Tuesday, October 29, 2013

The Gang Goes Their Separate Ways

The Roadtrip is over and time for the gang to go their separate ways for the next little while. 

Orla and Steph fly to Sydney to do their regional work. Minding babies and puppies. 

Eimear flies to New Zealand for work.

Katie, Emily and Jen fly ahead of us to Melbourne. Sure we'll see them again soon.

As for Katherine and I, it's off to Darwin we go.

Monday, October 28, 2013

Eating Jack Fruit in the Hostel

So Jack Fruit takes a bit of explaining. . . 

This one is about a foot in length and half a foot wide. Apparently they can grow to be about 6 foot in size. They are not native to Oz but were introduced from Southern Asia i.e. Indonesia.

It's outside is spiked but not sharp and has a natural sticky latex covering it so it is difficult to open.



Once open there are a series of pods with strings around them, The strings are edible but rarely taste of much unless very ripe (such as this one here which was taken straight from the bush that day) 

Grab a pod at the base and pull it out. The fruit is really strange consistency. It's soft, stringy, squishy and powdery all at once. It tastes amazing. Like a banana and a pineapple combined into one fruit. 

Inside the pods are large stones. They are poisonous raw so can't be eaten. But apparently are very nice and good for you once cooked properly. 

Skydive


One of the highlights of the trip was a 14000ft skydive.

Will be posting more on this later

Tablelands Waterfall

The girls
Orla, Steph, Katie, Jen, Emily, Katherine and Eimear





The forest on fire. This is done in controlled ways to generate new growth and protect from forest fires

Cape Tribulation

The Rainforest

Watch out for stingers


The point where rainforest meets the ocean


2 metre long Goana walking around

So many ice cream flavors to choose from

Mossman Gorge

Mossman river




The suspension bridge





Guess who knew the camera was actually pointing and who didn't

Rainforest walkway

Katherine cooling her feet off in the river

Part 7: last big drive - Airlie Beach to Cairns


The last big drive to Cairns
360 miles

Port Douglas




Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Whitsunday

The Whitsunday gang

Mikey from the crew photo bombing


All aboard

Boat panoramic


Sail panoramic

Weird angle panoramic

Enjoying the sunset

Katherine stealing my hoodie

Some of the Whitsunday Islands

Orla, Jen and Eimear doing a three person king of the world pose




The three country people; Limerick, Tipperary and Kildare

Our home for the 3 days

Whitehaven beach

Orla jumping overboard

Steph jumping overboard

Me and Katherine jumping overboard