The One in the Rainforest

As we fly into Cairns, the landscape has changed yet again. Fields of Sugar cane stretch out below us, and hills covered in rainforest give the area a decidedly tropical feel which wouldn't be out of place in the Caribbean (or so I imagine).

We decide to go and see some of this rain forest by heading up to Cape Tribulation.

Our first stop is the Mossman Gorge. A wonderful walk through the forest alongside a raging river, and up to a wibbly wobbly suspended bridge! I'm very excited to see giant tree ferns!

Next up is the Daintree Wildlife Park. I'm a bit over this to be honest. We've seen these animals before and many of them in the wild, but I do get to cuddle a very cute joey called Jake, who is in a flowery makeshift pouch!

As we cross the river and head up to Cape Trib itself, we pass the famous Cassowary sign where someone has humorously doctored a road hump - a warning to motorists and Cassowaries alike!

We stop at the beach of Cape Tribulation. A shame that the weather is threatening rain at any moment as it is a beautiful white sandy beach. You're not allowed to swim here due to stingers in the water, so we settle for a hearty lunch, while keeping a watchful eye on a giant Lace Monitor Lizard who is hungrily eyeing our chicken!

In the toilets here are 2 massive Golden Orb Spiders. H nips into the gents to get a photo of one. What you have to suffer for photography!

As we get back to the bus the heavens finally open and as it's raining it seems apt to go into the rain forest itself. It's not called Rain Forest for nothing you know!

Here we see all sorts of trees and vines. Some called "Wait a While" on account of the prickles on them that catch on your clothes and keep you tied up trying to get untangled! eventually they turn into huge Tarzan Vines.

We also saw Strangulation Figs which grow over another tree, eventually killing it. One of them had the centre tree fully rotted away leaving the Fig Tree like a 3 D Curly Wurly!

Time for another Crocodile Cruise, but I was more excited by the Kingfisher and our little green tree frog stowaway on the boat!

Then back to Cairns. A whistle stop tour, But I'm glad we got the chance to experience this other side of Australian landscape. it makes such a difference after the barren landscapes of the west coast!