July 22: No Trouble in Townsville - Just Later!
When I checked into my motel room in Townsville yesterday, the clerk apologized for the weather, saying it was “so cold and miserable out.” Looking at the coconut trees swaying in the breeze on the honey-colored beach just across the road and noting the temperature was a balmy seventy-five degrees Fahrenheit, I thought to myself “it’s no trouble for me.” Turns out that would come later!
Although it was indeed quite windy when I arrived and there was a layer of cloud cover over some of the sky, the mild temperatures and stunning coastline made for a perfect stroll along The Strand, a promenade adjacent to the beach featuring views of Magnetic Island, large beachside sculptures, the city skyline, and the Coral Sea.
My dinner at Balabite, a Mediterranean restaurant near my hotel, was one of the best meals of this trip. The sandwich with homemade pita bread, moist pulled lamb, creamy tzatziki sauce, flavorful tabouli, fresh coleslaw, baked eggplant, fried eggplant, and crunchy pickles provided an explosion of flavor and a symphony of texture in my mouth. I was just glad I was not eating with someone I was trying to impress as my face was covered in tzatziki sauce by the time I devoured the meal.
The real trouble came today riding north as the driving rain, fog, and warm temperatures combined to make visibility extremely low. Opening my visor and pulling my goggles off my face slightly to increase airflow helped in the beginning. But as the humidity and moisture built up, a thick layer of fog covered the insides of my goggles as well and was impossible for me to remove while riding.
Rain hammered my face, filling my goggles and my eyes. I tipped my face up to the sky and shook my head to help the goggles drain and blinked furiously to try to clear the water out of my eyes. Water ran off my helmet and onto my hands, which were already black from the wet leather rubbing against my skin.
With almost no shoulders and plenty of road construction, I focused on keeping upright and staying in my lane, having limited opportunities to look at the sugar cane fields, banana farms, and ocean views through the heavy mist. I was so grateful to arrive safely in Port Douglas and am really looking forward to exploring the rainforest tomorrow and the great barrier reef the following day. What an adventure!
