Heavenly Beverley : We're Going to Freeze!

We fly out of the Tropics this evening. I am currently being entertained by a very pretty, tiny bug about the size of my little fingernail. A solitary gecko has yet to retire after a busy night. All the others have gone to bed for the daylight hours. A large moth is deceased on the sofa. The humidity is once more intense. Sleeping in airconditioning is problematic. Kerri and Kev's guest room is huge and beautifully furnished but takes some time to cool down in the evening. Hence, Michael was quite restless last night, his body switching from hot to cool and back again. As a result, he has taken quite a while to properly wake up this morning.

The Wet is also responsible for turning our brains to mush. Physical activity is carefully considered before the absolute minimum being undertaken. Outside, shade becomes a necessity as we dart from tree to tree. Hats are mandatory. Inattention from both of us is rife. Losing keys, wallets, phones and cameras have been on a daily basis. Simple tasks become muddled. Michael was completely stumped on one occasion getting out of our hire car, Pink. He kept pressing the window switch and wondering why the door wasn't magically opening.

Cooktown, three hundred kilometres north of Cairns, was actually cooler. The wind was a constant companion in this frontier town, meaning that sweat did have a chance to dry and cool us down. Cairns resembles a shallow basin surrounded by mountains. The breeze tends to be much lighter, so damp skin and clothing are a factor of life there.

Yesterday, we declined to join Kev, Kerri and their mate Claude aboard their trailer sailer Lakatoi for an afternoon race. An excellent decision on our parts. We would have been perfectly useless, been in the way and succumbed to sunburn and dehydration. Falling overboard would not have been out of the question. Being a meal for a passing shark or crocodile or stung by a fearsome jellyfish were definitely unfavourable options.

Instead, we enjoyed a delightful lunch at the Salt House. Grilled barramundi and salad, with a glass of vino, was just the ticket. Following on, we endured the crush of Cairns Central to buy me a new suitcase. Michael was so impressed that he bought one too. He vetoed the hot pink luggage I was after and I refused point blank to consider the dreary black case he was favouring. We ended up with a bright orange and vivid blue bag each.

Then off the Cairns Botanic Gardens. The Butterfly House was beautiful and peaceful and planted with exquisite flowers and interesting specimens, such as pitcher plants and the Titan Arum, as tall as a tree and actually a lily. It produces a carrion flower which exudes a smell similar to a rotting carcass. Absolutely choice. Fortunately, there were none to smell and the Titan was just an ultra fascinating plant to observe.

After becoming hideously lost (despite being armed with a map), we visited a very interesting International Women's Day exhibition at the Tanks Art Centre. These enormous tanks, used to store fuel during the Second World War, have been restored and are now used for performance and visual arts events.

By this point, we both needed to sit and cool off. A banana, strawberry and mango smoothie each boosted our flagging energy. After a couple of brief stops, we retired back to Kerri and Kev's digs for a glass of restorative vino.

When they arrived back after an afternoon's sailing, they were shattered. Light winds had made for fickle and active sailing. However, they were not disgraced either, not finishing at the back of the fleet. After they had showered, we threw all our leftovers on the table and enjoyed a delicious dinner.

By nine-thirty, we were all in bed. Despite Michael's nocturnal movement, I slept quite well, until seven o'clock. At that moment, a neighbouring dog chose to woof. I immediately sprang to attention - I was convinced Ruby was requesting her morning treat. Once up, I decided to enjoy the relative cool of the early morning.

This last day was spent in the Art Gallery, followed by lunch at the adjoining cafe. The Gallery was cool and airy, with interesting exhibitions featuring two prominent printmakers. A third installation, named "Decadence" just gave me the creeps. After arriving at the Museum, we were introduced to an exceedingly enthusiastic volunteer, a young man from Mareeba, who volunteered on Thursdays. He led us on a twenty-minute "highlights" tour, which almost turned into a three-hour cruise. He had his route and his script and he did not deviate from either, even when we tried. In some ways, he did the Museum a favour, as we will have to return at a later date to see all the exhibits we missed, due to his excellent and relentless leadership.

The afternoon clouded over and there was only a whisper of a breeze. I was going to pack when we returned to Kerri and Kev's and were stymied by two situations. We locked ourselves out of the house and had to be rescued. The second was Michael's need for an afternoon kip. Spread-eagled on our bed with the fan blowing on him, he went out like a light.

Relaxing with a cup of tea, I am a tad concerned about our late night arrival in Perth tonight. We have become accustomed to minimums in the low to medium twenties. Beverley is expecting an overnight temperature of sixteen degrees. Not so long ago, I was laughing at Kerri asking for a blanket as we sat outside in our courtyard at home. Now, the boot has definitely moved to other foot. Where's a handy cardigan when I need one?!