3 April 2018 - Day 31 - In Brisbane

Alphonse prepared a huge mug of coffee before I left for the airport to pick up friends who were arriving from Mumbai and Delhi to join me on the New Zealand leg of Record Drive. Alphonse had warned me that time taken to reach the airport could be more than normal due to ongoing road works. To factor in the delay I left earlier than I would otherwise have. On the way I encountered an interesting signal that turned green for just a second or so, so that only one car from each lane will move on every 15 seconds. I reached the international airport and reached the short stay parking area without any hassle. I was able to secure a slot using my credit card; I was most concerned about the payment method.

A large number of volunteers were around in the airport to receive delegates arriving for Commonwealth Games starting in the Gold Coast from 5 April. The flights arrived on time but my friends were delayed for checking bags. I had booked an apartment in close proximity to the city called Anville Court. Last evening the owner of the apartment had confirmed that it was ready for occupation. But when I reached there I found that the apartment had not been cleaned and readied yet. I had to call up the owner and get them to send the cleaning person pronto because even the toilet was not in a condition to be used and fresh linen had not been placed for use. The cleaning lady, Nikki, arrived in less than an hour and profusely apologized on behalf of her company and said that such mess up normally never happens. The long weekend was to blame, I guess.

  

After breakfast of muesli and milk I drove on to the first sightseeing location of the day. I set navigation on Google Maps to Mount Coot-tha, which is the highest mountain peak in Brisbane at 290 meters above sea level. I drove through some glorious winding roads with tall trees and grass lining both sides. After driving about 25 km Google Maps indicated I had arrived at my destination with just a couple of wooden houses in the vicinity. There was no Lookout Point I was looking for. Then it struck me. I had not asked the Maps to take me to the lookout point. When I set navigation to that destination I was shown a destination another 20 km away, which I realized is the other side of the mountain! So much for thinking that Google Maps knows what you want to see and where you want to go. Destination must be specific. Else, you will land up on the opposite side of a mountain! The lookout point gives panoramic views of the city from one end to the other with the Brisbane River snaking through the city enveloping it in its very bosom. At a vantage point a plaque has been placed indicating landmarks of the city, the bridges and various developments.  The Mount itself takes the name from the stingless bee - ku-ta – whose bee the locals used to come here to collect. There are many walking and cycling trails in the mountain region.

Mount Coot-tha also plays host to the Botanic Garden and the Sir Thomas Brisbane Planetarium. The 55 hectare Garden is a relatively young one, less than 50 years old. The information center arranged a conducted tour for an hour with an amiable Jan leading the group. She pointed out trees and plants that are native to Australia and those of African and Indian origin. The Bonzai collection was indeed delectable. I was always under the impression that growth is stunted using man-made means, till this center showed how bonsai were the creation of hostile natural elements. The staghorn fern and hundreds of other varieties of cacti, boabs and flowering plants made for a fascinating array in the Garden. The cute Japanese Garden is primarily meant for serene contemplation. Large garden lizards were everywhere, even a python. There is a separate domed enclosure which is kept in more humid conditions to house trees and plants that require that kind of environment. Jan talked of the Foxtail Palm that was a native only of an Island till a Conservator of that region, against rules in force, cloned it in his background and paid with his job for such ‘unnatural’ propagation. The Foxtail palm is now seen almost everywhere in the world.

The Lone Pine Koala sanctuary is the largest koala sanctuary in the world set in a 50-acre ground. The sanctuary was founded in 1927 with just two koalas in them, Jack and Jill. The entrance ticket rate is a bit steep at AUD 36 for an adult per entry, while the annual entry fee is just AUD 70! At the ticket counter I was told that the slots for holding the koala had been sold out for the day and that I could only take pictures of patting the koala. The large enclosure has hundreds of koalas in them, of various ages. Most of them were either eating leaves that were strung out on wooden sticks or taking naps. There are a number of parrots, cockatoos, bats, kangaroo, kookaburras and owls in various cages set to a natural environment. It was education that the Tawny Frogmouth is not really an owl, but is misunderstood to be one because of its looks. There is a huge enclosure with over 100 kangaroos in them that visitors can freely roam around and feed. Many of them, particularly the wallabies, are curious and friendly. In one instance I found a wallaby with its head inside a paper packet held by a young visitor, foraging for food. The same enclosure has a few Emus that seemed most unafraid of the proximity of humans. Maybe they had got used to the attention. I had missed the Tasmanian Devil while on mu visit to Tasmania. I was happy to see a couple of them in this sanctuary. However, it was so sad to note that they are victims of Devil cancer that spreads with one biting the other! The wombat is another resident of the sanctuary, but being a very shy creature was seen sleeping in its enclosure. Freshwater crocodiles were also in a pond in the sanctuary. Platypus, the only mammal that lays eggs, is a relatively new arrival in the premise, being there for just 8 years. There is a feeding area for rainbow lorikeets that fly in there for their nectar tinged meals.

