After almost 18-hours in the air and close to 24-hours of total travel time, safely maneuvering a right-hand drive car is easier than I thought, though Mary has a completely different idea of how well I’m driving. She keeps telling me I'm about to sideswipe everything we pass. Regardless of my prowess or lack thereof, roundabouts can be problematic, and they have lots of them in Australia.

Finally arriving in Port Douglas, had we made a hard right turn and driven into the ocean, we’d be parked in 40' of water on top of the Great Barrier Reef. “Uhhh hello, Avis? We made a wrong turn and need a tow truck…” If we had made a hard left turn, we’d be deep into the Daintree Rainforest, one of the most complex ecosystems on Earth, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

We’re staying at the Frangipani Bed & Breakfast, a 3-room B&B about 100 yds. from the beach. Leona & Bob, the couple that run it could not be more helpful and accommodating. We haven't been here for more than an hour, when Bob has us pile into his car and takes us out for a drive around town, getting us familiar with the area and various places to eat and shop. One of the spots Bob takes us to is Falstaff Hill Lookout, overlooking 4-Mile Beach. Why it’s not ‘6.4km Beach’ isn’t clear, but the view is spectacular.

Numerous signs along the way warned of crocodiles and stingers – their name for jellyfish, so neither of us dipped so much as a toe in the water, just to be cautious. I know CJ’s probably thinking “What, they get in the water with humpback whales and whale sharks, paddle their kayaks god knows how many miles off-shore to get as close as possible to gray whales, and NOW they get cautious??”

Damn right! Crocs have huge teeth and sneak up on you. The most a whale would do is gum you to death with its baleen. We both feel far safer with a 60-ton, 40’ mammal swimming around us than a 8’ lizard from the Mesozoic Era. Go figure!