Yesterday was mountains and rain forests. Today we went as far from the watersheds as you can get and visited Boondall Wetlands. It’s an area of about 1000ha of coastal forest and mangrove swamps.
Since it’s located on the other side of the city we asked Siri to navigate. We already knew that she has a fondness for the new toll-charging AirportLink tunnel, but today we learned that it’s more like a toddler’s single-minded obsession. The idea was to follow her instructions to the start of the toll section, then continue in a sensible direction until she re-planned the route. This didn’t work.
Siri: “Turn left onto AirportLink”.
Us: <ignore, drive right past>
Siri: “Turn left, then left again onto AirportLink”
Us: “No thanks. Heading happily on.”
Siri: “In 100 metres, make a U-turn”
Us: “Nope-de-dope. Full steam ahead!”
Siri: “At the next roundabout take the fourth exit signed AirportLink”
Us: “How’s about a nice hot cup of ‘Not Listening?'”
Siri: “Turn around right now.”
Us: “Do-be-do-be-dooo”
Siri (as we pass the far end of AirportLink toll): “I am never speaking to either of you again.”
Us: <fire up Android navigation>
The wetlands have a variety of walking, cycle and canoe(!) trails. We decided on a 2km walking circuit. It’s been a wet summer and now we’re well into a lovely autumn. Much of the forests are covered in lush greenery which will dry out a treat for fire season.
As often happens on our expeditions, a little forethought would have saved some misery. Wetlands. Hmm. Open stretches of fresh-to-brackish water in autumn. What breeds in that? By the end of the day we’d each donated about a litre of blood to the mosquito population. Dengue can’t be far behind. Anyway, pictures!
Still green. Paperbarks and Casuarina, mostly.
Blue flowers.
Mangrove creek
Mosquito recruitment area
Seething with the little bastards.
More playgrounds for mozzies
It’s pretty, but it’s home to bloodsuckers.
On the way home, we navigated with a paper map.