We have returned from our 2 night camping trip. I will save what we learned at King’s Canyon and Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park for the next post. I want to type up something quickly so that you know we returned safely.
This was a strenuous trip. I’m not sure we were ever at our campsites in daylight. We did a lot of climbing, walking and listening.
Thursday morning, Scott of Rock Tours picked us up at 6:00. 45 minutes or so down the road, he pulled and had us climb a small hill to watch the sunrise and then to dig for wichetty grubs. In fact the trip was very much like that: Scott would pull over or on a walk have us stop, and then he’d teach us something or send us out for something.
At King’s Canyon, we took a very difficult hike, one that lasted about 4 hours. There were stops and starts, so we weren’t walking for the entire four hours. We had a side trip to a swimmable pool of water – about half a dozen students jumped in. The first 20-30 minutes of the climb was up Heartbreak Hill or Heart Attack Hill – a very steep climb of uneven stone steps. I was sent up first so that Charlie and Scott could evaluate the ability of the students to handle the climb as they followed me one by one. I was disappointed in myself; about 1/3 of the way up I had to step aside and allow more than half the class to bound up ahead of me. Scott saw what he needed to see of the class, though, and chose our paths on Kata Tjuta accordingly.
Once at the top, we had spectacular views. Although the worst was behind us, the trek continued to be challenging. Of course what goes up must come down. The descent was a bit tricky.
For the next 48 hours or so we dealt with flies that sought moisture from our exposed skin; bathrooms with no soap to bathrooms that consisted of a seat over a hole dug in the ground to no bathrooms at all; red sand in everything; cold nights and mornings followed by hot afternoons. We gathered wood for our campfire, most of which was partially scorched in controlled brush fires. As a result, we were covered in scratches and charcoal smudges, and the scratches attracted those flies. No running water and no soap! And yet on each day we were singing along to the music in the coach, snapping away pictures, and chattering. In other words, we got over it.
We slept under the stars and the full moon in backpacks slid inside swags. The swags were water-proof and fitted with thin mattresses. We could pull a flap over our heads if we wished. Most of us slept around the campfire, but that died down too soon to give much warmth.
Scott cooked up delicious dinners for us: chili con carne with sides on a campfire and stir-fry chicken at the sunset near Uluru. He kept the meat out of some of it so that everyone had a choice.
We took the middle-of-the-road climb at Kata Tjuta, but it still had challenges. At Uluru, we respected the wishes of the Anangu and just walked around the rock. We also visited the Cultural Center. We spent a sunset and also a sunrise at Uluru.
On our way back to Alice Springs, Scott gave us a chance to ride camels. Fourteen of us did so.
Sunday, we will visit the MacDonnell Mountains, and Scott promises it will be a short ride and a long hike. As I have the time, I will summarize what we learned on these 4 days.
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Alice Springs
We are in Alice Springs! Tuesday we had an uneventful flight from Cairns. Actually, our bus drive from the Alice Springs airport to the YHA was more exciting. Some students commented on the city sign near the airport, and so the driver did a U-turn which involved both grassy shoulders to take us back. We all draped ourselves over the sign; hopefully some photos will show up on the blog. The driver gave us an impromptu tour, and so it was about 3:30 when we checked into the YHA. Some shopping for dinner fixings, grading the quiz and journals, and we could relax.
We had a full schedule today, taking in much of what the city has to offer. We started at the desert park about 6 km outside the city. That tour started with a short film summarizing the geological events that formed Australia and specifically the red centre. At the end of the film, the curtain dropped, and there we saw the West MacDonnell range in all its glory. (It reminded me of the presentation at Fort McHenry in Baltimore.)
We were on our own for the next 90 minutes, roaming through the three habitats using a map and an audio player as our guides. Each habitat (desert rivers, sand country, and woodland) had extensive plant life. Netted enclosures contained birds native to the habitat, and the woodlands had kangaroos and an emu. Charlie and I spent about a half hour in the nocturnal house, straining in the dark to see possums and bats and the other desert creatures that come out at night. In the desert river habitat, I learned that the Red River Gum tree is the most common eucalyptus in Australia and that the presence of spring sedge indicates the presence of water below the surface.
We all met for the bird show at 10:00, after which we went our separate ways for another 45 minutes.
At 11:15, we were back on the bus headed for the Royal Flying Doctors Visitor Centre. The Royal Flying Doctors Service was started in 1928; according to a guide we saw later in the day at the Telegraph Station, the program was the brain child of a doctor who had to talk a first aid worker through a surgery by Morse code. The program provides emergency treatment and transport for people in areas so remote, there are no medical services. In addition, the program is used to treat tourists who need emergency care in the outback, to transport patients for organ transplants, and to provide preventative health care. The planes only take doctors to the site if there is a life-threatening event; otherwise, a nurse is sent out. Most stations in the outback have a medical chest on site, and so some problems can be handled via phone or radio – the symptoms are described, and treatment is prescribed. Everything that is needed will be in the chest. The visitor center exists in part to raise funds to replace the planes which cost $6 million apiece.
We had a nice luncheon at the center and then moved on to the School of the Air. This is also a service provided to the sparsely populated outback. Children living on cattle stations generally don’t have access to a school, so they receive instruction over the internet. The Alice Springs school has 116 children, including some indigenous children. They can start at age 4.5 and continue until about age 14, at which point they go to a boarding school or do correspondence courses. Each day a child “attends” a 40-60 minute session on-line with all the other children of the same age. Books and lessons have been sent out to the child, and so the remainder of the day is spent working on these. Each family must have a tutor on location for their children; the tutor could be a parent. Four times a year, all the students come to Alice Springs with their families to meet, do some group activities, and take tests. At least once a year, a child’s teacher will go out to their home to spend time with the child and the tutor. As with the Flying Doctors, tours are offered to raise funds for the program.
We were lucky in that a session with the 4-year-olds was in progress. Two of our students, Brady and Tiffany, joined the teacher in dancing the hokey-pokey for the students. Priceless!
We arrived at the telegraph station an hour early, so we did an unplanned hike up Trig Hill. The view from the top was outstanding – red hills surrounded us. On the way back to the station, most of us chose the shorter walk, and so we saw 4 kangaroos in the wild. Some chose the path that took them past the cemetery – our original goal when setting out on the hike – and so they saw some names that would be familiar after the tour of the station was completed.
Our guide was a Morse code enthusiast, and after the tour he listened as some of the students tapped out their names for him. I don’t think he was able to determine anyone’s name; once told, he tapped their names for them so they could hear it typed properly.
Bruce, our guide, told us the story of Alice Spring’s beginning. A telegraph line was strung from Adelaide to Darwin (south to north) so that Australia could be connected to the rest of the world. The MacDonnell Mountain Range is an east-west range, and so blocked the way. There is a gap in that range, and the telegraph line passed through that gap. Eleven repeater telegraph stations were needed, roughly one every 200 miles, and so Alice Springs was one of those stations. An added bonus above and beyond the gap in the mountain range was that the area had water, and a city grew here. The flow of water in the Todd River is sporadic and unpredictable, and so was mistaken for a spring, hence the name given to the city. The Todd River is an upside down river – the water is below the sandy surface.
