Thorsborne Log Day 3

I wake up at sunrise and burn my porridge. I eat it anyway. I didn’t bring extra food. Even more reason for muesli instead next time.

The night was OK. I slept a little better than the night before, I was really alone, and not a bit scared - at least after a lengthy and victorious mozzie fight. I left the rain fly open so I could look into the stars through my mosquito net. Pretty.

I leave camp at at 6.45 am and walk through rain forest again.

According to the map this should be the part where I would get my feet wet - but no, at the end of the dry period I guess I got lucky. I am grateful for my GoLite shoes that hold up so well - no need for my heavy waterproof boots, even my feet are still fine.

The pack feels lighter today. Is it because I got stronger or did I pack better? Or rather because I have run out of drinking water?

I’m loving this rain forest. So many kinds of palm trees, and leaves, mangroves, big boulders, eucalyptus trees. When I stop moving I can hear all these birds.

It smells funny. Or is it me? I should book accommodation for after my hike by phone rather than face to face. Over the phone they won’t be able to smell my 5 day camping odor.

Nights at the edge of the rain forest, 10 m from the sea, are actually really noisy. The breaking waves, birds, cicadas, pigs (?),… I’m surprised I’m still top fit during the day, even though I haven’t slept properly for 4 nights.

It’s getting drier the further up north I walk. I hope there will be more swimming holes for at least a basic wash.

There are a few creeks to cross. The last one is a crocodile creek with warning signs on both sides that strongly advise you not to enter the river. But the absence of any French guy leftovers reassures me. Surely, the crocs wouldn’t have eaten all their gear!

After 4 hours without any croc sightings I finally leave the rain forest which has been so dense at times that I almost got stuck with my big backpack. Now, eucalyptus and grass. Pretty. Hello sun!

I eat a dark chocolate almond cranberry bar and put on more insect repellent. It distributes the dirt evenly on my skin and makes me look more tanned than I will be after a proper wash.

Aaand back into the stupid rain forest. It’s getting old. Sigh. At least it’s not as swampy anymore, less insects around. A mixture of sweat, dirt, insect repellent, and sun screen runs don my arms and legs and drenches my shirt. I wonder how much weight I’m losing. Finally, I’m there. Little Ramsay Bay. I put up my tent in the shade at the edge of the forest, directly at the beach. A nice breeze enters my camping cove. I need to get drinking water. There’s a creek that ends in a little lagoon right behind my camping spot. I have to walk upstream for a while until I actually see running water.

I go for a dip in the sea but not too far out, since the stinger season is about to begin, and even sharks are not uncommon in this area. Not sure about crocs. I wash the salt off in the lagoon anyway. The sea and the lagoon are very warm. The lagoon is a bit spooky.

I haven’t treated the water from the creeks that I’ve been drinking, even though I bought water purification tablets. The brochure advises hikers to always treat their water. The locals tell me they never treat the water. In the end, I am too lazy for the complicated task of water treatment, since each tablet “purifies” 1 liter of water, but I only brought 1.5, 0.6, and 0.75 liter containers. But I’ve been fine so far. Saying that, I feel some discomfort in my belly. My first thought: My period! Second thought: The water! It is my period. Shit. But better today than two days ago I guess.

It’s too early for dinner. Yesterday, I had dinner at 4.30 pm. It’s 2.30 now. I walk too fast. Ok, chillin’. I read till dinner time.

There is no one around. The French have passed me, since they take one day less for the hike. There is no one else at the camping area. No one at this bay, no one will be coming here today from either north or south. No boats. I can hear one plane in the distance. I didn’t have to wear a bikini. I’m not wearing a bra.

Wildlife of the day: Estuary crocodiles. What’s a romantic moonlight stroll along the river for us is an easy midnight snack for them.