lady jane stanfield

Australia Diary – May 9 – July 13 – Ninth Week – Sydney.

PHOTOS COMING

Saturday, July 8

Again at the Adelaide airport for my last time. I do love it.

As I may have mentioned, I love being met at airports. This goes way back to the 60’s when we lived in Florida and Thailand. We spent a lot of time at airports as it was during the war and Dad was in Vietnam for a year. Annie and I would be standing at the gate (remember when you could actually met people at the gate?) and would cry as we watched people saw hello and good-bye to each other. We didn’t even have to know them, but we would cry along.

I was at my gate #24 waiting for my plane to unload and there was a mom and dad with Welcome Home balloons waiting for someone. Suddenly she became very agitated and ran to the front to greet her adult son and his wife. They were so cute and so happy to see each other that I began to cry. As I had finally gotten myself under control, the dad of the group asked if I would take their photos. Of course and I also took one for myself with their permission. Mom was Glenda, Dad was Adam, Son was Phil and daughter-in-law was Katrina. Very cute.

PHOTO of group

Immediately following that as we were beginning to board, there was a family of a mom and dad, older sister and younger son. Daughter and son were boarding the plane and when it was time to say good-bye, the son lost it when he said good-bye to mum. I was off again. It turns out that the daughter and son were flying to Sydney, him to visit the grand parents and her to take her examination for the Air Force. Very crowded plane, my first really full plane for at least 3 months.

I bought tickets for the round trip shuttle at the airport and we made at least 6 stops before mine. The driver was new to the job and kept calling base for instructions that really irritated a family riding in the van that began to loudly discuss their displeasure. As he was trying to find my street, he kept running into road closures. They were doing a commercial shoot at the intersection of my street, so I told him that I would walk. It wasn’t that hard, only three blocks and luckily, all down hill.

My hotel, the Grand Hotel, was not what I had expected. It was a the typical Australian Hotel that I have seen in every town and city I have visited, with rooms above a bar that can also serve as a bottle store in some locations. This one had three levels of meeting rooms, a freight elevator with very heavy double doors. They did offer continental breakfast and some meal service, but mainly bar food. I told them I might only be there one night, as I was concerned about the noise. I ended up on the 5th floor in the back and there was no noise from the bar at night. The room also was not made up when I arrived at 4pm, which was surprising and the light by the bed did not work. I told myself, it only needed to be for one night and I went out for a walk and to get my bearings. I found that I was an easy 4-block walk to the Sydney harbor and the Opera House. The weather was great, the walk was easy, and the hotel and the room looked okay by the time I went back.

I found an art house movie theatre that was playing a movie that I had hoped to see in Adelaide,
Tristam Shandy. It is one of my most favorite formats for a movie, a movie about making a movie. Very arty and cute and full of period costumes and British actors.

Sunday, July 9

I told the hotel I would only stay one more night, as I was confident that I could find different lodgings during the day. I had a long list of thing I wanted to see in Sydney, so with my map and list, off I went.

The one thing that I think is brilliant about Sydney, which I did not find in other cities, is that all the City Convenience Stores have internet connections. There was one right across the street from my hotel. This was fortunate, as I still needed to connect twice a day to determine where I would spend my volunteer time in the next few weeks.

I walked to the YHA’s and found that they were both booked solid, and even if they had an opening, would have been the same price of my room at the hotel. I had cancelled my hotel, thinking foolishly that I would find lodging at the YHA, so I needed to go back and get my room back again. I had not checked my vibes this morning. Hmmmmm?

On the way back to the hotel, I went to the Barracks Museum that had been a men’s prison and finally an immigration holding area of women in the early years of New South Wales, NSW. I went into the Cathedral that was nice, but you could tell it was very new with not much atmosphere.

Sydney can look like so many other cities when you aren’t next to the major landmarks, but it quickly tells you that you are not in Kansas as you see a pied ibis foraging in the plants at the park. I kept trying to get a good photo, but just as I would push the shutter, he would move or hide.

Next, I went to the Museum of Australia, a Natural History Museum. I love free museums; you don’t feel guilty when you leave after only 30 minutes.

The hotel had no problem giving me my room back and I celebrated by buying a hard cider from the bar and taking it to my room.

I was determined to find wireless network and I had spied a Starbucks near the quay and with my computer in hand, off I went. My visits to the Starbucks now have the tradition, a decaf flat white with skim milk and gluten free date and orange cookie and blogging. I also connected with Bette and had a free internet phone conversation with her on Skype. If you have not heard of this, look into it. It is a free service, even international calls. All you need is a headset with a mic, internet connection on your computer, and another person on Skype near their computer to hear your ring.

Monday, July 10

Now that I had decided to stay, it was time to try the shower down the hall. No dramas until I tried to exit the room. The door was locked, but no matter what I did, the door would not open. Finally, after I had dropped everything that I had gathered in my arms, I finally managed to get the door open.

The first thing that I needed to handle was an extension of my Visa. I had done an electronic Visa that cost $20 and was good for 3 months. As I would end up being in OZ for about two weeks past three months, I needed an extension. I found the office and filled out the forms and was told it would be $200. I was a little shocked, especially as the first one was only $20. Well, I needed it, so I went upstairs to have my application reviewed. No dramas and $205 later, I have a VISA in my passport. (HINT FOR NEXT TIME – Even if you don’t think you will need one, if you think you might possibly be somewhere longer than 1 month, go for the longer visa!)

I walked and found I am doing at least 40 blocks a day in Sydney. No worries and the streets are full of people, so I don’t feel a need to be home before dark.

I came across a wonderful meat pie shop called Jester’s. I had my first of their pies, Thai Chicken that was fantastic.

I went back to the arts cinema because they had a documentary about the Ballet Russe. I know, I am in a foreign city and watching movies. Sometimes, you just need something that you know. The movie was fabulous and showed clips and photos of the former Russian ballet stars, some of who are still teaching today at 90. Very well done. The funniest coincidence was one of the men from the 7 Brides movie (he played Dan) had been a Ballet Russe Dancer.

I made an appointment to meet Kaye tomorrow. Kaye was the lady that I met on the street in Mackay, my first full day in Australia and with whom I had felt an immediate connection. She had said I should look her up when I was in Sydney.

I also had an appointment to meet Kate for drinks on Wednesday night. Kate was my diving buddy from the Great Barrier Reef and she works just minutes from my hotel.

I am still waiting to hear from ItoI on what placements might be open until I leave Australia.

Tuesday, July 11

I was feeling a little out of sorts from not knowing what I would be doing in OZ for volunteer work and picked a vibes card. You’re the Boss card, it said. It is up to me to ask the questions and check the vibes. No one can do it for me, nor should they. I emailed I to I and told them I was leaning towards Melbourne, but would be open to either and I left for the train.

I walked to the train to see Kaye. I had been the day before the look over the station and get the lay of the land. It is huge station with several levels of tracks. They have wonderful ticket machines that you can order your own ticket, which I did. It had all the information that I needed except what track to go to. I went into one area, but was directed to another set of tracks.

I had bought some cut up fruit and ate it on the platform, but I could not find a trashcan. I asked the conductor and he said that due to the terrorists, no trash cans in the stations. I took it with me and found one when I alighted from the train.

The ride was only 1.5 hours to the Northern side of Sydney across the bridge, I spotted Kaye right away and she was shocked that I did not have a suitcase with me. She had told me her schedule and it sounded like she was so busy, that I had assumed only a day trip. With limited time before her evening meeting, off we went in her car.

Kaye is delightful, a new grandmother, former pony club leader and riding school owner and avid creative memories scrap booker. She is also a Neways Distributor, which was a company that I was unfamiliar with. It is out of Utah and promotes, skin, teeth, beauty, supplements and cleaners that are free of anything that could cause cancer. I must research this a little more, because I like the concept.

During our day together, she drove me all over her little hamlet and we visited many beaches and overlooks. We spotted migrating whales and had lunch next to a pod of playful bottlenose dolphins, the best viewing I have had in Australia. We also went to her former house and riding facility and there were lessons going on. There were adorable little girls in jodhpurs on very fuzzy white ponies. Thelwel if I ever saw them.

We stopped by her friend’s house that is in love with everything Santa Fe. There house could have been airlifted from New Mexico it is so perfect. They had it built from pictures and have never even been to the US.

Kaye and I stopped at the local health food store and I found henna so my roots can be covered again. We then went to pick up several of her friends to go to a presentation this evening from a Cardiologists discussion on the benefits of the Neways products. I had a quick drink with them before I caught the training back to Sydney.

It was a lovely evening and I felt very blessed to have time with Kaye. I hope I get to see her again at the end of the trip.

I was pooped and turned off the light by 9:30 pm. YAAAH!

Wednesday, July 12

Let go – Vibes card – should be a daily pull for me recently

Slept late and took the circulating bus all over Sydney. This is an excellent way to get your bearings and to find out about places you want to go back to visit. After my first circuit, I got off at the stop for the Art Museum of NSW – Can you believe it – they don’t have any NORMAN LINDSAY ON THE WALLS! Who is Norman Lindsay? More later.

I heard back from ItoI and Melbourne did not need volunteers currently, so I will go north to Cairns in a week and do 4 weeks at a wildlife hospital near Ravenshoe. As soon as the decision was made, I was much lighter and happier. I start on Friday, July 21. 4 more nights in Sydney and then, off to Cairns for 4 days.

I will go to YHA travel agent tomorrow and plan the rest of my time before Cairns. I will also check into my time in H Kong briefly before SAfrica. I will check with South African Consulate to see about a visa for over 90 days just in case

As I was waiting for Kate to meet me at my hotel, I noticed that the street cleaners check in with their mates on cell phones to determine which streets have been done and which still need to be done. Amazing!

