tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57858940778082076052024-03-05T04:51:13.977-08:00EC Australia 2013Every year since 2000, Elmira College has offered NSC 1940 The Natural and Social History of Australia to students interested in learning about this wonderful and unique land. This blog is devoted to the 2013 course.Charlie Jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01897882368205710757noreply@blogger.comBlogger36125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5785894077808207605.post-71656928539422299682013-06-08T13:06:00.002-07:002013-06-08T13:06:19.422-07:00Sorry this video took so long to upload! Christina and I were lucky enough to see this baby Joey come out at the Koala Sanctuary!<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06561261506769179582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5785894077808207605.post-14644815549441353272013-05-22T10:27:00.001-07:002013-05-22T10:27:34.380-07:00Last night in Sydney<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9fCH7MK8zmp74YZ10j9oMAdllJ-cLKXdpUDscoRvdw6m48i-318F9hh7kWSTYGD8DnZu0eE4rZncTguuqWf0aN0f9DJCJg8xSv0NVi0qworRxBGm9LlYsQ9jXSbuLsfaPL8OtXcql/s1600/photo-754381.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9fCH7MK8zmp74YZ10j9oMAdllJ-cLKXdpUDscoRvdw6m48i-318F9hh7kWSTYGD8DnZu0eE4rZncTguuqWf0aN0f9DJCJg8xSv0NVi0qworRxBGm9LlYsQ9jXSbuLsfaPL8OtXcql/s320/photo-754381.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5880856716143944946" /></a></p>An Edward Hopper moment, prior to a rock and roll production of Henry IV at the Sydney Opera House. I fear I have too much Falstaff in me.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02231998166731022085noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5785894077808207605.post-51473014445244787322013-05-18T02:11:00.003-07:002013-05-18T02:12:20.166-07:00Desert photosBelow are some photos from our exploration of Kata Tjuta, Ularu and the West MacDonnells. I fell in love with these places, which reminded me of the landscape of the American southwest (southern Utah, Arizona and New Mexico) while also being quite different. A magical place that I am eager to explore further some day. (And to those of us who were quiet enough to observe the endangered black footed rock wallaby, yeah for us!)<br />
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We're gonna pop some swags . . .</div>
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Our friend the bus</div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02231998166731022085noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5785894077808207605.post-4752409721437618582013-05-18T02:10:00.008-07:002013-05-18T02:10:38.517-07:00Experiencing the Rare side of Alice SpringsWe of the group find it funny that when we flew into Alice Springs, that it was raining one of the few times it ever rains a year. The last time it rained before we arrived was all the way back in January during one of there summer storms. After the first day we were kind of getting tired of rain from our time spent in Cairns. So you would think the next day would be bright and sunny right? Wrong! We experienced a few more days of cloudy weather with spots of rain here and there. Why are we soo special to received this rain here in Alice Springs? We do not know. <br />
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Out on our four day long camping trip we traveled on Rock Bus tours with tour guides Fitzy (we are not sure if thats his real name), Princess (the stuffed kangaroo with her joey) and finally a camping expert Mark. We had a great time learning about the geography of the land and learning about the Aboriginal culture. Also we spent most of our time hiking and traveling the road in our Bus cause you have to drive at least an hour or so to get anywhere in Alice Springs. Throughout the trip Fitzy shared his "wisdom" and warned us of many terrifying things that can happen to us if we did not listen to what he had to say... Unfortunately for the majority of the girls did not catch his sarcasm and over emphisis on certain subjects. Some of the girls were soo scared at what might happen to them that they were more prone to die from worrying than from actually getting hurt.<br />
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Fitzy was a very well knowledged person and a great comedian. We all had fun camping out with him and Mark. Now, I would also like to share this important tip... Do not go out camping with just a swag! You are most likely going to get cold and damp from morning dew. Even though the swag is suposed to be waterproof. Just in case you dont know, swags are modified sleeping bags that are waterproof and come with a thin mattress and flap to cover your head. But it is highly recommended to bring an extra sleeping bag to put inside the swag.<br />
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Despite the troubles we had sleeping in swags, I believe that a few of us on this trip can say that camping out near Alice Springs was our favorite part of the trip. Unfortunately for one Christina she still hates it here...<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01568284790038485428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5785894077808207605.post-81865222310118796162013-05-18T01:30:00.000-07:002013-05-18T01:30:08.675-07:00First, a belated Mother's Day postWith apologies for the self indulgence, my mother requested that I post a picture of myself as a Mother's day present for her while we were skyping last week (and the fact that my mom skyped is an earth-shattering event). So here is what amounts to a panoramic view of me, at least, taken at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kata_Tjuta" target="_blank">Kata Tjuta</a>:<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02231998166731022085noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5785894077808207605.post-43044796659849956382013-05-18T01:28:00.001-07:002013-05-18T01:28:24.122-07:00Aboriginal EncountersHello all! I would just like to take note on how interesting and complicated the Idigenous Australians live their lives. These peoples just obtained citizenship within the last 50 years and they are still struggling to survive with the White Australian culture. Many people also believe that these Idigenous Australians are dangerous and cause nothing but trouble for the White Australians. But in fact the Idigenous peoples are good natured towards Whites, and are instead more aggressive towards one another. They are having an extremely hard time adjusting to white culture. These people have been alone on this continent for the past 50,000 years till white man came and changed their lifestyle. There are only a few standing Aboriginal tribes that still live traditionally. Many have changed lifestyles to coincide with ours. Unfortunately for many that lead to more problems than it solved. Many Aboriginals fight amongst themselves for various reasons such as alcohol, drugs, previous fights, payback ceremonies, stealing and anything else that cause trouble.<br />
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Here are a few encounters that I have experienced with the Indigenous Australians while on the trip.<br />
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First Encounter: Thursday May 9th, 2013<br />
