SKIN ON A MISSION

We are at Mission Beach at a magnificent caravan park just a stones throw from the beach. We can see the sea from the van window just metres away. I have been busy swimming and enjoying the brilliant sunshine after four weeks of cloudy weather.

AND SKIN.......WELLLLLLLL.....LOOK WHO HE HAS FOUND...

 

 

Here are the happy couple looking out toward Dunk Island planning their boat trip, hang glide, sea biscuit adventure and jet ski.

Lyn is wearing her new hat, obviously still trying to make a fashion statement and get some free rides!

BUSH TUCKER AT PARONELLA

While staying at Paronella Park ( LOOK AT THE BLOG BEFORE THIS ONE), we went on a bush tucker tour to find out what plants the aboriginal people made use of in the bush.

The first plant we saw was a ginger plant and the leaves are used in cooking. Skin didn't like the smell of this plant!

 

 

 

These flowers are crushed and rubbed on insect bites. I don't think bananas are bitten by insects.

 

Skin saw a painting on the end of a log. It was made by rubbing and

wetting different coloured rocks.

 

Here is Skin sitting outside an aboriginal shelter made of bent sticks

and leaves.

 

When we passed the wishing well in the park, we both made a wish.

I wonder what Skin wished for?  What do YOU think?

PARONELLA PARK

On Saturday, we had a wonderful visit to Paronella Park, not far from Mission Beach.

In 1929, Jose  Paronella, a Spanish immigrant, bought 13 acres at Mena Creek and started to build his dream.....a castle. He not only built his castle by a spectacular waterfall but also a picnic area, tennis courts, a tunnel of Love, a house for his family, bridges, a hydro-electric plant , refreshment rooms, changing rooms, fountains, movie theatre, icecream parlour, a ballroom....the list goes on.

Now it is a place of fairytales mirroring a dream that came true.

Skin loved discovering the secret nooks and crannies of the buildings and looking at the waterfall.

 

What a fabulous day!

THE CRYSTAL CAVES OF ATHERTON

Today we woke up early at Lake Tinaroo, not far from Atherton, and Skin said he could smell petrol.

I am so pleased he told me because I have no smell worth mentioning.

So we drove into the town of Atherton and left the van with a Holden mechanic while we visited....

THE CRYSTAL CAVES........

As you can see we are both wearing safety helmets in case of falling rocks. We were also wearing jackets because we knew that it would be cold and damp way down in the caves below.

The first crystal that took our eye was an ENORMOUS CRYSTAL BALL.

It was in fact, Australia's largest quartz crystal ball and we both tried to look into our futures.

I saw a wonderful celebration coming up for me. I wonder what it will be?

Skin saw himself sitting on a crystal that turned out to be the world.

How could a banana sit on top of the world?

These are Sonora Desert, Selenite crystals or Gypsum, from Mexico.

Skin was a bit worried having to have his picture taken beside dead fish. These are Spoonfish fossils from Brazil.

Then we spied ...THE EMPRESS OF URUGUAY, THE WORLDS BIGGEST AMETHYST GEODE.

It is 3.27 meters high and weighs 2.7 tonnes!A geode is formed when a volcano erupts and the lava makes dish like forms that crystallize in the 'curved shape' inside.

A CLOSE UP SHOT........ Look at the brilliant amethyst crystals.

This ammonite shell looks as though it should have Venus appearing from it.

Skin sat in a fairytale crystal, beautiful pink rose Quartz.

Hanging from the top of the cave were magical crystals, twirling in the light.

Skin knows that Chris and her grade 3/4 at Kongwak will love seeing the Crystal Caves visit, because they know a great deal about crystals themselves.

What an amazing diversity of crystals  the owners, Rene and Nelleke Boissevain have collected for their caves over the years.

Just as well the van was out of action today or we may never have had this 'out of the world' experience.

We would like to congratulate Rene for his work and thank him for our tour and chocolates!

THE ROAD TO TINAROO

Today we left Mareeba, 'Where the Rainforest Meets the Outback', and Australia's Coffee Capital, producing over 90% of Australia's total crop. Other crops grown in this area are 'Skin's relatives,' mangoes, lychees, paw paws, exotic tropical fruits,, watermelons and peanuts.

We stopped at a Distillery where they not only make liqueurs out of fruit and coffee, but also grow BIG BANANAS.

Here is a plantation full of Skin's relatives.

 

 

The bananas are picked when green and hung by their huge stalks on hooks and travel around on a circle to be picked by 'Skin pickers' at the end of the line.

 

Can you see Skin with his cousins?

HERE IS A CLOSER SHOT....

After they are picked, the bananas are washed...

 

And then put into boxes to be transported to shops just like this one....

The bananas turn yellow during their journey because they are so excited to be nomads!

This area also grows peanuts and there are hundreds to sit on, or try!

Skin met Paul Peanut at the Peanut Place.....

 

 

 

What a GREAT DAY WE HAD!!!!

Karnac Gallery

While we were at Wonga Beach we went to the Karnac Art Gallery and amphitheatre where you can hear the music of inspiring singers and bands. It has been built so that the acoustics, or sound travel, is ideal for the audience.

 

 

 

 

This is the materialized dream of a woman called Diane Cilento, who

is a famous actor and singer herself.

Skin sat in the middle of the stage and pretended that he was a famous singer.

 

Can you see him?

 

Karnac has a gallery filled with beautiful things from Morocco and Egypt.

Allen and Skin had a rest in the colourful chairs.

 

 

The amphitheatre looks out over a lagoon with floating lotus plants.

We had a lovely visit while Ted took off to play golf.

Unfortunately we lost him for many hours and finally found him sitting in his chair back at the van having a refreshing drink.

  This is the first time that Skin has not been the one in trouble!!!!

 

 

   HA! HA! HA!...................

KURANDA AND MAREEBA

We spent two nights at a bush park called...........

.

It was quiet and peaceful and Skin kept his eyes on a bush turkey

 

that he thought might gobble him up!

BUT............

We left the park today without a scratch.

Our first stop was at Jaques Coffee Plantation in Mareeba.

As we drove into the property, a whole line of termite mounds lined the driveway.

 

 

 

Skin tried to climb up one, but fell asleep before he could reach the top.

 

We began our tour on the bean machine bus.

The beans grow on bushes planted in rows.

A giant harvester picks the coffee berries when they are red.

This machine sorts the berries from the leaves . The silver prongs shake the berries off the branches.

Then the berries are washed and graded and the beans are released from inside the berry. These are the coffee beans which are then processed and roasted and packaged.

Here is Skin sitting in a collection of coffee packets...

AND.....drinking some coffee liquer......

 

Look  at his HUGE smile. He told me that he liked coffee, but when he took a taste, he had to spit it out!

I had to drink the rest for him!

What a silly banana!

FAREWELL TO CAIRNS

Yesterday we left Cool Waters caravan park and drove to the Cairns Botanical Gardens. I wanted to have a few long walks before we set off around the mountains.

The first trek was a walkers track that seemed to have at least a thousand steps. Skin found it hard to climb just one of them.

Look at his little hat appearing over the top.

He had to stop and have a rest after this supreme effort.

The next walk was along a boardwalk through a rainforest.

It is hard to believe that this vegetation is only a stones throw from the city.

We stopped beside a pond filled with lotus plants.

 

Skin decided to have another rest.

 

What a lazy banana!

Then it was time to hit the road and make our way up the mountain to Kuranda, then onto Mareeba, Atherton and Ravenshoe.

This week is our 'mountain climbing week'. I hope Skin has not lost his pick and climbing boots, not to mention his helmet!