Of all the guides in this city who have touched on the topic, Bruce gave the most balanced and sensitive perspective of the history of the indigenous people local to this area. Good relations existed between the Aborigines and the station workers and their families. In fact, when it was realized that indigenous men were climbing telegraph poles and cutting off bits of wire for their personal use (thus breaking the line), repairmen were instructed to leave bits of wire at the base of the pole so that the men could have the wire they needed without cutting the telegraph wire. When the station closed, it became the bungalow, a residence school for Aborigine children. So Alice Springs played a part in the Stolen Generation. Bruce recounted a story of a man who felt his life was saved by the school, but acknowledged that others felt their world was torn apart when sent to the school.
We explored the grounds a bit, and then went to Anzac Hill for the second time; our bus driver took us there yesterday. Now we could look out over the city with recognition and understanding.
One thing I forgot to mention – the red we see in the desert soil is rust. Iron is in the rocks, and iron oxide is red. The rocks crumble, and so the earth is red. We will be sleeping on rust the next two nights, and that will explain the red in our socks when we return to the United States. I doubt that any of us will be carrying our computers on this camping trip, so it will be 60-72 hours before there will be any more postings.
We had a full schedule today, taking in much of what the city has to offer. We started at the desert park about 6 km outside the city. That tour started with a short film summarizing the geological events that formed Australia and specifically the red centre. At the end of the film, the curtain dropped, and there we saw the West MacDonnell range in all its glory. (It reminded me of the presentation at Fort McHenry in Baltimore.)
We were on our own for the next 90 minutes, roaming through the three habitats using a map and an audio player as our guides. Each habitat (desert rivers, sand country, and woodland) had extensive plant life. Netted enclosures contained birds native to the habitat, and the woodlands had kangaroos and an emu. Charlie and I spent about a half hour in the nocturnal house, straining in the dark to see possums and bats and the other desert creatures that come out at night. In the desert river habitat, I learned that the Red River Gum tree is the most common eucalyptus in Australia and that the presence of spring sedge indicates the presence of water below the surface.
We all met for the bird show at 10:00, after which we went our separate ways for another 45 minutes.
At 11:15, we were back on the bus headed for the Royal Flying Doctors Visitor Centre. The Royal Flying Doctors Service was started in 1928; according to a guide we saw later in the day at the Telegraph Station, the program was the brain child of a doctor who had to talk a first aid worker through a surgery by Morse code. The program provides emergency treatment and transport for people in areas so remote, there are no medical services. In addition, the program is used to treat tourists who need emergency care in the outback, to transport patients for organ transplants, and to provide preventative health care. The planes only take doctors to the site if there is a life-threatening event; otherwise, a nurse is sent out. Most stations in the outback have a medical chest on site, and so some problems can be handled via phone or radio – the symptoms are described, and treatment is prescribed. Everything that is needed will be in the chest. The visitor center exists in part to raise funds to replace the planes which cost $6 million apiece.
We had a nice luncheon at the center and then moved on to the School of the Air. This is also a service provided to the sparsely populated outback. Children living on cattle stations generally don’t have access to a school, so they receive instruction over the internet. The Alice Springs school has 116 children, including some indigenous children. They can start at age 4.5 and continue until about age 14, at which point they go to a boarding school or do correspondence courses. Each day a child “attends” a 40-60 minute session on-line with all the other children of the same age. Books and lessons have been sent out to the child, and so the remainder of the day is spent working on these. Each family must have a tutor on location for their children; the tutor could be a parent. Four times a year, all the students come to Alice Springs with their families to meet, do some group activities, and take tests. At least once a year, a child’s teacher will go out to their home to spend time with the child and the tutor. As with the Flying Doctors, tours are offered to raise funds for the program.
We were lucky in that a session with the 4-year-olds was in progress. Two of our students, Brady and Tiffany, joined the teacher in dancing the hokey-pokey for the students. Priceless!
We arrived at the telegraph station an hour early, so we did an unplanned hike up Trig Hill. The view from the top was outstanding – red hills surrounded us. On the way back to the station, most of us chose the shorter walk, and so we saw 4 kangaroos in the wild. Some chose the path that took them past the cemetery – our original goal when setting out on the hike – and so they saw some names that would be familiar after the tour of the station was completed.
Our guide was a Morse code enthusiast, and after the tour he listened as some of the students tapped out their names for him. I don’t think he was able to determine anyone’s name; once told, he tapped their names for them so they could hear it typed properly.
Bruce, our guide, told us the story of Alice Spring’s beginning. A telegraph line was strung from Adelaide to Darwin (south to north) so that Australia could be connected to the rest of the world. The MacDonnell Mountain Range is an east-west range, and so blocked the way. There is a gap in that range, and the telegraph line passed through that gap. Eleven repeater telegraph stations were needed, roughly one every 200 miles, and so Alice Springs was one of those stations. An added bonus above and beyond the gap in the mountain range was that the area had water, and a city grew here. The flow of water in the Todd River is sporadic and unpredictable, and so was mistaken for a spring, hence the name given to the city. The Todd River is an upside down river – the water is below the sandy surface.
Of all the guides in this city who have touched on the topic, Bruce gave the most balanced and sensitive perspective of the history of the indigenous people local to this area. Good relations existed between the Aborigines and the station workers and their families. In fact, when it was realized that indigenous men were climbing telegraph poles and cutting off bits of wire for their personal use (thus breaking the line), repairmen were instructed to leave bits of wire at the base of the pole so that the men could have the wire they needed without cutting the telegraph wire. When the station closed, it became the bungalow, a residence school for Aborigine children. So Alice Springs played a part in the Stolen Generation. Bruce recounted a story of a man who felt his life was saved by the school, but acknowledged that others felt their world was torn apart when sent to the school.
We explored the grounds a bit, and then went to Anzac Hill for the second time; our bus driver took us there yesterday. Now we could look out over the city with recognition and understanding.
One thing I forgot to mention – the red we see in the desert soil is rust. Iron is in the rocks, and iron oxide is red. The rocks crumble, and so the earth is red. We will be sleeping on rust the next two nights, and that will explain the red in our socks when we return to the United States. I doubt that any of us will be carrying our computers on this camping trip, so it will be 60-72 hours before there will be any more postings.
Minimum Wage
When on the plane from Canberra to Brisbane I met a gentlemen sitting next to me and talked with him the whole plane ride. I learned a lot about Australia from him. I was talking to him about pricing in Australia and how expensive everything is. He explained to me that it really isn’t that expensive for them because of how much they get paid. Minimum wage here is $17 an hour, he explained. That just blew me away, no wonder everything cost so much, people are getting paid an extreme amount. It just puts us at a disadvantage being tourists because we have to pay so much for everything. I have gone through over half of my money on just food. I wasn’t expecting to pay so much just to eat, but all the money I saved to come on this trip and do fun things is just going to food and necessities. It is ridiculous how much money I have spent and I haven’t actually bought anything for myself yet. I wasn’t prepared for these costs at all.
Australia vs. England
Two years ago I went on the Term III trip to the UK. We stayed at a college in London and took day trips all over the UK. While in Australia I have noticed that things here are very similar to England. It is probably because Australia started as a English colony which had a lot of influence in its development. Both places drive on the opposite side of the road as America, the Queen is on the Australian currency, and a lot of the words, sayings and signs are the same as England. When I first arrived in Sydney I almost felt like I was back in England for a bit. I also thing the Australian and British accents are very similar and sometimes have a hard time distinguishing between them.