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I had been on an adventurous tour of the city of Cairns and on my return trip I almost got trapped into a fight... I had been walking down one of the main streets when a white Australian girl pushed me out of her way. I wondered what she could be in such a rush where she would purposefully push people out of her way when it wasnt that crowded. She then proceeded onward toward an Aboriginal girl and a group of young adolescent Aboriginal males. As the white Australian girl closed in on the Aboriginal girl she stepped on her thongs (flip-flops), and pushed her into a puddle. The young adolescent males rushed to the girls aid. Then moved on to get into the face of the white Australian girl, and since I was right behind her the moved towards me thinking I was with her. Quickly, I signaled that I didnt want any trouble and I power walked my way not looking back to see what else that happened... As you can see from the above instance, some Aboriginals are still being treated poorly by some of the white Australians.<br />
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Second Encounter: Friday May 17th, 2013<br />
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This second encounter is a mix of three or four other encounters, I have done this simply because of the same occurance happening repeatedly. That day I just ran into many different Aboriginals who were fighting amongst themselves in the streets of Alice Springs. Fortunately, they looked out for me and the others that were walking with me. By looked out, I mean they made sure they didnt touch us. I saw many different kinds of fights that went from verbal to physical violence. Hopefully these disputes will be settled soon. Another interesting fact that the group and I have learned is that Aboriginal people feel uncomfortable being inside buildings so they tend to crowd streets and just hang out outside.<br />
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Third Encounter: Saturday May 18th, 2013<br />
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In this third encounter I was eating by myself at a nearby KFC, and there were a few elder Aboriginal people hanging around. After I was done eating I was approached by one of these older Aboriginal. He did not speak but used hand motions to indicate that basically he wanted to eat whatever food I had leftover. Now I know that giving money away to people is against the law here, but I also did not know how that law would apply to food... But in any case I had no food leftover because I have a huge appetite. I felt really bad for the guy, but I did try to signal back to him and I showed him that I had no food left. I felt bad but I also did not want to get in trouble and I left after throwing my trash today. Aboriginal people are still being short-handed with wages and are the poorest people in Australia. Many find it difficult to find jobs in todays society because of a lot of misleading stereotypes.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01568284790038485428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5785894077808207605.post-13029694029243691542013-05-17T23:56:00.002-07:002013-05-17T23:56:56.698-07:00Animal ObservationWhile walking through Alice Spring on this beautiful sunny day we came across a wild Charlie eating his lunch. It is very rare to see these creatures in the wild. We do believe that it is of the Mitchell family of all the Charlies here in Australia this one is the most rare. We were even lucky enough to see him wearing the famous Charlie hat. Observed at Monte's Lounge around 3:30pm. <br />
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Christina Northhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16283212068484481197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5785894077808207605.post-69528769022451728572013-05-10T16:59:00.001-07:002013-05-10T17:01:01.332-07:00Daintree Rainforest National Park: A Good Day for FaunaWe were granted a welcome break from the rain today, ironically by heading into the rainforest. A drive up along the coast, boat cruise along the Daintree River, and some foot-based wandering in the forest and mangrove swamp brought us into contact with a number of must-photo species. A selection below:<br />
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A "baby" estuarine crocodile, maybe two years old</div>
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Scarface, the dominant male in the area. Given that this guy checks in at 4.5 meters in length, I think "dominant" may understate the case. Earlier this month the guide had seen him pushing a pig up river.</div>
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To learn about the incident of inter-species inappropriateness that happened next, you will have to ask Christina North </div>
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Some of the scariest creatures we saw all day:</div>
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Boyd's Forest Dragon</div>
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A Mangrove Goanna. These guys learn to associate picnickers with free lunch. </div>
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The mangrove forest where our goanna friend makes his home. Sand and trees and wild roots. How cool is that?</div>
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A Cassowary: rare, endangered, and funky (look on YouTube for videos of Cassowary attacks.)</div>
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Finally, from the photos below you should be able to compile an image of a python, which had been sitting in this same tree in the same position for several days digesting its latest big meal. These guys may be the world champion couch potatoes, resting for days without moving while they digest their food. As for lesson learned here: photographing straight up into the sky tends to produce washed-out images . . .</div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02231998166731022085noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5785894077808207605.post-36309564278432249752013-05-09T00:55:00.002-07:002013-05-09T00:55:59.724-07:00Two weeks into our trip, and I am still amazed at how similar Australia is to the US. When we first arrived in Sydney, I kept forgetting we were in Australia. There were plenty of reminders (Accents, etc.), but Sydney is remarkably similar to NYC. Being a big city, it is not hard to understand why, but it surprised me nonetheless. Traveling to Canberra did not change my views, as it is very much like Washington DC. Brisbane began to provide the foreign feeling I had been expecting, although it is still a big city and thus continued to have signature city themes. Now in Cairns, I feel like we are finally beginning to understand what Australia is really about. This city, though still highly aimed at tourists, seems to be have a more Australian atmosphere. The beaches and weather provide the typical outlook on Australia, and I noticed that there are many more Aboriginal peoples walking around here than in other cities we have visited. Visiting such a variety of places, from cities to islands, is beginning to give me a true view of Australia - one much different than the portrayal in the media!<br />
<br />
I would like to focus on a specific comparison of Australia to the US - how we treat our Natives.<br />
