Rainforest, Leeches and Fudge

Today we went for a walk in the rainforest - Springbrook Rainforest to be exact. We drove to Nerang and then headed to Springbrook. Our trip out there was about 75 minutes. When we arrived the rain had begun to close in. Yes, it was raining. The clouds were very low and we were wet. It rained for the first couple of hours. The rain is very warm though so it does not matter at all. As we walked the ground was very saturated. We walked through some really thick and fabulous forest. The sounds are magical. The birds have such different calls and cries. There is always the feeling that something is scuttling away in the undergrowth -which there is.

The Warrie Circuit is actually 17 kilometres long. It is a circular route that goes around and down into a rain forest to the spot called "Meeting of the Water" where all the water from the valley gathers to head to the Pacific Ocean. The walk is a narrow trail with spots where steps have been carved out of stone. The steps were treacherous as they were wet and covered in leaves.

This magical spot is called Twin Falls. The water falls many metres into the rainforest valley.

After a few hours the rain stopped and the sun shone through rainforest. The funny part is that as we kept walking it felt like it was raining as there was so much water on the leaves.

Here I am looking up at the water teaming down the side of the gorge. There was so much water everywhere. As we walked, we discovered that we had a leech problem. My friend, Mary, let out a screech that she had a leech on her. As we looked down, we discovered that we were also covered in them. Around our ankles, on our socks, and on and in our shoes, leeches were crawling around. They were small, but determined. They were about 2 inches long, on average. Mary had salt with her so we quickly doused ourselves and got rid of them. We soon realized that the leeches were everywhere on the leaves and soil and were also dropping down on us. Not much else we could do but keep moving, so we did! As we walked, we would keep checking and removing any that we could. Interestingly enough, Mary has lived in Australia for many years and has never before had a leech on her in the rainforest.

At times, the light shining down into the forest was spectacular. The vegetation was so dense and very different. There were many vines - 40 different species of vines grow in this rainforest.

A rainforest fiddlehead. The ferns are spectacular. We also saw a frog, a lizard and a possum.

Here is a large tree that has vines growing up and around it. Some of the vines are parasites and actually take over the tree and kill it from the inside.

Many of the waterfalls are spectacularily spraying right over the trail. Bob is standing on the trail as the water cascades over from many metres above him.

Here we are coming through the same spot on the trail. As we ended our hiking, we headed for the car and found an information centre to go and change. We searched for leeches and tried to make sure they were all gone. We then ate our lunch that we had carried with us but could not stop to eat. We stopped in Springbrook, a township, to get a cappuncino and some fudge at The Fudge Shoppe. After our trip, it tasted fantastic.

This parrot visited with us as we drank our coffee. Bob drove us back to Brisbane. When we got home, I picked the clothes out of the boot and got another leech on me. I then decided it was all out war, so Mary and I took all our clothes and our shoes and washed them with soap. We were still pulling leeches out of our shoes here at the house. I think I have won!! The shoe and the clothes are now drying and we are leech free!!! Was it worth it? You bet it was - we saw some beautiful sights!