#32 More Germans in Australia

As you could already gather from my last blog post, Engelbert and Angelika were visiting. 

After they rented their camper in Brisbane and we rented our Jucy in Cairns, we drove towards each other and finally met in Mackay. From there, we traveled together towards the north. 

We experienced a lot during the time we spent together, which is why the blog had to take a back seat. But now we want to catch up on that with this entry. 

As I said, our starting point was Mackay. We eagerly waited for them at the lagoon and waved at every camper that drove past us. When they finally arrived, they didn't even notice us, even though we were jumping and waving our arms like crazy. Eventually, we found each other. 

After warmly greeting each other, we went to the lagoon together to soak up some sun and of course, chat about the Australia experiences we had so far. 

All in all, it was a cozy first day. 

For the upcoming night, we booked a campground in Cape Hillsborough in order to see the kangaroos and wallabies at the beach at sunrise the next morning. 

Those who have been following my blog know that Meykel and I had been there before (blog entry no. 28). For Angelika, this experience was a big wish and definitely not boring for us. This spectacle can be watched over and over again. 

Our journey then took us to Airlie Beach (see blog entry no. 31), Townsville, and from there a bit inland, to the so-called Tablelands. 

We stayed at one of the most amazing campsites ever. By chance, I found the "Bonadio RV and Nature Park" on Wikicamps. The ratings in the app were good and a campsite only cost $17. So we went there and set up our camp. 

After a short time, we got to know the owner who actually had work to do on the property. We got into a conversation and for some reason, he offered to drive us to his river in his open little off-road vehicle. "The work can wait until tomorrow," he said. Typical Australian! 

He showed us the platypuses living there, which was unique for Engelbert and Ange. These creatures are very rare. And if you think that was all, you are wrong. After he drove us back to our campers, he got us banana pieces. And what happened next was new and exceptional even for Australia professionals like us. 

In his open campground kitchen, he fed wallabies and possums that live in the adjacent rainforest. The amazing thing was that you could feed and even pet the possums by hand (even though they are wild animals). 

One of the animals even carried its baby on its back and this one could also be touched. 

We ended this special day by the campfire with stick bread and marshmallows. 

Engelbert actually had his birthday the day before departure. Probably his first and only one in Australia. 

In the morning, he was woken up with a serenade and, as appropriate, he also got a cake. Then we went to the train station in Cairns. 

We ended the day with a hearty BBQ and a few bottles of champagne. 

That was the crowning conclusion of our unforgettable time together. We experienced so much more, of course, but these were my personal highlights. 

On April 18, 2019, we unfortunately had to say goodbye. Papa and Ange went back to Germany. Meykel and I will stay in Cairns for a little while longer before our journey through Asia begins. 

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