4• Undara – Cooktown

As the weather has been overcast for the last few days, we were hoping for some good rain to wash out all the dust accumulated until now. Our wishes came through but unfortunately at the same time we had left the few bitumen bits for unsealed dirt roads again. Dust turned into mud…!

The selected road from Undara to Blencoe Falls and the Atherton Tableland became quite slippery and challenging at times.

After five days of light rain and no sign of change (our tent sustained the rain well) and coping with the flue, we decided to seek the sun again and drove back inland instead of continuing straight up north towards the Cape.

With the weather finally improving on the Coast, we made our move to Cooktown via the Cape Tribulation and Bloomfield tracks. Some more scary parts with up & down, slippery and winding slopes up to 31%!. Apparently a good training being indicative of the rough patches to come further up the Peninsula.

This leg of the trip was accompanied by some disturbing noise from our car. So we decided to pay a visit to the mechanic in town. Three days and new CV joins later, the car is now ready to help us pursuing our aim to touch the northern tip of the continent. There are still some concerns on the drivers’ side though, not only regarding track conditions, creek crossings,… but also the possible encounter with the so many lovely creatures leaving on the Cape (crocodiles, bugs, snakes,…). We already got a small fright with only a cane toad that decided to spend the night in one of Jean-Philippe’s shoes. Surprising sensation upon slipping the shoe on…

In between the scary bits (still going through a big learning curve) we’re having a great time visiting amazing places, meeting people and indulging ourselves.