Tuesday 23rd January 2007. The Whitsundays to Cairns.

A very early start and we are on the ferry back to the mainland. Today we lose Pam and Canadian Chris and Matt and Alice (although they are joining us again in Cairns).
We are also losing darling Jen our excellent guide and so we head off on the road North with a tinge of sadness.

Our first stop is Bowen, the mango capital of Australia and also an area for salt mining. Lunch is in Townsville, the capital of Northern Queensland which has a very fine war memorial with the thought provoking message that "We Called...They Served" below the eternal flame that lights the gateway.

Stopping again in Cardwell I am drawn to the Cardwell Lions Park where I drink from the Cairn that was erected to commemorate the one hundredth anniversary of this settlement and which was unveiled on Australia Day in 1964. Again I am drawn to the town war memorial where there are only two names from World War I: H. R. Butler and A. Bryant. I am struck by the fact that every community has played its part in war no matter how remote your home from the theatre of war...Duty Nobly Done.

Here on the Hinchinbrook Channel we descend on the pier where we meet John, the coolest and cutest kid who is completely unflapped by this group of 30 odd foreign adults all inspecting the baby shark he has just caught and the beautiful crabs that will be tonights supper.

After checking in to the Palm Royale and meeting new Jen (from Wimbledon and really nice!!!) we head off to the Cairns Night Markets before drinks at the Woolshed and then a party round the pool back at our hotel.