Bare Foot Tour

In the morning I didn’t wake up until 20 minutes before I had to leave for my tour, which was really nice sleeping in… it was sort of a sleep in.

I walked over to Gilligan’s and met my tour guide who I instantly liked because he just seemed super happy and funny.  Even though it was raining we all headed off to our first destination, Babinda or Josephine Falls.  Before we could even think about doing this we stopped at a delicious bakery to stock up on lunch items and breakfast!  Then we headed off to the beautiful rock formations and river, they are one thing. 

There was the option to go swimming or stay dry, the driver warned us that people sometimes tend to die here because of the rocks but it is mostly guys.  The local legend for it tells a story about two people from separate tribes that fall in love, the woman is already promised to the medicine man.  Either way they fall madly in love but the medicine man finds out and chases the couple for many days with his buddies.  The woman gets her foot stuck between a rock and because the man went back to save her, he ended up getting killed.  Her tears formed the rivers here today and her spirit lives in the waters and pulls men down to their deaths.  Pretty grim story to be told before swimming but a lot of us did it anyway.  I got to the other side of the bank when one of the guys, Canadian, said that this is the time anacondas come out to feed.  I kid you not this place looked like it was from the movie Anaconda and I was absolutely terrified to swim back across, stupid Canadians.  The sun was so bright and the water perfect I didn’t care for long and enjoyed the rest of the swim.  Even though I didn’t have a towel, the sun was out and warm enough to get me dry… mostly dry.  After a quick breakfast snack of fruit and tea we headed off to our next destination, Millaa Millaa Falls!

You can't really see the rock formation but it is pretty cool.

Anacondas...

Mushrooms!!!

So refreshing.

I slept the way there so there’s no reason to explain the drive.  At this waterfall there is a rock water slide and I was super excited to go down it.  The weather was so perfect when we started swimming and splashing around but then it started to drip and the tiny drips turned into a full out storm.  We stayed in the water as long as we could but our guide told us there would be a flash flood there was so much rain so we had to get out of the water.  It was pretty much like having a shower with all your clothes on, things got wet within seconds and there was no escape, I splashed in as many puddles as I could before getting back in the bus to go.  Back to the bus we went soaking wet and headed to another waterfall!  To Mount Hypipamee we drove and ate lunch on the bus.

Vine swing anyone?

Rockslide...

My turn!

My people!

So much rain!!

I am never leaving

Sucking in my tummy just a bit.

Our bus driver was hilarious and kept telling us all these random facts about things related to sex in the animal kingdom, for example the biggest female Maori Wrasse will go after the only male of the reef, eat his penis (he dies) and then she changes her sex and becomes the male of the reef.  Only really big females can do this because the male gets super big!  He also asked everyone on the bus if we are single and if we fold or scrunch our toilet paper… both were asked at the same time.  

This particular waterfall is where the Herbal Essences commercial was filmed, the one where she flips her hair out of the water and looks super sexy.  Each girl got to reenact this picture… I think mine is the best… not to brag or anything but the German that took my photo is super cute and did a great job of capturing my sexiness.  After so much swimming we were all frozen under the waterfall and needed the warmth of the sun!

Time for pictures!

So freaking cold!

I was not impressed with the temperature.

Rocks are awesome though

Yes I am a sexy babe...

So beautiful...

Can you spot the catfish?

Our next stop after this was another waterfall and a huge volcanic tube all in one place.  We got to the volcanic hole and our guide dropped a rock into it… the noise the rock made when hitting the water sounded like a canon going off.  He said that if anyone wanted a painful death of breaking every bone in their body and then drowning that this was the place to do it.  Pretty grim way to go if you ask me.  After that lovely display I walked barefoot over sharp rocks to the Malanda Fall, we all did a crazy pose while jumping in the water when we got there.  The Canadians and the cute German and I did some adventuring around the waterfalls before leaving… we got very close to some edges.  I hate to disappoint but this is the part of the trip where my camera battery died… I do have my phone though!!!  We all kept an eye out for the wild cassowary that lived near the falls but unfortunately, did not see it.

Volcano wall

Anyone for a swim...?

How amazing is this place?

The German photographer...

Inside a waterfall

Here come the blue skies.

Down down down it goes.

Before heading to a volcanic lake we stopped for beer and Tim Tams before heading off again.  Our guide told us all the things we ‘shouldn’t’ do at the volcano, like jumping off a branch into the water.  I was the first out of the group of guys to jump off this massive tree into the water; some girl of course couldn’t show them up so they all went in as well.  Then I dove off… and then jump from the tallest branch that only the crazy people jump off, I showed them all how I fearless I am!  All this showing off worked up and appetite so more beer and Tim Tams it was… for dinner.

Swimming in a volcano... check that off my list.

After some good chitchat and laughs we all loaded back onto the bus, homeward bound.  We were all exhausted but it was an absolutely amazing day!  What an experience I had today, I did it all barefoot too.

When I got back I had plans to see Kathleen and hangout with Jan and his friends but after I rushed out the door to meet Kathleen she was nowhere to be found, she wouldn’t even pick up here phone.  I messaged Jan and he didn’t reply either… I figured food would be a pretty good substitute for friends, sushi it is!  As I waited for my takeout, Kathleen finally called and our hangout was still on.  I grabbed my sushi and walked back to the spot we were originally going to meet at and then we took off to her place to change.  Jan still hadn’t replied by this point but we were going to go the meeting spot just in case.  We left and I was glad I would be able to say goodbye to Jan before I leave.  As we walked it started to sprinkle… that quickly turned into buckets of water pouring down, took only a minute before my shirt was soaked as well as my hair, looked like I just come out of the shower.  We sprinted through the rain and walked undercover; at the beach it finally stopped raining.  Not to my surprise the boys weren’t there so we headed in the other direction for sorbet and my place.  

Back at my place we played a game with my roommates that I can’t remember the name of but you pick a category and have words from that category on your forehead and people try to explain them to you and you have to guess what the word is.  It was really fun and I was really good in the animal category!  It was just about 11:30 when I had to kick Kathleen out and get sleep for my other tour tomorrow!  My roommates stayed awake much longer than me talking loudly with the lights on but somehow I managed to fall asleep in minutes… must have been all the swimming I did today.

Tomorrow is my last day in Australia….