Dry Tropics

We were sitting in a cafe enjoying our vegetable and cheese tasting plate when we struck up a conversation with a fellow Victorian (known as cockroaches up here). She was from Wangaratta and had just been staying at Carnarvon Gorge which she highly rec commended. Acting on her advice, and that of the Lonely Planet which listed it as one of their favourite National Parks, we decided to make the necessary detour. I'm glad that we did. The surrounding landscape is scrubby and dry, and a little uninspiring, but the gorge itself is wonderful. It has a 'Lost World' feel about it as the vegetation changes from gum-based to palms and cycads. We walked for four and a half hours along the gorge, and made 22 river crossings (some easier than others), and then finished up at a resort serving delicious food. The wildlife was completely unafraid and one could approach to touching distance quite easily. We are a little blase about wildlife, still basking in our success at Platy watching at Eungella. We took a recommended walk in the Blacktown Tablelands, but unfortunately arrived shortly after a bushfire. Nothing more clearly shows the difference in outlook between the Aboriginals and Europeans, than their respective reaction to bushfires. I've read that when the early explorers were downcast by the results of a fire, the aboriginals were exultant "Soon be good things to eat" I am definitely a European. We moved on to Rockhampton, and have ended up staying a couple of days. The city is very interesting, set on a large river, the Fitzroy, from which it derives its name. The river is rendered unnavigable by rocky outcrops which suddenly appear, and English settlers added hampton to make Rockhampton - but everybody here calls it Rocky. Rocky has a wonderful Botanic Garden, which by chance nestles under the final approach to the busy airport. While I researched the many interesting examples of tropical flora, Cecile was able to get in some quality planespotting. We then moved on to a tour of the Capricorn caves.

I have been watching open mouthed and disbelieving the reports from London about the rioting. Now I might have become a card carrying member of a vegetarian, lesbian, macrame-weaving, tofu-marinating, hybrid driving fraternity, but I must say that I would like to see these rioting little bastards given a good birching. I saw one of these thugs interviewed, and after admitting that he had broken into a shop, stolen a computer, and then torched the place, he said that he had done it "Becos we ain't got nuffin, we feel pain in our hearts" He'd feel pain in a few other places if I had anything to do with it.