Youth Hostile in Brisbane
The youth Hostile in Brisbane was my favorite place we have stayed so far. The whole Hostile is themed. One floor was outback themed, and the walls were decorated with murals of the outback, another was Rainforest themed and had murals of the jungle all over the walls, and the floor that we stayed on was beach themed and had murals of the great barrier reef and people swimming all over it. On the common floor they had surfboards hanging from the ceiling and had really nice areas to hang out including a computer room, TV lounge, dining area, very large kitchen, and a great outdoor patio to sit and hang out. They also had a gorgeous pool to swim in, but we never actually had the chance to swim. The people who were staying there were awesome I made so many friends from all over the world. Everyone was really friendly, and had great outlooks on life. One night we sat outside and hung out with friends and we had 10 people from different countries all sitting together talking. It is amazing the things we could learn from each other. I met people from England, Germany, Sweden, the Netherlands, Japan, China, and Canada. Though everyone was from a different place, we all had one thing in common, we were here, traveling and having the desire to meet new people and experience the world from different points of view. I look up to the people I have met here, they had the courage to just get up and leave and travel on their own. They inspired me to want to do the same thing, but I learned you cant hesitate you just have to decide to do it and go.
Train Ride from Brisbane to Cairns
I was actually really excited for this train ride, I thought it would be a lot of fun for all of us to just hang out for 2 days, and get a chance to relax. You would think being stuck in a train for so long would get old and boring, but we kept ourselves busy and entertained. We watched movies, read books, and took a lot of naps. It was nice to have these days to recover from all the running around we have been doing. But now I am really excited to be arriving in Cairns. I am expecting beautiful weather, and lots of swimming ahead of us. I can’t wait to go on the Great Barrier Reef and hopefully we are going to go sky diving on our free day. Cairns has a lot to offer and I want to take full advantage of it while we are here.
Monday, May 16, 2011
Free days in Cairns
Saturday and Monday were free days in Cairns. If you read the other blogs, you will see what some students do with their free time. Charlie typically catches up on paperwork and checks in with the vendors in the next city to be visited. I work on my blogs and on the quiz. We take a break for a few hours and do something in the city. The free days in Brisbane were back-to-back, so we spent the first day with a subset of our students at the Australia Zoo. But the second day followed our typical pattern.
In Cairns on Saturday, we walked to the botanical gardens by way of the esplanade. The day was sunny and warm and many people were out walking or biking, and there were even some people venturing out onto sandy patches in the mud flats. There are a few small playgrounds along the esplanade, and these were starting to fill up. Every once in a while we would peer over the boardwalk at the mud flats to see if we could see a mudskipper. There were dozens of little mud crabs, but no skippers, much to Charlie’s disappointment. This was our second attempt to see one.
The walk to the gardens was a little over an hour. We did a self-guided tour around a portion of the gardens, and then sat down to lunch at the café. We both ordered the waffle with fruit salad. We could have ordered just one for the both of us. The waffle took up the entire plate and was piled high with fruit and ice cream. Neither of us finished our waffle.
To work off the calories, we walked along the garden’s boardwalk through some marshy territory and then back to the hotel.
Today, once the quiz was written and edited, we went back to the esplanade. I simply can’t get over how Cairns solved the problem of having a shoreline but no usable beaches. Mangroves once grew here but were torn out in WWII by the Americans so that they could better see the approach of ships. So, instead of beaches, Cairns has mudflats. At low tide, we can see mud crabs sunning themselves or digging down into the mud. Birds poke around in the mud looking for food. But no mudskippers!
Back to the lack of beaches! Cairns has a huge swimming pool, easily a full block, that starts just a few feet away from the mud flats. It is not rectangular in shape; I wish I could see it from above to see if there is a recognizable design. Pieces jut out here and there, and most corners are not right angles. One edge has a sandy “beach”, the other grass and concrete. There are fountains and sprayers, shallow areas for toddlers and areas deep enough for swimming laps. EVERY CITY NEEDS SUCH A POOL! I haven’t looked it up online yet to see if there is a picture to do it justice.
In the morning, we walked around the marina to see the ships. Late afternoon we returned to see the tide come in. Today we really did see it come in! In Maryland, my family would vacation on a tidal creek. Waves were always lapping up on the shore, but you didn’t notice a change in the water level unless you checked back in 15 minutes or so. Here, we actually saw the water roll in and stay. With it came a mudskipper! At last, I have seen one! Initially, it looked like a small branch drifting in, but it started moving with purpose. It came close enough to the boardwalk so that Charlie could identify it.
Tomorrow we fly to Alice Springs.
In Cairns on Saturday, we walked to the botanical gardens by way of the esplanade. The day was sunny and warm and many people were out walking or biking, and there were even some people venturing out onto sandy patches in the mud flats. There are a few small playgrounds along the esplanade, and these were starting to fill up. Every once in a while we would peer over the boardwalk at the mud flats to see if we could see a mudskipper. There were dozens of little mud crabs, but no skippers, much to Charlie’s disappointment. This was our second attempt to see one.
The walk to the gardens was a little over an hour. We did a self-guided tour around a portion of the gardens, and then sat down to lunch at the café. We both ordered the waffle with fruit salad. We could have ordered just one for the both of us. The waffle took up the entire plate and was piled high with fruit and ice cream. Neither of us finished our waffle.
To work off the calories, we walked along the garden’s boardwalk through some marshy territory and then back to the hotel.
Today, once the quiz was written and edited, we went back to the esplanade. I simply can’t get over how Cairns solved the problem of having a shoreline but no usable beaches. Mangroves once grew here but were torn out in WWII by the Americans so that they could better see the approach of ships. So, instead of beaches, Cairns has mudflats. At low tide, we can see mud crabs sunning themselves or digging down into the mud. Birds poke around in the mud looking for food. But no mudskippers!
Back to the lack of beaches! Cairns has a huge swimming pool, easily a full block, that starts just a few feet away from the mud flats. It is not rectangular in shape; I wish I could see it from above to see if there is a recognizable design. Pieces jut out here and there, and most corners are not right angles. One edge has a sandy “beach”, the other grass and concrete. There are fountains and sprayers, shallow areas for toddlers and areas deep enough for swimming laps. EVERY CITY NEEDS SUCH A POOL! I haven’t looked it up online yet to see if there is a picture to do it justice.
In the morning, we walked around the marina to see the ships. Late afternoon we returned to see the tide come in. Today we really did see it come in! In Maryland, my family would vacation on a tidal creek. Waves were always lapping up on the shore, but you didn’t notice a change in the water level unless you checked back in 15 minutes or so. Here, we actually saw the water roll in and stay. With it came a mudskipper! At last, I have seen one! Initially, it looked like a small branch drifting in, but it started moving with purpose. It came close enough to the boardwalk so that Charlie could identify it.
Tomorrow we fly to Alice Springs.
Some photos from the Daintree
Here are a few snaps from the trip with Billy Tea Bush Safaris:
Horses and wallabies share a paddock in the early morning, north of Cairns.
A female croc (about 10 ft) sunning herself on the banks of the Daintree.
A well-hidden baby croc.
Coleen standing by mangroves at Cape Tribulation. Note the complex root structure.
