Does a Brummy s**t in the woods?

So we left cairns later than expected in the old Ozzy favourite, a Toyota Hilux, a renowned workhorse. It was a 2 hour drive from Cairns to Daintree and we made several stops on the way to pick Ackee*, harvest sugar cane and to take a dip in the ocean at one of North Queenslands stunning tropical beaches.

*Ackee

Also known as cheese fruit. Indigenous to West Africa.

only edible when pod has opened naturally into 3 peices as pictured below.

To eat break open with hands and eat the flesh that clings to the seeds.

Has a mild cheesy flavour and soft nutty texture.*

"You might want to go barefoot"

 

I was advised as we approached the gated paddock at around 16:30. Sky parked the ute and sure enough it was sound advice. We trudged down to the river crossing where a small row boat was waiting tied to an old tractor. 

"We don't hang out in the boat too long because of the crocks."

Just what I wanted to hear after being elected to row the boat. I didn't need to be told twice. We loaded our bags to the back of the boat and I rowed us across. Admittedly landing a little further downstream than I had intended, but safely and free from Crocodile atacks. 

On the other side we tied the boat to a tree on the river bank and broke through the tree line leading to another field that was ankle deep with mud. We crossed the field before approaching another line of trees concealing a hill.

We broke the second tree line and passed under a barbed wire fence then over an electric fence designed to keep out bush pigs. Before me was a lush green hill in a clearing surrounded by dense forest. There were banana trees on the left and at the top of the hill I could just make out the roof of the house.

We ascended the hill and crossed over 1 more electric fence before being greeted by the sight of our home for the next 10 days. Home sweet home.

The house had running water filtered from rain collectors and also had electricity but no water and no toilettes, so I suppose it begs the question. 

"Does a Brummy s**t in the woods?"

On a raw vegan diet rich in coconut milk, yes, yes he does. 

The farm was obsencley picturesque and isolated, at night the sky was a panorama of stars untainted by the lights of towns or cities. One could survive there solely on the food growing in the gardens. There were coconuts, bananas, sweet potatoes, carrots, passion fruit, paw paws, chillis, sugar cane and many more tropical edibles that I struggled to pronounce let alone spell. 

We ate mostly a raw vegan diet whilst on the farm as the owner usually enforced this passionately, however as he was in Italy so we did cook the occasional hot meal which quite frankly, went down a treat.

My conclusion on a raw vegan diet is that it's not for everyone, it has to be something that you really want to do. Although I did begin to recognise the health benefits, I was also concerned that I was losing weight. A wonderful thought for some, but those that know me will know that I don't have much weight to lose. Since leaving the farm, my diet has Improved immensely, I seem to have lost my aperite for things like donuts and burgers and have been more drawn to the healthier options.

I would like to say a huge thank you to Sky, the loveley Australian herbologist expert who showed us lots of edible fruits and veg available throughout North Queensland and accommodated us at the farm. 

For the next part of my blog I tell the story of Vigga and I hitch hiking the east coast from cairns to Ayr.