I had dinner with Kate at the Opera Bar over looking the harbor. It was lovely to spend some time with her. She is at an exciting time of her life, taking on a new position with more responsibility and finishing up her degree. Then, she will be able to go anywhere. I will definitely keep in touch with her and see where she ends.

I love my life!

Thursday, July 13

The YHA Travel agency had answers to some of my questions, but it sound like I will be making most of my own reservations on-line for all future flights and hotel needs through December.

I was walking back to the Rocks district, where the early settlement of Sydney began, and stopped into the Queen Victoria Building that is supposed to be the most beautiful building in Sydney. I am not sure what it was originally, but now it is an upscale shopping center on 4 floors with a central opening looking down all the levels. It has lots of memorabilia about Victoria and paintings and the most amazing clock and calendar. On the hour, the trumpets sound, and to the music of Trumpet Voluntaire, the clock has scenes from British history appearing with moving figures in each tableaux. Some of the scenes include the signing of the Magna Carta, the beheading of King Charles, and Henry VIII with the 6. The calendar part of the clock is in a different location and resembles a large suspended egg that shows the month, date and day of the week. They just don’t make clocks like that any more.

I had an appointment to check in the Terri about the cats and they are doing well, waiting mostly patiently for me to come home and generally treating Brett and Betty pretty well. Good news!

On my way back to the Quay, I had Jester’s Pie #2 – Thai Chicken – I couldn’t help it, the other varieties just didn’t look that nice!

While I was in Adelaide in Tandanya, the native Australian art center, they had a costume exhibit from an aboriginal movie - 10 Canoes. If I remember correctly, this is the first movie that tells a totally aboriginal story and done in the native tongue with English narration and subtitles. I saw the movie at the art house cinema I had been to before. It was good, a little slow moving by Western standards, but very dear. At one point, there was a line of warriors walking in a straight line out into the bush. Suddenly, the one at the end shouts and they all spread out to take on an intruder. The last guy says that he no longer wants to walk in the back because somebody keeps farting. After much finger pointing and laughing, one guy confesses and then he gets to walk at the tail of the line.

I also treated myself to a night of theatre at the Sydney Opera House. It was a one-man original show called A Large Attendance in the Antechamber. The play was about the cousin of Charles Darwin who was also a scientist and the actor did most of the performance encased in a 3-sided, 5 foot square box on stage, which he hardly ever left during the show. During his narration, he conducted science experiments, projected images on to a cloth screen in the front of the box and made tea on stage. I was in the front row in the last seat on house right and saw it all. I have packed away my literature or I could tell you the names of the man. It was wonderful. The Opera House is also doing a new version of Pirates of Penzance, which I hope to fit in during my last night in Sydney.

Friday, July 14

Today I decided to walk closer to Kings Cross and visit the Sydney Jewish Museum. I came out of my hotel to find rain, so I went back for my big jacket. The walk wasn’t that far, but it was going into a somewhat seedier part of the city, which I felt was safe enough during the day. The Museum was pretty good and several displays were very interesting, especially one on the archeological excavations of a mass grave at Sernika. The evidence from this grave helped to bring two WWII criminals to trial. Another interesting thing I saw was the information on the names and number of Jewish people who were sent to Australia from England when it was a penal colony. One man, Ikey Solomon, was a thief whose family had already been sent to Australia. He was the man that Charles Dickens used as the model for Fagin in Oliver Twist. Ikey ended up a pauper and dying in Australia, abandoned by his family.

I made plans to take another train trip tomorrow out of the city to the Blue Mountains to visit the home and gallery of Norman Lindsay.

The rest of the day was errands such as booking my flights to Cairns, Jester’s pie #3 – Tandori Chicken, and my blogging at Starbucks ritual of decaf skinny flat white with gluten free cookie. Then home to the hotel to henna my hair and watch tv.

Doodle days are good!

Saturday, July 15

I was up early for my Blue Mountains Trip and it was raining in earnest so I bundled up and headed out. (This is the first time since I mailed it home that I wished I had my umbrella). I figured I would find a cheap umbrella along the way.

I knew that Norman lived at a house called Springwood, (also a train station) but the address in the guidebook said Falcounbridge, so that is where I got off the train. It had bombed rain the entire trip. I asked an elderly gentleman how best to get to the gallery. He said that the buses don’t go there, there were no taxis, he would drive me but he does not have a car, but he did point me in the right direction. It was a 4.5 km walk to the gallery. Luckily I had my big coat, it wasn’t too cold and it turned out to be down hill the entire way. I stopped at every open place along the way, but no umbrellas.

As I was approaching an area, all the street signs had names like Watkin Wombat and somebody O’Possum. I had an awful thought and wondered if the place would even be open. Luckily, when I arrived it was. I entered the gift shop, dripping wet and asked the ladies if they sold Norman Lindsay umbrellas? What a good idea, they thought. I asked if it would be possible to have a cab called when I wanted to leave, which they said they could, and they waved me off to the café for a cup of tea and a dry off before the tour.

Why did I want to see Norman Lindsay’s house? When Annie was at University in Canberra in the 70’s, she arrived in Bangkok with a book called, the Magic Pudding, or the adventures of Bunyip Bluegum. It became a staple in my house and it was written and illustrated by Mr. Lindsay in the 1920s. It was about a magical (steak and kidney pie) pudding owned by Mr. Bluegum. What was magical about it is that you could cut it and eat part of it, but it would repair itself and there would always be more. As you can imagine, it was the source of great envy and many mean people wanted to steal it, therefore the adventures.

As I went on my tour, I learned that Mr. Lindsay (1870’s – 1969) came from a very talented artistic family and he was a cartoon illustrator for the Herald (?), a liberal and counter culture newspaper until 1950. He also did many etchings, cartoons, several books (which were banned), garden sculpture and oils. He adored the female nude and his women were usually Rubenesque. There was a film called Sirens, a somewhat fictitious story from his life, and an animated movie done of the Magic Pudding with notables as Geoffrey Rush, Sam Neill and Toni Collette.

In his painting studio, he left two pictures incomplete and only partially painted to show the coming generations how he did it. He was not classically trained and was ridiculed by the art critics of his time, but considering all that, I found his oils to be magnificent. He lived on the edge, called his house Olympus and the residents Olympians and most of his early works were of fantastical groupings of people in Greek or Roman attire. He was a rebel with a notorious reputation, which was mostly unfounded. True, there were wild parties at his place, but they were held by his second wife, Rose, while he hid in the painting studio and kept working. He was very contemptuous of the WOWSER”s of his time. WOWSER – We only want social evils remedied.

I had a great meal in the Lindsay café next to a replica of the magic pudding.

PHOTO

As I was waiting for my cab, I finally saw a Kookaburra. They, for once, are much larger than I would have expected. The cab back to the Springwood station was wonderful, and as I saw the length (much longer) and terrain (all up hill) for that leg of the trip, I was very glad that I got off at Falcounbridge.

Sunday, July 16

My last day in Sydney before I go to Cairns and I had lots of phone calls and intenetting to do. I am still a little flummoxed at times with the phone system in Australia. Even with a phone card, you usually have to put in a coin. Even though you have a card, in some cities you have to call a special number and in addition to the international access code for your country, you also have to dial additional numbers. I should have it down just before I leave the country!

As I was walking past a street mall, I had a flash of movement from the corner of my eye. As I looked closer, there was a crowd of people and the entire plaza was fenced off. Within the fence were probably 100 white rabbits. I stopped for a minute at this point and wondered if it was Chinese New Year and if it was the Year of the Rabbit. No, Chinese New Year is earlier in the year and I think we are in the Year of the Horse.

It turned out to be a film company doing an advertisement for something and they had a very slender oriental woman in a black dress running around behind the rabbits. As I stood a watched, the rabbits were doing rabbit things like leaving little rabbit nuggets, sniffing the air, trying to escape and one young male, trying to make more rabbits.

PHOTO – rabbits

I had seen a flyer for a free opera concert in the Queen Victoria building at noon and two, so I made sure that I was there in time. I ate my croissant and drank my coffee and watched. It was a soprano and tenor doing love duets including Le Boehm and the drinking song from Traviata. I enjoyed it so much, I window-shopped and caught the second show where I also managed to get a seat. Next to me sat, Olga, a Russian woman from London who was visiting Australia.

It was a lovely day.

Additional Australian Vocabulary

Cheesed off – furious

Whoop Whoop – Outback

Oz - Australia

Australia Diary – Cairns - May 9 – July 13 – Tenth Week

PHOTOS COMING

Monday, July 17

I spent the entire day in Sydney and left for the airport at 4pm. Nothing unusual about this airport time or the flights, except that I had one of the only rows without a middle person. I had finished my book, so I bought two magazines and then spent the rest of the time doing the puzzles in the back of the flight magazine. I am becoming addicted to Suduku and am getting much faster at it.

As we arrived in Cairns, about an hour late, almost everyone needed a taxi. The line had at least 30 people, and the cabs arrived one at a time about 3 minutes apart. The thing that amazed me was that lots of single people got in and drove away without offering to share a ride with anyone. By the time I was at the head of the queue, a taxi van appeared. I asked and the driver had already decided to see if he could assist several groups of people at once. Another couple and a single man joined me. I arrived safe, the second stop of three and only $5. Not bad.

