Georgie getting ready to rack up some more frequent flyer miles
The big draw for the five of us was the incredible diversity that can be found on land and at sea in this area. Our goals for this trip were to explore the Great Barrier Reef and the rainforest. The amazing thing about this area is that both of these World Heritage listed natural environments meet side by side at Cape Tribulation in the middle of the Daintree rainforest.
Georgie thought the reef was ok, but her fav part of the trip was splashing in the pool at the hotel
Our trip to the Reef was the highlight for me. We (all 5 of us) left early in the morning to board our diving boat. Georgie was the youngest on the boat by a significant margin, but did incredibly well all day. We visited 3 sites on the outer reef. Mom and dad snorkelled at all three, while Scott and I snorkelled at 2 sites and did a dive at the third. It was an incredible experience, and I think it got me hooked on diving. Among other sea creatures, we saw a turtle, giant clam, massive sea slug, and more varieties of fish and coral than I could begin to count. Scott's highlight (besides the dive) was snorkelling with dad who randomly decided that he would go after a shark they saw. Not often you hear about a human attempting to attack a shark! Luckily both Scotts and the shark made it through the encounter unscathed.
Scott and I meeting a turtle on the reef
The Millers getting ready to dive in
Each couple had a day to explore the Daintree rainforest on a guided tour, while the other pair stayed back to hang out with the little lady. The trip involved a guided hike in the rainforest and boat ride on the Daintree River - we were really hoping to see the interesting (and sometimes vicious) Cassowary bird, but the little (errr, or big) devils stayed true to their nature of being elusive and hard to spot. Nevertheless, there was plenty of interesting flora and fauna to see - BIG spiders, pythons, salt water crocodiles, reptiles, huge bats, etc. etc.
Scott taking a dip in the rainforest
As per usual, the food during our stay was a definite highlight. We were recommended by several Aussies to eat at Nautilus, an open air restaurant in the middle of the rainforest. The food was to die, and the atmosphere even more impressive. No kids allowed here, so Scott and I went on one evening and mom and dad on another. Scott and I splurged and ordered the chef's tasting menu with wine pairing. Truly one of the best dining experiences we've ever had.
Mmmmmmmm...K. Miller's fresh sea trout at Nautilus
The flight home was almost as eventful as our activities that week. There was a medical emergency on the plane, so Scott and I offered to help out, but soon realized there really isn't a whole lot anyone can do without medical equipment. And let's be honest, an orthopod and palliative care doc aren't the ideal pair you might hope to be assisting you when you're passing out mid flight! The lady's condition required we divert the plane to land in Brisbane, so what was supposed to be a 3 hour flight turned into a 6 hour + fiasco. It goes without saying we were glad to arrive home that night. Our excitement, however, quickly faded when we realized the temp inside the apartment was lower than outside, and the toilet wasn't working! Ahhhh, 1/4 Hood Street- we are so ready to bid you adieu.
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