Atherton Tablelands

From Karumba we've headed east towards Cairns and are relaxing around Lake Tinaroo and the Atherton Tablelands.  The area is gorgeous, shaped by many now extinct volcanoes, and lush with subtropical rainforests. 

Highlights include Dinner Falls (where I got the girls in trouble for running off-trail for a dip in the waterfall), Lake Eachum (where I got the girls in trouble for jumping off the viewing platform into the lake), and the massive Cathedral and Curtain fig trees (where I got no one in trouble because now they've caught onto my ways and endeavor to keep me away from the call of the water).  Also spotted some a giant croc (made as a to size model of one shot in the area), lovely wind turbines (made by Germans) and The Crater (made by escaping volcanic gasses).

All this camping and beach and lake is bringing back fond memories from childhood - Longport shore days (41N. Pelham still home to the best outdoor showers known to man), mass camping/skiing trips with the Pittsburghers, and my mum cuddling me to death in the Adirondacks because she feared me freezing or getting eaten by a bear.  With all the international travel I've done/am doing I forget sometimes where the travel bug first bit me.  I sometimes fear returning to the Motherland, but these memories do give me something to I can fondly look forward to revisiting and rediscovering again.

Leave me some comments, tell me when and where I should visit you!

Karumba

So I'm with the Watson's now, and we are in Karumba!  Exciting!  Well, a bit.  Karumba is essentially an extremely hot fishing town on the northern gulf coast of Queensland.  Fishing is literally all there is, you can't even swim in the ocean because there are crocodiles. So we've been mostly passing the time swimming at the campground pool, a little fishing (with handlines!  Classic!), and eating Barramundi and chips for every meal.  We're heading to the Atherton tablelands tomorrow, hopefully its cooler there!

Sydney

Sydney is a lovely city.  More than many others I've known, its very in touch and integrated with nature and the natural surroundings (though the flash architecture doesn't hurt).  You never feel lost, there is always something interesting on, its hard to go a block without an amazing huge tree or park, lots of fun bookstores, and you can get seafood wherever you want.  My kinda place.

Cumberday!

Arrived in Sydney Saturday night, and with our nerves all jazzed up we went on a 3 hour walk all through the city and across the Harbour Bridge and back again, which was actually lovely and beautiful and highly suggested.  Got a few hours sleep and then got up for Oz Comic Con!

It was really pretty fun, got autographs, photos, met lots of cool people and had some funny times.  Benedict was very sweet to everyone, smelled good, had oddly proportioned limbs, and showcased his dancing 'skills' at the Q+A. 

The first con sort of thing I've ever gone to, it was...interesting!  I wouldn't say the cliche 'never meet your heroes' applies,  but there was something off during the whole experience for me.  As a trained evolutionary biologist, I love wildlife and nature, just beautiful fantastic things to observe.  But I've found that I'd rather sit in a forest everyday and never see a koala than go see a bunch of caged up sad  looking ones at the zoo.  It was a big event, things were rushed and a bit impersonal.  I guess what I'm saying is, humans aren't much different,  know when you're going to the zoo.

Nonetheless, we're really pleased with how the practice wedding photos turned out!

Are we in a Western?

Should this work and get posted, it shall be the first mobile post from my comfy spot packed in the Bush Heritage truck!  Not sure how the pictures will turn out, but the first are American university t-shirts which I found at a petrol station in a tiny town on the road.  Of course.  Typical Australian souvenir.

We spent about 9 hours driving yesterday from Carnarvon to a town called Cooyar (pop. 65), where like cowboys of old, we strolled into the  local pub and inquired about renting some rooms for the night.  Had a lovely dinner and breakfast and we're off again this morning for the big Brissy. 

Catch you guys later!

On the Road Again

Term 1 is finished!  Three week holiday here I come!  This is the reason to be a teacher!  We've enjoyed the last few days before we all head out in different directions for our holidays - easy last week of school, a few beautiful sunsets, and having an old friend for dinner.

Just beautiful.

Last photo of the late Peggy.  She was delicious.  First time I've eaten a pet/lawn-mower.

I'm heading out on Monday for a long road trip to Brisbane where I'll be for a few days, and then to Sydney at the end of the week.  Not taking my laptop, so I'm sure some of you out there will be happy to have a break from lengthy adventure essays.  Expect some short, mostly photographic posts from the road!

Lots of love, keep in touch!