My room was very basis, had a bit of a smell of mildew, but considering it is a beach resort town, not to be unexpected. I turned on the air to help eliminate the smell and to drown out any noise, enjoyed some interesting movies on tv and turned out the light late. I love being on vacation!

Tuesday, July 18 – Thursday, July 20

Lovely weather, though a fleece felt good on your arms, but I was back in my sandals.

Nothing really remarkable to report. I am not sure if I am jaded about beach resort towns at this point, or just needing to focus on the time ahead. My days were spent walking into town, eating interesting food at different places, searching in vain for a bookstore and spending lots of time on the Internet and phone. I did not take in any museums, art galleries, or spend any time at the beach. Every time I went near the water, the tide was way out and there weren’t many places to sit right on the beach. I did see The Da Vinci Code and thought it was pretty good.

I have been trying to make flight and hotel reservations for South Africa and later portions of my trip. It is hard to believe that I only have 5 more places to go before I land back in the US. I have found ticketing with South African airlines to be a little confusing so far and never seem to be able to call when their offices are open. I can only get cheap flights on the web, but I need to make sure that they will hold the reservation for me, as they tend to want cash payment. Needless to say, I am still attempting to call to get clarification. I could book all the flights in Aust, but I would pay twice what I can on the web. I also was not eligible for a great coupon offer they have because they are in the UA network and I am flying AA. Sigh!

I made contact with Karin, from Eagles Nest, my next placement at the wildlife hospital. I will be picked up at 11am at the hotel on Friday, July 21. Yaah! I will be back at work and feeling in the grove again.

Friday, July 21

I woke to rain and continued to try and call SAfrica, but no luck again. Hopefully, I can call from my placement in Ravenshoe. (Ravens – hoe).

Karin picked me up with a wedge tail eagle in a carrier in the back of the car. The vet was closed due to a public holiday because the agriculture show was in town. (This is an interesting concept that I have seen in several cities/towns in OZ). Karin had not been informed about the closure of the office, but was still attempting to make the appointment today. As we drove to the airport to pick up another ItoI volunteer who was arriving with almost as little notice as they had for me, and I was in charge of the cell phone in case the vet called.

Karin phoned home once we made it to the airport, and then had to speed out to the airport as the vet would only be there for another 10 minutes. This left me with the cell phone, that did not work, and the sign for Melody, the arriving I to I volunteer. It was sort of fun and I got very good at deciding who might be a likely candidate as people exited with their luggage. Finally, I found Melody who had been 24 hours in transit from London through Singapore and Sydney. Karin returned, sans eagle, and off we went for a 2-hour drive to Ravenshoe.

After a short stop for a little bite, on we went through the Atherton Tablelands. It was lovely, even with the rain, but a little disappointing to see all the rain forest denuded of trees for agriculture. We finally arrived at Eagles Nest and from the road you could see one of the aviary enclosures with 4 huge wedge tail eagles roosting.

The facility is a long narrow rectangle of land with the huge aviary for the eagles, about 10 completed aviary cages and zoo like cages for the smaller animals and birds, and the frames for another 15 cages that need to be finished. Around the entire compound are wonderful plants that have been landscaped and two huge garden areas that were 95 % destroyed by the hurricane that came through in March. Up until the devastation, the facility raised almost all the fruits and veggies needed for both the animals and the volunteers. Now, they are slowing getting the garden back, but it is a lesser priority than completing the cages at this point. This also means that they have to purchase more of the foodstuffs, but they also have some help by the local grocers and restaurants with appropriate consumable scrapes and produce.

At the bottom of the grounds are the caravans (trailers that we would pull behind cars in the US) where the volunteers and Karin and Harry sleep. Behind us is one of the dunny’s (pit toilets) and the kangaroo pen. There is another port-a-john on the site and a warm water shower house and sink area close to the caravans. The kitchen is much like the one in Marlborough, but the eating area is outside under an overhang.

Harry (60 and originally from Austria) developed this facility in 1988. He was joined two years ago by Karin (late 40’s from Germany) who had been a travel agent for over 20 years. 2 years ago she vacationed for 6 months in Oz, returned home, quit her job, sold up and moved out here.

Karin said that there were only about 45 animals currently in residence, but it can grow up to 70 during the busy season. The current list include two kinds of owls, falcons, wedge tail eagles, kookaburras, quolls (carnivorous spotted little rat/weasel type animals), swamp, pretty face, agile and rock wallabys, grey kangaroos, wallaroos, bettongs, sulfur crested cockatoos, cockatiels, lorikeets, butcher birds, rainforest and open land possums and dingos.

I had forgotten or had not to thought about, but there are also lots of cages of food animals for the carnivores. Rats, mice, guinea pigs, pigeons, chooks, roosters, rabbits and the ever present road kill help to keep the recuperating wild animals and birds alive until they can be released.

Several of the eagles and other species will never be able to be released due to their injury or their ability to fend for themselves. Housed in cages meant for smaller animals, malnourished by well meaning, but unenlightened carers, and/or held too long before treatment was sought, some animals just would not be able to make it alone again.

The thing that I have learned from my time in OZ is the effectiveness of simple remedies with these wild animals. Tina, Peggy and Harry all use simple ordinary cures such as chamomile tea to cleanse wounds and organic honey to pack a wound before bandaging. While they also use the vet when they need to (x-rays, surgery when necessary, antibiotics when called for) I have seen first hand the healing and restorative power of mother nature at her best. If these were more widely used, there would be a lot of pharmaceutical companies out of business.

The caravans are clean and I am fortunate to have one to myself. I have two single beds that are comfortable and soft, a table, built-in seating and a counter for my stuff. No water in the caravan, but the shower/sink is near by and the dunny just around the corner. The other great thing about the caravans is that most of them have a collection of books to read. YAAH! I can add to my list and there will be no tv for four weeks.

Water is more important than gold here, so we have rainwater collected to the humans and river water pumped for the animals.

After a tour which also included the Bindi – the miniature cow, and the wild pig named Oscar, Karin showed us all those that would be in our care for the next 4 weeks. We also met Sarah, an Australian girl who came for a week between 8:30-3 for work experience and Ruth, ItoI volunteer from Leeds England. Ruth has been here for two weeks and will show us the ropes.

Harry is a chef and king of the kitchen and tonight was steak and chips. Very nice.

As we are expected at breakfast at 7, the alarm is set for 6:30.

23 Australia Diary – May 9 – July 13 – Seventh Week – Kangaroo Island #1.

PHOTOS COMING

Saturday, June 24 – arrival on the island

Early cab to airport to fly Qantas. It will only be a one -way flight as they are discontinuing service to the island, so they have changed my reservation to Rex Air.

I love the Adelaide Airport. It is small, very new and clean and very easy to navigate. I also adore the concourse numbering. The main sign said gates 21-50. Here is the gate numbering - 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, small bit of wall, 50. I think the others are invisible just like platform 9 ¾!

At the gate there were two little boys enamored with the Saturday am cartoons, but before I could get my camera into position, their dad took them off to the plane. I met Linzee and Ryan who will be on the EW team with me. Linzee said we would be a very small team of only 4 - 3 US and 1 Aussie. I knew the limit was 6 so it sounded logical.

The plane was very small, only about 30 seats and my seat neighbor was going to the island for a detox. He only accepted water on the plane and said that would be his diet for three days and then they would allow him clear liquids.

Peggy. The PI (primary investigator) meet us at the airport – It turns out we will be a team of 6, including a young English boy and local Aussie man as well. There will also be Mike, Peggy’s partner/husband and who is a photographer, biologist, and general dogs body for the project

Team
Linzee – Atlanta - 30 – started her own company designing and selling hats
Ryan – Western Conn – 16 – rising HS senior and going into science
Pat – Barossa Valley, Aust – 65 – volunteer of the year – conversation volunteer and plant lover
Ben – Derby, England – 18 – 6 months in OZ as both parents are on a 6-month teaching exchange
John – K Island – Aussie Navy, Nurse, Conservationist

We loaded into the van for a 45-minute ride. The island has lots of flat areas and several areas of rolling hills. Along the main road we saw our first echidna that was crossing the road. How exciting! Peggy said that this was a good omen and that we should see lots of them during our stay. Very cute, looks like a walking pincushion walking along about the size of a large purse.

Peggy told us lots of facts about the island such as it is the third largest island for Australia behind Tasmania and ????. It is also devoid of several of the introduced species that have caused such havoc on the mainland such as the rabbits, and therefore it is an excellent research area for the work. There are still some problems with local dogs and cats, but recent laws have made it easier for the landowner to make sure their impact is at a minimum. All dogs must be registered and micro chipped. All owned cats must be de-sexed, registered and chipped. A dog or cat caught on your land without chip, can be trapped and it not chipped, put down. More on this later.

There are still only a few of the main roads paved and the last bit of the road leading to the research area was bone jarring and not for cars with low carriage.

Peggy and her partner/husband Mike live in a totally environmentally friendly sustainable compound built by them over the last 30 years. We would have sufficient power if the sun shone and the rest was on 12-volt batteries. I was pleased that I had left my computer back at the YHA and only brought along the car adapter to recharge my camera battery.

As we arrive, we met the rest of the team - Pat, Ben who had arrived via the ferry from the mainland, and John who lives on the island in American River. The boys would sleep in one tent, John selected another tent and the three ladies were put into a building that could sleep 4. Our room had iron beds with double mattresses and mosquito netting, that we will not need during this cold season. It was very cold when we arrived, and I knew that my light sleeping bag would not do the job. There were wool blankets and as the other ladies had better bags, I took an extra one for my bed.

