July 26: Heading South Full of Good Memories

Having arrived at the Lazy Lizard Inn in Port Douglas a few days ago, dripping wet and exhausted from navigating my bike in low visibility for several hours, I left yesterday completely refreshed and renewed, full of great memories of the charming little town and the people I interacted with there.

I’ve made it a priority to book motel rooms which allow me to park my bike right out front, saving me time with loading and unloading and allowing me to keep an eye on the bike.

When I made my reservation at Lazy Lizard, I paid a premium for this privilege compared to more centrally located hotels with massive parking garages. Not only was it worth every penny but the distance from town just added to the adventure.

The establishment’s manager, Aiden, lives on site and was there to greet me when I arrived, getting me set up with detergent and coins for the laundry machine and giving me some old towels to soak up the extra moisture in my boots.

Since all the restaurants were about a mile away and it was raining, Aiden referred me to a local shuttle that would pick up and drop off for a total of about $6.50. When Charlie pulled up in his van with several other guests heading to town, I felt like I was joining a party. We all laughed, shared stories, joked with each other, and wished each other a great evening.

I used this service several times during my visit and on one return trip from dinner, I heard Charlie say, “Sarah – I promise I’ll get you home soon.” As I had not even seen the young woman in the back, I asked Charlie if he had ever left anyone on the bus. He then proceeded to tell me the funniest story about a drunken local who fell asleep at the back of the shuttle and almost forgot to get off.

My meals were exceptional each night. The highlights were a crispy fried full Barramundi fish with a green papaya salad from Lichi and a flame grilled eye fillet served with Dauphinoise potatoes, onion puree, and mustard spiced greens at Melaleuca.

The combination of good food, easy parking, and friendly staff throughout the little town helped to make my stay both enjoyable and restorative, allowing me to fully embrace the magnificent tours to Daintree Rainforest and The Great Barrier Reef.

Heading to Cairns with much less precipitation and fewer miles to log on the road than when I came north, I was able to take in some gorgeous shoreline views of Coral Bay along the Captain Cook Highway during breaks in the rain while navigating through road construction.

I’m excited about beginning to make my way south and forging new adventures as I do so. But my magical time in Port Douglas will not be forgotten.