Port Douglas

Sunday was my last free day before the conference :-( But I did get a sleep in. Until 7.30am when my body, the local turkeys and a steam train decided it was time to get up anyway.

Duncan and I headed to the local Sunday market which was fun. They had lots of crafts stalls and some local fruit sellers. I tried sugar cane juice with ginger which was really tasty. (I am going to try to head back on my last morning for more!)

Cycling and making sugar cane juice

And I also got a few more gifts. Everyone is totally sorted for Christmas now. Assuming I don't get greedy and keep it all for myself! There were also a few interesting stalls.

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We walked back through town to the 4 mile beach and then along the beach to the house. The beach is very pretty though there are enough warning since about crocodiles and jellyfish to make me a little concerned about taking a dip. I was hoping the weather would improve (which it did later in the week - just in time to leave!)

4 mile beach

The rest of the day was spent working and reading before heading over to register for the conference. I have to do some work this trip after all. Though I don't think we will be eating in the hotel very often (which is a 15min walk from our townhouse). Very expensive!

Tuesday night was the conference dinner, at a restaurant on the estuary and the view was very pretty.

I was a little disappointed that we didn't get any fish though. However there was lots of free Hunter valley wine (delicious and well sampled!). My table were the last to leave (we had the small british contingency) but apparently everyone else went back to the conference hotel and continued while we all went home! So I didn't feel so bad.

Conference dinner by the sea

View form the restaurant - Someone lost their boat!

Wednesday we had the morning off, which was a fantastic idea! (i have had the talk slot the morning

after the conference dinner and no one wants to be there. And as a bonus the weather cleared up 

and was beautiful! I went into town with Duncan and picked up a second suitcase (I have a small limit on the internal flight and brought a few too many Christmas presents). And I found my aboriginal art!

I have been looking for a special piece and promised myself if I found it .... It wasn't cheap but it is

awesome. (I'll put a picture up when I unwrap it). We walked back along the beach. (I really now want to live closer to the beach.)

4 mile beach

Aussie life guards at the ready

Paradise

The rest of the week was work. (Thankfully my talk went ok despite the ones before it saying exactly the opposite to my results - at least it got people talking about my work!) I went into town with people on the evenings and managed to find people who wanted seafood. I finally got to try Moreton Bay Bugs. They are have a lobster tail and a crab head. Most of the meat is in the tail. Of course as a bunch of scientists, we spent a fair bit of time playing with our food and reconstructing the bugs. :-) They were very tasty! But look a bit gross.

Plating with Bay Bugs