We had the tour of our composting toilet a short walk from our door that was in the same building as our shower. Hot showers would be available every other day when the boiler would be lit. To take a shower the procedure involved lowering the can that held two buckets of water, filling it from the hot water from the boiler and the cold water tap to the desired temperature, raising the bucket again, going into the shower room, stripping and turning on the hose pipe tap above the shower head. You had to turn it off to suds up and soap up your hair, or you would run out of hot water. It was cold enough on the first day, I did not know if I wanted to get out of my clothes for a shower, but I did not need to make that decision until tomorrow.

We were also shown the flush toilet, also close to our door. We were encouraged to use it wisely if at all. Also in the room was a sink tap with a basin to catch the water. The used water was to be put into a bucket next to the stand. In the bucket was a stick that was taller than the bucket. This was for the possums that might want a drink. If the stick was removed, they might drown. We were also encouraged to always close the lids on whatever toilet we were using as the possums might fall in.

Local livestock that we would get a chance to see include Western Grey Kangaroos (really appeared dark brown) with the head of the mob, Rooby, a 14 year old female who was very sweet and loved to have Peggy talk to her and feed her carrots. Also Tammar Wallabys (now practically gone from the mainland), Brush Tail Possums, echidnas, goanna’s (monitor lizards pronounced GO- Anna) and assorted other spiders, snakes, bats and birds.

We took a short orientation walk and began to learn the plants we would need to know over the next two weeks and how to identify echidna, wallaby, possum, roo, ant and goanna sign. From the initial walk it became painfully obvious that the shoes I brought will not work, as they have no ankle support and not enough sole.

Our meals will be prepared on a rotating basis with the first few days being handled by Peggy, Mike and John. A conch shell calls us to meals and a gong of a wooden pestle against a bundt pan, to the table. Tonight, spaghetti bolognaise and bread.

Peggy ended our first evening with a slide show about echidnas. I also had my first possum sighting through the kitchen window. In New Zealand they are considered a pest because they are not indigenous, but boy are they cute! Much cuter than their North American cousins.

We also had our safety lecture on where all the important numbers were, the phone, and if we heard three blows on the conch shell, that signaled an emergency and we were to gather at the kitchen.

I had borrowed an additional fleece sleeping bag liner and then prepared my nest for sleeping. I slept warmly but had a hard time getting back to sleep after early am potty break. Most of us have some sort of allergy going on and therefore, sleeping is not a silent affair.

ECHIDNA FACTS I HAVE LEARNED – Most of this discovered and documented by Peggy over the last 18 years of research.

Echidnas are a monotreme- an egg-laying mammal, one of only two species – echidna and platypus. Australia has two of the three species, the platypus and the short beaked echidna. New Guinea has the third one, the long beaked echidna.

The echidna is an insectivore, not specifically an anteater. They have a beak in that there is a bone that extends to the end of their nose. They are incredibly smart with their frontal lobe forming 50% of their brain. (Humans is only 30%). They have 5 toes with claws in the front, and 5 toes with claws in the back. Depending on the length of the back toes, you can determine where the echidna comes from. KIsland echidnas have their 1st back toe claws as the largest, vs. those on Tasmania, where three of the 5 back toes are long.

Their spines are actually adapted individual hairs that they shed occasionally. Each spine can be moved independently from the rest, which assists the animal in covering itself when it digs down into the dirt. The most unique thing about the echidna is that their front legs face front and their back legs face back. The fingerprint of the echidna is suspected to be their upper palate that is unique for each one. As they forage for food, they stick their beaks in the ground and when they find a tasty bug, their tongue that is up to 7 cm long, can flick in and out of their mouths 100 times per minute. Then they bring the bug into their mouth, crush it against their top palate and the tough patch at the back of their tongue and swallow.

Echidnas live a solitary life and only get together for breeding. When the female becomes sexually mature, during the breeding season you will find a female followed by several males in an echidna train. No one knows how she selects the male that eventually breeds her. They become sexually mature at 10 and it is estimated that they can live up to 60 years. It is hard to determine the sex of the animals as they have a coacha and the normal external genitals are housed in the body. The male has a hemipenis, a single shaft with four different parts at the head. The female holds on to a tree while the males dig a circular trench around and under her. Copulation can take between 30 minute and two hours. Once they are done, they both separate.

At this point, it is suspected that she only mates with one male, but more research is needed. Copulation usually leads to a birth within 22 days by the presence of a single egg in the mothers pouch. Not pouches as known in the kangaroo, both sexes of the echidna have the ability on their belly to bring the sides of the belly together to form a pouch. 10 days after the egg has arrived in the pouch, the egg is opened and the pink jellybean called a puggle, attaches to the hairs of the mothe’s belly and heads for the two milk patches on her upper chest. She has no nipple, but the milk leaks on to the hairs where the puggle licks it up. The puggle clings for 50 days and goes from jellybean to golf ball size. At this point, mum leaves the puggle in a hopefully secure burrow and returns to feed it for two hours every 5 days. Hard to believe but the baby takes in twice it’s weight during each feed and finally exits the burrow after 7 months. Mum hangs around for a few days and then they separate and go back to individual lives.

The current ratio of male to female echidnas on KIsland is 2 males to 1 female.

Sunday, June 25

2nd day and I woke before the conch went at 7:30 am. Breakfast is usually a selection of cereals, fruit, toast, butter, peanut butter, jam, juice and coffee or tea. I went for cereal and fruit

Today I borrowed Peggy’s pink with bright green laces converse high top tennis shoes and I am the height of fashion. Photo to prove it provided.

PHOTO of shoes

This morning we continued the familiarization tour with Mike. He also is an amazing biologist and can give us the convoluted interrelationships between plant, animal, earth, air, water, people and any other possible agent that might interact with one of the others on the list. How do two people know so much about so much? I am impressed and in awe.

Lunch – Taco meat with corn chips that tasted wonderful.

The afternoon was learning how to track in the field. Peggy set up 6 different transmitters in the perimeter of the workroom. We were given the receiver and the antenna (think of the letter H with an additional arm going up and down and that is the antenna) and the list of the frequencies we were to find. I ended up finding 2 of my 6 within the time St. Bees. These receivers were different from the last ones, much smaller and would hang around your neck, the frequencies were already programmed in and there was no needle to show the bounce, but a bar that would indicate intensity. I realized after today and that I was most likely taking too few steps in between taking my readings. I ended the workday frustrated and full of self-doubt.

Shower night – by 5pm the boiler had been lit under the container for hot water. We determined the queue and for the first set of showers, we assisted the person behind us to lower the plastic container down so that it could be filled and then lifted the container back up. TAAA DAA! You are clean, a little chilly, but clean. During shower night, Peggy also fires up the computer so that we could check our emails. By the time I got there, the machine was in an endless loop, so no contact with the outside world for me tonight.

The only animal that had been spotted and brought in today was a goanna brought in by John, our goanna spotter and catcher extraordinaire. Turns out to be Slinky, a female Rosenberg Goanna (Go- Anna – a varanid lizard or called a monitor lizards around the globe) in thin condition. Peggy wants to put a different transmitter in her, but will wait until the warmer months, as the stress of surgery is extra hard on them in the winter when it is cold. In order that we can still track her, Peggy installed a tail transmitter on the outside of her body with epoxy glue and we labeled her with a large S in whiteout at the base of her tail. She will lose it when she sheds her skin within the next 6-8 months. She was weighed, measured, had her ticks removed (which apparently is a common problem in all of the island animals), and was well photographed before she was released.

Today, Peggy also took in a wounded echidna that had been run over by a car with a possible crushed pelvis, dislocated back legs and internal injuries. She was put in a box with some leaf litter and moved to quiet area so that she could recover from the shock.

Dinner – fish sticks, veggies, potatoes apricot upside down cake ala chef Peggy. John and I were on dish duty. The cook prepares the three meals, breakfast and lunch dishes were the responsibility of each individual and there was a pair assigned to do the dinner dishes. Normally, one of the pair would be on kitchen duty the next day.

Peggy and Mike are quintessential biologists/environmentalists/conservationists/good eggs. Expert in so many complimentary things. Extensive library with resources, you have only to mention a mild interest in a topic and they leap to their feet and bring out a book to answer you question.

Monday, June 26

We received our data collection kits after breakfast. – 2 film canisters, ruler, marker, yellow and green biodegradable ribbon (yellow for goanna, green for echidna), thermometer, spoon, plastic sandwich bags to collect interesting poo, red canvas shopping bag to bring back goannas, Hessian bag (burlap) to bring back echidna’s. We also received our receiver, compass, map and aerial photo of the peninsula and the list of animal frequencies. I should be able to get lost anywhere!

Our second time at tracking practice that went much better – 4 in one hour! YAAH! Our last tracking exercise was the retrieve the first one we found yesterday, with or without the use of the receiver. I found number 9 and this transmitter has become my pet. Whenever I was in the field, I was to carry it with me and if I needed assistance, I will to turn it on and help would arrive. Peggy or Mike would check at a specified time daily to see if any of us needed assistance.

Photo of Pet #9

After lunch of soup and sandwiches, we went as a group to release Slinky back to her burrow and learned how to mark and measure a burrow.

I got lost and therefore, plugged in during my first solo afternoon in the field. During my justification phase of my breakdown, I felt I was better with feeding and caring for animals than being a scientist. I whinged silently to myself how I could not care less about plants and their inter-relationships with animals, but to be effective in this team, we were encouraged to learn not only about the animal, but also what they eat, etc. Similar to the St. Bee’s island EW, we don’t really spend that much time with the animals as compared to the wallaby placement. All ongoing animal placements are with I to I or Enkosini that are more about care giving than fieldwork. I finally starting recording absolutely everything that I came across that was labeled and identifiable, every termite mound, every marked location, weather station, any marker that was labeled.