<br />
I would like to commend Australia for the strong emphasis they put on their Aboriginal peoples. The many guides that have taught us always describe how important these peoples are to their history, to nature, and to what Australia is today. Whenever I have heard Aborigines mentioned, it is always with great respect. The Aborigines today are recognized for their connection to the land, for all of their inventions, and for their intelligence and creativity. Their spiritual beliefs are known and people try hard to avoid interrupting them.<br />
<br />
Unfortunately, the Aboriginal people did undergo very rough times before Australia got to this point; times when the white men felt they were superior. Just like in America, natives were pulled from families, forced to learn the white mans way, and ignore their culture. This created a lost generation, and many languages are forever gone. However, Australia is now trying to correct these tremendous errors in judgement. Many schools teach Aboriginal languages along side English, and Aboriginal culture is now encouraged rather than buried.<br />
<br />
On this trip, I have heard countless words of respect to the Aboriginal way of life, and have also learned many of the Dreamings. I really enjoyed hearing about the native Australians, but I realized that the natives are revered much more here than in America. I began to wonder if The Aboriginal population was very large here compared to the Native American population in America, but I learned that they make up less than 1%! I find it truly amazing that even though they make up such a small population today, the Aborigines are studied, their Dreamings are known, and their culture is respected.<br />
<br />
Australia natives and American natives both had tremendous intelligence, invented many tools, discovered many uses of nature, respected and helped nature, practiced spiritual beliefs and ceremonies, and provided crucial characteristics to the emergence of our countries. Both were disrespected and displaced by colonists and eventually citizens of the country, and both were eventually apologized to and given back rights.<br />
<br />
The large difference is thus the amount of acknowledgment and respect that they are given. Though in America young kids are taught in history class about the Natives role in America and their beliefs, we are quick to forget. National Parks and historical sites often mention their role in the area, but, in general, the American population does not refer to natives the way that Australians do. Most of us do not know their creation stories, we do not understand the ins and out of their spiritual beliefs, we are not working so hard to retain their culture, and they are not brought up daily in words of respect.<br />
<br />
When I see how much Australians know about their natives, it makes me sad to know that most Americans are not as educated, caring and respectful of the people who are so important to our past, our present, and our future.<br />
<br />
<br />
Anyway - on a lighter note - here is a song that I enjoy and find pretty funny :)<br />
<br />
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<!--EndFragment-->Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06561261506769179582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5785894077808207605.post-52450202281263988382013-05-08T17:39:00.000-07:002013-05-08T17:39:08.950-07:00The Great Barrier Reef <br />
<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Helvetica;">
<br /><span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-text-size-adjust: none; font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px;">Though the weather wasn't quite as nice as we would have hoped, and people got sea sick on the boat, our day over the Great Barrier Reef was well worth while to me. </span><span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-text-size-adjust: none; font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px;">On Tuesday night</span><span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-text-size-adjust: none; font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px;"> we all went to reef teach and learned about the many different things we may come across out on the reef. Our instructor was hilarious and kept us awake even though it was later in the evening. Once we finally braved the trip the next day and made it to the spot where we could snorkel and scuba dive things just got better and better. I had never gone scuba diving before and I was nervous about how my ears might react to the pressure, but I was excited regardless. I convinced myself that it would be worth it; when would I ever get the opportunity to scuba dive on the Great Barrier Reef again? One of the 7 wonders and the largest living structure! This is the thought that kept me going when it first started. We got suited up and weights strapped on and of course, our breathing tanks, flippers and goggles! There were two of us to one professional and there were two groups that went at the same time. So we walked to the back of the boat and took a large step into the rough water. It was terrifying at first controlling my breathing and being tossed around by the waves but the instructor that I had was so nice and comforting I felt I could trust her and I did as she mimed. She kept me calm and I focused on my breathing and popping my ears as we went deeper on the reef. I was thankful to have her as my guide as she pointed out so many of the things we had learned about the night before! I saw nemo, a sea turtle and so many other fish and corals, including one she let me touch! It was such a rewarding experience and once I finally relaxed and stopped biting down on my mouthpiece like it was the end of the world I was able to have a truly enjoyable experience. The only picture I have to show for it is of the certificate that proves I did it, but it's going to be hard to forget all of the things I saw!</span></div>
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Jill K. Daddonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06559569401276667092noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5785894077808207605.post-78540234996908131922013-05-08T04:25:00.000-07:002013-05-08T04:25:55.250-07:00 Photos from Moreton Island<br />
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Photos from Moreton Island</div>
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(Written 8 May in Cairns, where it's rainy)</div>
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I have a bit of a quandry.
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Fraser Island is nice; we've done something with it since
2008, and in some years before. But in
2012, some of the students said that we should do a camping trip earlier in the
course to help the students bond. Sounds
like a good idea -- we have camped on Fraser Island before, as well as Moreton
Island. </div>
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The only commercial group that camps on Fraser Island is
Sunrover. You can read reviews of Sunrover
yourself; suffice it to say that once I found Bushwackers Eco Tours, I was much
more satisfied. But Bushwackers does not
camp on Fraser, though I have pleaded wtih them many time. They bring us to a resort on the island for
the night, so it's pretty darned expensive.
