A markets morning

We are lucky enough that the rising sun does not shine directly into our faces as it spectacularly illuminates the easten sky over the ocean whilst it claws its way out of the darkness. This means we slept through the entire scenario - to the sounds of the unceasing waves washing onto the beach below our bedroom. Last nights storms had the locals happy about the gardens being watered and the fact that the ensuing floods had dissapeared from the area as they set up their Sunday markets. To these we headed...up the Cptn. Cook Hwy through spectacular coastal hugging roads to Port Douglas - where the rich rub shoulders with ...the rich and the local hippies flog them ingenious stuff whilst they are doing so.

This place is a destination. Swimming it's own chic ambience the main strip feels like a Disney theme park, complete with it's own wild western saloon and expensive boutique stores. Development has gone to the extent of famous views being dominated by expensive play pens. Lunch with the Terns will only be meaningful to those of us who experienced it. The weather today was perfect. So good that we stopped off at Ellis beach on the way back south for a refreshing dip in the cloudy tepid water. Some local engineer has developed an ingenious method of keeping the crocs and stingers at bay with an elaborate array of nets, ropes, pullies and a huge winch mechanism. Now all they need to do is come up with an ingenious way to keep the water clean (apart from waiting for the monsoon - which is of course, a cop out).

Dinner back at the compound was a BBQ using yesterdays booty. We tucked in as the full moon slowly and spectacularly appeared over the ocean. With the extensive patio doors thrown wide open to watch it and the warm breeze wafting in off the sea this really is pleasant way to spend an evening.