We came in to find fresh popcorn during our download from the day. Similar results for all of us. I realize that I will be more comfortable if I can become familiar with a certain area and return to it to see what has changed since the last time I was there.

Dinner was pork chops – ala John.

Tuesday, June 27.

Didn’t sleep well but not due to cold. Lots of weird dreams.

On the way to the field, as I entered the workroom, I disturbed a little bat who fell on his back. Pat picked him up and set him on the ledge and by the time Mike went up to find him, he had flown away. Hew!

The morning we were sent to find goannas with the trackers. I located a strong signal almost immediately and tracked for 40 minutes until I found a goanna with a tail transmitter sunning. I was looking for Fern with a tail transmitter who was supposed to be blind. As I approached the goanna with the bag, it appeared to look at me and went into her burrow. Yaaah. Then I stuffed the hole with my bag, turned on my pet, and began to take all my measurement. Peggy arrived 40 minutes after I turned on my pet and determined that I did not have Fern, I had Slinky from yesterday. (I must remember to verify which frequency I am tracking before I signal for help!) The one interesting thing is that this was not the burrow where she had been returned. She seems to like real estate.

During lunch of soup and pasties, neighbors Annie and Doug came to visit. Annie is British and very talkative with a large operatic voice. Doug is Australian and very quiet and a clever craftsman with wood. This meal will go down in history as the one with the discussion about the Runstable Spoon from the Owl and the Pussycat poem. 10 points if you know what a Runstable Spoon is without looking it up!

Some times, we would revisit a burrow and place a temperature monitor on two bamboo sticks into the hole. We did this on the way out into the field for the afternoon. Depending on the animal and Peggy’s interest, an animal may have an internal monitor of heart rate, temperature as well as a tracking transmitter, the burrow may have external monitors for air temperature and ground temperature.

I was going across the valley today between #12 on the map and lunnet bay. I became disoriented and began to panic. I thought I was SW but by the time I was back, I had gone the NE. (Question – if you are lost and have a map, compass and a GPS, if you think you are in one place and find up you are in another place, are you still lost? YES. If you did not remember to get a GPS point for home base on your device, can you get home? NO). As the light was fading, I ended up turning on my pet at 5:03 and began crashing through brush in the general southern direction to home. I had a vibes hit to zip my pocket with the GPS. I had a vibe hit to put the GPS in my backpack. I ignored both of them. During this time I began justifying myself and making everyone around me wrong, and felt that I was only a two dimensional thinker. I was also frustrated because there was no better way to communicate in the field (walky talky, etc) than the pets. I finally made it to a road and began walking. Luckily, along came Peggy in the car, returning from the vet with the injured echidna, and found me at 5:20. I was frustrated, upset, angry and feeling very over my head. When I got back to the camp, I realized I had also lost my map and the GPS as well. I contacted Anthony and the Angels and asked for assistance finding the GPS. Peggy says that the Great Puggle looks over the peninsula, so I added that to the list. Mike and Peggy were very nice and we planned to retrace my steps to find the GPS. Second major breakdown of the trip!

Peggy and the wounded echidna had been to the vet and sure enough, two dislocated back legs that were put back into place. As the accident had happened on Juniper Dr., we called her Juniper. The sex was still unknown, but we felt that Juniper was a generic enough name.

Dinner, thanks to Mike was roo stir-fry and papadums that I helped to fry. Yummy.

I had a vibe hit before I went to bed to check the car for the GPS.

Wednesday, June 28

I slept really well and went to the car before breakfast. WWWWEEEEE!!!! The GPS was found, just where I had dropped it. I resolved today to never leave home without my GPS programmed with standard points where I can return. ANTHONY and the GREAT PUGGLE are the best!

The morning was spent learning how to record our data on the charts. I then accompanied John, who is very experienced and knows the peninsula very well, into the field to return two goannas to burrows. He is an excellent tracker and knows all the shortcuts between areas.

Lunch was Chinese noodle soup.

The kitchen building has a wonderful living area with a comfy mattress and huge pillows on the floor for curling up and reading. Also in the dining room, there is a great nook with pillows and that is where I took a little nap in the nock.

During the afternoon, I went between 2-12 and the beach. I FOUND AN ECHIDNA POO – As Peggy says, it is only clean shit on the island, i.e., there are no diseases that we can get from the animals or their poo. In addition to picking up the poo, I collected a bag full of echidna yummies for Juniper. This involved taking the bark off a fallen log and spooning the insects into the bag with dirt. Back to the poo, seriously, the poo that I picked up from the echidna does not smell. Considering that they are insectivores and they snuffle around in the dirt, the poo was the size and shape of a tootsie roll and had a very thin membrane around it. The bulk of it is compressed dirt with tiny shiny bits from the insects that they eat.

Dinner was tortellini and focaccia bread, salad and brownies ala Peggy. Tomorrow, the team begins to prepare meals.

After dinner entertainment was the video of Echidna, the Survivor.

GOANNA FACTS again, mainly thanks to Peggy’s research

Goanna’s are varinade lizards (monitor lizards). Monitor lizards are found only in the southern hemisphere except for South America. This lizard is disappearing from the mainland, again, due to lose of habitat and predation by cats and rats.

The goannas on KIsland are Rosenberg’s Goannas and are identified by their ringed tail and the spots on their bodies. It is believed that this type of marking is type of pattern used by the early aboriginal people in their art of dot painting.

Goannas have a parietal eyelid (nictitating membrane over their eye) and they close their eyes by bringing the lower lid up to meet the top lid. They also have an identifiable third eye on the top of their head, which is not a real eye, but an opening to the pineal gland in their brain.

These lizards have a hemepenis (bivorcated with two small heads). A couple will stay together during the 4-6 week breeding season with multiple encounteres. He will mount from the side and will alternate sides throughout the season.

Once the season is over, the female will begin investigating suitable termite mounds to lay her eggs. When she is ready to lay (I can’t remember how long between the end of the season and her laying) she selects a mound and digs in. She then leaves it alone and if the termites rebuild it within one day, she may select it for her eggs. When she is ready, she digs in, enters the burrow and turns around, sticks her nose out and then goes into a trance. It will take her up to 2 hours to lay her 12 eggs. Then she and the male hang around the termite mound for several days to protect and defend the eggs. It is not uncommon for the local males to come by and try and destroy the egg nest.

The eggs incubate for over 200 days and by the end of it, the young lizards emerge from the mound. It is not known when they hatch and how long they stay in the mound before they emerge. Based on Peggy’s work, 1 out of 12 survives. She suspects that it is a combination of the temperature, humidity, CO2 atmosphere and the food source for the young, that allows for successful hatching of the eggs.

Peggy is still trying to find out the age of sexual maturity and their life expectancy. Note to the mainland – if you want goanna’s, you have to have viable termite mounds on your land. This is contraindicated because the preferred termite mounds are from the termites that do the most damage to humans’ buildings. Hmmmmm?

Thursday, June 29

Breaky and then off to track Fern again. Linzee has been suffering from allergies and a little too much late night star gazing and slept in.

No sign of Fern (again) and I met up with John as we were returning from our respective searches for lunch. Right there on the path, ANOTHER ECHIDNA POO, which John said, was very fresh! John scouted around, but no additional sign.

Lunch by Ryan was chicken pies, chips and salad.

Most of the group stayed at the house today to watch the two goanna surgeries that Peggy was doing to insert monitors into two large male, but Pat and I went into the field to more searching.

Feeling confident with my ability to get home without panicking, I followed my nose. I thought for sure I had heard an echidna close to the sleeping shed, but no luck. Went back to the shoreline and found ANOTHER ECHIDNA POO! I also was given the gift of a pair of bottlenose dolphins close to shore, a mom and an exuberant adolescent. No sign of echidna near 12 that had left poo earlier today.

Dinner – Roo Hamburgers.

Tomorrow we have a day off and the team will go with Mike to visit other areas of the island. After dinner, we watched the slides of Peggy and Mike in New Guinea, and their work to assist with research on the Long Beaked Echidna. Very interesting. If I have found any of my Australia placements rustic, New Guinea would have been positively primitive!

Friday, June 30 – Day off

Slept until the extraordinary hour of 7:45 am. During our day off, we would be going to see penguins, the shoreline, the eucalyptus distillery, participate in coffee drinking, laundry doing and pelican feeding in Kingscote.

At 9:00 am, Mike, Linzee, Ben, Ryan, Pat and I took off.

First stop – Penneshaw Bay shoreline for me to bruise my knee on the rocks and Ben to be accosted by a Pied Cormorant who wanted Linzee’s sliver camera.

Photo and Quen and I and the cormorant

Eucalyptus Distillery at Emu Bay – After the tour, we visited the nesting pair of emu’s, where the male sits on the eggs for 8 weeks and loses 75% of his body condition. The owner will replace the current infertile eggs after 4 weeks and hope to encourage him off the nest.
The farm, formerly a sheep farm, has risen from the ashes when the bottom went out of the sheep market, by farming and marketing tea, emu oil and eucalyptus oil. It was interesting to see their process and to sample their products. I bought some tea tree oil as the bottle I brought from home is running low.

