Christmas in Australia
Today we heard your request for information on unusual places
listeners may have found themselves during holidays.
We lived in Australia for a number of years and Christmas usually
found us going bush. We tent camped "Australia All Over" to use the
name of a favorite Sunday morning radio show down under. As
photographers, one of our rituals was to photograph a fabulous native
blossom each Christmas to be our Christmas card the next year.
One of the most memorable and hottest Christmas days was
hiking to Alligator Falls in North Queensland's Bowling Green Bay
National Park south of Townsville. We followed the creek well above
the area in which crocodiles might be found, which was reassuring, as
we had to wade through it in places. The track and creek are in an
open forest which climbs as one sees Mount Elliot. Just before one
gets to the falls, there is a rocky viney thicket into which shade we
collapsed for a rest only to be attacked by the "mossies" lurking
there.
It was with delight that we watched the tiny lizards which appeared
and climbed onto our packs where they lay and gobbled mosquitoes from
these vantage points. A tiny lizard with numerous mosquito legs
poking out the corners of its mouth brought smiles to our sweaty
faces. The falls and water holes were lovely and refreshing as we
cooled off in the water before returning to our camp to photograph a
beautiful rosy red gum tree blossom for the next year's card. The walk
was a 17 kilometer, 5 hour experience and a memorable Christmas day.
--Linda and Robert
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