I walked through the Roma Street Park to the King George Square which housed the historic Town Hall. Two large bronze sculptures of lions guard the entrance to the Square, which was originally the Albert Square and was renamed in memory of the King who passed away in 1936. At the time of my visit the Square had a temporary public art installation of “One Million Stars”, which has brought to life the artist’s vision of life in the artwork contributed by expert weavers from all over the world, signifying light, hope and peace. The Albert Street Uniting Church is a heritage listed site very near the Square.

Canadian Club and Ramen chicken noodles with baked beans was the night cap.

2 April 2018 - Day 30 - Mackay to Brisbane

The Cool Palms Motel had excellent Internet connectivity and I updated all that I had wanted to. I was current, for the first time in this expedition. Possibly because of that, I found sleep easy to come by and I did not wake up at the now-used-to time of half past three in the morning. For the first time in the expedition, the day’s program was open. I was a day early in the schedule as I had cut down a day’s stay in Cairns, respecting the weather forecast. And, yesterday, when the lady at the reception told me about more rains, and even a cyclone, heading towards Townsville, I considered that my decision had been right. The additional day in Cairns was meant for visits to the Great Barrier Reef and the Kuranda Rail and raintree forest. In such weather visits to such places would be wasted and less than enjoyable. Maybe, His plan for me is a separate trip, sometime in the future, to such exotic locations. When I review the expedition I feel the power of the “unseen hand”. All through I had escaped harsh climatic conditions and I was either late or ahead of the cyclones, as in Darwin, Cairns and Townsville. The rains and floods had caused changes to my original program, but then, I was on the cusp of achieving something that had been a madcap adventure and, perhaps to some, totally unwarranted! That’s the might of God’s Will – It’s not by My Will, but by Thy Grace.

By 6.30 am I drove on to the Bruce Highway, A1, in light rain for a drive that did not have a destination. I told myself that I would drive up to some place where I felt comfortable to, maybe 600-700 km. which would leave me with about 300 km to Brisbane. Rain was moderate to heavy for the first 300 km and traffic conditions warranted caution as the roads were busy too. This is definitely the highway stretch I have come across the maximum traffic over the past month. The long weekend contributed to it, in a large measure. I could make out that most of them were returning after vacation – the condition of the cars and what many of them towed told the whole story.

Sarina, the sugar town, is a small, picturesque town south of Mackay. The town has been named after the Greek enchantress and is one of the largest suppliers of ethanol and is in close proximity to one of the largest coal distribution points in the world, Hay Point. The town has a charm that made me drive extra slow through it. Intermittent to heavy rainfall with it affecting visibility in some places made the traffic slow down a bit. In one of the initial plans I had chalked a day’s stay at Rockhampton. Why was that? Cricket and Tennis had been a steady diet while growing up. There was a romance attached to these games, in the past more than now, I feel. Those were the days when TV had not yet stolen the descriptive images and sequences one formed in the mind from the glorious radio commentaries of a Brian Johnston, John Arlott, Jack Fingleton or Alan Macgilvray. The neighbor’s Murphy radio was the most prized possession in my world of those days. Similar to the excitement of the Ashes series was the annual tennis events of Wimbledon and other Grand Slams. The exploits all over the world on the tennis court by Aussie stars of those days like Rod Laver, Ken Rosewall, Lew Hoad, John Newcombe, Tony Roche, Roy Emerson and Margaret Court were closely followed. The unassuming Rod Laver was the toast of the world in the 1960s, for to this day, no one has repeated his feat of two calendar year Grand Slams. His career was ‘interfered’ with by the Open Era controversy. Else, his achievements would have been unbreakable, like that of Sir Donald Bradman, another Aussie great. He excelled on all surfaces and pocketed 200 single titles, which remains a record to this day. Besides, in a time when the Davis Cup was as prestigious as the Slam tournaments he was part of an Aussie squad that won it 5 times – an incredible feat, undoubtedly. Laver was referred to as the Rockhampton Rocket in tennis circles. And that romance, reflected in the itinerary I had initially planned. This day, when I passed through Rockhampton, billboards referred to Rockhampton as “the beef capital of the world”!

