Today is our last day in the Wet Tropics area and we spent it visiting the Mossman Gorge. We took a Ngadiku Dreamtime Walk–Ngadiku means traditional stories and legends in the local indigenous language (Kuku Yalanji). Our guide, who is a member of the Kuku Yalanji tribe, taught us about the plants and trees we saw and how her ancestors used the resources of the rainforest for food, shelter, medicine, and everything else. The tour began with a traditional smoking ceremony, which is used to get rid of bad spirits. It ended with a treat–bush tea (the tea is grown in the Daintree area) and a traditional damper, which is similar to a scone and quite delicious with honey butter.

Our guide also told us about the Gympie-gympie tree, which has stingers that cause excruciating pain that can last for months. Her ancestors used it as a punishment for law breakers.

We had our first experience with the Annoying American Tourist on our tour. The woman is probably a pretty cool person; she travels all over the world by herself. But she was very loud and asked really obnoxious questions. For example, when the guide showed us mushrooms that glow in the dark, she asked if she could take one. I guess she missed the “take only photos, leave only footprints” instructions. Sigh.

After our guided tour, we walked through the public areas of the national park–more raised boardwalks. I did the three shorter walks and then chilled in the cafe while Rich did a fourth longer walk that was a trail, not a boardwalk, and had warnings that it would be slippery. All I need is a sprained ankle!

Once again, I give you photos of interesting things we saw in the rainforest:

Tonight we will have dinner at The Mexican–our first Australian Mexican restaurant! Tomorrow we head to Cairns for a few more days by the sea before we venture into the Red Center.