It was our twenty-third wedding anniversay on 20 July (!!), and we spent it at O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat in the Lamington Plateau. This was our second visit there, but last time we went in summer. This time, it was mid-winter, and during a cold snap. Like last time we went for an all inclusive package (excluding lunches), so we could do pretty much what we liked.
Dude, I’ve forgotten what it’s like to be this cold! All in all, it wasn’t too bad, except the mattress in our room was like a hundred years old and haaaaard, the airconditioning heater was ineffective, and they didn’t make up for it with extra blankets. Didn’t sleep too well as a result. But the food was great, the scenery breathtaking, and the ambience so friendly, I forgave them.
On our first day there, we encountered a young family who at first seemed perfectly ordinary, if rather hard on the child, a young girl. I made friends with her showing her some piano stuff. But the next day, they all joined us on a tour and we got to know them better, and the reason for the harshness was explained. The dad is dying of a brain tumour, and their trip was to give the three of them some good memories while he’s still able to participate. And the ‘harshness’ was really because the mother is out of her mind with stress and grief and worry, and still trying to keep it together for her husband and daughter.
My heart broke for them all. Did our best to help them enjoy that day and shared stuff with them. But I want to know in what belief system a so called benevolent god would ask for a ten year old girl to watch her father die in front of her like this.
Meeting and getting to know this family really affected me, and I won’t ever forget them, even though I won’t ever find out what happened. I hope they all get through it, in their different ways, as best they can.
We were otherwise lazy slobs, not doing any walking tracks (my leg/knee decided this was a good time to start playing up, apart from anything else, and there were intermittent showers heavy enough to make being outside a pain at times.) But we rewatched the Birds of Prey show, did the tours, ate all the best food, and marvelled at the cheeky birds. It was great, even if Doug did pick up a mild stomach bug on the day we were leaving (another guest was struck down with it too so it was going around.) He’s fine now, having milked it for all it was worth 🙂
So, birds. Some are from the Birds of Prey show, the others are from just around the guest house/our room. One bird I didn’t photograph (because caring for sick spouse) was an Easter whipbird foraging around right outside our front door on the morning we left! Never seen one before (Doug had but not this close). And yes he was making the whip noise all the time. So loud! There were also scrub wrens everywhere but the little buggers move too fast to photograph.
All these from the show:
Young male wedgetailed eagle
Brown falcon, ‘catching’ a rubber snake 🙂
These were birds hanging around:
A very cheeky Lewin’s Honeyeater on our balcony.
Male satin bowerbirds on our gutters.
Female satin bowerbird
Female superb (we think) fairy wrens. We never saw the males so the species isn’t certain.
Male king parrot on our young friend’s hand.
Mr and Mrs King Parrot
Male and female regent bowerbirds.
To finish off, scenery!
View from our window, towards Mt Lindsay
View over the valleys behind the resort
Sunset seen from the guesthouse on our last night there
Though the fog was rolling quickly!
Red-necked pademelons were everywhere 🙂
In two weeks we’ll be off to Canada, where I hope to meet Carrie at least. Maybe others? 🙂
I like the satin bowerbirds. They look soft and cuddly. I like their name, too. That sounds like an ideal trip, except for the being very cold part. I don’t mind chilly vacation weather but too cold to sleep–that’s not good. Still, seems like you had a memorable time. We only went out to dinner on our anniversary.:) I hope your flight to Canada is safe and easy.
They’re not really cuddly, and the males and females fight all the time. Some of the sleep issues may have, ahem, been due to too much alcohol the first night (half a bottle of really good sparkling Semillon from their own vineyard.) The second night I managed to almost get the heating right, and the last one was almost comfortable 🙂 Just glad I travel with my own pillow these days!
Wish I was seeing you in the USA 🙁 One day, I hope.
We almost moved to Seattle a year or so ago. Sometimes I regret that we didn’t. Nicer area of the US.
If my husband ever tries to drag me (he’d have to, as I hate flying) to Australia, I’ll let you know.:) (I’m not much fun in person, though. Don’t talk much.:))
I travel with my own pillow, too! When I travel. Strange pillows are always nasty.