Hi everyone,

And Happy 2015, I hope you had a lovely festive season!

This was meant to come a little earlier, but it's always a race in the end of every Dry Season, to still get some more tracks done before the rains arrive, and at the same time get the book updated as soon as possible. Top it up with the Christmas and New Year period, and it's a very busy time.

But it's done now, the Destination Guide is updated, polished, improved and a fair bit of new stuff has been added (if you already got one, don't worry - the updated version is included in the price. If you bought one in the last couple of days, you already have the new version, more below). 

And our Wet Season has finally started, which after the hot build-up season is always nice (first!).

===========================================

In This Issue:

• Wet Season Started

• Destination Guide Updated, Improved and New Stuff Added

• Feedback Always Welcome

===========================================

THE WET SEASON HAS STARTED 

After a long Dry season, with the stinking hot build-up aka 'Troppo Season' in the end as usual, the rains finally arrived exactly the same time as they did last year.

And it's looking like they are here to stay, which is a good thing, so we can start looking forward to the end of it :-)

It is also clear that the cyclone season has started too - we just had a bit of a flashback from the last year's cyclone, with a low pressure system (still) hovering on the Coral Sea.

Yesterday it was predicted to turn into a cyclone and come to the coast near Cooktown - but this morning it was a relief to learn that it's now predicted to go to the opposite direction (and only become a low category cyclone).


DESTINATION GUIDE IMPROVED AND UPDATED

But the main news for this newsletter is that the Destination Guide has now been updated, ready for the new season, and also given a major overhaul with some (no longer relevant) bits taken out or shortened, and other, new stuff added on.

Some of the tracks and places added were:

* The Old Coach Road

* Falls Track

* Skardon River

* Albany Island

* Restoration Island

* Other smaller side tracks/islands etc were also added throughout the guide

And a lot of areas were covered in more detail than before, this time particularly the tracks of NPA, the area north of Weipa, and Torres Strait Islands, particularly TI.

In the planning chapters, added was:

* The peninsula's best swimming holes, now with a map.

* Lots of FREE camping spots added :-)

* Others taken down, that are no longer free due to the latest changes of rules on some Native Title lands.

* Alcohol restrictions updated, some more detailed than before.

* National Parks camping updated with information on where to book once you're closer to the park - they have made it easier by providing phones, agents, and touch screen facilities.
 
* National Parks Wet Season closing times - the re-opening time for the Dry season is different in every park - find out what park may still be closed in May, June, some even July.

* 4WD tracks that open later were also added the info about when they usually open, and the note that you should not plan one into an early season trip.

* RACQ - what does it actually give to you for your Cape York trip, considering the fact that the distances and conditions are different from most other places. After I talked to all the local RACQ mechanic shops, read what they do/not and decide whether it is worth for you.

* And finally, with so many people writing to me that they did not see one single croc on their trip, I decided the info was needed - why do locals see lots of crocodiles while most travellers do not - you have to know where to look, when to look, how to look!

* And the same info went in for some other north Queensland icons like cassowaries, tree kangaroos, and amethystine python - Australia's largest snake.

* And the same info also went in for our Cape York icons - palm cockatoo, eclectus parrot, cuscus and green tree python.

If you already have the book, don't worry!

Go back to your original purchase email, and download it again - the new version is there now.

If you cannot find it or deleted it (you should never do that because you buy five downloads, not just one), just contact me and I will help you.

If you bought or downloaded it later than 6pm Friday 9. January 2015, you already have the new version.
 
 
FEEDBACK ALWAYS WELCOME

I really appreciate any kind of feedback on the Destination Guide.

Please let me know if you enjoyed it while planning before the trip, and while using the information once on the trip.

If you get any questions about anything, please feel welcome to contact me.

That's all for this time - happy planning!!

Have a great day :-)

Katrin


P. S. If you cannot see the photo banner in the top of this page, and instead of links you see url addresses throughout the text, you are using email software that only reads text. Consider getting an email account with Yahoo or others that can read HTML (and remember to change your email address, which can be done in the end of every newsletter.