Th folks at Bushwackers would always suggest that I consider camping on
Moreton instead. So, this year, I gave
in. We camped on Moreton. </div>
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My quandry has to do with the future. Assuming the fates allow me to continue to do
this course, I have to decide which is better:
camping on Moreton or resort stay on Fraser. </div>
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The case for Fraser is substantial. One gets to see dingoes roaming the
island. There are serious sub-tropical
rainforests in the center. Some
wonderful views, and a nice resort. </div>
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But Moreton is very good as well. Bushwacker campsites are very nice. We get to see some smaller, sclerophyll
forests (on a sand island!). There is a
large tidal flat area that, at low tide, abounds with many creatures. Here are some:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhvXbtKmbZqv0dullfjbvDarBwDGnd0CI-2vwUTOtxbPuZNo5YZJOx4YksAmr3n3i2wXS-W7S771PQCA2EX3Lx45JwlbMNYJi6PumMkxRna9XlIouVw9Apt1MKl0vZN16WxksGpxlTh5I/s1600/soldier_crabs_1_moreton.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhvXbtKmbZqv0dullfjbvDarBwDGnd0CI-2vwUTOtxbPuZNo5YZJOx4YksAmr3n3i2wXS-W7S771PQCA2EX3Lx45JwlbMNYJi6PumMkxRna9XlIouVw9Apt1MKl0vZN16WxksGpxlTh5I/s1600/soldier_crabs_1_moreton.jpg" height="189" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipsyVunj3wCTOh5Dc1gnFj-1DTDpZQBUz22k_imeeerPWnOaMmxW4UZBt4FZdhkcHfIboLlzD8puby0xM9vFy2MeS11AzljRzK0xkBwO-JBF_sEQsYCxyfApqWsTaRNkd1eimKqE86hDA/s1600/soldier_crabs_2_moreton.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipsyVunj3wCTOh5Dc1gnFj-1DTDpZQBUz22k_imeeerPWnOaMmxW4UZBt4FZdhkcHfIboLlzD8puby0xM9vFy2MeS11AzljRzK0xkBwO-JBF_sEQsYCxyfApqWsTaRNkd1eimKqE86hDA/s1600/soldier_crabs_2_moreton.jpg" height="105" width="320" /></a></div>
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Soldier crabs. Moreton island, 2013.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmaSwPuJbh913zeHWoH638ND3ONQfzf5uP-R1yQD8BHTB0HDFxgco_7R9Cs8Bk6QU9C_vGWR11GSTCR0ms75eyEO1vy_F8J58M01tEDTAckwMe9KE5KnpV0aK2e1EhMIxBMqf_K4RKdhw/s1600/kite_at_moreton.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmaSwPuJbh913zeHWoH638ND3ONQfzf5uP-R1yQD8BHTB0HDFxgco_7R9Cs8Bk6QU9C_vGWR11GSTCR0ms75eyEO1vy_F8J58M01tEDTAckwMe9KE5KnpV0aK2e1EhMIxBMqf_K4RKdhw/s1600/kite_at_moreton.jpg" /></a></div>
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Brahminy Kite. Moreton Island, 2013.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCIvz6RJ0lZHAlbipmNRqwgosUWUuC_WoqJGcbsFR3Kvm6beDgxuk9uH59fhrkdYxGRKiRh1NQMpp4CRMtZRnifgnjGJ1FAfeyMiU0gD2KaCFpNOT5lZ6e3HGR0vwG_yrI6UiEMIypPbI/s1600/pelicans_moreton.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCIvz6RJ0lZHAlbipmNRqwgosUWUuC_WoqJGcbsFR3Kvm6beDgxuk9uH59fhrkdYxGRKiRh1NQMpp4CRMtZRnifgnjGJ1FAfeyMiU0gD2KaCFpNOT5lZ6e3HGR0vwG_yrI6UiEMIypPbI/s1600/pelicans_moreton.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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Australian pelicans. Moreton Isalnd, 2013.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQdFHletXhjR2J_w-YQ5N6bTEmgAfu9nGCUEfSXhNi9efeGlYMlDXvAn2g5F9ft3rOQzEgf58gEE-4ZuEwX9ZLxGsw_k_iOTZrNKp2NqXfc-HtuxwDWvAEw2wcXC0jI5ICgVn17MUrnsw/s1600/puffer_moreton.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQdFHletXhjR2J_w-YQ5N6bTEmgAfu9nGCUEfSXhNi9efeGlYMlDXvAn2g5F9ft3rOQzEgf58gEE-4ZuEwX9ZLxGsw_k_iOTZrNKp2NqXfc-HtuxwDWvAEw2wcXC0jI5ICgVn17MUrnsw/s1600/puffer_moreton.jpg" height="215" width="320" /></a></div>
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Puffer fish. Moreton Island, 2013.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvkR4y2Zyadr5Pn439jO7_-8WGRy_NRfm3jgXIvWuhqkabHoNgoQLWaXAhyfHEDe9MkW8jFJEKH0x55MYVLpXRilQsKGlYYSEpKsQ5AYoWBLVnXcVYvpnjhzYV5zgScti4xOF2oxbEZdo/s1600/sandworm_moreton_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvkR4y2Zyadr5Pn439jO7_-8WGRy_NRfm3jgXIvWuhqkabHoNgoQLWaXAhyfHEDe9MkW8jFJEKH0x55MYVLpXRilQsKGlYYSEpKsQ5AYoWBLVnXcVYvpnjhzYV5zgScti4xOF2oxbEZdo/s1600/sandworm_moreton_1.jpg" height="320" width="230" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3ppdgls1sFlrAY_JJL3-Vqkw1Z30PfhbpaLQ1QEOfNXvzUX6nFQgi7Omj86L4_KkmtCJQrCSStY0jXEKjHu1PMu3isEuZtMuj_DI94jGyoER1o-X7Ct-ZjaaCustFvQVLI4T9yXW9r4c/s1600/sandworm_moreton_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3ppdgls1sFlrAY_JJL3-Vqkw1Z30PfhbpaLQ1QEOfNXvzUX6nFQgi7Omj86L4_KkmtCJQrCSStY0jXEKjHu1PMu3isEuZtMuj_DI94jGyoER1o-X7Ct-ZjaaCustFvQVLI4T9yXW9r4c/s1600/sandworm_moreton_2.jpg" height="270" width="320" /></a></div>
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Sandworms. Moreton Island, 2013.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfLB6ws2bqnUJBL41DmuYe9WS2FfILvOQf03wL6WGbfe-_0yW8GZwb7chq3YGwSVSMtNyvZj8baHH_fEWbf4OU3S2EZ3Lf82Hof4OFqcEsMPfuKlyRITAB0ornMKCG1c4qg9KtO7NUqkQ/s1600/sea_cucumber_moreton_2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfLB6ws2bqnUJBL41DmuYe9WS2FfILvOQf03wL6WGbfe-_0yW8GZwb7chq3YGwSVSMtNyvZj8baHH_fEWbf4OU3S2EZ3Lf82Hof4OFqcEsMPfuKlyRITAB0ornMKCG1c4qg9KtO7NUqkQ/s1600/sea_cucumber_moreton_2013.jpg" height="273" width="320" /></a></div>
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Sea cucumber? Moreton Island, 2013.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQu7xu7h6uQ40pR1P-Mjadnb_flvayJuItjNr9I1bocMTJTAhmpI8hU5KOHolPfQs7NiAG6wcRvEXLanJ8mZWjIIzikMk7Bi6Q8f7NGEOsPUSGOtiPDg9BEwcVuAzT8e7HG8Sd9JAojNc/s1600/baby_shovelnose_moreton.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQu7xu7h6uQ40pR1P-Mjadnb_flvayJuItjNr9I1bocMTJTAhmpI8hU5KOHolPfQs7NiAG6wcRvEXLanJ8mZWjIIzikMk7Bi6Q8f7NGEOsPUSGOtiPDg9BEwcVuAzT8e7HG8Sd9JAojNc/s1600/baby_shovelnose_moreton.jpg" height="320" width="304" /></a></div>
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Juvenile shovel-nosed shark. Moreton Island, 2013.</div>
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So, there's a lot to see on Moreton. It's also economical; it is camping and not