Mangroves send out 'snorkel' roots as a means of respiration when their main roots are water-covered.
Findlay illustrating a critical step in the intricate Australian Bush Tea Ceremony.
Several basket ferns in the Daintree rainforest.
Cycad.
Boyd's bearded forest dragon. The guides call him Kevin.
Wild cassowaries, dad and chick.
Findlay makes himself taller than the lurking cassowary.
A tiny sand crab caught by Brittany M.
Daniel F. contemplating the sunset before we returned to Cairns.
First Impression
This one is a little overdue, but i realized i have been posting things in the wrong order - So here is my first impression on how this trip would turn out!
After we first landed in Sydney, my first impression of this country was that of a tropical paradise, hidden within a concrete jungle. Sydney was a large city, with many different hidden wonders. Overlooking the Opera House and the Sydney Bridge was one of the most magnificent views I have ever seen.
On the last night in Sydney, I was accompanied by Dan, Mariah, and Jared to see the most amazing sunset of my life. It was at the end of the botanical gardens where we sat and watched the sun set behind the great Opera House. This is a point in my life that I don’t believe I will ever have the opportunity to see ever again, because of the timing and the beautiful sky. Once in a lifetime.
G’day from Down Unda,
Brady Richards ‘14
My Furry Friends
Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary was my first experience seeing a Koala. At first they seem very sluggish, and not very active animals. I did find out how to get them to perform for you though, if their food source is taken from them they seem to get extremely agitated and show that they can move about. I had the opportunity to see them jump all across their sanctuary. This was a cool experience because generally they did not move what so ever as their food source are just eucalyptus leaves. The texture of their fur also through me off because I believed that it would be less dense and softer than it actually was. The fur coat that a Koala has is quite wooly and dense which was hard to understand given their warm climate. The dense fur coat saves their body heat and energy, because it is so essential to their way of life because they have so little energy they must conserve it all.
On one of our free days I got my first glimpse of a wild Koala, which was actually running about on the ground from tree to tree. This got many people very excited because this is not something that normally occurs, it is very rare to see a Koala in the wild. I would have loved to steal my little furry friend and bring him home with me, I just wish it was legal!
G’day from down unda,
Brady Richards ‘14
I Believe I can Fly
On our journey back from Fraser Island, we had a chance to go on a nice hike to see a beautiful waterfall. This was one of my favorite adventures of the trip because I was able to actually jump off a rock wall beside the waterfall. Not only could we jump off the 30ft ledge, but the view from where the waterfall was located made me want to leave everything behind and build a log cabin overlooking the valley. I really feel hat I wouldn’t have to do anything else in life if I could have just lived there, I had running water with the waterfall, I had a way to wake myself up everyday by jumping off of it. I could sterilize the water, because now I no how to because our tour guide went through the process with me. I would be set for life, and probably one of the happiest people in the world!
What are the chances I can get a personal waterfall made out back of the dorms for myself, probably slim to none. But I can dream!
G’day from Down Unda,
Brady Richards ‘14
Big Beach in the Ocean
Who would expect that in the middle of the ocean there would be a massive sand island that can actually sustain vegetation and wildlife on the island? This was a sight I am certain I will never see ever again. The whole experience, from our tour guides to seeing the largest sand island in the world. Growing up I have always been taught that in order to grow plants you need to have rich soil and lots of access to water. Sand does not quite fit the description of rich soil full of nutrients, like one would believe would be needed for a rainforest. In fact there are several different types of small forests on Fraser Island, the largest sand island in the world.
Walking throughout a rainforest is one of the most spectacular feelings that one can have, and luckily we have had the opportunity to do this multiple times over the course of this trip. Fraser island had so many different little treasures to find, and was an overall great experience. My favorite part of the Fraser island adventure was the chance to walk barefoot throughout the trip. I don’t believe I put my hoes on once after the ferry ride onto the island. This was so cool, because everywhere you walked you had the cold sand in between your toes. This also created some problem, as I am still trying to find a way to get the sand out of my clothes and backpack…
G’day from Down Unda,
Brady Richards ‘14
Run with a Roo
One of my goals over the course of this trip was to have an opportunity to just see one of Australia’s national animals, a kangaroo! Not only have I had the chance to see one, but actually touch one! My first run in with these beautiful animals occurred in Sydney at the zoo there. The kangaroos and wallaby’s here were not as friendly as I had hoped, but I still had my first opportunity to touch a small guy! It wasn’t until we were in Brisbane where we got the chance to hang out in one of the coolest environments ever. At the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary was were they gave tourist and locals a chance to feels, touch, pet, and play with these beautiful creatures.
One would think that these animals would be extremely scared of humans, but on the contrary they actually seemed to enjoy their presence. We arrived at a perfect time of the day because we had the whole park to ourselves, and at first were a little hesitant to approach the animals. Once we understood that they actually didn’t mind interacting with us, we opened up to the animals and got a new perception on the personalities and life of a kangaroo.
The next step is to figure out how to get my new wallaby friend through customs. I can’t leave without a new pet, hopefully Elmira College can bend the rules just once and let this cool creature come live with me!
G’day from Down Unda,
Brady Richards ‘14
Living the Dream
The only way to describe one of our free days in Brisbane is to say, we were living the dream. Who can complain when you are with some of the friendliest and generous Australian’s. On this free day they took us to on of their favorite getaways. It was here that we got to enjoy to sun, and a nice “Barbie” as they would like to put it. What felt like a beautiful summer’s day, was actually leading into the Australian winter, which no one could believe. This is where I felt almost as if I was at home, I felt like everyone fit right into the situation we were in.
I would have it no other way, than to have spent that free day lounging in the sun and enjoying the water sports. A lesson I took from this day was that these people are not so different from us; actually they are very much the same, just half way around the world. All of the same summer activities and games were explored on this beautiful day in the sun. From tubing to wakeboarding, everyone had a great time enjoying each other’s company with only one word to describe the attitude on the day, “living the dream.” The whole adventure from waking up at 6 in the morning until we arrived back that night, the whole trip felt like one amazing dream.
Take care comb your hair,
Brady Richards ‘14
Life Experiences
Over the course of this Australia course I have come to realize there are many different perspectives to be taken away about the way people live their lives. Many of the people that we have come to meet on this trip have opened my eyes to the different lifestyles that one can have. This trip has not only been an educational experience but also an unforgettable life experience.
In the beginning of our journey everyone was still a little skeptical on meeting new people, and becoming comfortable around each other. We started our trip off in Sydney, Australia. Sydney opened my eyes to how this journey was going to turn out. The first people we met in the first hostels were locals, and very friendly. I soon realized that the hostels were the places that we were going to find some of the most interesting people, all with different perceptions on life and where it will take them. Most of the backpackers we have met as a group extend their visits here in Australia because of how beautiful this country is, and all the amazing experiences it has to offer.
