Day 9 - Friday 8th July
I'd set my alarm for 6am because breakfast was due at 7am. I tried the internet again and found that it was better than last night. It was a good breakfast with a choice of fruit and hot food. The bus left at 7:50.
Here we were navigating a narrow gravel road though the rain forest. Although this was challenging enough, it became more so when we reached a puddle at the bottom a dip. Mandy stopped and changed into 4WD mode and started edging the bus slowly forward.
As we progressed through the water, the bus rocked wildly from side to side. It felt as though we were going to tip over to the left or the right. Things fells off the overhead racks and crashed on the floor. Luckily nobody was hit by the flying objects. It was a tribute to Mandy's driving skill that we made it through OK.
There were a few more challenges for Mandy. For example, it was sometimes difficult to fit the bus between the trees and branches on each side of the road.
We reached Frangipani Beach just before 9am. This is beautiful spot with a sandy beach, delightful blue sea, a few palm trees and bush turkeys strutting around. Another great photo opportunity. Although there were a few 4WD vehicles parked there, the beach wasn't crowded.
The main purpose of coming here was to walk the final distance to the tip - the northern most location on mainland Australia. To get there, we would need to clamber up a rocky slope, then along a rocky path before heading down a more difficult rocky descent to the very tip.
We took it slowly and carefully. Nicola offered me a helping hand as we ascended the hill side and then along the top. Along the way, we stopped to take photos of the stunning scenery in every direction.
When we got to the descent, we decided it would be too dangerous for me to go down and so I sat on a rock and watched as all the others climbed down the slope and disappeared from view. I admired the scenery as I waited for them to reappear. It was sunny, warm with a few clouds but very windy.
Suzy was the first one to come back. She showed me photos they took down there including one of her standing next to the sign that indicated that this was the tip of Australia.
On the way back to the bus, Nicola held my hand most of the way and Judith was also hovering on the other side to help me too when I needed it. Tim was following along behind. I found out later that Tim was there to help Nicola if she wasn't able to get me back down by herself.
By the time the bus departed at 10:30, the beach was crowded and the parking area was crowded with 4WD vehicles. After a short distance, we stopped briefly to venture into the rain forest to inspect the remains of an abandoned holiday resort that had been destroyed by fire some years ago.
As we set off again, Mandy told us that the bus had travelled 1728km since it left Cairns last week.
Heading back along the narrow gravel road, we passed numerous 4WD vehicles heading towards the beach. Someone on our bus commented that it would hard for them to find anywhere to park now. The constant procession of cars made it difficult for Mandy to negotiate the narrow route.
Lunch was at a beach at Somerset - another pleasant location. Soon after we set off at 12:35, we stopped at a roadside souvenir shop called the Croc Tent.
The event for this afternoon was to be helicopter rides starting from a camping ground called Loyalty Beach. The helicopter had capacity for three passengers and so we were divided into seven flights. Suzy and I were in the third flight which took off at 3:15.
Each flight lasted twenty minutes. Initially we flew along the coast and then turned right when we got to the tip which gave us a good view of where we had been this morning. Surprisingly, there was nobody climbing the path to the tip and nobody at the Frangipani Beach. The flight back was over the rain forest.
There were no doors on the helicopter and the pilot had warned us not to poke anything out of the helicopter (like a phone or a camera) because it would be swept away into the ocean by the force of the wind. It certainly was windy. Although we were strapped in, I felt as though I could be blown out of the helicopter.
I spent most of my time holding on tight rather than taking photos despite the fact that the scenery was spectacular. It was quite an experience. The bus left Loyalty Beach at about 5:30.
On the way back to the hotel, we noticed horses and dogs roaming free along the road. Some locals were riding horses. We were back at the hotel at about 5:50pm.
Suzy wanted to have a shower but we discovered that there was no soap or shower gel in our room. By this time, the reception was closed and I managed to get one of the waiters in the restaurant to sort it out for me.
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