resort stay; the travel time is less, and one can see more of the island in
three days. </div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">So, I cannot decide what to do in 2014. </span>Charlie Jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01897882368205710757noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5785894077808207605.post-41305060602933125792013-05-08T03:42:00.000-07:002013-05-08T03:42:36.509-07:00Cooking with Vegemite, part two<br />
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Cooking with Vegemite, part two</div>
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(Written 5 May, 2013, in Brisbane. The weather was nice.)</div>
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I have now cooked several meals with Vegemite, mostly
variations on the first one -- some had other vegetables or other meats. One that was especially good was a sausage,
apple, and cabbage dish seasoned with curry powder. I probably would have added honey or golden
syrup had it been available, and replaced the curry powder with coriander and
ginger, but it was pretty good as it was.
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But I have reached my first conclusion: Vegemite is an outstanding ingredient for
stir-fry of all types. A tablespoon or
so will replace soy sauce or other salty agents in the cooking, though the salt
content of the Vegemite is not at all overwhelming when added. I've added the Vegemite at the final stages
of cooking, when the meat and vegetables are combined and I've added some water
to steam the vegetables a bit. The
Vegemite does not like to dissolve, so it needs to be swished around a bit --
one could do this by putting the vegemite in a bowl with a little water and
whisking; I tried something like this with a fork but only had partial success
breaking it up. The effect is to thicken
the broth slightly, like adding butter to finish a dish. I'd suggest treating it like a soup base or bouillon cube. In this regard, it's a
lot like Bovril.</div>
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The flavor is very nice:
a little nutty, reminiscent of a satay or other peanut sauce. The intense saltiness is diluted to a very
pleasant level. In one case, I was
tempted to add a little salt to brighten it up.
It worked well with both curry powder and Thai seasoning (garlic, basil,
and chilies , but I expect that the flavor will complement any type of
stir-fry. If you would put soy sauce in
it, Vegemite should work well, too. </div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">I am not sure what is next. We will be in Cairns for a week, so I will be
thinking about other things to do with it.
I might try coating chicken with it, then breading it and frying the
result. Just to check it out. </span>Charlie Jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01897882368205710757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5785894077808207605.post-59551687568690309312013-05-07T05:06:00.002-07:002013-05-07T05:06:32.174-07:00<span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px;">The Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary was my favorite zoo to visit on the trip so far. It was great feeling like a kid again getting to hold animals and feeding them too. One of the first things I did was take a picture with a koala. Right before I went for the picture the koala decided to poop. Im glad the lady waited for him to finish before handing him to me. I was still scared it was going to poop some more after. Holding a koala felt like holding a big baby. It was so adorable. I also got a chance to hold a python which was so exciting. It felt weird when the snake was moving while I was holding it and it was very heavy as well. The best part of that day was getting to feed the kangaroos! It was so much fun. At first i was scared because ive never been that close to a kangaroo before. Once i started feeding them it was amazing. I was having so much fun and I didn't want my food to run out. It was an amazing experience and I was glad i got the chance to do it! </span>Gabriellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13239379578519576466noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5785894077808207605.post-67578064838099426232013-05-06T04:37:00.000-07:002013-05-07T04:59:54.006-07:00<span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px;">ANZAC Day</span><br />
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Christine, Jill, and I went to see the ANZAC day parade a little after it started. It was great to see the parade and Australians who were fighting for their country. There were so many people on the side and at restaurants sitting outside to watch the parade. We saw planes that would fly above the parade which I though was very cool. We walked all the way to the ANZAC memorial where they were setting up for the ceremony. We saw two horses. They were fake but sounded real and moved real. There were two people in each horse that would move it. It was very cool to watch. We also meet a professor from one of the universities who saw we were americans. She was very excited to see us studying abroad in Australia and offered us to meet her at circular quay to meet her students who are studying abroad in the university. It was great to be around so many Australians celebrating their country with them. Where ever we walk there was celebrations going on. We went over to the rocks where we got to see another part of sydney. It was beautiful. We went on the Sydney Harbor Bridge and got to see the Opera house. It was an amazing view of Sydney. It was also unbelievable on how long the lines were to get into some of the bars. In one of the bars they had part of a marching band to celebrate ANZAC day. I would have to say that this was a successful first free day!