The second leg of our journey has taken us to Canberra, Australia. It was here that we learned of how much respect that the Australians have not only for their own military but those of their allies. Many different exhibits in the ANZAC memorial shared this common respect for all militaries. One Exhibit that showed how much both the government and the people of this country have for those who serve us, they have a memorial for the Turkish army out of respect for their fight for freedom. This memorial is so significant because of the location, and the fact that the battle was fought against the Australian’s. The history of the armies was only one of the many life lessons learned on our trip to the nations capital. One evening while making dinner, we made great friends with a “hippie” that had many different views on life. This man had been traveling Australia barefoot, playing his guitar and loving life. This was a moment that led me to believe that happiness is truly found within. This man from Botswana, he had virtually nothing and lived pay check to pay check but he was probably one of the most self satisfied man I had ever met. He was one of the most inspiring people I have ever met.
After our adventures in Canberra, we traveled north to Brisbane, or what the locals call “Brizzy.” It was here that I got to catch up with a good family friend who had eloped to Australia a year ago, never to leave. We also met a friend of Brittany Edwards; he would be one of the highlights of this trip. Matt who is Brittany’s friend, took us out and shined a new light on the Australian life. Venturing from the typical tourist attractions and traveling to places that the locals deem a great getaway is an experience I never believed I would have. Matt took us out on a damn, and showed us a great day in the sun full of tubing and wakeboarding. Getting to talk to people who have lived here their whole life, and when asked if they would ever leave, the answer was predictable. Who could leave a place that is warm 12 months of the year? I know if I had the chance I don’t believe that I could. So far on this trip mat has been one of the most interesting characters we have met, and he has opened up a new perspective not just to myself but also to everyone, on how Australians live their lives.
It was today that we left our new good friend, to travel on a train for a day and a half, to the beautiful city of Cairns, Australia. There lies many more adventures and new people for all of us to meet. Our only obstacle is getting through this torturous train ride.
G’day from Down Unda,
Brady Richards ‘14
Bungy and Fitzroy
Our first free day in Cairns was on Saturday and Brina, Sarah, Brittany M., Tiffany and I decided to spend it Bungy jumping at AJ Hackett. The tower was 50 meters, or 160 ft. high. We had to climb 196 steps up to the top where we met two guys that were great at calming our nerves while we were standing over the edge. The first time I jumped I attempted a swan dive, but I ended up flailing my arms around and it looked more like a canon ball. From the top of the tower you can see the ocean and supposedly the reef, but I couldnt tell. The jump was directly over a small man made pond, and if you paid extra you could be junked into the water on your way down. My second jump I decided to take backwards, which ended up being more graceful than the first. When I got the the bottom I stretched my arms out and made it into the water up to my wrists. There happened to be a Japanese tourist groups there at the time and when I bounced back up I could hear them all cheering. In order to get detached from the bungy they lower you down to a boat and bring you over to the side. When I got over there, 4 tourists were telling me how wonderful the jump was and asked if I would take my picture with them. Brina's face when she saw this priceless and she got a picture as well, which i will post when i get a chance. After our second jump, Brina and I went on the Minjin swing, which is like one of the big harnessed swings you see at amusement parks where they bring you up to the top (45m) and drop you so that you fall and then swing back and forth for a while. Come to find out, the pictures that were taken when we were on the swing didnt come through because the computer crashed as we were swinging so we got to go again for free. Darn! The second time it worked though, so we didnt get a third free! The guy running it kept pretending to stand in front of us as we were falling back down across, which was intimidating, but he would duck down at the very last minute. The tourists loved this as well!
Today was another free day so Brina, Jen, Brittany M., Sarah and I all went to Fitzroy Island, a small island off the coast of Cairns. The weather didn't quite cooperate so we didnt get to do the sea kayak tour due to high winds, however we took our own kayaking tour along the beach. It started raining while we were out to see but since we were soaked already it only added to our adventure. Upon return we walked down to Nudey beach, which was apparently named after a person and not an actual Nude beach, although I dont think they care much about what people do there. When we got to the beach the sun came out, so we walked around looking at the heaps of coral that had been washed up onto shore. Brina and I performed a show climbing up onto the water trampoline, but we finally got on and jumped off a couple times. It wasnt as bouncy as I thought it was going to be, especially for a water trampoline. Afterwards we attempted to snorkel, but because of the wind and rain we couldnt even see our own feet when we looked down so that didnt work out. For the second half of our day we took a nap on the beach under the temporary sun until we had to board the ferry back! Even though the weather was the worst its been since we have been here it was an amazing adventure, and we are in Australia so nothing else matters!!!
Cairns
So Cairns is officially my favorite place ever. It is amazing here, I never want to leave. Beautiful weather, beautiful people, and amazing lifestyle. While I was here I did so much and met so many people. My favorite had to be bungee jumping, it is so exhilarating, but I also had a blast on the reef cruise. I love scuba diving and I think when I go home I want to get certified. Today we went to Fitzroy Island and had a blast, it was raining today on and off but it was still a good day. The whole day was worth it just to see Brittany Miliken flip out of our Kayak. Haha I stopped breathing because I was laughing so hard. As I was trying to get in it turned the wrong way into the waves and it flipped and she went flying out of it, it had to be one of the funniest things I have ever seen in my life. But shes a champ and got up and right back in, laughing as well. It was a good day overall, and I had a blast here. I am very sad that we are leaving tomorrow. I am definitely looking foward to Alice Springs, but I just fell in love with this place and want to stay or come back asap! Maybe I wont be getting on a place back to the US but back to Cairns instead.
Fitzroy Island
Today we went to Fitzroy Island. The ferry ride over there was about 45 minutes, we started to get splashed by the water so we moved down into the boat. When we got to the island the clouds were rolling in, and it was very windy and cold. We decided to go kayaking, the waves were making our kayak nearly flip over, it was rather scary. The wind made it seem like we were in a hurricane, so we decided to head back to shore. We made it back just in time because once we got back on land it started to down pour. We then decided to take a walk to Nudey beach, we got to observe all the beautiful coral on the beaches. It hurt our feet after a while, it was worth it though when the sun came out. I actually got color today, it was nice. I got the chance to see a sting ray, not a big one but he was close to shore, it was really cool. Overall it was a great day, i just wish the weather was a little bit better. We did not get to do our sea kayaking tour because of the weather and the winds, that threw off most of our plans for the day, however, hanging out on the island was very fun. We did not get a chance to see little Fitzroy island. There were other trails that we could have gone on that would have led up to the summit, and to the light house. It was nice to get away and enjoy the island. Were heading off to Alice Springs tomorrow and i cant wait!!
Sunlander and Scuba
So we all survived the 32 hour Sunlander train from Brisbane to Cairns, which actually ended up being an hour more than expected because of a delay with the train in front of us. Despite the length of time, it was actually enjoyable. I stayed busy at work on some homework I had to complete for an independent study course, but the other students watched movies, read books and played cards. For most of the trip we all hung out in the club car instead of staying cramped in our seats. It was a new experience for me because I had never been on a sleeper train before. It even had showers! We met this woman on the train the next morning who stayed with us the entire day and she gave us a building by building and possibly even a tree by tree tour from wherever we were when we woke up all the way to about an hour before we got off the train ourselves. We also met a couple of older ladies who were quite nice and told a bit about what we should try to do on our free days. One of them gave me her book when she finished reading because I told her I had been looking for a good Australian book. We got to see some damage from the flooding and the cyclone, which included trees that were still standing but tipped slightly, as if it was hair blowing in the wind. Many houses were partially covered in tarps and we could see piles of what use to be houses and cars lined up along the tracks and times.
