Walkamin part I

Past few weeks have gone by so fast, it was just a few days ago when I arrived to Walkamin.. On first week I was in two different banana farms and also one day helping in zucchini farm but eventually I got a truck driver position from Dole Australia. I'm driving banana tops from two farms to packing shed in Mareeba. At the moment it's still a bit slow at farms so there's not enough driving for two drivers so I'm usually helping in the shed at the end of week. Farm where I'm living isn't any actual working farm nor a hostel but something in between.. Some of us help around our farm occasionally but mainly we're getting lifts to and from work. We've got 4 different houses in here and I was lucky to be living in the smallest one with two other guys, Jeremy & Paul (kiwi & scotsman).

On my first weekend others went to Atherton for a night but I wasn't really that fuzzed, I was just happy to be away from city and decided to stay in the farm and enjoy my privacy. On the next Monday I was called on a short notice to help in zucchini farm cause one of the girls was away in Cairns. Pretty boring day but nonetheless, interesting to see different kind of farms. Next day was my first at Dole. Job itself is easy as anything, take empty top to farm and swap it to full one, drop that to shed and pick up empty one.. Distances to farms are about 25km each way so not much to drive. Anyway, I was more than happy to be driving again, not any 'typical' farm work. By the end of week I was helping in the shed making cardboard boxes for bananas since there wasn't enough driving for two guys and since Ken is our no.1 driver so I'm helping in the shed. Yet again, easy as anything.. Next weekend we had a party at our house and what a mess that was the next morning.. ..and hangover didn't help at all..

Next week was full working week again and I've been helping in the shed as well. All in all, I've really enjoyed being here in rural area, away from all the hassle of cities. The view from our veranda is just so beautiful, especially during sunset, been just too lazy to wake up for sunrise during weekends.. Obviously, being back in the seat drives me forward and keeps me happy. Dunno yet will I head out this weekend to Mareeba, guys have said it's a fairly nice place. Maybe I'll go out with them, maybe I'll enjoy again my own privacy.. Can't tell at all how often will I keep updating this blog in the next few months while I'm working but sooner or later, new travels await for me.. ..where.. ..haven't really decided yet, only time will tell..

Cairns

Just past 2weeks in Cairns and not really a lot to tell.. ..pretty much cause of I was hunting for work and was running fairly low on money so couldn’t really party, not that I really even wanted. The first weekend I really didn’t do anything at all, I was just relaxing either in my bed or lounge sofa, road trip had taken pretty much all my strength and now I just wanted to lay down and do nothing. On the next week I started my first job hunting, without any results.

During the weekend I participated as a volunteer in Cairns Challenge, a triathlon around the city. Initially I was supposed to be stationed in Cairns city on Sunday but I was called to Yorkies Knob where the transitions from swim and bicycle run was gonna be. I was stationed to males changing room, helping competitors to get rid off their wetsuits and giving them whatever help they needed/wanted. After the transition from swim it was quite a long wait for us since competitors were riding 180km on the coast. Bloody hell, what a distance.. Transition from bike to run was a bit more easier for us, just helping guys with sunscreen and giving them a bit of water. After that we headed back to city and I volunteered to stay a bit longer, I was stationed at t-shirt booth where competitors got a finisher shirt. The next day we headed back to Yorkies Knob to clean the place. Later that night we went to help in athletes party as well. All in all, the weekend itself was a great experience and athletes thanking for our help was a nice feeling, we even got few free drinks from them in the party, neat.

At the next week it was again time to start hunting for work. Few close calls but nothing comprehensive and I was starting to get a bit nervous. At least one agency signed me up on the phone but that didn’t produce anything. Next weekend was gonna be a bit longer cause of Queens Birthday, Monday was gonna be extra bank holiday, so one more day wasted not being able to hunt work with full power.. On the next day I saw a advert in Gumtree that one job replacement agency was looking for banana punters asap. I wasn’t really making any hopes since I had been signed up for that agency for 1,5wks without results. Anyway, I decided to give ‘em a visit and - I got a job, oh yeah. Fairly quick call though, I was supposed to hop onto bus same evening and head towards my farm in Walkamin, about 70km inland from Cairns, between Mareeba and Atherton. I wasn’t really bothered, I just wanted to work. One thing that also annoyed me a bit was since this wasn’t a ’proper’ agency, just an extra addition to travelling agency, they charged me 90$ for the membership.. Cause of this quick departure I didn’t have time to take much of photos from Cairns and I couldn’t get any refunds from those 2nights that I had already paid upfront in my hostel but hey, work is work.

Road Trip : Archer Creek to Cairns

This was gonna be a day of waterfalls, Lou had planned us visiting in 7 different waterfalls and 2 lookouts on our way to Cairns. We we're heading to Cairns two days earlier cause Heidi wanted to jump out of the trip a bit earlier. Waterfalls in the next pictures are in order : Millstream, Pepina, Millaa Millaa, Zillie, Ellinjaa & Malanda. We also visited Souita Falls but I just couldn't get a proper picture out of it, a bit bad angle.. In Millaa Millaa & Malanda you can also swim.