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Gabriellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13239379578519576466noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5785894077808207605.post-21495011791014870242013-05-06T03:27:00.001-07:002013-05-06T03:28:01.522-07:00Day 2 at Moreton Island!<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">First off I would like to apologize for the two day
delay in posting these last two installments of Moreton Island, we had a two
day train ride here to Cairns and we unfortunately did not have wifi.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Day Two on Moreton Island<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>We started off our day eating sugar caked pancakes and we
drank concentrated lemonade juice. We then set out for the day; to start we
traveled to the bottom of Mount Tempest. Soon we began our little 5 km hike.
Kaylee and I decided that we should race to the top, instead of take the slow
walk up, and we did run as far as we could until we reached a little rest stop
area where we took a break. The rest of the group took a leisurely walk up
Mount Tempest and learned a few dream time stories from Nathan. Eventually we
reached the top and got an amazing view of the island, other islands in the
distance and even the mainland where we could see the city of Brisbane</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>After we hiked back down Mount Tempest we ventured out to
the oddly named Blue Lagoon. It is oddly named Blue Lagoon because the water is
not blue, but brown so why did they name it Blue Lagoon? Well I can at least
explain why the water is now iodine brown. The oils in the surrounding plants
are called tea tree oils which give the water its brown appearance. These tea
tree oils have many curative and moisturizing capabilities, many people come to
swim here and rub the sand into their skin, which helps moisturize the skin and
make it smooth. It was a very nice hot sunny day there in the lagoon; we all
had a lot of fun swimming in the healing water. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">After we broke for lunch we took
some time out of our day to climb Cape Moreton. The cape itself had a great
view of the island as you can see in the photos down below.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Later
on in the day we headed to the north side of the island to visit the romantic Honeymoon
Bay, which I wished a few of us really wanted to be with our special someone.
For the rest of the day we spent the most of our time there on the beach and we
even got to see the champagne rocks. The champagne rocks are called that
because when a tidal wave comes crashing into them, they create a sparkling
bubbly pool on the other side. As you can see below we had a great time at the
beach and in Honeymoon Bay.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">For
the last part of the day we spent our time walking the beach during the sunset.
We saw many ghost crabs and WWII monuments on the beach. Just look at this
sunset, isn’t it beautiful? We had an amazing day traveling the island, and
exploring the island. Since I had been previously talked about all my various
camping trips and my time spent with primitive pursuits, the guides told me to
make the fire for the night. I made a decent fire despite my handicap of not
being able to light a match. Even when it started pouring I spent my time
sitting next to the fire, determined to stay by the fire I was reluctant to
join everyone else under the dining tent. But then I eventually caved in
because people thought my fire wouldn’t last very long. But I had confidence in
my fire; it lasted about another four hours out in the pouring rain.
Unfortunately the great day turned into a difficult night since it rained for
the majority of the night. And that was the end of our second day on Moreton
Island.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01568284790038485428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5785894077808207605.post-56992255749173963962013-05-06T03:09:00.003-07:002013-05-06T03:09:45.504-07:00The Kangaroo!!!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<br />
Throughout the trip so far, I was slightly disappointed with the australian cuisine. nothing really seemed to be uniquely australian. There is a ton of asian and american influence , but i havent found a unique australian food staple. There are these tasty little sausage rolls and meat pies, but that's it so far. However, little did I know that my luck was soon to change with food.<br />
I finally tasted kangaroo! Not going to lie, it was pretty good. I ordered a mixed grill plate that had crocodile, kangaroo, pork, and beef. The different meats were absolutely awesome! The kangaroo tasted like a medium rare steak. It was really chewy but overall very good. The crocodile reminded me of chicken (the usual stereotypical taste).<br />
I was worried about trying kangaroo, but the plate proved to be a nice surprise.<br />
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Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09465269147358419566noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5785894077808207605.post-41942448629866741102013-05-04T00:51:00.002-07:002013-05-04T00:51:59.922-07:00The past few days we have been traveling across the beautiful Moreton Island. When we first walked off the ferry I was amazed at how vast the beaches were and the clear blue water that surrounded the entrie island. Our tour guides were young and extremely active which made the trip even more exciting! The first thing we did was set up camp and then prepare for snorkeling along the ship wrecks. This was only my second time snorkeling and the first time i've ever put on a wet suit before so I personally was stirring with excitment waiting to get out into the water. Once we got out into the deeper water we all traveled in a group and we were able to see many marine life. We saw all sorts of types of fish, a sea turtle and even a small shark! it was an experience that i will never forget. <br />
As the day carried on we were met with adventures right and left. After snorkeling we went sand boarding on what to me looked like massive sand dunes. I have never heard of sand boarding or seen anyone do it so to me it was something new and adventurous. I was at first a little scared but soon i was walking back up the hill over and over again waiting to go for another run. Once we were done with sand boarding we went swimming and headed back to camp. To top the day off, at sunset we were driving along the sandy road along the ocean and saw wild dolphins off in the distance. Kylee slammed on the breaks and we all ran out into the water chasing after them in hopes to swim with them. This experience was incredible. The whole concept that we were only a few feet away from wild dolphins makes me smile every time i think about it. Seeing as this was only the first day i knew that night that these next two days were gonna bring more amazing experiences. <br />
Looking back at those three days overall while on Moreton island I can honesly say that i learned an immense amount and took part in incredible adventures that i will remember for the rest of my life. Honestly, how many people can say that they spent three days on the third largest sand island in Australia!<br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04691638060476834758noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5785894077808207605.post-45394231463770896552013-05-03T22:12:00.001-07:002013-05-03T22:12:17.603-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Three Day camping trip to Moreton Island</div>
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(short story broken into three posts)</div>
