We mentioned yesterday that our plan for today was to visit Cape Tribulation, the sole confluence of two world heritage sites on Earth. In fact, that doesn't even begin to illustrate the significance of this area. The Cape, so named by the intrepid Capt. Cook (actually only a Lieutenant when he travelled to the antipodes!) when he faced the trials and tribulations of navigating through the Great Barrier Reef, serves as a gateway to the Daintree Rainforest.
This forest is awesome for thousands of reasons. Of the mere 2% of its area that has been documented by researchers, there has already been discovered several plants hitherto believed extinct, there are plants that can kill, maim and cure you of a host of illnesses within centimeters of each other, and growing within its boundaries are 13 of the 19 known primitive plants - those Eve-like plants to which all known vegetation can blaze a reverse evolutionary trail. Remarkable place.
After a morning spent there, we took a river cruise through crocodile infested waters for the afternoon. They really appear to be quite docile creatures, but our guide took great pleasure in describing in stomach turning detail exactly how vicious these fellas can be. One croc we met, Albert (I know), is believed to be 75 or so years old and has grown to six metres long. Big fella.
Aside from all that we learned a bit about Aboriginal culture. Of most relevance for the picture above, we encountered the Lipstick Plant, the fruit of which was used by the indigenous population to beautify themselves. Obviously we need no help with this, but if we were to paint ourselves up, well that's what we'd look like.
Thanks to all for the messages to the blog - we're finished in Port Douglas now and off to Cairns tomorrow.
