WEDNESDAY 1 JULY     COOKTOWN

The start of the new financial year.

My back was very tight, this morning, to the point where it hurt to sit and to drive. I went to the chemist for a repeat on my Brufen script and checked with him its compatibility with my blood pressure medication, Gopten. The Brufen may diminish its effectiveness – so be it! Without the anti-inflammatory, the pain would send my blood pressure up, anyway.

We have a sense that we will probably never return to Cooktown, and so want to see as much as possible whilst here.

We drove to Quarantine Bay. Saw another snake on the road. We have seen more reptiles here in two days than for the whole of the trip to date! Don’t like it.

Quarantine Bay was a pretty beach, with bush right down to the sand – which we are getting used to, here. Did not walk on it, due to back.

Drove back to the Annan River, where John wanted to try fishing off the bridge. I sat round in Truck and watched him. He could not stay too long, because of bowls this afternoon.

I did not go to bowls – John was not too happy about this, but I really am finding movement hard. I rested my back, in the tent. It was improving by night time. John was pleased with his bowling – and enjoyed meeting some of the locals at the club.

The wind came up again in the afternoon.

Tea was sausages served in slices of bread, with salad, followed by stewed apple and yoghurt.