Cassowary Country is what the surrounding areas of Mission Beach inclusive of Mission Beach are called. They are big man eating birds that will attack you, if you try and run away. They inhabit this area and they are a protected species. You have to slowly back away from them if they approach you and you must always keep your eye on them. They are an extremely aggressive bird. The sign above is one of about 10 or more and they are there to warn you when driving through the area. Now seriously this is what they look like in the picture below. Of course they are not that big, otherwise
shit you wouldn't go near the area. Let's just say they must be in plague proportions because everything in the area is cassowary this and cassowary that. He He He!!!! We didn't see one.
We stayed in the Cassawong Cottages. Now it is a nice place and very comfortable. But not the romantic isolated cabin I was picturing that they describe on their site. If anything the place is far from isolated and romantic. It is in the middle of suburbia. You can hear the kids in the house next door screaming their heads off. People mowing their lawns and yard work. Thoroughly disappointing. Also the two new cabins that they boast to be totally isolated and situated close to the beach and the rainforest are in fact only 10 metres from the family cabins. Also the second romantic cabin is just on the other side of the lounge room wall. Same with the deck at the back of the cabin. Also they are not right on the beach, they are across the road and there is a lot of houses in front of the beach. When reading the guestbook, I have never seen so many rules and conditions. If you would like someone to come and freshen up your cabin during your stay you can organise a cleaner to come, but it will cost you $27.50 an hour to do so.
The rooms are not serviced and they did not supply any towels for the pool. There were no tissues in the room. They boasted that the romantic isolated cottages had fluffy bathrobes to relax in but when I looked for them they were nowhere to be seen. I asked where they were and I was told that they had decided not to include the bathrobes and they had taken that description off the website. Now I read the description like six times over a couple of month period and every time it boasted that they had bathrobes, for that romantic weekend in luxury. What a load of
Crapola! Also they ask if you can take the garbage out of your bin in the cabin and place it in a bin that is in the main area, daily. They also boasted that they have DVDs for your viewing pleasure, so we grabbed a couple. We sat down to watch a movie together as parents never get the opportunity to watch a flick uninterrupted, only to find that it was a downloaded copy off the Internet and the sound was screwed. Very disappointing and extremely frustrating.
We were also told that being smokers we must smoke only in the pool area, which is terribly inconvenient and a pain in the bum. I had no problem not smoking in the room. I am used to that, but I don't see why I could not smoke on one of the two decks the room offered. For all you nonsmokers out there. I am not a rude individual and I will not smoke near anyone who disapproves and I obey the rules out and about, but there are alot of smokers in Townsville and North Queensland, everywhere really who will understand what I am talking about. It is my choice to smoke and yes I do know I am killing myself and yes I am going to quit one day. But for right now, I am a smoker and that's just the way it is. They have updated their website only recently after I booked and paid to include this 'These delightful bungalows and their lounging area are 100% NON smoking, so smokers should book Butterfly spa cottage as their veranda is a smoking area, but all cottages are non-smoking inside'
Below are pictured your own private hammocks for your room, apparently. I think not. They are right in front of a Family Cabin and they are for the romantic cabin next doors use also. So again we were mislead by the description on their website. But again they have changed the description. You can see the Family Cabin in the back of the picture.
Now there is something nice about staying in newly built cabins, but then again there is not. The towels are so new that they do not dry you properly. They have to have a few good washes to remove the starch that has been placed in them when they are made. So that was annoying also. The tea towels in the kitchen were the same. Also some of the toiletries bottles they supplied in the bathroom had been previously used. Now that to me is just not right,
I understand that I am sounding extremely picky and petty, but in my mind, when you give a description of a place, then you really need to be careful of what you say and how you say it. Chopper and I felt like the owners were watching our every move. It was not a pleasant experience so we spent most of our time out of the room exploring and enjoying the local areas, which was a good thing. All these little things really do add up you know. When you are paying quite a bit of money for a totally romantic experience then you expect a relaxing romantic environment, not a frustrating and disappointing one. I find it totally deceptive that in the last couple of weeks they have changed the description of the cottages dramatically. Now in their minds they think they have done the right thing, but in my mind the people who had booked previously under the old description and paid their money should have been informed. I can imagine that others have complained about it and that is why they have changed the web page. It still states though 'and also set apart from the family cottages on the rainforest side of the pool and is everything that luxurious getaways are all about. This is where adults can come to get away from the kids and have that private and quiet time together in well appointed beachfront self contained accommodation.' It is not beachfront!!!!!! I am telling you now, because we stayed there. It is not private. The newly married couple next door were out on the deck listening to us shag, I am not going to tell you how I know that, let's just say I was unclothed and felt like a stroll out on my secluded deck. Embarrassing!!!! The photos on the site are deceptive and even my photos do not show you how cramped and close everyone is to each other, you have to be there.
So when you get to the beach, it is beautiful and the coconuts are everywhere. Gorgeous sunsets and beautiful sunrises with a view over to Dunk Island. We will not be going back to the Cassawong Cottages but if you would like to check them out here is the site
http://cassawongcottages.com.au/accom-possum.html
At the end of the day though, we made the most of the scenery!
I would have to say Vietnamese food is one of my favourites cuisines. It is so fresh, so inviting and so yummy. I love these pork and prawn rolls. Lots of ingredients, lots of flavour, a little fiddly to make but absolutely worth it.
Firstly you need rice paper. You can pick it up pretty much at most supermarkets. I buy mine at the Asian supermarket.
Firstly you make the bean sauce. Very simple to do. Empty out the contents of one jar of Hoi Sin Sauce into a saucepan, then fill the jar with two thirds water, shake it about to get out the remainder of the Hoi Sin and pour into the sauce pan. Then add one large tablespoon of peanut butter. Bring to a simmer stirring all the time. Once everything has combined into a smooth thick glossy sauce, take off the heat and refrigerate covered until it is nicely chilled.
Char Sui Pork is your next main ingredient. Slice it into about 5 ml slices ready to put into your rolls.
You will need about 500 grams of lovely fresh prawns. Peel and devein if you wish. I don't unless they have sand in them. You can tell if they do have sand in them, if your like me and eat every third one that you peel ;)
You will also need a small bag of bean shoots and some shredded iceberg lettuce.
You will need some blanched peanuts, about 100 grams. I find you can only really get them at Asian supermarkets. Don't use presalted roasted peanuts, it's not the same. Roast them yourself and don't add salt to them. Give them a good bash with your mortar and pestle. These are used to top your lovely bean sauce.
Now that all your ingredients are cooled down and everything is spread out ready for assembly. Pop the kettle on. In a bowl half fill with boiling water. Dip your rice paper into the water and turn it round so that the whole circle of rice paper has been submerged in the hot water. Watch your fingers. I know that the packets on both the rice paper and the rice noodles say to soak in cold water but this is not the way the Vietnamese do it. The noodles and the rice paper become to wet and slippery. It makes assembly very difficult with your fillings slipping all over the shop and your rolls not sealing properly.
Lay out your rice paper on a cutting board. Place noodles, a piece of pork, a prawn or two, some bean shoots and three or four fresh mint leaves. Fold over just like making spring rolls.
Serve with your gorgeous bean sauce, topped with peanuts and your done. Allow three per person. These are very filling. They are very deceptive. They swell in your tummy.