When we arrived in Cairns it was hot and sunny. Brina, Jen and I walked down to the Esplanade with Charlie and Colleen where there was a large pool for swimming because it is discouraged to swim in the ocean within that area. The boardwalk went along the mudflat, which houses a lot of neat organisms and use to be the home of a mangrove forest before they ripped them out during the war. Charlie also brought us to an outdoor workout station where we got to observe some of Australia's finest lift weights by the water. We also got to eat dinner with mom and dad, which included Charlie's famous spaghetti and pesto and Colleen's tossed greens! It was delightful.
Friday we went scuba diving with Passions of Paradise, which had the best crew members ever! We met one of the instructors, Simon, or darling, a couple days before on our way to the esplanade and he remembered all of our names. Brina, Jen, Heather and I were in the first group to go diving with Lance. They brought us down and made sure we were breathing properly before letting us drop to the bottom. We got to see a giant clam close us by waving around above it, and we also met Nemo. I was hoping to see a sea turtle, which a couple people did but I didnt have any luck. I could definitely see signs of coral bleaching when both diving and snorkeling. I held my hands out when snorkeling and a smaller fish came up to me and rubbed against it, but that is the closest I got to life on the Great Barrier Reef. We snorkeled at two different reefs, and they were both amazing! A once in a lifetime experience!
Passions of Paradise- Great Barrier Reef Cruise
Friday morning was an early one, but it was so worth it. We boarded the Passions of Paradise boat around 8am for a full day adventure. We had about a 2 hour ride out to Michaelmas Cay where we had the opportunity to snorkel and scuba dive. I was in the first group to go scuba diving, so we started getting ready before we dropped anchor. We finally got to jump in once our gear was secured and we had some practice dry runs using it. Once in the water, we had a quick 5 minute lesson before agreeing to pay for the full dive. There were four of us linked up to each other and our dive master, Lance. When we reached the ocean floor,about 6-8 meters deep, we unlinked arms and were free to swim around on our own (but not too far from Lance). We saw a clown fish swimming around his anemone and also a giant clam; no turtles, sharks, or other cool things though =(. After scuba diving for about an hour, we swam back up to the surface to get ready for snorkeling. There wasn't too much to see at this location, so I didn't stay in the water for too long. As we headed to Paradise Reef for the afternoon portion of the tour, we had a great meal on board. We docked at Paradise Reef, and Brina, Brittanie P., and I jumped right in with our snorkeling gear. There seemed to be a lot more at this site. We saw a bunch of unicorn fish, a family of four squids, a cleaner wrasse station, and all different types of coral. We ended up staying in the water the entire time we were there, and when we got called back in all three of us got wicked bad charlie horses in our legs. It was an interesting swim back, but we finally made it. All of the crew members on board were awesome and took some time to talk with us on a more personal level. I had a great day and I can't wait to get Scuba certified so I can come back here some day <3.
Cairns Part 2
So still alive after bungy jumping, man what a rush - that was the craziest feeling ever. I jumped once forwards and then did it again backwards. Totally worth it, thinking of building an area in my backyard for one when I grow up.
Yesterday we went to the daintree river and got to see four crocs and then then went for an amazing rainforest hike - still no pretty and bright colored flowers (rainforest cafe is a false representation) - but learned and got to appreciate the rainforest for its beauty and very crucial balance.
Today we went to Fitzroy Island, We were supposed to take a 3 hr kayak tour to the little fitzroy island but the water was too choppy and it was cancelled, so we just kayaked alone in a cove. It was so awesome, I love kayaking and definately wouldn't mind looking into a two or one person kayak. It was such a work out for my abs and arms and my Dad would be so proud of how well I steered for my kayak, all those times in my childhood finally paid off. Just like riding a bike. It was kind of rainy so we took a hike to nudey beach (don't worry it wasn't a nude beach, it was named after some guy named nudey) and then the sun came out so we went down to the beach which was covered in dead coral (not comfortable for laying out or walking on). I got to jump on an ocean trampoline and we tried to snorkel, but the water was to merky from the storm, we couldn't even see our hands. It was just nice, but the weather could have made it amazing. oh well. tonight is the last night in Cairns, leaving for Alice springs tomorow morning.
Cairns Part 1
I love Cairns! Its a tourist mecca!
First we went to the butterfly gardens which were so cool, knew they would be. I read that I should wear pink or red so I wore the bright pink underarmor sweatshirt and all the butterflies were landing on me at first it was scary, but after a while it was so cool. I told all my roommates to wear those colors too, but the tour guide said I had the right shade on that’s why the liked me the most. Best underarmour buy ever! The one that kept landing on me was poisonous; did you know there was a poisonous butterfly? I didn't, but its only if you eat it so I was safe. Then I had a hardy german lunch - bratwurst - yum - for only 5.50. And after lunch we did a skyrail ride over the rainforest and then went to the Tjabukee park which was an interactive aboriginal performance. It was pretty cool, they taught us a dance and chat and how to through a boomerang and spear. I was good with the spear throwing because they said its like a tennis swing. Score. It was such a great day!
Still alive after swimming in shark and jelly infested waters! I bet you can guess, but we went to the great barrier reef today. It was such an amazing day. Left the hostle around 7 this morning and were on the sea by 8. We stopped and had an intro (tourist) scuba dive for about 30 minutes. It was really cool, but kind of scary at the same time. I was having a hard time focusing on breathing, trying to take my pictures and keep up with my tour guide. So I didn't get too many pictures.. After our dive we went snorkeling and played in the water. We had lunch on the boat and then went to paradise cove and we were able to dive again for an extra 45 bucks, but I said no I'll just snorkle. This snorkel was was so awesome though, I probably should have dove again, but either way the reef was awesome. We had a reef teach the night before which taught us what to look for and how to "play" with the fish and the coral so it was awesome. They also said that Fitzroy is awesome for snorkeling/scuba diving and we are going there on Monday. Which is going to be so amazing its going to be silly. Ma - you would have been pround I didn't get burnt at all, a layer of 50 before we left the hostel and another layer after lunch. And walaa no burn.
Tomorrow I am going bungey jumping, super excited. The next day we are going to the Daintree river which is a rainforest, the only place in the world where two natural historical sights touch, the rainforests runs and touches the great barrier reef. Pretty neat. The Daintree is supposed to be a legit rainforest, we've been to quite a few places that they qualify as rainforests, but its mostly greenery and ferns. Not what I expected, you know the colorful plants and the monkeys swinging and such (like the rainforest cafe. . . . ) So anyway that will be cool. And then Fitzroy Island the next day for a Kayak tour and more snorkeling.
First we went to the butterfly gardens which were so cool, knew they would be. I read that I should wear pink or red so I wore the bright pink underarmor sweatshirt and all the butterflies were landing on me at first it was scary, but after a while it was so cool. I told all my roommates to wear those colors too, but the tour guide said I had the right shade on that’s why the liked me the most. Best underarmour buy ever! The one that kept landing on me was poisonous; did you know there was a poisonous butterfly? I didn't, but its only if you eat it so I was safe. Then I had a hardy german lunch - bratwurst - yum - for only 5.50. And after lunch we did a skyrail ride over the rainforest and then went to the Tjabukee park which was an interactive aboriginal performance. It was pretty cool, they taught us a dance and chat and how to through a boomerang and spear. I was good with the spear throwing because they said its like a tennis swing. Score. It was such a great day!
