6.25.06

Great Barrier Reef

I got stung today by a Portugese Man of War, in the face. Pretty unpleasant – and no, I didn’t let someone pee on my face; I just had some vinegar sprayed on it and iced it for a few minutes.

Anyway, what an amazing day. We didn't take any digital cameras to avoid salt water damage, but we got one of those crappy underwater cameras, and I should have photos upon my return. I got to snorkel on the biggest living organic colony on earth! I saw Sea Cucumbers, really big pretty fish and even a large Sea Turtle! I also got a bit of a tan, so I don't look so much like a whitey American now.

6.24.06

Alice Springs / Cairns

Today before leaving Alice Springs, we went to the Alice Springs Desert Park, where there are many amusing cartoon signs with animals talking about the slow demise of their natural habitat. I got to see all kinds of sweet creatures though, like this one python (can't remember the name) that smashes its prey against a rock to kill it. Good job, python.

We also went to the old Telegraph station, which is where Alice Springs started. This was the most boring excursion ever, except we learned about all the unfortunate interactions between early European settlers and Aboriginal women. Interesting, but super sad.

This evening we arrived at Cairns; now we're back on the coast! We drove up to Mossman, which is about 1.5 hours from Cairns, and are staying at this amazing resort called Silky Oaks. Each room is a separate cabin - and this would be ultra-romantic if I didn't have to room with Serota Jr.

Tomorrow - Great Barrier Reef!!! YAY!

6.23.06

Alice Springs

Alice Springs is about 45 minutes flying from Ayers Rock. We got to spend the day learning about the regional Aboriginals, and how the once hunters and gatherers have been turned into diabetic welfare recipients by the European white folk.

The Royal Flying Doctor Service is a part of the public healthcare in central Australia, and it does just what you’d guess – it flies doctors out to see patients in remote locations, and brings ill patients in to hospitals. Pretty smart deal, though the name still sounds a bit silly to me. We visited the Alice Springs call center – on of a dozen or so throughout the continent.

Today we got to partake in the mandatory Aussie outback barbecue. The food was great, and I got to eat kangaroo steaks again (hooray!). I was also reminded of how freezing the desert can get at night. Fortunately, it was a new moon (or a very small moon), and I saw more stars and nebulas and cloudy clusters of light than I have ever seen. I also learned that Crocodile Dundee was wrong – a real Australian would say “prawns on the Barbie,” not “shrimp on the Barbie.”

6.22.06

Uluru / Ayers Rock

I miss my boyfriend.

It’s nice to be in a desert. I really love the desert. Despite being across the globe, central Australia resembles the Southwestern US quite a bit - similar topography, similar vegetation. There are even popcorn plants here (ok, popcorn plants aren’t really popcorn plants, but they have yellow flowers that look like popcorn and smell awesome – the smell reminds me of being little).

Something I’ve noticed is that people in Australia are environmentally conscious because they’re smart, rather than because it’s trendy. Most of the hotels, especially in the outback, have master power switches that can are turned on by the key used to open the door, to save electricity. They also don’t use harsh detergents or chemicals to clean things, and aside from things looking fairly clean, I didn’t get any bizarre infections or sicknesses, so I’d say things are sanitary.

The “township” of Yulara is where our hotel was, and the township was literally created to support the hotel and the tourism brought by the rock. Ayers rock is a pretty rad site, and it has a lot of interesting geographical history. Also interesting is its importance in desert Aboriginal religions, and how, as usual, the white man came and turned it into a spectacle to be viewed by tourists on motorcoaches.

I got to eat kangaroo and crocodile today. Kangaroo is pretty damn delicious, and crocodile is alright I guess; it was in a pastry thing so it just tasted like butter for the most part.

6.21.06

Melbourne

Apparently, they issue red lipstick to Australian broads in the same manner that Razr phones are issued to residents of Los Angeles.

A peculiar thing I’ve had to get used to is foot traffic mimicking the backwards automobile traffic. The awkward “which way are you going to pass me” moment is made even more complicated when I want to pass right and the other person wants to pass to the left of me. By the time I leave here I’ll be used to it and it will take a few head-butts in the city for me to get back in American mode.

We visited the Royal Botanical Gardens today, where I found my favorite tree in Australia. Of course, this tree is not indigenous to the continent, but is instead from Southern Asia. Go figure. I also had the opportunity to eat a meat pie for the first time. I’ve been told that meat pies are to Aussies what hamburgers are to Americans. Nathan and I shared a beef meat pie and, well, it’s like a pot roast pot pie. I’d rather have eaten a cheeseburger.

