There I was, fresh in Far North Queensland, 2 hours off the plane in Cairns, and unbeknownst to me, heading toward my first ever durian experience.

Needing a break, I pulled off the road, and onto a deserted beach, where I merrily stripped off and, ignoring the beware of stingers signs, bathed my fruity body in the refreshing sea.

It was wonderful. I felt, top of the world. Alive, and master of my destiny. All my memories of being on the road are fond ones.

After my bathe.. I sat under a palm tree, and shortly after, a gentle breeze helped gravity claim a coconut from the heavens above me. Plop.

I took it in my arms, and smiled at the universe. It was the first time I'd ever seen a coconut with it's husk on.. Now if you are a towny, like I was, I don't mean the shell.. I mean the husk that surrounds the shell..

Well.. I'll have some of that I thought.. I'll open it.. Where's a rock? Should be a doddle.

So Ignorant of the world I was.

Nut in hand, and a ready rock found, I threw the thing with a fair might at the rock.. And.. that was the last time I tried opening one that way.

My shin was bruised for a week or more.

That failing, I searched in my loaded bike panniers, and pulled out my trusty swiss pen knife, a well guarded present Bobby gave me in Norway some 12 years previously.

Inexperienced, this was not easy.

A good half an hour later, I was through to the shell, and this time a crash with an at hand fist sized pebble successfully opened the nut, but also quite successfully cast the milk to the sand. The nut was hard, but sweet and about what I had expected.

The pleasure of jelly coconut was yet to come.