Still alive after swimming in shark and jelly infested waters! I bet you can guess, but we went to the great barrier reef today. It was such an amazing day. Left the hostle around 7 this morning and were on the sea by 8. We stopped and had an intro (tourist) scuba dive for about 30 minutes. It was really cool, but kind of scary at the same time. I was having a hard time focusing on breathing, trying to take my pictures and keep up with my tour guide. So I didn't get too many pictures.. After our dive we went snorkeling and played in the water. We had lunch on the boat and then went to paradise cove and we were able to dive again for an extra 45 bucks, but I said no I'll just snorkle. This snorkel was was so awesome though, I probably should have dove again, but either way the reef was awesome. We had a reef teach the night before which taught us what to look for and how to "play" with the fish and the coral so it was awesome. They also said that Fitzroy is awesome for snorkeling/scuba diving and we are going there on Monday. Which is going to be so amazing its going to be silly. Ma - you would have been pround I didn't get burnt at all, a layer of 50 before we left the hostel and another layer after lunch. And walaa no burn.
Tomorrow I am going bungey jumping, super excited. The next day we are going to the Daintree river which is a rainforest, the only place in the world where two natural historical sights touch, the rainforests runs and touches the great barrier reef. Pretty neat. The Daintree is supposed to be a legit rainforest, we've been to quite a few places that they qualify as rainforests, but its mostly greenery and ferns. Not what I expected, you know the colorful plants and the monkeys swinging and such (like the rainforest cafe. . . . ) So anyway that will be cool. And then Fitzroy Island the next day for a Kayak tour and more snorkeling.
The Beautiful Life
One thing that has really shocked me about this country is how incredibly beautiful it is. I can’t fully describe it and pictures don’t even begin to do it justice. The land is greener, the sky is bluer, the air is cleaner, the clouds are brighter and the trees stand out more. The best way I can think to describe it is that living here is almost like living life with High Definition vision.
On one of our free days in Brisbane, Brady, Jared, Brittany, Devin, Bridget, Brittany, Jen, Brinna and I went to Lake Summerset with Matt (Brittany’s friend from Brisbane) and his family. While there, we went tubing, and some people tried to wake board and water ski. Though I was unable to do these activities because I had hurt my foot the day before, I went out on the boat with people. While on the boat I noticed that I was particularly mesmerized by the scenery. The clouds somehow looked more 3D than clouds do at home. You could see for miles and miles and the land was lush, clean and green. It was as if nothing around us was real, like we were living in a child’s fairytale storybook.
Mariah
Life Changes
This trip isn’t even half over and I can’t even begin to imagine how it could get better, but then I’ve said that every night since we got here. I have had some of the most important, amazing, fun, exciting, breathtaking and life changing experiences of my life in this country. I have seen things I never thought I’d see, done things I’d never even imagined and changed my perspective on various things since coming here.
One of the first nights in Sydney, Brady, Jared and I walked through the Botannical Gardens all the way to the Sydney Harbour Bridge, about a two mile walk from our Hostel. Once we got to the Bridge, their was a seat carved into the sandstone wall directly across the water from it. It was late at night on a Saturaday night so we were the only people around. Sitting in the sandstone wall, the sandstone walls on both sides blocked all peripheral vision of the park and city so the only thing we could see was this incredible view of the water and Sydney Harbour Bridge. This experience was the single most incredible moment of my life and it’s one I will never forget.
In addition to this moment, I have also had the chance to pet and feed kangarros, hold a koala, pet a dingo, ride a 4WD truck up the coast of Fraser Island, stand at the top of Indian Head and even eaten a kangaroo kabab (even though I’m a vegetarian!). This trip has opened my eyes to a world I never knew existed and changed my life for the better.
Mariah
Living in Hostels
Throughout our trip, we’ve been staying in Youth Hostels. Though hostels tend to get a bad reputation, I personally think that this reputation doesn’t give a fair representation of what they offer. While hostels do not offer many of the same luxeries one would expect to find in a hotel, they offer a much more valuable experience. Hostel living is very similar to dorm life actually. There are multiple beds to a room, that you usually have to make yourself and there are usually communal bathrooms. This may not sound like an ideal stay to you, but the interactions these circumstances create are invaluable. Having to live so closely with other people, which are usually other students, forces everyone to interact with one another.
Through our various stays in Hostels in Sydney, Canberra and Brisbane, I have met some of the most interesting people I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing. I have made friends with people from Germany, Japan, China, Indonesia, Italy, Australia, Spain, Canada, various parts of America, along with many other places throughout the world. I think that the conversations I’ve had with these people are just as important to my experience on this trip as all of the activities we’ve done while here. The incredible thing about getting to know other travelers from other parts of the world is that insight they can offer. Everyone has had different experiences depending on what they have seen, what they have done, where they have lived, where they have been and the people they have met.
One night in Canberra was particularly memorable. Brady, Jared, Brittany, Dan, Devin, Bridget and I had dinner with two people from Tansania and a backpacker from Botswana. The backpacker from Botswana was your typical hippie, but he had traveled throughout the world and offered new ways of thinking that challenged me to open my mind. In contrast, the two men from Tansania were your typical country hicks. These men couldn’t have disagreed more with the man from Botswana’s ideas, yet there we were, having a nice, polite intellectual dinner conversation.
Living in Hostels has enhanced my experiences here in Australia more than I ever could have imagined and the friendships I have made in them will no doubt be lifelong.
Mariah
The Exotic Animals of Australia
The Exotic Animals of Australia
When you think of Australia what is the first animal that comes to your mind? Most likely koala or
kangaroo right? Well that’s what I would have thought of before coming on this trip too. After visiting
multiple zoos here, there is so much more to Australian wildlife. Though the kangaroo and the koala still
happen to be my favorite animals here, my knowledge about the animals that I have seen here has
expanded so much. This past week we visited Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary in Brisbane. Though the main
focus of this zoo was Koalas, there were plenty more animals to see. For instance, the wombat. The
wombat is an interesting marsupial because it looks like a mixture between a pig and a bear to me at
least. It has a hard back plate to protect itself from predators and has an upside down pouch to carry its
joeys (baby animals). This nocturnal animal is cute on cuddly but can be very vicious if provoked and is
known to bite. Another animal that interested me was the Tasmanian Devil. This harsh name does not
match the looks of this adorable little mammal. However, the Tasmanian Devil has a bite pressure that is
must more than ours. It can eat its prey whole and snap the neck of any potential food in one bite. Must
unlike the Tasmanian devil, the tame koala bear (who is actually not a bear) is cuddly and munches on
eucalyptus leaves and sleeps 20 hours of its day. I had the opportunity to hold a koala at the sanctuary
and though it is soft and cute it has claws that are very sharp and dig into your skin. These animals are
very protective of their joeys so these claws are more used as a defense mechanism. When their joeys
are born they travel right from the birth canal to the pouch and are about the size of a jelly bean. Also
marsupials, Kangaroos develop their joeys in the same way. At Lone Pine, I actually saw a joey in its
mother’s pouch. It poked its head and leg out and was eating grass when its mother bent down.
