Port Douglas Day 5: The four-mile beach

This is how I explain our hotel:

Me: "Jamie, I feel like we are in some crazy resort."

Jamie: "You are."

--It's the type of place people dream to go on vacation and that you seem in two-page spreads in a glossy magazine.

That day, Jamie and I walked from one end of the four-mile beach to the other. As we walked further and further from our hotel, the beach became more and more desolate. So desolate, that apparently several Aussies considered it a nude beach. Don't worry, we didn't join in on the naked party.

Later that day we grabbed a cup of coffee at a quaint, trendy little place. The cashier asked us if we were on a holiday (vacation) and where we were from. When I said Pittsburgh, the barista looked over with excitement because she's from Mt. Lebanon. She also used to go to the same camp as I did (Kon-o-kwee) back in the day. Guess when she was there as a counselor, she became friends with an Aussie. She stayed friends with her, applied for a temporary working visa for Australia, and 24 hours later she was accepted. As a barista, she makes more than $15 per hour. (Not too shabby.)

Looking at her, Jamie and I were both thinking.... maybe we can do something like that... London sounds nice...

That night, we went to a place called Iron Bar for cane toad racing. It was there that we were subject to American jokes by the DJ of toad racing. (I wanted to let him know that we may be American, but his career is to race toads. I held back though and had a few fake laughs instead.)

It was odd how the whole toad racing game panned out: First it was a raffle, and if you're number is called, you have to race the toad, and of course, kiss it first. Cole's number was called and he had to kiss the the toad, Gay Freddo.

The first to get the toad in the bucket wins. The Aussie gave out prizes like frog legs, frog beer (didn't taste like frogs), and bar hats.

During the second race, the crowd had to bid for frogs. Jon was with us, and he bid on two frogs, probably totaling about $30 total to race the frogs. Baylee and Jamie raced them.

Neither won, but everyone got some prizes, and could walk away saying they kissed a frog. Fortunately, I was only on the receiving end and could share some of the prizes (frog beer) rather than actually touching the slimy, peeing things. (Yes, one shot out pee as someone picked it up. Pretty gross.)

It was entertaining and a pocket change money maker for the bar. Definitely a good thing for kids to do at night!

Later that evening, Jamie and I went to a bonfire on the beach with some of the Aussies we met. We talked about politics, the US, where we're going to go in Australia, and more.

After that day, we were ti-red!