Cairns Day 2 - On the Wallaby Continued

Today we were up early as we had signed up for a big package with this tour. Our 1st stop before biking was at the curtain fig tree not as huge as the 1st one we saw but definitely different. Next, on to our adventure in mountain biking. I knew the night before that I was not too keen on this tour but I am trying new things the whole time I am here so I gave it a go. 1st off it was hot as hell outside…2nd I am not a fan of riding a bike at fast speeds down hills with rocks and roots in my way lol. I enjoy a nice leisurely ride now and again to get some exercise…this was god awful for me lol. The paths were thin (as I assume most are), there were a bunch of roots and rocks and what not in the way (hence the term mountain biking), oh ya and a small stream to ride through which I did unsuccessfully and ended up with soaking wet feet J I did make it to the end of the 1st path which was marked as easy hahaha BUT that was it for me. I asked the guide Dee if I could head back to the car. He was totally cool about it and let me head back. I walked that lovely bike all the way back through the stream yet again back to where we started. I waited for about an hour and a half for the group to come back. It was a nice quiet time alone, I laid in the shade and just hung out. Only thing to bother me were the crazy birds singing in the trees and the occasional person.

When the group got back from the rest of their ride we headed back to the lodge to then head out to the Lake Eachum again to go swimming in the fantastic water which was a nice treat since most of the group was hotter then hell from the biking. Mary decided to stay at the lake and grab a BBQ lunch with a few of the staff from the lodge and the rest of us went back to the lodge and grabbed lunch at the gas station. Yes I know what you are thinking, gross….lunch at a gas station…nasty! This place was so yummy! They family that owns it grows all of its own produce and everything is bought locally and made fresh. I had the Pitstop burger which was gigantic. It was a large hamburger topped with cheese, bacon, pineapple (which I put on the side), salad (which is lettuce tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots and beets) I hate beets but they were sooooo good on this damn thing! I have a picture of this that I will post at some point when I am able to upload photos.

We then had the opportunity to do a day time canoe trip but I was so hot and exhausted that I stayed behind with Will and we both passed out and took a couple hour cat nap.

We then were picked up by another tour group bus and headed back into Cairns for the remainder of our trip. On the way home the bus ride was nuts, our driver Bart was sooooo funny! He knows the word turtle in every language and we couldn’t stump him. He told some great jokes, blared music and got to know some of us a little bit. He was even nice enough to wait for Mary and I to get our luggage from the hotel we left it at and then drive us to our next hotel. How many people would do that?? When Mary and I checked into the hotel I realized that I left my sneakers on the bus L I called the company and they told me he would drop them off the next day for me. I decided to pick up a 6 pack of beer for him since he was so nice to do that for me. I got my sneakers back which was a huge relief :)

Off to sleep for the next day of snorkeling on the Great Barrier Reef.

Till the next time I can update this

XO