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On May 1, 2013 our study tour was on its way to the 3rd largest sand island in the world. Our study tour woke up to a bright and early continental breakfast (the only breakfast we usually get), which consists of toast, cereal and juice. Soon we got all of our day bags packed for our three day trip to Moreton Island. Then we met our tour guides for the trip Nathan, who has been a guide for two and a half years, who also drove the big bus. And we met Kayli who drove the truck where five of the girls and I had personally met at the YHA in Brisbane.</div>
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Shortly after driving through traffic we barely arrive to the docks in time for our Ferry to Moreton Island. Eventually we made our way out to the ocean blue and journeyed to Moreton Island. Once we landed we truly found out what a sand island is made out of... lots and lots of sand! Some of us could have done without all the sand in various areas on our bodies but we dealt with it and had a blast. This sand island was created because of Cape Moreton, which is a collection of huge boulders that collects and deposits the sand drifting from various rivers from New South Wales. If Cape Moreton had not been an instrumental part of making the sand islands, then none of us might have never seen the Great Barrier Reef. This is because Cape Moreton blocks the sand from reaching the reefs up north. Thank goodness we have Cape Moreton right?</div>
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After we set up camp on the Western side of the island, we took a day trip out to one of the many areas where ships had been destroyed near the island. So we decided to take out our snorkel gear and take a closer look at these shipwrecks. Out in the water we saw many different kinds of fish and we even met a few friendly sharks along the way. Unfortunately for some girls of our group they were frightened by them and screamed everytime we saw one. But it was good amusement for the rest of the group to laugh at the antics going on in the water. We explored the shipwrecks but did not find any sunken treasure because these ships had been whale fishing boats. All in all we had a great time looking at all the marine life in the bay.</div>
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Afternoon rolled on by and we ate our lunch and moved onto our next activity for the day! Sandboarding (kids don't try this at home, we dont care how you got that huge pile of sand). We had to climb up this mountain of sand which stood roughly 200 ft high. From there we waxed our boards and shot off the top riding down the hill at 50 mph. After a few solo trips, some of us brave members of the group wanted a challenge. So a few of us went to the other side of the mountain to try standing up on the boards, and a few of us wanted to stack as many people as we could on a few boards and take us all down the mountain. Unfortunately for us we did not make it very far and we broke apart. One of our members rolled the rest of the way down, another was buried under the sand (me), and the rest just stopped in their tracks. Despite me becoming a true sandman, we all had a bunch of fun at the giant sand dunes.</div>
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Night rolled on by and a few of us decided they needed to be dunked in the water to get all the sand off before we returned to camp. Later as we drove back to camp we saw a small group of dolphins. The girls ran out of the trucks to try to play with the dolphins, which came close to them but was scared of the huge group of women coming towards it. Cant say I can blame the dolphin for swimming away, I know I wouldnt want to be mobbed by a group of women. Soon the sun set and we spent our first night by the campfire, which did not last long because of the exhaustion from that days activities. Nathan, Kayli, Sherri and I were the last ones standing at the campfire. It was a beautiful night that we wanted to enjoy. This is when I first spotted the secret romance between the two guides, they were holding hands while gazing at the stars. </div>
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END of DAY 1</div>
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P.S. After the last day of the trip was when the girls finally asked Kayli if she and Nathan were together, and she said they are together now. The girls all swooned from the cute romance of the tour guide couple.</div>
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If you want to hear more about the trip at Moreton Island please take a look at my other posts.</div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01568284790038485428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5785894077808207605.post-27561592770696008222013-04-30T02:46:00.001-07:002013-04-30T02:46:30.566-07:00Hold onto your babies!The dingoes go for a walk. Watch out, Julia Louis-Dreyfus.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02231998166731022085noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5785894077808207605.post-82994947418430253892013-04-30T02:44:00.001-07:002013-04-30T02:44:17.050-07:00Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, Part 4Some other animal encounters:<br />
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I told him leg first was not going to work . . . <br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02231998166731022085noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5785894077808207605.post-55964953655666245252013-04-30T02:42:00.000-07:002013-04-30T02:42:07.712-07:00Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, Part 3Members of our group feeding kangaroos and wallabies. Later this evening, back at the restaurant connected to the hostel, some kangaroos would involuntarily, and more directly, return the favor . . .<br />
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Good Charlie hard at work: <br />
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We had them eating from our hands:<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02231998166731022085noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5785894077808207605.post-11911831222905705862013-04-30T02:36:00.002-07:002013-04-30T02:36:37.170-07:00Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, Part 2There is no truth to the rumour that the Hostel staff put this sign on the door of one of our students' rooms:<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02231998166731022085noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5785894077808207605.post-91563295730784952512013-04-30T02:35:00.000-07:002013-04-30T02:35:07.893-07:00Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, Part 1What do Pope John Paul, Marilyn Manson and Jackie Chan have in common? I am so glad you asked:<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02231998166731022085noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5785894077808207605.post-62610482907871513452013-04-28T03:26:00.001-07:002013-04-28T03:26:05.402-07:00The Blue Mountains, and Canberra: some darned good ideasBlogging has been slow, it appears. In spite of threats and cajoling the students have not begun to share their two cents yet. Perhaps the next quiz will have to be harder.<br />
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We had a wonderful day trip to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Mountains_%28New_South_Wales%29" target="_blank">Blue Mountains</a> on Friday, at least I think it was Friday. My personal goal is to know what day of the week it is on at least three occasions before the course concludes. Our guides from the Australian National Park Service shared a lot of information with us, especially regarding Aboriginal uses of the land and the role of fire in shaping the landscape. Much like the American national parks, those in Australia have a long and complicated history that involves mining and other resource extractions, dispossession of natives, and the development of a taste for scenery. But that is another class. Here are some images from our trek into the rainforest:<br />
