Mossman Gorge

I said goodbye to Noosa and was driven to the airport by my lovely — now former — roommates. What a kind send-off!
I also had to say goodbye to my noble steed that got me from A to B while in Noosa. I shall miss it. For reference, see the last picture.

I arrived in Cairns on 22 November in the late evening and had no time to explore anything but my shaky new top bunk. The only reason I can sleep is thanks to my beloved earplugs … 😅

Anyway! The next day I had a very early start to go on a Daintree Rainforest Tour.

Now, a little background on that particular rainforest:
The Daintree Rainforest is roughly 180 million years old, making it one of the oldest rainforests on Earth. It’s part of the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area, and is home to extremely high biodiversity — think cassowaries, giant ferns, and rare rainforest species.

Our first stop: Mossman Gorge.
Before entering, one of the Aboriginal guides gave us a blessing: he tossed a Melaleuca leaf into a fire, producing smoke we all walked through while he chanted. Then we made our way into the forest. We only had roughly an hour to explore — most people went swimming (blocking parts of the Gorge from my camera), but I hiked instead. I spotted a tiny spider, and crossed a suspension bridge that shook quite a lot under our feet. I didn’t see as much wildlife as I’d hoped, but I did find some cassowary plum: dark, egg-shaped, bluish-black. Fun fact — that fruit is very toxic for humans. Luckily, I’d already eaten a banana. 😅 Czytaj więcej