Photographic Meanderings/Around the World with National Geographic

  Seven hours, 15 minutes in flight, lunch and a snack, we arrived on the 4th in the afternoon. We toured the Daintree Forest this morning – see pictures on January 4th’s post – and the Botanical Ark for lunch and in the afternoon.

  Alan Carle, trained as a Marine Biologist, began developing 26 acres of land in Northeastern Australia in 1982 which had been a sugar cane plantation, then a cattle ranch. The land was treeless as the ranchers burned off the weeds every year. Over time, the Carles visited Tropical Rain Forests in 40 countries, on 5 continents and isolated islands, bringing back exotic seeds. Over time their dream to create a self sustaining tropical farm producing more than 100 varieties of fruits, some of which you can see below.

Now the Carles give educational tours only to groups. We were indeed lucky to meet these wonderful people and to enjoy the “fruits of their labors”.

  Susan Carle with freshly picked tropical fruits.

  The Carle’s home, open to fresh breezes, the song of birds, and falling water.

  These are a few of our party ready to enjoy a tropical lunch al fresco.

  Imagine having so much goodness just for the picking. Imagine the hard work it took to transform a barren cattle ranch to a Tropical Forest.