Thursday, 21 April 2005

I woke up in Kuranda at first light in a light drizzle of rain. Although we are still trying to sell "Riverbend" - see agent's display - I had another look at real estate, and at one property in particular. The agent Jenny Clark-Humphrey was born on Thursday Island and is related to James Clark, a pioneer in the propagating of young pearl shell in the Torres Strait whose work and progress quickly earned him the title of Australia's "Pearl King" - what a small world we live in!

Kuranda has a certain bohemian feel to it. It is a small village, located in a very beautiful part of the world. For three hours each day it is mayhem with tourists coming in by the thousand on coaches, trains and on the skyrail cablecar. The heart of town becomes a hive of activity with markets, restaurants, shopping and wildlife parks and then, all of a sudden everyone leaves and the place looks like the final reel of "On the Beach."