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Yesterday (which may well have been Saturday) we took a lovely and relaxing bus ride from Sydney to Canberra, Australia's Capital. Perhaps the most notable event was what did not happen. Good Charlie and I were sitting in the front of the bus when, about 75 kilometers short of our destination, a kangaroo hopped out of the bush directly into our path. It was the first hopper we had seen outside of the zoo and, for a brief second or two it looked like his reward for showing himself to us would be the end of his days. Somehow, the bus missed him and he hopped off into the bush on the other side. I hope that is a good omen.<br />
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The story of how Canberra came to be the Capital City is fascinating in its own right. You can find the relevant details on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canberra" target="_blank">Wikipedia</a>, of course, but here it is in brief:<br />
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Travel back in time to 1901:<br />
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"Hey, guys, let's be a country!"<br />
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"Sounds great. Where should the capital be?"<br />
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"Sydney, of course."<br />
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"Dunh, Melbourne of course."<br />
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"Sydney."<br />
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"Melbourne."<br />
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"OK, OK, let's compromise. We'll pick a place in the middle between Sydney and Melbourne, pretty much the middle of nowhere, and make the capital there."<br />
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"Excellent idea!"<br />
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And so, more or less, it went.<br />
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Like another nation's capital I once read about--I believe it is called Washington D.C.--Canberra is a planned city, though its planning continues into the present. Think of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierre_Charles_L%27Enfant" target="_blank">Pierre L'Enfant</a> crossed with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_Law_Olmsted" target="_blank">Frederick Law Olmsted</a> and you get something of the idea of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Burley_Griffin" target="_blank">Walter Burley Griffin</a>'s plan for the Australian capital city. Like so many individuals in the Australian story (and the American story, if I may), Griffin--who worked with the well-known American architect Frank Lloyd Wright--is a fascinating character whose life story has a number of intriguing twists and turns. Hint # 1: do not fall in love with your boss's sister, especially when your boss is Frank Lloyd Wright. Hint # 2: when the going gets tough, go to Australia and design its new capital city. Below is the view of the central axis, from Mt. Ainslee, linking the War Memorial with the Parliament building.<br />
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We learned a lot about the functioning of Australia's parliament from our host, who expressed great envy for the change of seasons he once observed on a trip to New England and upstate New York in the Autumn. So there: they envy us in Australia. Here we are filing in to the chamber for the House of Representatives. Apparently they have no filibusters and the sound gets cut off after 15 minutes. Anyone else think that is a good idea?<br />
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Final note for now: while I found today to be the most informative and, yes, fascinating day of the class--the view from Mount Ainslee, a tour of Parliament House, a tour of the U. S. Embassy grounds, and a visit to the <a href="http://www.awm.gov.au/" target="_blank">Australian War Memorial </a>and <a href="http://www.nationalcapital.gov.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=213&Itemid=202" target="_blank">Anzac Parade</a>--two pieces of our day stand out rather profoundly as indicators of a rather impressive national trait, if there are such things. As something of an afterthought, our bus driver took us on a quick tour of the <a href="http://www.nationalarboretum.act.gov.au/" target="_blank">National Arboretum</a> a relatively new public space in Canberra. Responding to a severe bush fire that destroyed 500 homes and the better part of a pine plantation, the government, with much public support, decided to transform the area into a vast public tree museum dedicated to growing and displaying trees from around the world that are on the United Nation's "Redlist" of trees with endangered conservation status. The trees are mere saplings now, acres of saplings. It will be decades before they achieve maturity and the impressive visual effect that the designers intended to be realized by one hundred forests of rare and endangered (and, by then perhaps, otherwise extinct) trees of the world. The grandchildren of current citizens might enjoy the fruits of these labors. And yet, the people of Canberra and Australia have dedicated the resources to this most admirable of long-term projects. Pretty darn impressive.<br />
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And then there is the <a href="http://www.awm.gov.au/encyclopedia/ataturk.asp" target="_blank">Attaturk Memorial</a> on the Anzac Parade. A leader of the Turkish army that opposed the Australian (and British and New Zealand) forces landing at <a href="http://www.anzacsite.gov.au/" target="_blank">Gallipoli</a> in April of 1915--an engagement that was unspeakably deadly--Attaturk is not the first person to come to mind when thinking about who might be honored at Australia's War Memorial. He was, after all, the leader of the enemy forces. Yet he is given a place of honor on the walk, close to the museum itself, a measure I think of . . . well, you can work that out for yourself. For a soundtrack, listen to The Pogues rendition of <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPFjToKuZQM" target="_blank">"And the Band Played Waltzing Mathilda."</a><br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02231998166731022085noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5785894077808207605.post-16459568519332106692013-04-25T02:20:00.001-07:002013-04-25T02:20:19.920-07:00The Charlies' Phone NumbersHere are the phone numbers in Australia for Charlie Jacobson and Charlie Mitchell:<br />
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Charlie Mitchell: 011-61-4-0643-6055<br />
Charlie Jacobson: 011-61-4-2304-0297<br />
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Those are the numbers to use if you are calling from the USA. (011 accesses international, 61 is the country code for Australia). For people dialing within Australia:<br />
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Charlie Mitchell: 04-0643-6055<br />
Charlie Jacobson: 04-2304-0297<br />
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PLEASE NOTE! There is a 14-hour time difference. When it is 12 noon in New York, it is 2 am in Sydney. Please only use these numbers for emergencies. We will switch our phones off during course events; if you get voice mail, leave us a message and we will return your call as soon as possible. <br />
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<br />Charlie Jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01897882368205710757noreply@blogger.com0