I, Karumba!

We kicked up the k's to make it to the Gulf of Carpentaria, on the Arafura Sea, in the north of Australia (but in Queensland). So that's where we are, having a relaxing time at the Sunset Point Caravan Park.

Surprise!

We left sunny Cairns for blazingly sunny Mount Surprise, as we start our journey to the mysterious town of Darwin. We typically arrive between 4 & 5 PM, to minimize killing 'roos and to shop for food, but Mt Surprise has no grocery stores, or much of anything else except three caravan parks, which may have a lot to do with its name. We'll provide more details about our week in Cairns but for now, Rowan is resting from yesterday's dive on the Great Barrier Reef and Shirl is hunting down birds because this park we have rolled into has some sort of aviary. The photo is of Rowan's feet and some trees outside our van. That's all you get for now, little munchkins, until Uncle Rowan feels like getting up and doing more. Perhaps Auntie Shirl will regale you with a snapshot. Either way, you won't miss a trck anytime you click on Latest Additions under Detours. See it there, upper right?

Update on Sat, August 27, 2011 at 6:31 AM by The Untethered Folks

Decal for the caravan park we stayed in last night. Funny yet scary.There's not a lot to look at as we rolled back into the outback of Queensland. The little towns and littler roads between them aren't too remarkable, this little place being no exception.

We tore out of Mt Surprise like a herd of turtles after discovering a few fun little, well, surprises, in this town. We had a 'roo encounter while Rowan was taking a morning walk from one end of the town to the other (it's not big, so the walk was not significant).

Finally In Cairns

Gecko Done in Stainless Steel - Cairns Indigenous Art FairWe arrived in Cairns on Friday, August 19th, so this post is a little late. But we're in the northeasterly-most place we're likely to be in Oz-ville. It seems anticlimactic but it's more like anti-climate as we've been dealing with the coldest winter the land down-under has had in eons and we're now finally warm (during the day, at least). We thought this might be a little outpost of civilization but really it's a decent-sized city. (In fact, let me say along that line of thought: I saw Cowboys and Aliens at the local theatre here and the sound was the best sound I'd heard ever. Also: Great escapist film. I loved it!)

Cairns Casino with Nature Way Off in the BackgroundThe town is large enough to support a casino, which we walked through briefly then back out again. The main thing going on this week is the Cairns Indigenous Art Fair with some fascinating art and very cute native dances. While not as thrilling as Cowboys and Aliens, it still had its allure for us foreigners. There was a little parade and some fireworks also. Nothing to write home about, which is why you're being tormented with all the details.

Beautiful Blue Butterfly in the SanctuaryWe went to by train to a little town outside Kuranda, high up in the mountains. It was really fantastic to take a train that had created such a profound history of mining in this little outpost. Many people lost their lives as the precarious rails were placed one-by-one up the steep mountain. At the top was one of the most magical places we've see so far: A butterfly sanctuary where thousands of beautiful butterflies fly around all you! So many beautiful varieties would be within just inches of us, sometimes landing on our cameras as we tried to take pictures. It inspired us regarding our next place we might live to have a butterfly-greenhouse where our cats could play safely and we could go to meditate.

Even though we have a week here, we're keenly aware we have another huge leg of our Australian adventure to venture. Our trusty steed needs its 5,000 km/3,000 mile check-up here then we must gird our loins and corresponding butt muscles to drive to Darwin, which is 2400 km/1400 miles down the road. But let's not go there just yet.

We're Going to Strike it Rich!

What the maps app looks like on the iPadSomeone who we never met before and off-handedly mentioned you could go "fossicking" for Sapphires and Emeralds piqued our interest enough to completely revise our direct heading north and make a three-day bull's eye to the town of Emerald. Apparently, for only $20 we can get a bucket and "pick up about $500 worth of precious stones off the ground," (I kid you not, that is a direct quote), so while every other get rich scheme has failed miserably, this one is a winner! So, off we go inland for a while to a caravan park on Lake Maraboon, near Emerald, just down the road apiece from Sapphire and Rubyvale. As soon as we cash in our bag 'o stones, our entire trip will be paid for!

Update on Thu, August 4, 2011 at 3:35 AM by The Untethered Folks

Emerald Welcomes You! (Click on image to view larger.)We've made it to the promised land and it turns out there may be some degree of wiggle room in the promises of riches (thankfully, no promises regarding fame were made). Our little caravan park is on beautiful Maraboon Lake and Rowan amazed the Aussies by grilling using actual charcoal (look for Shirl's pix on this). They tend to use the electric grills provided and are deathly afraid of toxic fumes from the coals. (I told them that's what makes the flavor but it fell on deaf ears.)

Bring your dreams...and bury them here.Anyway, we went looking for the fabled gems only to discover others had been there before us, something we had not considered plus Rowan was not made aware that "fossicking" involves getting one's hands into the dirt and mud where the prizes are hidden, which meant this was a no-go without latex gloves. Basically, the gem towns here are roughly akin to Dad saying, "Who wants to go horseback riding?" Of course, I do! Then, when you get there and on the old nag that's carted a hundred thousand other kids before you around the same hopeless rings of downtrodden grass, the thought you're not the first and certainly won't be the last, takes on new meaning.

Yep! We're now in Yeppoon.

Another Rowan (Click image to view larger size)So, basically, if it weren't for the ocean on our right and accidentally meeting people with opinions, we wouldn't know where we're going. That might explain why we're camped out at Kinka Beach, in the town of Yeppoon, after a grueling seven-hour drive to try to put some k's on the odometer.
On the way here, we had two nice little serendipities (not counting the Vegamite-Cheese Roll discovery). First was driving past then backing up to Rowan's Tech Services in Childers, a very small shire on the A1. Now, as you can clearly see, Rowan is a smart entrepreneur, a really good-looking guy, and (ladies), currently sports no wedding band! We couldn't help but stop to learn more about this innovative business. "We get a few people stopping here just because of the name," Rowan adroitly mentioned as the wife snapped some additional evidence of this tech consulting firm. He's lived here all his life and business is good. More important, I heartily recommend seeking out Rowan's services for any problem you may have, technical or otherwise, if you're in the Childers area.
Then just down the road a piece in Apple Tree Creek, is a 2000-bird sanctuary that Shirl explored while Rowan finished his Vegamite-Cheese roll. What's nice about the drive is discovering little places like this. We're seeing countryside, meeting folks, and coming across little gems like Rowan's Tech Services…and the bird thingy also.
Anniversary Dinner - Year Eight!Once we did settle in from our long drive we had one last item on our busy list: Celebrate eight years of marriage at the Bayview Tower restaurant here in Yeppoon. Shirl gave Rowan a beautiful stone from Yowah that had images of cats in it and a book on Fraser Island dingoes; Rowan gave her a boomerang-shaped pendant with opals in it,  also from Yowah, and a light by which to use with her new Kindle.