Well, we managed to do over 1000km of corrugated, bumpy, bauxite-driving-on-marbles roads up to Bamaga (biggest town up in the very top of Qld). We drove most of the day on Friday, meeting other secondees up there (they had to work up there so spend most of the week there). We had a large funeral in town on the Friday, and business basically comes to a standstill when that happens. No meetings are held - things close - so Friday we figured to head out of town early. We also thought the "cease fire" - ie no music late, very little fighting and sly grog related activities, would ramp up after the 'sorry business' time was over.
It was interesting on the roads. We were really careful driving, it's all dirt road other than a few km of bitumen every now and again. It's pretty crazy.
We had a whirlwind race around the northern most point in Australia, saw all the sites, bought crocodile souvenirs - yes, it's mandatory, and contemplated a t-shirt with very funny croc hunting-four wheel driving - huntin - fishin - type cartoons, yes, they are very funny and original I know...except every man, woman, child and pet seem to be wearing them up there. Managed to refrain.
It was great to be somewhere with a cafe again - there isn't one in Aurukun. And a real restaurant - yep, you guessed it. Pity we could only stay there a day, Bamaga, Seisa, Loyalty Beach (we stayed right on the beach in cabins) are all beautiful. We checked out Pundsand Bay, where the tourist operation is one we wanted to review for the plan we are doing here, and also a cattle station on the way up looks like a good set up for one part of the APN program.
We are back into it tomorrow - only 7 more working days up here, and heaps to get done. Things should get back to normal now the big funeral has happened.
Photo's follow
Appow
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