THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED

Guest Post by Lisa Jouris

This past trip took me from the busy metropolis Auckland, New Zealand to the "road less traveled" into Far North Queensland (FNQ), Australia. It like felt an incredible release to get away from the city and to be immersed into pure natural splendor.


It seemed that no matter where we turned, beauty surrounded us. Our little private bungalow was off the beaten path in the rolling hills of Julatten. We were surrounded by wild birdlife that provided a non-stop concert throughout the day and into the night. Even our daily trips into the resort town of Port Douglas took us past endless rows of sugar cane that seemed to stretch for the sky.


The real discovery of this incredible region really began when we left the paved road behind and took the 80 km off-road journey through the World Heritage Rainforest of Cape Tribulation/Daintree via the Coast Road. We meandered along the rugged roads through intensely lush forests and rocky creek with the windows rolled down. Ah… fresh dewy earthy air.


After briefly visiting the quaint historical town of Cooktown (James Cook discovered it in 1770, while seeking as a safe Haven for his damaged HM Endeavour), we took the Mulligan Highway back to our destination. The 265 km road seems to stretch for miles through open grassy fields and high mountains. We stopped at the Annan Gorge to listen to the roar of the rushing water just at sunset. After the sun dropped, our ride home presented a new challenge for us city folk. Cattle roamed the vast open land freely and into the roads. It slowed our travels down a bit, but this was all part of the experience in the great Outback life of Australia.


Our trip to FNQ, Australia presented an opportunity to re-connect to Mother Nature and explore the great Australian Outback. It is a trip worth taking if you get out this way to the land “Down Under”.