March 11

Awoke to overcast, hot and humid.  Rain around us in various areas.  Head to quick breakfast at McD’s because it is fast and reliable.  Oh well, coffee and hash browns not bad, sausage egg mcmuffin and oj not so good.  Traveling the Kennedy Highway out of Smithfield to Kuranda and the rain forest.  We climb with so many short switchbacks it makes us dizzy.  Then we find out why they call it the rain forest, in come the low clouds and lots of rain. Overhead we see the tram ride that oversees the rain forest, we will be taking that tram on our visit in a few days.  We get to the top at Kuranda and the rain clears.  We are entering the Atherton Tablelands.  We have passed through dense rain forest vegetation and now in open plains on the high elevation.  It is sparsely settled with people but the groves of coffee, tea, mangoes, avocados, sugar cane and many other fruits and veg are plentiful.  We can see how the moisture from the coast line gets caught by the coastal mountains which provides the Tablelands with a lot of water.  Along the way we see huge mud hills and find out they are termite mounds.  They are huge, 3-4 feet high and 5 feet or more around.  They are everywhere.  The locals tell us they don’t bother with wood, just build with brick or concrete.  We quick drive through the little town of Mareeba known for coffee.  On to Tolga, known for peanuts, and stop off at the Tolga Woodworks.  The product is top notch in design and craft.  They also sell large slabs of native wood, we know son in law Zach would love it.  On past Atherton to get to Phyllis’ family farm.  We see where she was brought up and visit her brother Vince and wife Lucy on their farm next door.  Sugar cane and soy beans are currently planted.  The mountains form at ring around the farms and deep volcanic soil is very fertile.  They can grow most anything with the water that comes down from the rain forests to the Tablelands.  We are treated to a coffee and info on farming practices in the area.  Return to Atherton for a drive through to see the town Knights went to school etc.  Resuming our route we travel on to Yungeburra, cute little town lined with beautiful flowers.  Platypus can be viewed here.  We talk with the info center people, have a half pint at the 110 year old local hotel and speak with the local opal experts.  Head on to Lake Barrine of Phyllis childhood memory. This area saw huge volcano explosions eons ago and left two deep crater lakes, Barrine is one.  We stop for a tea and scones on the deck overlooking the quiet blue lake surrounded by beautiful flowers and rain forest.  We left Atherton on Rt 52 and now head downward through the Gillies Range.  It is steep and so winding that it is a struggle to keep on the road.  There are huge sandstone pillars and boulders that have had to be shored up off the road.  Off to the side we can see a green and beautiful Goldsburough Valley, the mountains are in part sun and part low hanging rain clouds.  We make our way back to the Kennedy highway and head north back to unit in Palm Cove.  Dinner at an Italian sidewalk café and then a swim after dark in the pool.  All the southern constellations are out and the pool is surrounded by tall Gum trees and palms.  It is been so hot the pool is great!  Getting ready for our next day so early to bed!

March 10

Awake to hot and humid and overcast/sun.  Packing up and getting ready to depart.  Phyllis makes a beautiful breakfast of smoked salmon on toast topped with an egg cooked in a red pepper ring.  Sorry to leave the Knights, it has been a very nice stay and they have provided a great tour of the area!  Phyllis preparing for a long weekend of 70^th birthday celebration.  Heard from Brenna, she had her 28 week appt this week.  Baby and she are doing fine and are on target.  Ray takes us to the airport (south of the city) and we board Qantas for Cairns/Palm Cove. Our seats are economy and very little space and completely filled flight.  It is a three hour flight with a one hour time change.  We see downtown Sydney from the air and the opera house.  Glimpses of the outback, lots of farms and red dirt, not many people.  Lots of cloud cover, we are flying into a storm.  Cairns and 92 degrees.  The heat and humidity are following us! Qantas very generous with good but simple lunch, ice cream snack, drinks and a movie.  Land in Cairns with rain in the area but sun and cloud where we are.  The heat and humidity hit us like a wall as we exit the airport.  It’s a small airport but with International concourse.  We rent from Hertz and old gold card gets us an upgrade to a Nissan SUV. Chuck doing a good job remembering to keep Pat ‘in the gutter’, aka passenger on the left, in order to keep to the other side of the road.  We drive north with roundabouts about every mile.  Pass small groceries/shops/Mc’D’s.  Arrive at Palm Cove.  Have rented a unit from friend’s of Knights.  Lovely open air reception area looking onto a huge, beautiful pool, surrounded with huge Gum trees and palms.  The unit is on the first floor looking over the beach and ocean and main street.  The street is slow and sparse moving, we are in low season and practically have the resort to ourselves.  The unit is one bedroom and large full bathroom, living room/kitchen area with another bath/laundry/utility room.  The lanai runs the full length of the unit with separate siding doors from LR and BR.  We walk to a small bar below us for our celebration drink, local beer and fresh mango smoothie daiquiri!  Walk along the beach to the pier, about one mile, where people are fishing for not sure what.  Signs warning us that crocs and stinger jelly fish can be in the area. Nice premonitory of rocks, always sandstone.  Walk back to the Almond Beach, looks like a beach shack but inside very elegant with open air dining.  It’s Asian fusion, Pat get octopus and barramundi in banana leaf and Chuck get scallops.  Nice Pinot Gris from NZ.  Walk back to unit in the rain, very tropical rain with start stop.  It’s early evening but we are tired.  Crank up the AC and into bed.

March 9

Awoke to hot and humid weather.  A few clouds but no rain.  Birds have to be fed.  Chuck and Ray go to Ray’s golf club, Roseville.  Chuck borrows clubs from Ray and can wear his trainers on the course.  It’s a demanding course that is narrow and hilly.  They play 18 holes and have lunch there.  Very enjoyable.  Pat and Phyllis set off on the train to downtown Sydney.  Get off and visit the historic Queen Victoria Building in the main shopping district.  A very beautiful building that is at least a city block long, an multi-leveled arcade with a glass roof and high end retail shops with stained glass fronts and charming cafes with tables along the handrails.  There are two huge decorative clocks hanging from the roof.  They have many decorations that move when the clock strikes the hour.  The train station is on the bottom floor.  Out onto George and Pitt Streets for lots of shopping and pedestrian areas and other arcades.  We find the hotel that Chuck and Pat will be staying on their return to Sydney with the tour.  It is centrally located for easy access to all the sights.  Dinner is out at Thai Tucka, Knight’s favorite local.  We take our own wine, there is no corkage fee. We sample several dishes ranging from seafood to lamb, all is very good.  A last night of euchre, this time the girls win!  Still hot and humid outside.