Plantations, greenery and smoky mountains are a feature of tropical Queensland. The pleasing landscape continued unbroken. The undulating, winding roads were a pleasure to drive on. Yesterday, Honey joseph had sent me the contact details of Alphonse Joseph, his dear friend, who stayed in a suburb of Brisbane. When Alphonse called in the morning to check if we could meet on my way to Brisbane. I had told him then that my plans for the day was opaque, at best, as I was not sure if I would be able to make it to Brisbane during the day. I promised to get back to him by 4 pm, when the ‘road ahead’ would be clearer. I reached a small town called Gympie by 4.15 pm and I became certain that I could make it to Brisbane before nightfall. I called Anville Court, where I was booked to stay the next day, to check if I could move in a day early. The owners of the apartment promised to get back with information if the apartment was ready. Additionally, I sourced a couple of other accommodations through booking.com. I did not confirm any of them, as I waited to hear from Anville Court about its readiness. In the meanwhile, I spoke to Alphonse and said that I could meet him for a short while before I left for my night halt in the city. He insisted that I should stay with him and that I need not make any arrangements for stay in the city. Sheeja, his wife, and Alphonse were ready to host a complete stranger. And, what a warm welcome they and their sweet daughter, Isabelle, gave me when I reached their lovely home in Mango Hill! I have no words to describe the genuine grace and hospitality I have been privileged to accept from Praveen Tomy, Ashok Nair, Honey Joseph, Suresh Sebastian, Shyju Abraham, Alphonse Joseph and their families and friends during this expedition. Truly, Goodwill Knows No Boundaries.

Sheeja had hospital duty and hence, after a bright conversation, she left for the hospital. And, not before saying that I should feel completely at home and use whatever facilities in the house I wanted to. Hospitality at its best. After freshening up and completing some documentation I was down at the dining table partaking of a superb typical Kerala meal with red rice, pork curry, rasam, rice, cabbage thoran and papadam. Dinner was marked by a cogent appreciation of the schooling system that Isabelle was undergoing. I see a bright future for this young eighth grader with a mature head on her shoulders. Sheeja and Alphonse had moved from UK to a small town in Australia, Hawker, with a population of 400 residents, where they served in the nursing profession for 4 years. Both of them have fond memories of that tiny town, but better prospects moved them to Brisbane, where they have been from 2014. They have a lovely home, well-kept and aesthetically maintained. And, I am part of this lovely family tonight.

1 April 2018 - Day 29 - Cairns to Mackay

Yesterday afternoon, as I was checking into the Caravella Backpackers accommodation, I asked the girl at the reception how long it would take for me to reach Mackay the next day. She seemed not to know the place and I found that very strange. I tried again and yet again. Then she got it. I had pronounced the name as “Mack-ay” while when she said it it sounded like “Muck-eye”. I do not know which one is correct. I used to follow a stout-hearted Aussie cricketer called Ken Mackay and always pronounced his name as “Mack-ay”. And thought that the name of the place also should be pronounced the same way. Anyway, I am headed to Mackay today, a distance, according to Google Maps of 730 km. I was familiar with the first 350 km of it as I had travelled over that stretch yesterday.

I did not wait long this morning after I had updated the blog to leave from Cairns. I knew where to deposit the keys and the gate that would let me out of the premise, as the reception was closed. I debated on whether I should have breakfast of muesli and milk. Finally, I abandoned the idea as it was too early for a meal. I took one last, long look at the esplanade before powering the car and starting off. I have only three more driving days before the expedition ended in Sydney on 5^th April – Cairns to Mackay, Mackay to Brisbane and Brisbane to Sydney.

It was less than 200 km to Cardwell, a gloriously picturesque place with the distinction of being the only town between Cairns and Townsville on the A1 Highway to be on the coast. I stopped at the boat ramp of the town and the views with the rising sun were glorious, to be economical with adjectives. In a distance I saw a jetty and decided to explore that part too. I found a martyrs’ column and tributes to the erstwhile aboriginal settlers of the place. Being Easter holiday people were out walking their dogs and having leisurely breakfast in cafes nearby. The place looked like a pensioners’ paradise. It is said that the waters in Cardwell turn muddy and become dangerous during the summer months with crocodiles, box jellyfish and sharks.

Babinda is another small town I passed by. The town looked stunningly beautiful and one of the billboards caught my eye. It said that the steaks in the town came from animals that were fed grass of that region! While this is also another sugarcane town the backdrop are the two of the tallest mountains in Queensland – Mount Bartle Frere (5300 ft) and Bellenden Ker (5200 feet). It also has the distinction of being the wettest town in Australia.