We also visited the ANZAC rememberance site today. ANZAC is an acronym for Australia-New Zealand Army Corp. Normally, “war memorial” type structures creep me out a little; but this had some pretty clever architecture and the top balcony allowed for a nice view of the city. I also picked up some pretty amusing WWI ANZAC propaganda posters.

My favorite cultural intricacy of Melbourne is the hook turn. Melbourne has trams that run in the middle of their streets (where we sometimes would find turning lanes in the US). When cars wish to turn right (their wide turn, equivalent to our left) instead of blocking the tram by waiting in the middle of the road for a clearing, the cars veer to the left and put their blinkers on. When the light changes for the cross-traffic, the cars turn 90 degrees and drive on through. I am trying to teach myself Flash on this trip, and my first effort is an animation of the hook turn. I know it’s difficult to grasp verbally, so if I do in fact finish the animation, everyone reading this will eventually get it. If not, you’ll have to figure it out yourself – sucks to be you!

6.20.06

Melbourne

This morning we hopped a flight from Sydney to Melbourne. Melbourne is an Australian equivalent of a Midwestern US city, say, St. Louis or maybe Chicago. We went to Queen Victoria’s Market early after our arrival, which is a flea market of sorts that is half goods and clothing and half fresh food. The goods portion was pretty meager, but the fresh market was amazing. There were millions of avocados and passion fruits and every imaginable kind of produce for ridiculously low prices. For instance, Gala apples (the best apples, if you ask me) were AU 1$/kg.; that is about 30 US cents a pound. Silliness, I say. There was no vintage or antique mart in this giant market, so despite the fresh goods, it’s staying off of my Australia list of awesome.

There is a lot of random sculpture in Melbourne, and the architecture ranges from peculiar an interesting to quasi-repulsive. The Travelodge across from our hotel, for instance, looks like the bastard colorblind child of an Ikea exterior (I would have taken a photograph, but it might’ve broken my camera).

We rode the Circle Line around the city, and got off so I could go to Batman Park. Though Bruce Wayne was not there and it was really just a small patch of grass, the fact that there is a Batman Park fills my heart with joy.

6.19.06

Sydney

Holy effin’ koalas. Sydney is rad. Today we went and pet kangaroos and koalas in the west suburbs of the city (One time for me, and one time for each Kolko). We also get to pet a wombat – wombats are really, really adorable. Things I learned about kangaroos:

+They can jump up to 30ft per leap.
+They can go up to 60 mph (booyah, cheetahs).
+They love Cheerios.
+They like to punch my brother.

My brother did, actually, get boxed by a kangaroo (ironically, this happened after I named this blog), but I wasn’t fortunate enough to get it on camera.

A lot of people in Sydney wear skinny jeans, and there are hardly any overweight people here. Our hotel has the best smoked salmon ever. I bought Jess Jess a present today, and we walked all over “the Rocks,” which I established is Aussie talk for “expensive retail.”

6.18.06

09:44 (Sydney time)

So my 1.5 days of travel are over, and now, at 9:44 am Aussie time, I have arrived in Sydney. The fly in was amazing, and thanks to Xanax, I was able to enjoy the 3 of the 14-hour flight that I was conscious, as opposed to freaking out about a wing of the plane dismantling.

As I write this, I am waiting for my parents and brother at the Sydney airport. I have no clue their flight number, but I know they’re either coming from Honolulu or Auckland at approximately 10:30 am. I am surprisingly refreshed and after a good shower, I’ll be ready to check this city out.

Did I mention that this place is incredibly beautiful? The only downside so far is the seemingly endless flow of Asians running over my feet with their luggage and barking crazy slant-eye talk across the airport at each other. It has been a true test of will avoiding the duty-free chocolate shop during the wait for my family.



20:56

I have flown half-way across the world and toured Sydney by motor coach and by boat, and it is only 9 p.m. This city is a charming mix of San Francisco, Seattle and Naples, with beaches that rival the ones on Kauai. It’s very pleasant weather; I got to wear a scarf and peacoat today, but my nose did not get cold.

Things I have learned today:

+Toyota makes a Prius for wrong-sided drivers.
+Everything is 20% off here due to the exchange rate.
+Asians with Aussie accents are strangely charming.
+The Queen of England’s 80th birthday was today.
+My family is absolutely amazing.

coming soon....lots of planes over the ocean.

i am leaving for australia/new zealand this friday at 2:10 p.m.

i am so excited.

i will be posting photographs and enthusiastic commentary as my trip progresses, so check up to see the peculiar animals, large rocks, and drunken kiwis that i encounter.

that's all for now.