Gooday, mate, welcome to the land down under. Now that I have that out of my system, on to our two, wonderful days in Australia. Our approach into Cairns (pronounced Cans for some reason that we did not get an explanation for) revealed a wonderful view of the Great Barrier Reef from the air. It’s easy to believe that you can actually see this coral landmark from outer space.
We’re actually staying in Port Douglas, a cute resort area on the northeast coast of Australia in Queensland. We were told to expect a ‘special guest’ at our wine tasting before dinner, one we definitely would want our cameras to record. Well, there was quite a buzz on the plane with speculation ranging from Crocodile Dundee to Gregg Norman. We’d have a couple of hours wait (and a quick washing of clothes in our fabulous condos) to find our guest wasn’t a person at all but a very adorable koala. We all got a chance to pet the soft, cuddly symbol of the Aussies. He was very gentle and tolerant of all of our attention. But, alas, he had to return with his zoo keeper to his home down the road while we went off to eat the other symbol of Australia, the kangaroo. Quite tasty if I do say so!
While most of the travelers chose to visit the Great Barrier Reef, we took the road less traveled, so to speak, into the rainforest. Our first stop was the Daintree Rainforest with a walk in the woods with an Aborigine guide. Talking about the ultimate survivors, the Aborigines used every part of the land to survive in the rainforest. There are leaves that turn into soap when rubbed, nuts that can serve as mini torches when lit, glowing mushrooms used to fish at night, natural pigments used to decorate their bodies, you get the idea. Richard Hatch (for you Survivor fans) wouldn’t stand a chance in a contest with an aborigine!
Next we visited a 20 acre Garden of Eden appropriately named the Botanical Ark. An upstate New Yorker decided as a child that he was really an Aussie at heart and found his way to this part of the world as soon as he could. He and his wife bought a former sugar cane plot and turned it into a zoo of rainforest fauna and flora from around the world. They were determined to raise their daughters in healthier fashion by more or less living off the land. They raise plants that produce fruit that keeps you from getting body odor (originally reserved for royalty), treat skin disorders, treat cancer, produce harmless dyes, and just plain taste good. They’ve introduced plants into Australia that are now grown commercially. They even had a hand at introducing rainforest flowers into florist shops around the world. What a fantastic legacy.
Following our tour we were treated to a lunch featuring some of the food they grow in their ‘garden’. Green papaya salad, sweet potato salad, local caught fish, and most surprising, a mélange of ginger flowers, each with a slightly different taste ranging from cumber to a slightly sweet, crunchy bud graced our plates. It was equally pleasing to the eye unlike many of the beige foods that we often eat at home. After dessert, we tried a variety of tropical fruits that most have not had the opportunity to sample. The grand finale, a miracle seed that when allowed to coat your mouth turns a sour lemon into a sweet orange, capped off an eye opening afternoon of living off the land.
A word about our accommodations. Our rooms were actually two bedroom condos with full kitchens and, most importantly, the afore mentioned washers and dryers. Our home also had a rooftop deck complete with our own private hot tub. Others could walk straight into the bucolic saltwater pool that formed the interior courtyard. It had a wow factor with were sad to leave behind.
