Jaye Marie and Anita Dawes

*

…The drink has stirred up my emotions and memories

of the trip flick through my mind in no particular

order but return, time and again, to Cardwell…

*

Its waterfall and rock-pool.

The water, black as death.

The surrounding rock formation – a she-bear and her cub.

*

The Goanna lured by our breakfast eggs left out

on a tree stump, impatiently bounding up the trunk

of a pine on our return, its hoarse bark summoning

a solitary rain cloud to facilitate its escape.

Jed and I dashing to the cab of the van to finish our

meal, again!

*

The trip out to Hinchinbrooke Isle with

its section of rain forest, and then the rain…

eternally beating out time on the roof of our caravan.

*

‘What’s the difference between forest

and rain forest?’  Jed asked our guide.

*

I am still unable to explain scientifically

but…