Right from Cairns through to Mackay sugarcane fields abound on both sides of the road. Mackay region is one of the largest sugar producing regions in Australia; it produces 420,000 tonnes of refined sugar annually. The extent of sugarcane cultivation can be gauged if one knows that it takes 8 tonnes of cane to produce 1 tonne of raw sugar! The sugarcane fields are served by narrow gauge cane trains to facilitate the transportation of cane to the mills within 24 hours of harvesting. These trains are active only for 20 weeks in a year. The erstwhile steam locomotives have been replaced by diesel locos. A single train normally carries up to 2000 tonnes and can be nearly a kilometer long.

It had rained overnight in Cairns and as I was leaving there were mild showers. They eased up in a while. But, after passing Townsville the showers became heavy and stayed that way right through to Mackay. Sometimes the visibility was dangerously impaired and puddles on the road made the car sway often. The high wind velocity added to the danger on the road. I located the Cool Palms Motel quite easily and fortunately, the Motel has covered parking. The room is very comfortable with en suite arrangement.

The lady at the reception told me that a visit to the Marina and Breakwater is all that I would be able to do in the town if, and if, the rain lets up. It did after about an hour and I took the opportunity to make a quick dash to the Marina. The road over the Southern Breakwater was closed to vehicular movement because of some repairs being done to the Breakwater. Pedestrians and cyclists were granted access. The Port of Mackay is essentially a bulk terminal supporting the sugar and mining industries in the region and neighborhood. The Port has large storage silos and a couple of vessels were being worked alongside at the time of my visit. The Southern Breakwater is over 2 km long and the walk was certainly good exercise for the legs. The Southern Breakwater provides a protected Marina. Perhaps, due to the adverse weather conditions, a number of slots in the Marina were empty. Interestingly, there are warnings about recent crocodile sightings asking people to keep away from the water!

On the way back from the Marina I dropped by at a KFC to pick up some grub. By the time the change was handed over to me I was handed over my order too. Express service as never before experienced. I must confess that the quality of the preparation was quite bad. KFC, never again, even with the Express service. It was too oily and the chicken too fatty.

31 March 2018 - Day 28 - Townsville to Cairns

Sometimes it beats me why even a comfortable bed does not help me to sleep a little while longer. A twisted body clock, maybe. As is now becoming a routine, I woke up a couple of quarters after three in the morning and I set about doing what I do at that hour. Write the blog. The coffee was just the right tonic to make the senses active.  As the blog went on the cups of coffee went on too. Once that was done I lay down hoping that I could sleep some more. But no, the mind just wouldn’t acquiesce.

  

After quickly gulping down a couple of croissants with strawberry jam I was at the reception to deposit the key and get on my way. Since I had enough time on my hands I thought of visiting The Strand yet again in the morning and I found that the place had been completely transformed. The entire place was full of people. I found it a bit difficult to find parking space. A remarkable thing I have observed in Australia is that the facilities meant for people with disabilities are never abused or misused, be it the parking lot or the toilet. The Strand gave off an air of gaiety – it was getting ready to co-host the Commonwealth Games between 5 – 12 April. There were teams, presumably from an event management company, in charge of all the arrangements. The Park has been closed for more than a month and a brightly colored fencing has been put around the proposed arena with plenty of multi-colored containers within the fenced off areas. Even then people - young, old and the in-betweens - were there cycling, walking, jogging, swimming, fishing or merely sitting around admiring the magnificent views of the Port, the Magnetic Island and the sunrise. The users of the facilities use them responsibly and hence, they are more easily maintained. Moreover, the liberal provision of bins to dispose of garbage, whether it be a park, street or highway, makes people even more aware of their civic responsibility. Even the BBQ facilities provided in parks and open spaces are never dirty – people who use them clean up after use and make sure that the next one who uses it will not have to clean up their mess.

It was but natural that there would be a lot of speed restrictions between Townsville and Cairns as the Bruce Highway/A1 had been affected quite badly by the recent floods. In fact, I found that the most affected had been the Townsville to Ingham section of about 120 km. However, the entire drive from Townsville to Cairns was eye-catching – miles and miles of greenery with hills draped in virile green fineries and sugarcane plantations, banana and mango farms, watermelon and papaya cultivation. The weather conditions are typically tropical with large leafy trees and plants, orchids and bright colored flowers wherever you turn. I got the feeling of travelling through the South East Asian countries, particularly Malaysia and Thailand. What really turned my head was the absolutely marvelous waterfront town of Cardwell. I could only drive through this time but I have marked it for a short halt on the way back, when I head to Mackay tomorrow.

