Today's adventure was, I believe, the most adrenalin-fuelled of of the week and after a more modest 8:30 pick up (yes, I was first again!) we headed north out of town. I'm getting to know this road well as it seems to be the same way to all of the local attractions - the Sightseeing Bus, Cape Trib and Port Douglas, Tjapukai, the Skyrail, Kuranda and the Atherton Tablelands. Did I mention that the ballon ride was over the Tablelands? I think I only mentioned Mareeba...
Delightfully we turned off the main road towards Yorkees Knob (good job too as the traffic was awful beyond that roundabout!) but we weren't lucky enough to venture all the way there as we made a quick turn into Blazing Saddles.
After signing my life away, we got helmeted up and were given a quick briefing on how our transport for the morning worked - the quad bikes! Incredibly straightforward, the bikes were set up for us, all we had to go was jump on, make sure our feet didn't interfere with the preset positions of the pedals and push the accelerator with our right thumb. (There was slightly more to it than that, we were warned against various behaviours which would result in the bike rolling or zooming from underneath us!) With the warnings at the fore of my mind, I tentatively left the farm-like storage shed and set off round the dusty track.
As we were driving round, our guide was assessing our ability but before we'd set off he'd shown belief in us, assuring us that we'd be able to stick to the 250cc 'big' bikes rather than be relagated to the 90cc 'small' bikes.
Twisting and turning, splashing and bouncing round the track I was aware that I was a little slower than the other 2 riders. If there's one thing I've learnt since I've been here, it's that I'm going to unapologetically do things at my own pace, in my own time. Yes, I want other people to have fun (so I pulled over to let the others lap me) but I won't let that be detrimental to my own enjoyment and comfort. It was so much fun going round the track, even if I was a little over cautious. I was so absorbed in concentrating on the track ahead than I didn't even take in the stunning scenery around me!
Several laps and around 25 minutes later we were called off the track for a short break and a drink. During this time I discovered that one of my fellow bikers was a friend of the owner and had been several times before which boosted my confidence slightly as I had been sure our adrenalin/safety balances were set completely differently!
When we were rehydrated we donned the attractive hair nets and helmets once more to be taken through the woods and sugar canes fields, skidding on cut sugar cane on the way before circling round the lake and over huge mounds.
I almost to stuck on an apex at one point but with a few revs I forced the bike into motion once more. The fields were covered in plowed grooves which made it bumpy work and the man made tracks were purposefully curved in places and steep in others. Returning to the practise track we'd started on we took a couple more circuits in reverse and I could feel the progress I'd made. I was more confident, driving faster and all within an hour. Finding myself comparing this to teaching in the UK, did I need to be sublevelled for my progress? No. If I were to go for another hour, would I be expected to make the same amount of progress? Probably not, it sounds a little ludicrous but makes me think about what we are putting out children through with their Literacy and Maths at less that 11 years of age! These children may be the next stunt riders, musicians or athletes but just need the space and opportunity to grow in confidence, just as I have been given today. I'll get down off my soap box now! Strange what runs through your mind in the middle of a muddy track, on a 250cc bike travelling at up to 30km/hr!
It was a fantastic experience - different to my other quad bike rides but just as exhileratng!
Back at the main building, hot sauages, bread and ketchup were waiting for us so I devoured a couple of sausage roll ups while chatting to my fellow ATVers and horse riders.
At one point of our ride I had purposefully driven fast through some wet mud and so was splattered right up my jeans, tshirt, arm, face and glasses so when I got back to the hostel I took a well needed shower.
Keen to upload my photos from yesterday I went on a wild goose chase to discover the memory stick I'd been given was empty! Hopefully a stick full of photos will be delivered to the hostel in the next couple of days.
After an unsuccessful mission (I did upload the quad biking photos though so that was something) I wandered round the art gallery and found the work of Segar Passi in an exhibition titled Bakei 1960s to present. Some of the work was bold and brightly coloured but I was attracted to some watercolours which were a strange combination of detail and simplicity - something to look closely at!
On the way back to the hostel I found the boat terminal in preparation for tomorrow's excursion (no, I'm not sailing again!) before going to the supermarket. Just as I was on the short walk between the shop and the hostel I heard someone calling my name! 'That can't be me!' I thought and almost didn't turn around but curiosity got the better of me and I turned round to find Gijs - a fellow backpacker I'd met all the way back in a Port Macquarie! I'd been following his travels via Facebook and was aware he was in Cairns but what a coincide we bumped into each other! He's embarking on a 30 hour journey back to Port Macquarie tomorrow - I don't envy him!
Another early morning tomorrow and a whole day's trip. I'm excited to test my underwater camera once again.
Earth without art is just 'eh'.
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