After our tour of waterfalls we stopped at Curtain Fig Tree, nice little elevated walk around this one massive tree. We did stop at Heales lookout as well but just couldn't the other one where we we're supposed to stop or maybe there just wasn't any signpost.. It was really nice crossing over to the other side of Great Dividing Range, proper small and winding mountain road, a bit like in Great Ocean Road but lot more turns both ways, up and down. Once we arrived to Cairns we dropped Heidi at Esplanade next to tourist info and then us blokes started look for a caravan park on the other side of city. Once we arrived to caravan park, reception was closed even thou it was supposed to be open.. There was a note which places would be free so we thought of just driving in taking first free spot. Luckily for us there was only one spot left free and we parked there. Second last night in camper and our last cooked dinner cause the next day we planned to have pizza for dinner. I opted for sleeping in tent and Lou & Taavi slept in the camper. On the next day we headed north towards Ellis Beach, just about 40km north of Cairns. We stopped for a brekkie slightly too early, just about 2km before our intended spot. But the view was just something amazing while we we're driving so decided to stop as soon as we'd see a nice spot. After brekkie, a 5min drive to BBQ area. Lou & Taavi went to sit on rocks on the beach but since I didn't had anymore books to read I parked car next to a table and started browsing internet while admiring the view to the ocean, nice 'office' view.. After few hours we headed a bit more north for a lookout before turning back. This view was just something amazing, both me & Lou agreed that this patch of road was even a bit more beautiful than Great Ocean Road.

After this we turned back towards south and decided to head up the mountains again, to Kuranda. What a nice patch of mountain road again going up the range, I was really enjoying driving that day. Once in Kuranda we took a small walk around the surrounding forests and after that we headed towards Barron Falls. Since it was the beginning of dry season falls itself didn't have that much of water in them but the view was still a gorgeous one. We took a small walk via elevated walkway to lower lookout and admired the view for a awhile before it was time to head back to Cairns. We tried to fit in the same caravan park as previous night but it was full so we had to go for a nearby park. We had pizza for dinner and exchanged our photos from cameras to laptops and memory sticks. On the next morning it was time to start packing up. I felt a bit strange, not really sad nor too happy, something in-between, after all it had been a full month on the road and today it would all be over. Taavi & Lou were going to a hostel a bit further from the centre and I had opted for a hostel right on The Esplanade. Quick car-wash, dropped our bags into hostels and then it was me & Lou dropping camper close to airport. We walked from there to our hostels since it was only 2km for Lou and about 4km for me. Last bit of my walk to hostel I felt a bit odd, what next..?

All in all, during 30days on the road we drove 9500km out of which I did about 5700km. As an experience the whole trip was just something that I will never forget and I'm pretty sure everyone that has done a similar kind of trip will feel the same as well. If you ever have a chance to come and visit this beautiful country & continent and do some kind of road trip my advice would be, just do it! If you are even thinking of applying a visa, think no more, just do it and hop on the plane. You'll thank yourself later on.

Road Trip : Camooweal to Archer Creek

On the next day we were heading for Mount Isa for re-stocking, laundry & internet. I also popped at Queensland Transport Office to enquire about transferring my European licence to Australian one. We took also small drive to the town lookout. Gotta say, after seeing quite a few outback towns, Mt. Isa really felt nice, I wouldn't mind moving here some day. Our next destination was Cloncurry from where turned north towards Normanton. All of us wanted to avoid coastline between Townsville & Cairns cause all of are plannin to do road trip in east coast at some point so we decided to take inland route to Cairns. We parked up fairly early, again in-the-middle-of-nowhere, right next to highway and yet again we had the whole place to ourseves. Me & Taavi we're sittin on our chairs next to highway reading our books, what a way to chill out. Most of the few passing cars waived and honked at us, nice.

Next day we explored Normanton a bit and then decided to head towards coast, to Karumba. We found nice and fairly cheap caravan park next to beach. Others bought some prawns, barra & salmon from town for dinner but I wasn't so fuzzed about seafood that day so I just opted cooking by myself in camper while others were having BBQ at the beach. After few hours guys came back and Taavi was a bit blooded, he had slipped on the rocks and hurt his hands. Apparently he even felt a bit dizzy, reckon he had a wee concussion but luckily no broken bones. Obviously, he called it an early night and I was again the last one to go to bed, I stayed few hours online since reception area had a free wi-fi, not a very common thing in Australia.

On the next morning we we're on our third last leg towards Cairns. Re-fuelling in Normanton and then towards Croydon where we would have a lunch break and take a look at Lake Belmore. At first we stopped at tourist information center and how lucky we we're again - tour bus had just left and they had some extra sandwiches as leftovers which we're offered to us. Again, what a nice persons these aussies are. After our wee lunch we headed for Lake Belmore where Taavi & Lou went for a swim. We spent quite a long time at the lake after heading for our next camping site, Cumberland, about 130km from Croydon. On our way there was again few single-lane parts on highway and even a single-lane river crossing. Our camping ground itself was a bit random area next to some historic site with chimney and a small billabong next to it. Guess I had become a bit tired of taking photos of our camping grounds lately, more or less they're all about the same with some exceptions.

After Cumberland we headed towards Undara Volcanic National Park. On our way passing Mt. Surprise we even found a free car-wash, neat. Well, actually, it was supposed to be used by cars travelling west but what the heck, since we had a chance, why not.  Eventually we arrived to Undara. Heidi & Taavi opted for a tour in the volcanic caves and me & Lou opted for a wee walk. We we're headin towards Atkinson's Lookout. On our way stumbled across few roos, one of them scared the shit out of us by jumping out of the bush just about 2-3metres ahead of us. That one was scared and hopped far away but then we saw two others, mummy and her joey who weren't quite that scared. They let us approach up to 5metres of them before hopping away, nice creatures. The lookout itself was nice but nothing spectacular. After all of us joining back at the camper we headed for one volcano where you could take a walk around. Well, others did the whole 2,5km walk, I just walked on top and back, just wanted to photograph more roos that we're down at the car park. Again, it was getting fairly late and it was pretty dark when we arrived to our camping ground, Archer Creek, about 140km from Cairns. This place was pretty nice but there was a busy highway right next it with a downhill and lots of traffic, road trains passing through the whole night and using their engine breaks on the downhill. Obviously, us guys didn't sleep that well in our tents.