15
Location: Daintree Rainforest Observatory
Our day started with personalized omelets handcrafted by our amazing chefs, Alexa and Joe. We got all dressed up in our stained and smelly jeans in preparation for volunteer mulching part two. We loaded up on sunscreen (this time Lexi would not have to apply it to us) and headed out in the hot morning sun armed with shovels, buckets, a WB and a huge garbage can. The massive pile of hot mulch tried to intimidate us and tell us we could not kill it. But it was wrong!! Though we were sore from the last two days of volunteering, we powered through the mulch to cover every square inch of gardens in the DRO. We finished early, and everyone hopped into the showers to freshen up before lunch. We all had some turkey and cheese sandwiches as well as grilled cheese – though Joe had his stolen. Rowan and Keeley had us get set up for some solo reflection time in the shade, so we all grabbed the comforters and pillows off our beds and got comfy outside. Though Riley and I got attacked by swarms of gnats, the alone time was a good reflection time for all. Most of the group stayed at DRO to play Frisbee and talk for a while. Christy and Lily even played with a boomerang!! Joe, Alexa and I went back to the watering hole with Rowan to throw rocks at each other; ahem skip rocks, before heading home to make three pizzas for dinner. The rest of the group hung back at DRO and checked out the plant and insect inventory in the Wet Lab. After dinner, we went on a forty-minute walk over to PK’s before our night jungle tour. On our jungle hike, Jeb found EVERY spider we passed on our two-hour walk! We spotted a few caterpillars, but our wildlife sightings were mostly limited to big, hairy, hand-sized spiders (Huntsman spiders) that unnerved all of us. At one point, our guide had us turn off our flashlights to marvel at the amazing bioluminescent fungi glowing on damp logs all around us. So cool! Everyone felt a little tired, but Jenna was very happy because we saw no snakes (which disappointed Crocodile-Dundee Joe)! We came home and slept like rotten logs, excited for tomorrow’s crocodile tour and departure for the Great Barrier Reef!