I had booked, cancelled and rebooked accommodation at the Caravella Backpakers because of the situation I had faced in Normanton. I had spoken to the receptionist at the accommodation and had been told that I had no option but to cancel the booking free, which I did. When the plan to visit Cairns was finalized the day before I rebooked a private room with shared bath. When I drove to the place marked by Google Maps I was awed by the location – bang on the waterfront esplanade. Just a road separated the accommodation and the waterfront; breathtaking. The girl at the reception took her time to check me in, explain the available facilities to me and give me a brief of what I could do in the evening. But, as at that time, it was hot and humid and I thought of catching up on my nap after lunch. The communal kitchen was already getting busy with young boys and girls in various stages of serious cooking. I didn’t find anyone cooking anything similar to Ramen noodles! Some of them were cutting, chopping and sautéing vegetables in olive oil and making salads. The Asian backpackers were making gooey things that smelt, well Asian!

The Esplanade is a happening place and the Park is so well equipped that residents naturally gravitate there. A section of the Park was meant for kids and people who accompany them – an interactive park for kids. I haven’t seen this kind of stuff before; must say that it is incredibly innovative and great fun for the young ones. The laughter and camaraderie amongst kids there said it all. There was another section for those keen on body-building, a kind of free gym with instructions about how to use each of the equipment. A section of the park has a memorial for the soldiers martyred in wars and another commemorating the part played by Cairns in hosting the 1956 Melbourne Olympic Games. A couple of areas had large barbeque centres and in one a massive birthday party was being held for a giggling young one. The trees were all decked up and the birthday gift, a bicycle, was unwrapped and displayed. The most interesting part of the park is the beach and pool. An artificial pool has been created in the park with proper beach atmosphere – sand, lifeguards, beach umbrellas, et al. What a magnificent way of entertaining the citizens. At first, when you hear about the tax rates in Australia you get a bit stunned. But, when the facilities that are available to the citizen is juxtaposed there is pretty little to complain. Money is not wasted in the effort to govern, as it is in India. Every cent spent in administering the State or the Council has to be accounted for to the satisfaction of the citizen.

I enjoyed a leisurely walk on the boardwalk of the Esplanade up to the Marina, enjoying the sights and taking in the beautiful views of the waterfront. At intermittent locations there are lookout points from where the waterfront can be admired. It was low tide at the time and many kids were down on the bed looking for crabs! All along the boardwalk and the park there are toilets and places for people to relax. The Marina is where tours to the Great Barrier Reef and other lovely sightseeing locations take off from. The Helipad is also near the Marina. Services were suspended because it had started raining and was way too windy for safe operations. Agents were soliciting customers for sunset cruise – I found no merit in that because it was overcast and there was hardly a sight of the sun that would set in glory.

I made my way through the many cafes and restaurants that had become busy on Easter eve. The cuisines gave off various smells – Indian cuisine seemed popular and I spotted at least five Indian restaurants during my three hour walk. There were quite a few street artists too. The most fascinating one was a young boy playing the traditional Didgeridoo wind instrument. The melody was truly haunting. The Night Market and Food Court had swarms of people in them looking for traditional items to be taken home as gifts or great food deals. I was bewitched by the store that sold magnetic wiggle creatures made of pistachio nuts – amazing, to say the least. A food store advertised a ‘take all you can’ deal. The enormous portions of seafood that people took in their plates took my appetite away. The Bolands Centre at the intersection of Spence and Lake Streets is an iconic building which housed a boutique departmental store between 1913 and 1963. The Rusty’s market is a must visit in Cairns with fresh food and bargains. I looked for a Woolworths and got there. The intention was to find some good liquor deal, being Easter eve! I found a 10 can pack of the Canadian Club and my day was done. When I was picking up some hot cross buns I heard some chatter in Malayalam. I went to the couple and introduced myself. They had come on Easter holiday from Brisbane.

I had to drag my feet to get back to the accommodation. My feet had to be rested and the thirst quenched. I did both in the common area of the Backpackers and found interesting young men and women there – two 29 year old women from Germany on a nine-month tour of the world, a 30 year old Belgian guy scouting for talent he would be shortly hosting, many Asians on a whirlwind tour of Australia, etc. It is indeed a very homely place and I would recommend it to anyone on budget travel. For me, it was Canadian Club and Turkey Spam before bed.