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Townsville
So, sunny sunny Townsville! This, out of the whole of our 5months away, is the only place where we could find ourselves living!Bit of a gay name, but beautiful place! Im getting ahead of myself!
We were residing (oooh, there's my degree!) at 'Alligator Creek', the best camp spot in the universe as it was on national park grounds and had kangaroo's and wallaby's hopping around everywhere! Was so natural, we'd just sit their reading in the hammock with the picnic blanket out and see Skippy flutter by! The facilities were great too, had grill and hob so the first night we were there we made jacket potaoes!!! yum! We also got into a bit of trouble because that afternoon, once we had wandered around the creek - Queensland (north Oz) is full of creeks, but don't worry, no alligators in this creek! - we collected some wood for the fire! Proper campers! But we awoke the ranger with the smoke and were told, very nicely actually, that fires weren't allowed and that the wood should be left to do it's natural thing…and we felt daft 'cos he quietly said "oh and the wood won't light anyway as it's wet season" …IDIOTS!
The next day we decided to go for a hike! Was the best morning! We went for a dip in the water and everything! Check the pics! And after some food, poached eggs, mmmmmm, we headed to check out Townsville! Was a proper sunny afternoon! Was only a 20min drive from the site so not a problem. We parked up on the sea front and wandered down the promenade eating an ice-cream and looking at the parrots and cockatoo's in the trees!!! ! Such a pretty place! Loads of big trees and random pretty stuff by the roads. After that we had a look at the shops and had a well earnt pint! And then……..CHRIS GOT HIS HAIR CUT!!!! Looks good, still longish, but very tidy now! He says his head is a stone lighter. After that we got some chips and ate them on the sea front whilstwatching the sun go down over the seagulls that had gathered! What a lovely time!
At night we hung around for the football, went to an irish pub, and I volunteered to drive back so Chris had a few for me! Just a note on night time activity in Townsville, it's a student city so plenty of bars and stuff, and……..loads of MASSIVE FRUIT BATS!!!!! Seriously, I thought I was in a Hollywood film set and they were floating vampires around on wire, they were huge! I reckon about 3foot wide! Ugh! Fascinating tho.
Chris is coming over now, catch u all later!!!!!!(thank god, I can go to the loo!)
Hello there!!! Right, we decided to stick around in Townsville for a bit as it was a nice place and the locals were well friendly! The next morning we were up relatively early as we were heading to the 'Billabong Sanctuary' to see a load of native animals, and it was recommended by the lass who cut my hair!!! So, we got there at about half ten… at bang on the right time to hold a Kuala!!! As you can imagine debs was chuffed to bits and it was definitely a good start to a random Friday!! Debs wants to explain that they were really fluffy and smelt like old tattered teddy bears! Also, they sleep 19hrs a day because they eucalyptus leaves which have no nutrients so they have no energy! (still Debbie facts) due to their diet, they have evolved so that brain is only the size of your thumnbnail as they don't need it - the only animal in the world with such a difference in skull/brain ratio!
There were loads of Kangaroo's around the park and as you can buy a packet of seeds on your way in your generally hassled to death by them as they know where to find an easy meal!!!After that we hung around waiting as the people working there brought different animals for us to look at and hold!! These include a couple of weird outback lizards, a few snakes (including an olive python I hassled debs into holding as she caffled in Thailand… hehe) and a glider possum (right cute little thing). Then it was time to head round for some Croc feeding!!! THEY WERE MASSIVE!! Check the vids and pics!! We were told all sorts about them, for example that 40 people have been killed in 200 years and only 4 of them were tourists!!! Wont bore you with facts tho - its enough that they were bloody huge!!!
After the crocs we nipped back to the van for a few cheese butties, AGAIN, and a brew, then went back in for the cassowary feeding! These are like ostriches but they're descendants of dinosaurs!! When we were in Cape Trib we learned a lot about them from locals as they are common up there, although dangerous, quite a sight to see!!! So we had fun eventually seeing them & feeding melon and tomatoes to them - and it was time to leave!!
Back to Townsville centre for Deb's to get her hair cut, and then a 5 hour drive to Airlee Beach, which is where we are now!!! Will update you on here and the Whitsunday's Islands some time soon, where, fingers crossed, I might have seen something impressive under the water!!
Missing all, lots of love
Debs who wants a koala & Chris xx
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