Ferry across the Daintree River (it's actually about 12km south from Daintree Village

 As close as we got to the Rainforest

 Daintree Village

 Who knew there was a big Barramundi in Daintree

Then it was back through Mossman on the way south back to Cairns, unfortunately I didn't actually stop in Mossman, not exactly sure why, though it seemed like a nice small town and certainly larger then Daintree, though that would not be too difficult. Anyway racing on through there, the road was a work in itself, very twisty and some tight blind corners, the sort of road where you can enjoy winding your car through the corners (or motorbike), but a bit of work in a car made in the 1950s with skinny tyres. I have to say it is quite surprising just how may people obviously confuse the Count for a Ferrari, I mean they must think that it can handle like one because they sit so close to the back of you, so close you can easily tell what brand of designer sunglasses they are wearing, seemingly believing you will just drop the accelerator for them

View for a roadside lookout between Mossman and Daintree

From there is was a reasonably short drive to Port Douglas, interesting town, mostly tourists I think and very much like a Noosa in the north, a main street lined with shops, pubs and restaurants on both sides and lots of holiday accommodation to be had. It feels much like Noosa as well, there are lots and lots of people and cars going up and down the street and all the shops and eateries with people in them.

 The main street of Port Douglas

 Same street

 and again

 again

 again

and once more for luck

Next on the list was Palm Cove, looks like it is just a nice small beach side holiday town and it must have something going on as there is a large firm that have a resort there and there are backpackers everywhere, maybe it is just that it is a real beach and it is close to Cairns

Tomorrow it is off to Cooktown