It was during one such visit, with my guest precariously perched on the arm of one of my lounge chairs, otherwise occupied by my largest stuffed dragon, 'Huff'nPuff ', that I decided to change my collective ways. It was high time for me to sort through my, as my friend called it, 'lizard collection' and sell any duplicates off. (I did have rather a lot, including 18 identical large green, very ugly ones, lining my hall and passageway.)

I decided that, with the money raised from the sale of some of my fire-breathing beasts, I could actually afford a short four day overseas holiday. My visitor and I planned the intended trip together. Where to? None other than the land of the Frilled Dragon, of course! Within 6 months we found ourselves in 'dragon' land, gazing out of a jeep window, en route from our hotel, Reef Retreat in Cairns, to a wilderness adventure in the Daintree Rainforest.

Our guide took us deep into the beautiful and almost inaccessible Mt Lewis section of the Daintree National Park. Here the rain forest literally dripped vegetation; and insects, birds and other wildlife whispered as one from dark green depths. After stopping for morning tea, our guide explained the unique flora, fauna and evolution of this, the oldest rain forest on earth.

It was while sitting at a barbeque table under the canopy of the forest growth that I felt as if I were being watched. Sure enough, on glancing up, I noticed my first frill-neck dragon, staring at me. For a moment the experience was mine alone. However, my friend returned and startled it and it ran across the counter, scuttling on its hind legs, displaying its orange mantle (frill) in full glory. This frill looked like wings and I understand how folk once thought dragons could fly.

Monitor lizards, some as long as 2 metres also frequented the area, which had to be the largest 'dragon' relatives I had ever encountered. These two species however were not the only magical creatures we came across that day. We discovered another, rather horny relative, Boyd's Forest dragon, a Paddemelon (a small kangaroo), a Musky Rat Kangaroo and a myriad of birdlife near Lake Mitchell and its environs. After a short hike and a pleasant swim at one of Australia's most beautiful waterfalls, Emerald Creek Falls, we returned to our hotel.

The next morning, found us both wide awake and eager to begin the day's adventures. As my friend was keen on snorkelling, we opted for a trip to one of the reef areas of the famed Great Barrier Reef. Stepping aboard the charter boat, we were immersed in nature's watery bounty, before we had even departed from the dock. Fish swarmed around the boat, their electric colours flashing and blinking at us as they twisted and slid through the aquamarine depths. Some even stayed with us as we motored out to deeper waters and a small yellow and black angel fish was still there, when we dropped anchor an hour or two later.

Donning goggles, snorkels and flippers we plunged in; the warm waters refreshing enough to be pleasant. Much to my surprise I came face to face with yet another dragon. This time I found a Ribboned Seadragon (Haliichthys taeniophorus) staring back at me. So absorbed in the creature was I, watching its delicate movements as it wafted gracefully with the current, that I barely noticed a pair of turtles swimming next to me as I drifted along.

My travel partner too had discovered a number of interesting creatures she was keen on pointing out and I swam over to her. She showed me a number of sea dragons, a whole family of them in fact, as well as a sleeping shark. The shark lay on the sand, its head buried under a coral outcrop, its tail wafting in the tide. Totally unaware of our presence, my companion succeeded in stroking its tail as it slept. Not wishing to hang around sharks for too long however, we paddled on, coming across a number of large grouper, numerous angle fish, nudibranchs and anemones as well as brightly coloured reef fish in every shape and colour.

It was a glorious way to spend the day and we dived off a number of different islands and coral outcrops in the area, each one unique; an adventure in its own right. On our return to terra firma that evening, we took soothing baths, soaking the day's salt off our bodies. My partner still absorbed in the day's memories hummed the only English song she knew, 'Row, row, row the boat' as she soaked (with her own nautical addition about sleeping sharks and turtles added to it…which I won't elaborate on here).

My turn came. I ran a luxurious bubble bath, lay back and planned on adding to my now depleted dragon collection at the souvenir shop the next day. I had seen some great 'frill-neck lizard' coasters, place mats and a brooch, that would do the job perfectly and certainly be wonderful reminders of our brief holiday in a land where dragons still dwell. After all it was dragons that got me here, and I had to pay my respects or who knows what my fire-breathing friends might do next? Dragons were obviously real…I had seen them for myself more than once during our brief visit, and if they existed, then perhaps their magic did too.