Images from the Wet Tropics

 In the USA there as signs designating an area wilderness, state forest, BLM land ect. well here land is marked too.

 This is a picture of a fig, and if you look carefully there are hundred of little insects inside the fig using it for food. The fig trees seem to produce fruit all year long and each individual ripens on its own time.

The Wet Tropics in Australia has one of the most diverse selection of angiosperms ("flowering trees") in the world. This results in a lot of pollinators, many of which are butterflies and moths.

 This is a cane toad. It may seem small now but they can get as big as a soft ball and are one of many introduced species that are considered pests.

 This bird goes by the affectionate name "Willie-wag-tail" because of its fan like tail it is always flicking about when landing. In this case however, it is enjoying a fresh dragonfly.

 In the heat of the day flying foxes hang out in the trees in and around Cairns to sleep and stay cool. While they are large they do not drink blood or attack wayward children. Instead they hunt insects or eat fruit depending on the exact species.

The best part is that this is where I go to school!

UNESCO World Heritage Site 1: The Great Barrier Reef

 This post is a bit of a back track as it is about a trip to the reef that occurred on Feb. 7 2012.

As part of the Australearn Bridging Cultures Program myself and the other Australearn students went snorkeling and had the option of scuba-diving on the Great Barrier Reef with a company known as Passions of Paradise. We had access to two sites on the reef one was a shelf reef and the other was at a cay that is, except for a few meters of beach, entirely in reserve as a bird sanctuary. 

The Facts:
The Great Barrier Reef is the largest system of reefs in the world. It contains islands, cays, tidal flats, and of course vast expanses of coral reefs. It is a living thing that can be seen from space. When it comes to biodiversity reefs are the aquatic equivalent to the terrestrial rain forests.

The Experience:

The ride out was a little choppier then many of us were used to. People, articles of clothing, and packs placed in the bow quickly became wet when the waves splashed through the netting.

The first reef we visited was a shelf reef and was not the most spectacular for snorkeling though the diving (so I heard) had some pretty good locations. There were plenty of parrot-fish in many different species and lots of little wrasses. Then there was the jellyfish. There was one visible from the side of the boat, and it was not one of the deadly Box or Iurkandji varieties, but a harmless moon jelly instead. Still we all suited up in blue stinger suits and entered the water as a collection of ungainly flippered smurfs.

The second site was much, much better and would be on par with some of the reefs around Lizard Island (for the MSTC people out there!). That is to say as soon as you enter the water and hang above the precious corals you are assaulted by color, movement, and the sounds of the reef. We were anchored off Michealmas Cay (a coral island that is above the waterline and is collecting sand ect) which not only had splendid reefs but the cay itself is a migratory bird sanctuary. There were nesting turns and noddies and even some Blue-footed Boobies on the island. A few of us took the glass bottomed boat in to the beach and then swam from the beach back out towards the main boat.

After we had gotten our fill of the birds (though really we just wanted to watch them forever) we zig-zagged out over the coral. There were varieties of soft and hard corals that I couldn’t even begin to put a name to; and sponges, sea-anemones, and giant clams. Fish of every shape, size, and demeanor were everywhere! Butterfly fishes, damsels, tiny wrasses, and giant parrotfish all going about their business in their popping, clicking world.
All completely unconcerned buy the strange, alien, and awkward creatures that had descended into their midst.

This next bit is cliche but entirely true. When the wildness, beauty, and wonder of this small reef is contained in only a few acres its breathtaking, but when you realize it is repeated, with variations on the theme, for thousands of miles of ocean this place becomes nothing less then a miracle. It is little doubt that the Great Barrier Reef is truly “Great” and has a well deserved place on the list of World Heritage Sites and as one of the world’s 7 Wonders.

P.S. I did not take an underwater camera on this trip and so pictures are pending.

Australian English (Part 1)

Australian English to the American ear and eye is odd in a variety of ways. First, are the little things like the difference between “mould” and “mold” or “gray” and “grey.” The spelling shifts slightly but its meaning appears clear and quite concise, this goes double if you are in the habit of reading old English or Jane Austin novels.

But then there are the words that have double meaning or to the American ear have little to no meaning. Here are some examples:

Toilet: There are no restrooms or public bathrooms! It is called a toilet, and if you want a bath then go home and take one.

Petrol: Gasoline

Lollie: This is not your average lollypop. This refers to not only lollypops but sweets and candies of all varieties!

