Walk 16 - Sanctuary Retreat

Our first journey to the Sanctuary Retreat was in a four wheel drive and it is very clear why you're advised to call for a ride with your bags. We stayed in a deluxe cabin but still felt part of the forest. The Longhouse is one of the coolest places on earth and serves some stunning food to complete the marvellousness (in retrospect I should have so booked a massage while staying here). We had a two night stay in this magical place and after a night where the forest came to life in a torrent of rain and wind we took the walking route back down to the beach. While it is steep, the path has been lovingly prepared but still feels like an adventure and a true forest walk.  This pathway takes you back to where the car is parked and a short walk along a little road take you to the path to the beach. We meet a cassowary at the bottom having a breakfast feast on the side of the road, we watch in respect and admiration. There are prehistoric creatures, much larger than you average roadside animal. It's colours and to be honest it's beak tell you to keep away. There was some handy advice in the booklet in the cabin that concluded with "shouting and waving at the cassowary will not help". You should back away quietly and try and keep something between you and said cassowary. Well this one was working from one side of the road to the other finding the best morsels to eat (sorry will need further research on what they do eat). Getting past to reach the beach path didn't look like it was going to happen so we headed back to the car to visit the beach on our way back form the mornings outing. Kindly cassowary had headed away so we finished the trip to the beach and stood admiring the wonder of the forest reaching down to the beach. The rain started and we stood on the sand watching the wind bring the trees to life.

In the hammock on the bottom level of the longhouse. 

On the way down....



Cassowary 

The beach at the bottom of the path


On our deck
Also on our deck. Hunstman spider that I called Roger as having a name makes them less scary....
Of course the walk down did mean that we had to walk back up. The thought of this uphill walk sat quietly in my mind through the day. I started slow and counted. It worked and all of a sudden (well OK maybe about 8 minutes) I was at the top. Result. 

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