Black Tea with Shortbread and back to the coast

Hello dear ones,

after Julian reported about the beautiful Lake Tinaroo, I would like to write about what happened next:

Day 14: 03.09.2018 - Nerada Tea Plantation and Wongali Beach

This day of departure from the cozy Tableland started with an incredibly beautiful breakfast at Lake Tinaroo. Since we had left our camping chairs outside overnight, they were too wet to sit on. We sought refuge at a picnic table located directly on the lakeshore. The lake was calm in the morning sun, on the opposite shore a cow was grazing, and we watched as various birds - pelicans, cormorants, seagulls, etc. - began their day undisturbed. It wasn't easy for us to tear ourselves away from the beautiful scene and get into our camper.

Nevertheless, we started early towards the south and the coast. After about 40 minutes drive on narrow and winding country roads, we reached a tea plantation in Nerada, where we had planned a stop. Getting out of the car, the wide, lush green tea fields opened up in front of us, emitting a peculiar smell. We had heard that the rare Lumholtz tree kangaroos live in the wild on the plantation, and we were lucky enough to see a sleeping specimen in a bare tree crown. Apart from its long tail, which hung down like a little monkey from the branch, we didn't see much of the marsupial. We took the opportunity to have a quick look into the tea factory and sat down in the associated cafe to enjoy a black tea with a side of shortbread and a cookie.

Afterwards, we hit the road again towards the coast. We made a spontaneous stop at the Millaa Millaa waterfalls, where a natural pool was located at the base.

Finally, we reached 'Wongaling Beach' and chose a nice spot without electricity at the campsite. As always, we unpacked the table and chairs first and had a snack. Then we walked to the beach, just a few hundred meters away, on foot. Although the Mission Beach region is a tourist destination, there were only a handful of people there. The beach was our favorite so far. White sand, clear blue water, surrounded by palm trees. We took some obligatory vacation photos next to an extremely slanted coconut palm and then laid down in the sand to play a few rounds of Master Mind. Bathed in the evening light, it was a great way to end the day.

Back at the campsite, we gathered all the necessary utensils we needed for our dinner and took them to the 'camp kitchen'. Equipped a little differently at each campsite, there is usually a cooking area, a barbecue, a sink, and a refrigerator. When cooking, you share the area with other campers, exchange a few words, and may even borrow a bit of oil or something else. Here we ate our salmon noodles and enjoyed a glass of wine before taking refuge from the insects and retreating to the camper.

Day 15: 04.09.2018 - Taylors Beach

This morning, after breakfast, we sat on the campsite for a while because we hadn't decided where to go today. On the one hand, we didn't want to spend half the day sitting in the car, but on the other hand, there weren't too many attractive destinations until the next big city. We chose a campsite in Taylor Beach, which took us about 2 hours to drive to. We settled into our pitch and had the obligatory snack. Today we were both incredibly tired, so we crawled into the camper for a nap. Afterwards, we took a stroll to the nearby beach and played Mastermind in the evening sun. Swimming was not recommended here either, due to crocodiles and jellyfish. Because you shouldn't get close to the shore because of the crocodiles, there was unfortunately no classic sandy beach to lie down and sunbathe on. Everything took place on the elevated shore. It was very windy and I soon felt chilly. We went back to the campsite and Juli picked up a coconut along the way, which he cracked open. Maybe we'll have it with our muesli tomorrow.

Tomorrow morning we're heading to the city of Townsville, and after days in nature and deserted towns, we're looking forward to a bit more hustle and bustle in the city :)

Goodnight and see you soon,

Julian and Janina ♡