As I mentioned earlier in this report, feral cats and stray dogs are dealt with differently than in the US. The feral cat problem in Australia is considerable when you look at the native wildlife. Similar to the introduced rabbit, rat and cats, all introduced species wreak havoc on native wildlife. Mike and the gentlemen who runs the euc facility view cats as a menace to be caught and euthanized. The statistics of how much destruction a feral mother cat and her litter can do over three years was mind-boggling. Mike found a mother cat on his land stalking, catching, killing and then dragging 6 goannas within one hour to her layer to teach her kittens how to hunt. It is a difficult topic to discuss for us cat lovers and hearing the other side of story has been eye opening and thought provoking.

We ate our picnic lunch at Duck Lagoon, which is really a billabong, a river that has over blown its banks. We did spot on koala napping in a tree and as later walked under the tree, also found a dead one. Black Swans, several types of ducks and tons of other wild birds could be seen and heard during this stop.

As you may have read, Australia has been under severe drought over the past few years. There has also been a major change in the capacity of most of the farmland to sustain crops and livestock. The main problem is over use, no crop rotation or allowing field to rest and increasing salt contamination from ground water contamination and the decrease in native plants. During Mike’s discussions, he has shown us the wisdom of allowing the native plants to be reintroduced to help balance the nutrients in the ground and to enhance the chances of the wildlife to return and complete the cycle. Nature has no judgment, if all the components are in place, it is healthy and thrives. When it is out of balance, it requires rest in order to come back into equilibrium.

During our Kingscote stop, we had time for a little shopping, real coffee, much needed laundry and up close and personal pelican feeding. Australia has the smallest penguins (the Blue or Fairy Penguins) and the largest pelicans. When they stand, their heads are higher than mine. This is one of many sites around the waterways where local people buy and supply fish for the pelicans. As he pays for the fish that he buys from the local fisherman out of his pocket, he asks for donations from the crowd that gathers daily. $2 a head in not too much to ask. The birds are huge and very handsome. At times it looked like the gulls got more than the pelicans, but I imagine they make sure they get their share most of the time.

We had dinner with Coral, who usually cooks for the team early in their time at the lagoon. She and Peggy made 4 wonderful pizzas and the meal finished with a fabulous pavlova covered in fruit. Coral is quite a collector and her house was filled with dolls, fairies and little figurines. She also works for the local art gallery that we visited after hours. The art co-op had marvelous original art at incredibly low prices.

PHOTO OF PAVLOVA

Linzee and the guys have developed quite a close friendship. It is hard to find one of them alone as they move as a unit. Some of the language was getting a little salty and there were insults and corrections flying amongst the three. On the way back home in the car, the Group decided to take on the game of putting a $1 in a jar for every swear word or unkind act that they instigated. The game begins tomorrow.

As Peggy has done the weeks grocery shopping, we unpacked the car and were in bed by 11pm. Horrors! as we have been in bed by 9 most nights. A very short night with LOTS OF RAIN.

22 - Australia Diary – May 9 – July 13 – Sixth Week – Adelaide.

PHOTOS TO COME

Saturday, June 17

Flight on Virgin Blue to Brisbane and then Adelaide arrived around 1pm with no dramas.

I had booked a reservation at a hostel called My Place and when I arrived, I was given a dorm room that I would have to myself that smelled of smoke. I stored my baggage in the room and as it was not what I had ordered, I searched in my LP and found that the YHA was just up the street. I went off to see if they had rooms. YES and because I was staying a week, I received 7 nights for the price on 6. YAAAH! I was in room 11 in the corner of the ground floor with two windows. No view, but I don’t plan to be in my room much.

As I began to walk around, my first impression of Adelaide is that it is a very clean city, reminds me a lot of Denver with mountains in the distance and it seems to have a modern furniture store on every corner. Adelaide has three major universities and a very prosperous technical college. From all the signage, I could tell that there was a Cabaret Theatre Festival in town and would be here for the entire week. This was a wonderful development and as I picked up all the brochures, there were several things that caught my eye. More research tomorrow.

As I arrived in Adelaide, I was surprised to find that it was ½ off from the time of Australia’s East coast. This is the first time I have had to adjust my watch only ½ hour.

As I was getting ready for bed, Room 11 with the 2 windows and ground floor was very cold. I took all the blankets and pillows from other bed and slept in long johns

Sunday, June 18

Slept in which felt like such a treat.

Went off to find the famous market and found it is only open on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. Did find the most marvelous café and ordered a Mediterranean egg dish which was scrumptious!

I walked all day to get my bearings and found lots of shops to look at and I found wonderful books about wombats that I bought. Found the Diary of a Wombat that Tina recommended and love it, but it is in hardback. I will hold off.

As I passed all the museums, I went into the Migration Museum that told the story of all the immigrants who settled South Australia. Not the usual story of convicts, that is New South Wales, but lots of Scottish, Irish and Chinese to help in the mines.

Many of the museums are celebrating 100 or 150 years and there was a brass band out in the park to serenade us. Lovely sunny day with parents and kids out, all with pink balloons for the birthday for the Art Museum and one Dad showing his son how to balance the balloon on a stick on his palm.

I found the big theatre complex that is called the Festival Theatre and this venue is a multipurpose complex houses the resident theatre company. It is also used by the opera, ballet and other companies and has 200, 600 and 2000 seat houses plus many numerous smaller areas. There are 8-9 different locations for the various performances at the cabaret festival. I bought tickets for the cabaret – Spontaneous Broadway and Sing your Own Musical tonight, Tribute to Danny Kaye on Tuesday and Noise and Smoke (German Cabaret) for 2 on Wednesday

Spontaneous Broadway was a hoot! This 1.15 show had 5 performers take made up song titles from the audience. The 6 that were picked were presented by one of the performers and they gave a back-story and sang one of the songs. They had a marvelous music director who when they gave him a theme and style, began the melody off they went.

Some of the songs presented were

Shot me before the curtain falls from a gangster musical I can’t remember the name.

How in the hell do I get to Heaven? From the French musical about two girls in the convent

There is qui qui in your eyes, but no no on your lips. From the musical Dark Space

A funny song about a Scotsman whose secret ingredient in his world-famous porridge was whiskey - from the musical Porridge

Why didn’t I eat? (This was mine but the original title was "Why did I wait so long to do it?") from the musical Anorexia. I stood and applauded loudly in order to have this one performed, but they told me sit down and to eat something before the show next time.

If I had to do it all over again, I would do it all over you. From the musical Tattoo. This one was done in its entirety (in 30 minutes, complete with minimal costumes and blocking). This performance was astounding to watch 4 of the 5 actors make up story line and songs without much notice and steer each other into the next song by saying, “I don’t understand what you just said, why don’t you sing me a song about it!” Some of the looks that they gave each other were priceless. The 5th actor was the narrator from the back of the room and he kept the action going but filling in the plot and calling actors to the stage in between the songs. This concept would be a great acting exercise for an ensemble with an excellent accompaniment to work on.

Sing your Own Musical –

This has already begun by the time I made it to this venue and it was a Rogers and Hammerstein sing-a- long complete with songbooks. At times, they would invite groups from the audience to join them at the mic to lead us – Wash that Man Outta my Hair and Nothing Like a Dame for example. It was good fun and the group grew every time they offer this performance. They hope to expand again next year as well.

When I returned to the hostel, I asked at the desk for the possibility of another room – they offered to turn up my heat that had not been on. HMMM. What a difference heat in the room made to a good nights sleep.

Monday, June 19

As you may remember, I had a rabies shot in Auckland and they wanted me to do a follow up blood test to check the titer. I had an appointment for the blood pull and hope to have the results just before I leave Adelaide in about three weeks.

I AM Pooped, after two weeks of running around behind wallabys and yesterday trying to walk all of Adelaide in one day. I indulged in a 2-hour lie down.

I then called Robert Mohler (one of the men I met on the cruise of Doubtful Sound in NZ) – he will pick me up on Wednesday for an early dinner and will attend the cabaret with me. He offered to host me at his house for two nights and show me around McLaren Vale, about 45 minutes from Adelaide and then return me on Friday. YAA!

Poodled around for the rest of the day, watched the movie offered at the YHA – V is for Vendetta and went to bed.

Tuesday, June 20

I went first thing to see if there were additional tickets for the festival tonight for Robert’s friend Ron, but no such luck.

I then went on the back stage tour of the Festival complex and continuing my run of good luck with really interesting tour guides, I met Betty and Sel (Selwyn). Sel will also be at the Danny Kaye tribute tonight. I adore private tours especially with two tour guides!

Also on my see Adelaide Card ($45 for 8 different tours in the city) I went to the Jam Factory artists center and watched glass blowing. It was most definitely a group effort as three women worked the glass and the firing in the ovens to get this one piece finished. I watched for an hour and it wasn’t even close to being done. I now see why some of them cost so much.

Another poodle day with laundry, lunch and catch up with the life and paperwork afternoon.

I called Marlborough to see how Tina and Wiggles were doing and to see if they had any news regarding the health department inspection. Sophie said that it had bombed rain again , the new volunteer was excellent, Doc’s foot is much improved as is his condition and he is now easier to catch and that Wiggles misses me. (That is what I wanted to hear). Tina finally got to the phone and said that the wombat people liked the facility and want to use them, the health inspection wasn’t too bad but that they need to build a separate kitchen for the volunteers that no animals can get into to. Simon (the sugar glider) has an eye issue going on and they need to put drops in, I wish I were there to see that! Sounds like things are perking along.

The Danny Kaye tribute concert was very good, but at times the piano overpowered the singer. Actor looked very similar to D Kaye and was an excellent performer. At one point, the actor was saying how much Danny liked to conduct orchestras even though he did not read music. He made the front part of our audience his orchestra and gave this one man the responsibility of being the triangle. When he was checking in with the sections, the man’s entire table chimed in as trianglesand he said that was the first time he had had an entire triangle section. It was very fun. Sel found a seat at my table so we continued our conversation for earlier today.

