CAIRNS

Sunday, 23 June 2019

Friday morning we farewelled the not so hungry midgies (they must have been quite sated after their feeding frenzy of the previous days!) and set out for the final leg of our trip north.  It was another magical tropical day – warm with clear skies and a nice little tail wind for good measure.

The highway was in good condition for most of the way, with some roadworks, but not a lot of trucks.  There was plenty of sugar cane to look at, as well as banana plantations to break the monotony.  We stopped for a lunch break at Innisfail and were at Big4 Crystal Cascades before 2.30pm.

The caravan park changed owners shortly after we departed last year, so some changes were expected.  The first big change was in the reception area, with a coffee shop (including rather nice looking cakes, plus ice cream!) just waiting for customers; the second (and will be the most dramatic) was that people now have to put themselves on site with no friendly guidance.  This wasn’t a problem for us, as we have a new site this year along the back fence, with plenty of room to manoeuvre.  However, it will prove very challenging once the park fills up and incoming clients have to manage with the long caravans and narrow roads.  There would appear to be a complete change of staff, the grounds look immaculate and it will be interesting to have a look inside a cabin when the opportunity arises.

We only set up the basics on Friday afternoon – awning out and mat down on the slab.  Then it was time to celebrate our arrival with a glass of bubbly and some brownies!  It was down to work on Saturday, with the shade walls attached, the rafters/lighting affixed in place and the future unpacked and placed.  It also didn’t take long to head to the supermarket for a major stock up of the cupboards and refrigerator; a trip to Rusty’s Market after lunch completed the stocktake!  Naturally, we had to stop at Movenpick for that longed for ice cream – it was well worth the wait!

Today has been a bit of a rest day, although we did manage to get to Bunnings for some more outdoor solar lights, torches and a plant to make the awning feel like “home.”  The highlight of the day, though, was sitting in the car at the laser car wash!