I felt a little guilty leaving Cooktown this morning. It really is a tiny town (pop. ~2000), but it has a very rich history and sits in beautiful surroundings. I really felt I was probably missing out on something by leaving after only 24 hours. There is something special about standing on the same ground James Cook stood on, contemplating how he was going to get through the Great Barrier Reef while stuck there for 38 days (I think it was).
Historical connections seem to have a lot more impact when the environment has been preserved as it was (probably) at the time, and Cooktown never seemed to grow large enough to distract from the historical event. I think that is one of the special things about Australia. When you do reflect on its history, it seems a lot easier without shopping malls or suburban sprawl getting in the way.
I think I also find it a little hard to start heading south after working so hard to keep moving north. I think I had the same mixed feelings about leaving Darwin back in 2004.
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