Asked the YHA about by prepaid room nights, as I would not need the room for two nights. They rebooked me and gave me $60 refund for one night I could not use and took the rest for my last night with them when I return from Kangaroo Island.

Wednesday, June 21

Checked out by 10 and did some computer work and ended up paying the refunded back due to an accounting error. Easy come easy go.

The sights today were Tadanya Center for modern aboriginal art, Ayers House (home from late 1800’s, the South Australia Museum and shopping.

Met with Robert and dinner at Thai Restaurant

Cabaret Festival – Noise and Smoke – German Songs Karen Kohler and the male singer who I can’t remember his name are both originally from Germany. The male singer, bless his heart, had almost no voice after the first song and did a lot of talking instead. He had NO VOICE the day before and as they only had two performances, was pleased to at least partially participate. The songs were from 1920-1940 and they alternated between English and German. Weill, Brecht and other composers of protest songs from the era. Wonderful.

Drove to McLaren Vale and stopped at Ron’s house for tea and to pick up the dog, Japanese Chin dogs - black and white – Sammy. Ron’s dog Lola and Charlie. Saw Ron’s art and costuming pictures.

Not much sleep – no more tea after 4pm from now on.

Thursday, June 22

Up and breakfast with Ron. Robert had warned me that Ron likes his food and upon finishing breakfast we would already be in discussion about morning tea, lunch and even later meals of the day. We discussed all the various options of things to do – the wineries, the olive groves, the almond groves, the coast, highest point of the vale and as it was all new to me, I indicated that any or all of it would be fine.

First stop was to drop off an itinerary with Diane whom Robert and Ron will travel to Europe with in October. One month in Italy and then a few days in London and a few days in Kuala Lumpur before heading back.

Robert is very familiar with the wineries in this area and one of his favorites has a sparkling red wine he wanted me to try. It was lovely and they had a warm fire going in the hearth as we sampled our wines at the D’arenberg winery.

Next we went to an olive tasting room for excellent kalamato olives, tapanade and olive oil. I bought some for the gentlemen as thank you for their hospitality and presented it them at the end of my stay.

By this time, Ron in the back seat was faint with hunger, so we stopped in Willunga at the pie shop – Ron loves his food.

Then off to Victor Harbor to check out where the Southern Wright Whales were to be seen. Walked across the causeway to Granite Island and had lovely sightings of dophins playing in the waves. Then off to one of the beaches for minimal sightings of the whales and finally to Goolwa for up close and personal with the largest pelicans I have ever seen. There was a man fishing and catching fish and then allowing the pelicans to have the fish. The man was fishing for European Carp that is not indigenous and therefore you can take as many as you like and feed them to the pelicans. On the way back to the car, I was introduced to two Pugaliers. What are pugaliers? They are small dogs that are a cross between a pug and a King Charles spaniel (sometimes known as Cavaliers). They were short, brown with black points, longer than normal curled pug tails, a slightly less pug pronounced nose and they were VERY FRIENDLY!

Home for soup and photos

Friday, June 23

Slept in until 8 and had breakfast with Robert.

For those of you who know about Snugglepot and Cuddlepie (Australian children’s book about gum nut babies) I was on the hunt for actual gum nuts. Robert found two different species for me to photograph and they are exactly like the drawings in my old favorite book. SUCCESS!

On the way out of town, we stopped so I could say goodbye to Ron and dogs. Three photos taken but not one of them has all 5 subjects looking straight at the camera at one time in focus. Oh well, I can remember how cute they all were. Especially Ron and Robert.

Robert ended out time together with a tour of the perimeter parklands of Adelaide. Some founding father set aside a huge parcel of land on all four sides of the grid for Adelaide and they have lovely open space and parks that are well used by the citizens. On the North side of town, is the new Oval (Cricket pitch) with the very disappointing and very expensive one-time-only retractable lights. There are four huge sets of lights on high stands that illuminate the cricket pitch and they obstruct the view of the highest neighborhood of North Adelaide (lots of $$ there). They were supposed to be retractable into the ground and they were. ONCE! Now they are permanently erected and the view is obstructed. The newest indigestion for the very conservative citizens of this city is the pink (very light pink) sails over a part of the pitch. Pink! After all, we are in Adelaide you know. Robert was a hoot about it.

I had such a lovely time with the gentlemen and heard so much about the local history and life in Australia; I am so pleased that I called when I got into town. See what happens when you talk to strange men on buses on tours in NZ? Lovely and interesting friends.

Tomorrow, I am off to KI – Kangaroo Island.
Kangaroo Island is, for the most part, a reserve and we had been warned that the camp would be rustic. I went shopping for a 12-volt car adapter for my camera and had hoped to find one for my computer. I decided to not worry about the computer, as I would on small planes with severe weight limitations and would try and take notes and then transcribe them when I got back. We were also advised to bring tennis shoes as the tread on the bottoms of most boots and shoes are too much for the fragile earth. I had a shopping coo with two pairs for only A$20. Not going to make it on the runway in Paris, but I can dump them at the end of the project with no regrets.

I am pooped and plan an early evening. Feasted on tinned tuna, carrots and cheese and crackers for dinner and took myself off to bed.

Alarm at 6:15 to finish packing and get the airport by 8:30.

NEW AUSSIE VOCABULARY

Hungry Jacks Fast food chain = Burger King. I looked at the logo for weeks and it seemed familiar and sure enough, Burger King. NO, I did not eat there.

Pokies – Slot machines. I assume because you poke your coin in the slot, never to be seen again.

Good Nick – Toned and excellent condition. i.e., The Animal was in Good Nick.

23A - Australia Diary – May 9 – July 13 – Eighth Week – Kangaroo Island #2.

PHOTOS COMING

Saturday, July 1

Rained all night.

2nd week start – in the past has been a day of weird energy for me and an adjustment back to work after a day off. We will see.

Linzee made hot oatmeal for breakfast that was welcome after a cold rainy night.

Am tasks found Peggy teaching Pat and I how to download the data loggers that had been measuring burrow temperature, temperature of the animal, and exterior air temperature for the goannas, DJ and Afro that Pat had located two days ago. It snizzled rain all morning. As the data loggers were connected to 12 vtz batteries, a transmitter and a computer logger, the entire backpack was shrouded in two colorful garbage bags. As Pat and I returned the loggers to the field, we had to turn them back on, make sure we were on the right channel, make sure the receiver was recording and place the ground temperature probe in the ground. As we left the shed to do this, it bombed rain again. Soaked through and anxious about the delicate equipment, we set them up and each had to reopen them to check one thing we had forgotten. We left them beeping away with our fingers crossed.

We still had an hour before lunch, so Peggy suggested we track the 4 other goannas that had still not been located. I am totally drenched by this time and irritated that I did not buy rain pants when I had the chance. I was in the scrubland and was about 20 minutes from going in for lunch when I heard a short faint beep for the goanna, Mel, who is a girl by the way. I began to go in her general direction, but no matter what I did, the intensity of the beep did not increase, meaning she was still far away. At times, I lost the signal, but I would keep going in the general direction where I last heard the sound and I would pick it up again. Finally, it was lunchtime, so I took a GPS and a compass reading so that I could return after lunch and continue.

Pat saw me as I arrived back and took pictures of my soaked legs, my overall costume and my very dirty butt. Not sure when that happened. I changed into dry clothes for lunch and asked Peggy if a previous Earthwatcher had left any rain pants that I could borrow. YAAH they had!

PHOTO OF WET

Lunch ala Linzee was pasta and she also had bought special lemon or raspberry jam tarts. I took a slight nap and then I asked Peggy to come out with me to see if we could find Mel. Similar to the morning, Peggy and I would pick up and loose the signal and we finally had to go back to where I had ended and begin again. We found Slinky in her third burrow and marked it. Boy, does that goanna love real estate! To make a long story short, with lots of perseverance and double-checking ourselves, we finally found Mel. Afterwards Peggy said many kind things about my tracking ability. Another one off the list.

Annie and Doug came for dinner and Linzee made a wonderful chili. Any leftovers, I can use tomorrow, as I am chef for the day.

Sunday, July 2

Still raining and I slept very well. Just as well as I had to be first out of bed to get the breakfast laid out and the kettle on. I decided to make French toast and it was a big hit.

In addition to being chef for the day, the person in the kitchen also had to clean the bathrooms and shower room, sweep and mop the kitchen and living room floor and clean the roo poo off the veranda. When I arrived back at the kitchen to what I presumed would be a silent area, the entire team was still there doing computer work and getting ready to go into the field.

I had planned to do stuffed peppers for lunch, but there was so much chili left over, I made burrito casserole and my saltine cracker cookies for dessert. They did not harden as I had wanted, but were still well received. I know now that another thing I will take on my next trip around the world is a few of my simplest recipes.

Another thing that happens when you are chef of the day is that at lunch or dinner, you are asked to bring your photos or information from home to share with the group. I brought out my hard copy pictures of the family, cats and friends, as I had left my computer back at the YHA in Adelaide.

After they all left me for the afternoon, I sat in the living room next to Juniper in her box and peeled the pears and apples for fruit crumble for dinner. That was the only time I sat down all day.

My dinner was two types of baked chicken, one breaded and one with seasonings, rice, gingered and honeyed carrots and fruit crumble.

We were pooped so no evening entertainment tonight.

Linzee opted to move into a private tent in order to sleep more soundly.

