The highlights for me (other than just about everything we saw) usually are the surprises. I was surprised at the character of Charters Towers and the fun in panning rubble for sapphires at Rubyvale. Seeing Queensland's two highest mountains side by side with barely a cloud upon them was a stroke of luck and I was surprised by how much I loved the Atherton Tablelands.
Our 4WD trek out of Cooktown where we had our own private guide/driver meant that we spent time looking at the things we liked.
But, above all, there was the beauty of Whitehaven Beach on a perfect day, the electrifying flash of blue against dense greenery that signals the spectacular Ulysees butterfly, the views over the Whitsundays from our lunch stop at Bowen and raindrops sparkling like gems on lily pads.
The highlights for Barbara (other than just about everything we saw) were the number and variety of walks on offer just about everywhere we went. The views over the Whitsundays from Bowen, the granite boulders tumbled into Mossman Gorge and Babinda Boulders and the variety of wildlife and birds we have seen have left a lasting impression.
We'll leave you with pictures of some of the wonderful textures we saw on our travels.
Paperbark:
The moss that abounds in the rain forest:
Iron oxide bleeding into the walls of the lava tubes:
The roots of a giant strangler fig:
Water smoothed rocks:
Limestone stalactites:
A gum stripped of bark:
Wind ripples in Whitehaven sand:
Bare tree limbs against a winter blue sky:
Sandbars at low tide:
And so we head back to normality tomorrow and to dream of the new places to explore. Thanks for coming along for the ride.
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