Kangaroos are very gentle creatures and love to be fed by tourists which I was able to do. Ironically,
though the kangaroo is the main animal thought of in Australia, they are comparable to deer in America.
When we travelled to Fraser Island, a couple hours away from Brisbane, we saw many creatures out in
the wild while we were hiking. One of these animals was a dingo. Though a dingo appears as a normal
household dog, it still has to be kept in mind that they are wild animals. A few years ago when a couple
brought their three year old to Australia she was hurt by a dingo while trying to feed it when her parents
weren’t looking. Though they appear friendly and will approach you, they are just looking for food and
will attempt any way of getting it. Also while we were on Fraser Island, the cane toads appeared at night
time and were everywhere. When I saw everywhere I mean EVERYWHERE. Cane toads were introduced
to Australia to get rid of the grubs that were eating the sugar cane crops. However, the toads did not
like the grubs and preferred to stay away. In the end they have been viewed as a nuisance where people
go out of their way to kill these toads. On the other hand, they are kept as household pets also. Though
these animals are fun to keep as pets, they can be deadly. If threatened, they produce a puss that
squirts out of pouches on their sides and can kill a human if ingested. Though most of these Australian
animals look friendly and inviting, tourists as well as residents are encouraged to stay away from the
wildlife here.
Peace. Love. Aussie.
Amanda <3
[Note: posted by Charlie J]
When you think of Australia what is the first animal that comes to your mind? Most likely koala or
kangaroo right? Well that’s what I would have thought of before coming on this trip too. After visiting
multiple zoos here, there is so much more to Australian wildlife. Though the kangaroo and the koala still
happen to be my favorite animals here, my knowledge about the animals that I have seen here has
expanded so much. This past week we visited Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary in Brisbane. Though the main
focus of this zoo was Koalas, there were plenty more animals to see. For instance, the wombat. The
wombat is an interesting marsupial because it looks like a mixture between a pig and a bear to me at
least. It has a hard back plate to protect itself from predators and has an upside down pouch to carry its
joeys (baby animals). This nocturnal animal is cute on cuddly but can be very vicious if provoked and is
known to bite. Another animal that interested me was the Tasmanian Devil. This harsh name does not
match the looks of this adorable little mammal. However, the Tasmanian Devil has a bite pressure that is
must more than ours. It can eat its prey whole and snap the neck of any potential food in one bite. Must
unlike the Tasmanian devil, the tame koala bear (who is actually not a bear) is cuddly and munches on
eucalyptus leaves and sleeps 20 hours of its day. I had the opportunity to hold a koala at the sanctuary
and though it is soft and cute it has claws that are very sharp and dig into your skin. These animals are
very protective of their joeys so these claws are more used as a defense mechanism. When their joeys
are born they travel right from the birth canal to the pouch and are about the size of a jelly bean. Also
marsupials, Kangaroos develop their joeys in the same way. At Lone Pine, I actually saw a joey in its
mother’s pouch. It poked its head and leg out and was eating grass when its mother bent down.
Kangaroos are very gentle creatures and love to be fed by tourists which I was able to do. Ironically,
though the kangaroo is the main animal thought of in Australia, they are comparable to deer in America.
When we travelled to Fraser Island, a couple hours away from Brisbane, we saw many creatures out in
the wild while we were hiking. One of these animals was a dingo. Though a dingo appears as a normal
household dog, it still has to be kept in mind that they are wild animals. A few years ago when a couple
brought their three year old to Australia she was hurt by a dingo while trying to feed it when her parents
weren’t looking. Though they appear friendly and will approach you, they are just looking for food and
will attempt any way of getting it. Also while we were on Fraser Island, the cane toads appeared at night
time and were everywhere. When I saw everywhere I mean EVERYWHERE. Cane toads were introduced
to Australia to get rid of the grubs that were eating the sugar cane crops. However, the toads did not
like the grubs and preferred to stay away. In the end they have been viewed as a nuisance where people
go out of their way to kill these toads. On the other hand, they are kept as household pets also. Though
these animals are fun to keep as pets, they can be deadly. If threatened, they produce a puss that
squirts out of pouches on their sides and can kill a human if ingested. Though most of these Australian
animals look friendly and inviting, tourists as well as residents are encouraged to stay away from the
wildlife here.
Peace. Love. Aussie.
Amanda <3
[Note: posted by Charlie J]
Living upsidedown and Backwards
As we travel through Australia everything is backwards in comparison to America. The roads, the cars, the walkways even the weather. In Australia they drive in the opposite side of the road than we do and because the weather is so warm and they don't get snow in most areas all the lines are white. Darren said because we get snow it is hard to see all white lines which is why we have yellow and they don't. Also because they drive on the opposite side their cars are manufactured so the drivers side is also the left. I only assume because we go by driving rules when we walk that Australians do as well we walk on the right side because that is the side that we drive on. Every time we are walking we run into people because were accidentally walking on the wrong side. It is hard to get used to walking on the left instead of the right.
Lastly but most certainly not least Australia is in the southern hemisphere so as we travel north the weather is getting warmer instead of colder! Which I'm sure all of are a fan of it getting warmer as we travel. This is the shortest time period that I have ever gone through temperature wise going from chilly to hot beach ware weather. But it is almost always warm everywhere, Australia only gets some snow in the south of the continent where at home its the north. It is just an interesting thing to think about.
Jumping From Cairns
Today was our seconbd free day here in Cairns and I was unsure of what to do. I gathered up with Brittany Edwards, Mariah, Liz, and Hannah and we all decided to take a giant leap and go bungi jumping. I have never done this before however I was not nervous. I jnow they strap you in and Brina went on our first free day and said the company, AJ Hackett Cairns, has never had a single accidnet before. Knowing about this I was perfectly fine with signing my life away, my mother would think differently however, but she'll find out when I get back from Australia. Standing at the edge of the platform looking 162 feet down, you almost lose feeling with all the nerves going through your body, however I had to push them aside. I wasn't sure if I would ever be given another chance to do something like this ever again, so saying a quick little prayer and wave goodbye to everyone that came, I threw a giant smile on my face, spread my arms wide, went inot the swan jump formation and jumped! What an amazing feeling it was flying through the air and then being sprung right back up, dangling in the air. I have never felt another feeling like the one I got as I was flying through the air, dangling there at the surface of this little pond at the bottom of the platform. Climbing almost200 steps up to the platform was the worst part of this experience, however reaching the top of the platform and then jumping into nothing but air was the bext experience ever. I cannot wait to go home, show photos, and tell about this amazing experience I had while in Cairns. :)
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Daintree River and Emmagen Creek
Today we went down the Daintree River and saw three crocs. two female and one baby. it was pretty neat to see them in their natural habitat. It was almost equal temperature in the water and in the air so we didn't get to see many crocs., however I was satisfied with the ones that I did see. One Croc was fully out of the water sunbathing to get a little warmer, the baby was resting on a root to a tree and the third croc was in the water so we could only see her snout and eyes popping out.
We met Fin's Kangaroo and wallibe friends whom we also got to feed. We then had a Giant lunch, I ate steak tomatoes and cucumbers, with bread and a side of pasta! After lunch we got back into our bus and went to Emmagen creek where we played in the water and tried some New tropical fruit. On the way to the creek we got to see some Cassowary birds! They were recently placed on the endangered species list, we got lucky and saw four of them.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)