As I look at the research center and the way that Peggy and Mike have created their life and home, I can say that they are true environmentalists, nothing is wasted, everything is recycled and as they put it, no one has ever gotten sick while on their project. They measure everything and are constantly collecting data and samples of things that they send off to other researchers who are doing similar or collateral work.

Let me tell you, your day in the kitchen is no cakewalk and I was anxious to get back into the field where it was quiet and a much easier pace!

Monday, July 3

We were up early and out as soon as possible because we had an appointment with Doug and Annie for homemade pumpkin scones at 10:30. We had sad news this am as Juniper had not made it through the night. Peggy said she would be doing a necropsy at 4:00 in the afternoon if we wanted to see it. Sorry little Juniper. Thanks for spending some time with us. You were the first echidna that some of the team saw.

My am tasks were to try and get a signal for the three echidnas and the rest of the goannas and also place a burrow temperature stick at Mel’s burrow. I was late getting back and we were a little late for scones. Peggy took the bush pruners with her and clipped the prickly acacia off the trail and the Achitriche (I call it ouchy triche as it has triangular leaves that are sharp).

The scones were soft orange and very tasty, but the middle ones were absolutely raw. Doug and Annie kept jumping up and running in to run them through the microwave. We sat at a hexagon shaped picnic table that could seat 12 which was wonderful. I found out that Doug had designed and built it.

As we had scones so later in the am, most of us did not want lunch that was lucky for our chef of the day, Ben. I took a hunk of cheese and an apple into the field and kept tracking. No signals from anybody, so I went over old territory near the waters edge and found ANOTHER ECHIDNA POO!

The necropsy was sad but also interesting and from the extent of her injuries, it was obvious she would not have healed. The dislocated legs had not stayed in position, she also had a broken or very loose lower spine, bleeding on the right side of the head, her chest was filled with blood and her kidneys were very enlarged. From the direction of the injuries, it was obvious the car went over her on a diagonal.

Shower night and computer time. Tea was a little delayed due to the necropsy and Ben made bangers and mash.

I was in bed by 9:00 and slept very well.

Tuesday, July 4

Pat was chef of the day today.

This morning, the team did a quadrant survey. My quadrant was the NE section of the area I had searched the previous afternoon, which was helpful to go back over previous territory. Yesterday I had come across the most enormous roo poo and was wondering if someone would find it again. We first went through and counted echidna nose pokes, spider holes, mole crickets, ant mounds, termite mounds and listened for bird and wild life noises. After that pass, the next half hour, we picked up as much poo as we could find which would later be counted and weighed. This included roo, wallaby, possum, cat and echidna if we could find it.

Lunch was homemade lentil soup. After lunch, Peggy showed us the slides of all of her goanna research.

During the afternoon, the rest of the group weighed all the collected poo and then we followed Mike out into the field to track the only echidna that was sending us a signal – Cushion, who is last years pouch young of Big Mamma. I was not at my balanced and most tolerant best this afternoon and was concerned that the group would talk and giggle the entire way to the site. I have found at times, their exuberance and unawareness of the how silence will make finding animals easier a little taxing at best. Mike had led us very well and we found Cushion totally submerged under leaves and twigs beneath an overhanging branch under a large tree. As Mike lifted Cushion out, Cushion instantly went into a ball. I got to hold the scale to weigh him and we took a group photo of what turned out to be the only echidna we saw during our two weeks. The rest of the group walked back to the kitchen, but Mike and I continued going through the ridge and valley in hopes of coming across other echidna sign. We were in an area that I had never been which included the swamp area. This area is considerably inland from the lagoon, and yet it floods annually leaving massive salt residue. There was one area that had tons of echidna sign and I hoped to come back to the area earlier in the day to see if I could spot the echidna.

I know that the entire team was beginning to feel pretty useless in finding echidnas. The only thing that made us feel better was that even the professionals had not found any either. Peggy kept insisting that echidna sighting is very much done on echidna time. You have to be in exactly the right place at exactly the right time and looking in exactly the right direction. You can walk right past them and they may be hiding on the other side of the bush.

Pat made a wonderful curry for dinner and marvelous lemon bars. Peggy had a surprise for us and we had wonderful sparklers to celebrate July 4th.

I was having difficulty sleeping, so I ended up taking a pill and finally had a good nights sleep.

Wednesday, July 5

Another quicky breaky and then out into the field. No sign or anybody and no echidna poo.

This afternoon there was an option of more sight seeing of the island. Everyone but Pat took advantage of the opportunity in hopes of seeing more Blue Penguins. We did see several nesting Blues, near a beach with schist rock that is on both sides of the waterway that separates KIsland from the mainland. As we were driving to Penneshaw, I stopped to take a picture of a golf course hole. Instead of short green grass, the green was covered with black charcoal, as the island as is most of Australia, under severe water restrictions due to several years of drought. There is a rake at the green so that golfers can make the surface flat when they putt.

John served us his famous lasagna and there was so much left over, we know we will see it again tomorrow.

This evening’s entertainment was a video on the platypus (the other monotreme) with little snippets comparing it with the echidna.

Thursday, July 6 – 6 MONTHS AWAY TODAY!

With this being our last half-day, both Pat and I were up early to ride with Peggy to the place we had been two days earlier. Nothing new for me on the echidna front, except for several locations of echidna sign that I photographed.

I got a picture of a tree that had done some chemical pruning and some locations where there had been lots of echidna sign. Mike explained chemical pruning to us as how the plant self regulates itself and basically kills the main trunk. As the trunk fall and lays on the ground, the main roots are still intact and they send shoots up on the downed trunk. One of the reasons why this happens is that the larger trees form umbrellas of shade that discouraged undergrowth, which the tree needs to add nutrients back to the soil. When the soil becomes too depleted, part of the tree is pruned so that the other species can come back and the tree remains to grow. Isn’t nature a wonderful system?

On my way back with no much luck in the echidna area, I then tried to go into goanna territories, which was along the ridge down the track that we had traveled so often. As I went around the corner, I saw a goanna sunning himself. (I assumed he was a him). His eyes were closed. I took a picture and then dropped my gear a little away from the site. As I went back with my bag ready to capture him, he opened his eyes, flicked his tongue twice (which meant he smelt me) and then he went into his hole. I stuffed the hole with my bag, turned on my pet, and began doing all my data collection. It was 11 am and I knew that the group would not look for signals until noon. The posse arrived a little after noon and they had hoped it was an echidna, but they were pleased to see the photo of (Scratchy as I called him). Mike and John were not able to retrieve him as he had planned his burrow very cleverly in the tangled roots of an achitriche (ouchy triche).

After lunch, the group was assigned to specific chores to help tidy the center before we leave tomorrow. My job was the exterior windows. YIPPY! I avoid windows at home. My stomach was not doing great, but after cleaning, I wanted to take one last walk to see if I could find that elusive echidna. No luck, but it was a nice final walk.

Dinner was going to be surf and turf, but the stomach was still not feeling well so I only had a baked potato. After dinner, the group had our talent night. Peggy started us off with funny songs, and the entire group singing Peggy’s original song Echidna Scat and Goanna Burrows, complete with choreography. Then Ryan told jokes, Pat read an original story based on the three little pigs, Ben sang two songs, Linzee was tongue tied for once, but as she mentioned, she had been entertaining us for two weeks. My talent was my COTU Foundation monologue and the reading of the poem ITHAKA from Kerry Beebe. John closed off the evening by displaying some original Aboriginal art and Mike offered us each a CD with all our photos and the research data from our two weeks.

The closing activity was Peggy giving us awards. We each received a certificate of Findagoannaology and Paraechidnaology. It also had a poem that was composed especially for each of us which Peggy called the opposite of Haiku, Low Poo. Mine was a stitch. The certificate will be on display once I get home. In addition to the certificate, we each received a lovely homemade echidna cookie from Coral and an echidna magnet.

I had bought a lovely silk scarf with an echidna on it and we presented it to Peggy from the group. It had been a fun evening but we were all pooped.

Friday, July 7

Ben and Pat were taking the ferry off the island so we were up at 7am to say goodbye. The rest of us would go with Peggy at 9:30 to the airport. Just before we left, Linzee helped me find my green fleece vest that I had left in the shower house. THANK YOU LINZEE.

As I mentioned earlier, we had flown Qantas to the island, but they discontinued service during our two weeks and had rebooked us on Regional or REX air. When we got to the counter, while they had us on the list, they expected payment from each of us. We had arrived in plenty of time, but by the time we had it sorted, it was time to board the plane.

It was nice to return to the YHA and I had lots of things to do before I left for Sydney the next day. I had wanted to do a little shopping, but was not able to find exactly want I wanted. I mailed my OZ package home. 8 KG which I sent surface which could take anywhere from 6 weeks to 3 months.

I wanted to go to the new pirate movie and did some internetting before I left. I found that I had been contacted by ItoI regarding my placement in Sri Lanka. They felt that the political climate near the elephants was too dangerous and wanted to know if I wanted to work in the Tsunami relief area. I thought about it during the evening and got back to them and said that I would rather stay in OZ or add extra time in South Africa.

What have I learned from this placement?

1. I think I prefer working with animals where I am taking care of them vs. scrambling over rocks and mountains to find them.

2. I am finding my capacity to stay balanced within a group appears to be getting easier.

3. I finally feel that I am in my trip, vs. on the outside of it.

Additional Australian Vocabulary

The letter Z is pronounced ZED as in shed.

The letter H is pronounce Hay-che

Chook – Adult chickens.

Chickens- baby chicks

POME is the name they give to British people and it means Prisoner of Mother England.