Torch: Flashlight

Lemonade: Do not go to a store and search for American “lemonade” you will become frustrated and disappointed. When Australians refer to “lemonade” they are actually referring to the Coca-cola produced beverage of Sprite. It makes sense in a weird way, I mean if you asked a person to describe “lemonade” in either country your two main descriptors are sweet and lemon flavoured.

Capsicum: Bell peppers

Tea: Its not just for drinking anymore! Tea can refer to the beverage, tea-time like brunches or afternoon meals, or it can refer to dinner. So if someone asks you to make “tea” you better clarify what that activity entails before starting.

Avro: In the afternoon

This is only a small subset of the new language I am engaging in and if the right Australian says the right sentence it is very much like a different language. There are a lot more amusing words and pronunciations that I am compiling, so keep an eye out for a continuation of Australian English lessons.

Turning 21

"Don't worry about the world coming to an end today. It is already tomorrow in Australia."
Charles M. Schulz


In Australia I am already 21. In Colorado I am still 20 and will be for another 10 hours or so (in Michigan it's less).

In Australia turning 21 is not a big deal. Here you are officially a responsible adult at age 18. You can do almost anything, but rent a car, and are expected to take responsibility for these actions.

In the US however, 18 is the magical age where you can buy cigarettes, enter adult rated stores, join the military, vote for or against who is running the country, and file your own taxes. You are apparently a responsible adult in all regards apart from the ability to buy and consume alcohol. From 18 until you turn the magical 21 you are in control of your health, sexuality, and the shape your life may take; but are not possessing the common sense or where-with-all to have a glass of wine with dinner.

Now I am sure there are some good reasons why the US has these sobriety laws as well as some not so good ones. But, as I pass this magical landmark into the world of "full adult-hood", I wanted to point out an ironic difference in these two countries.

Have fun and drink responsibly, your tomorrow will thank you.


P.S. Happy Valentines Day Everybody!!!

The Truth...

Many of my friends back in the USofA have been bombarding me for an answer to the age old question of great political and social import. A question that can only be answered by someone currently in Australia!

Does the toilet water really swirl in the opposite direction in the southern hemisphere?!?

Well the answer is not as straight forward as one would think.

Did you know that most toilets in Australia do not flow with a swirling motion anymore!

Instead they are two button energy efficient commodes of flushing madness. In the models I have seen, one button is either smaller or has a half filled in circle on it, and this button is for disposal of liquid waste. The other button is larger or has a filled in circle label designating it as the button for solid waste. Why the difference? Liquid waste takes less energy and water to dispose of then solid waste.

These energy efficient toilets add a wash of water inside the bowl from all angles at once and this reduces the water needed, but it also eliminates that distinct swirl pattern that you were so curious about! (For you skeptics I have include a video clip.)

Departure

To a traveler there are few words that can strike them with fear and stress as much as “Flight Delayed: Now departing at ____.” These words result in pounding heart and rushing blood as the wayward traveler calculates the time until their next connection, or the chances of the luggage and themselves making it to their final destination.

This anxiety is only multiplied by several factors when the flight is international.

A snowstorm arrived in Colorado Thursday and sat its tremendous bulk upon the Front Range. It dropped about half a foot or so in the Fort Collins area and kept up a near continuous pelting of the Denver area.

In response to these conditions I booked a shuttle to DIA (Denver International Airport) and arrived at the airport around 3:30pm, roughly 4 hours before my flight. Checked my luggage and breezed through the non-existent security line. The first flight to LA where I would connect to Qantas was on time.

That is it was on time until about 6:30 when the Chicago flight before the LA one had a delay, and then caused the returning LA plane to be delayed. Then there was the de-icing, which took about an hour. All in all despite following the recommendations for international travelers, our plane was two hours late arriving in LA. This left us (the passengers on the plane) 10 min or less to catch our connecting flights.

The other Denver Australearn students and I made our flight and even our luggage was in Brisbane to greet us. Luggage re-checked, the pack of American students made their way to Cairns.

We were greeted by our Australearn staff and bussed to accommodations at Gilligan’s backpacker hostel. There we were placed in rooms according to university destinations and given our first session in the Bridging Cultures Program.

Dinner was around the corner at Union Jack’s. The food was very edible and there was even some live music in the form of two guys on guitars playing pop songs.

While all of us had come from every corner of the USA, Maine to Cali and Alaska to Hawaii, we all were dead tired by 8pm standard eastern Australian time.

And I am pretty sure that is the earliest any of us has gone to bed for a very, very long time.