Eungella National Park

Took a drive about an hour north to Eungella National Park. Kind of a rain forest wooded hiking area. The big deal is to see a platypus. Which we did not. Did learn that a group of platypuses’ are called platipie. So there you have it. The something new learned for that day.

Did see a wallaby up pretty close in the forest. Miniature kangaroo looking critter.

Then on the excitement. If that wasn’t exciting enough already. We went zip lining up in the rain forest. Amonghst and through 10,000 fruit bats. 3-foot wingspan. As you go zipping through you disturb them and they take off in all directions. That part was great and I will try to post a vid I took coming through with all the bats flipping out. The route through is barely cleared and trees and palms are whipping you as you go through.

The operation there, however, was a bit flakey. Run by a married couple. Not to big on the safety aspect. Gear was a bit shot. No redundant safety’s like we have had on other zip line runs. No helmets. But they don’t collect the 60 bucks till the end. I think that’s on purpose. If you whack a tree and dump out of your harness they just say you weren’t a customer yet. Almost bailed. Especially after it started raining and he explain that now the brakes will not work. In order to slow down you have to reach up and grab the cable with your gloved hands. But don’t get your fingers pulled into the pulleys or they will likely come off. We all had a bit of a pit in the stomach feeling. But, did it anyway. Apparently the crocs have eaten most of the attorneys in Australia.

So on the way back we stop into a local watering hole for lunch. One old guy at the bar who immediately starts in a rant about the bastards who run the sugar mills and how he’s lived there for 20 years but still is not a local. Loco, yes. Local, no. Then a couple more local characters wander in. Lots of tats and not much on teeth. And one old gal who had a dog sock puppet in her purse and would pull it out occasionally and talk to it. Kid you not. Wished I could sneak a couple of pictures. Great BLT but it was a twilight zone episode. We watched the rear view mirrors for a while as we drove out of town. Not wanting to be in the remake of Wolf Creek. Google it if you want to get the reference.

So still blown in on the hard. Living in the O’l boat yard. Hoping to splash Monday. Looks like a one or two day break in what has been a ridiculously windy couple of weeks.

More explorations to come. But really need to get back in the water.

peace

M