Sadly we are leaving today. I’ve loved it here and I think Simon has been very surprised how much I have warmed to the camping lifestyle. (The wine helped) We say our goodbyes, buy a few postcards and set off once more. We drive back to Daintree River and across on the ferry. On the way we pass lots of creeks including Devil Devil Creek.

The kids love this type of travelling and are so happy sat in the back of the Vee Dub chatting away, listening to music, playing their PSP’s and staring out of the window. The landscape is quite flat and very green and the mountains in the distance are constantly being engulfed by thick clouds. Although it’s not really isolated you can drive for miles without seeing much traffic and the “towns” are very spaced out.

We get to Mount Malloy and head for the pie shop. The pies have been recommended by a number of people and we’re keen to try them. They go down well but that’s more to with our hunger than the pie quality I think. Mount Malloy is a tiny place and the pie shop lady although friendly looks slightly on the scary side. The kids’ start singing the banjo song from Deliverance and Simon wonders out loud if the pies are made from lone travellers who get lost in this area. Whatever, I’m glad to get some fuel and be on our way!

We follow signs for a winery. The wine is made from mangos that are grown locally and we have to have a bottle. We have a taste first and settle on the dry version Yum! before setting off again. It so cool in the combi and we listen to The Dixie Chicks and Fleetwood Mac on the way. We are heading for Atherton and Lake Tinaroo and haven’t got much further to go now. On the way we pass huge termite mounds standing around 3-4 feet high and the same again in width. I’m tempted to get out and poke them with a stick to see what happens.

Its 6.30 now and we’re in the VW preparing dinner. We stopped at a butcher on the way and got some BBQ food. For 28 dollars we have got enough lamb, sausages, fresh homemade burgers and steaks to last us about 6 days. The campsite is lovely, right on the edge of Lake Tinaroo and we have a quiet and secluded spot. Simon and Ali cook the meat and me and Maisie make some packet pasta thing to go with it. When they come back Ali tells me he has given up wearing shoes. I can remember one of the doctors I used to work with telling me the kids would go feral on this trip and it seems like they’re almost there.

We have decided to spend a couple of nights here and tomorrow will be exploring the area a bit more.