Our Ancient Escape

I am dirty and stinky.  I am a dirty, stinky ragamuffin.  After three days of camping at Cape Tribulation in Daintree National Park, with no running water or any other modern convenience, I feel like a dirty hippy.  My hair has taken on a waxen sheen; if I didn’t keep it pulled back in bun, it would either stand on end from all of the grease it’s holding, or twist itself into Rastafarian dreadlocks.  I’m pretty sure I look like one of those college kids who spend their summers following The Dead, or Phish, or whatever jam band is en vogue these days, but the past few days were worth every bit of dirt and grime.

Daintree and Cape Tribulation are nearly as far north as one can possibly go in Queensland.  In fact, this is where the sealed road ends.  After that, it’s only a rickety, uneven dirt track leading to Cooktown, the absolute most northerly settlement this side of Australia, and there really isn’t much to see or do in those parts.  Come to think of it, there really isn’t much to do in Daintree, either, it’s just too remote, but that was kind of our point.  One doesn’t really go to Daintree to do things, one goes to relax and marvel at nature.  Sure, there are a few tourist traps like guided nature hikes and river boat tours to distract you, if desired, but, mostly, one goes to relax and enjoy being so secluded from the rest of the world.

Daintree Rainforest covers approximately 1200 square kilometers and has existed for 110 million years, possibly making it the world’s oldest rainforest.  It boasts animal and plant species that cannot be found anywhere else on earth, like the cassowary (a giant bird with razor sharp claws), the tree kangaroo (yes – a kangaroo that lives in the trees), and the idiospermum australienese, one of the most primative flowering plants that, until recently, was thought to have gone extinct 100 million years ago.  (Thanks, Bill Bryson, for bringing this to my attention!)  But besides being scientifically astounding, Daintree Rainforest is simply aesthetically magnificent.  With its towering trees, twisting vines, and canopies of green leaves, it possesses a mystical quality of ancient preportions.  I don’t think I would have been surprised if a triceratops wandered onto the road, munching away at the surrounding greenery.  Seriously.  Spending time in Daintree is like being in another world. 

And then there are the beaches.  Sure, you have to keep an eye out for jellyfish and crocs, but the beaches are magnificent.  (And marine stinger season doesn't start for another couple of months, anyhow.)  We had the pleasure of camping on Noah’s Beach, a nearly deserted enclave with turquoise waters and soft, white sand.  It was like being at our own, personal resort.  (Minus the swim-up bar and tropical drinks, of course.)  We did nearly everything on the beach.  We ate all of our meals watching the waves roll in.  We played frisbee, read books, and took long, lazy naps.  It was the perfect escape from reality.

So, as you can see, all of this was worth my current state of dirtiness.  Now, if you’ll please excuse me, I need to go get cleaned up.