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Schmitz Joined: October 17th 2009
Logged in: October 8th 2011
Logged in: October 8th 2011
Travel Blog Posts
a Two hour drive from Learmonth airport to our destination. Plenty of time to gaze at the landscape. 360 degrees of nothing but termite mounts and scrubby vegetation, waw!
Our field trip to the mangroves near Giralia station (closest town Exmouth).... read more
a Our plane for the flight from Cairns to Lizard Island. I didn't know that it would be that small!
This doesn't need words. Just look and see. Big kisses, Nele... read more
We hace the privilige to be the first to sleep in the almost finished castle, self-built by our hosts
No story this time, just some pictures since I only have 1 week and then we are off again, to Lizard Island this time. After all the field work I will tell you some stories, now I first have to make sure I know what to do on that island Big hug, Nele... read more
Australia in winter and now I am ready for it (after having bought a whole bunch of warm clothes)
My precious and dearest friends and family (sounds pretty stiff but that's the truth and my mother told me always to be candid), Have some news for you, some of you know already: I decided to extend my stay until December 19. NOT because I don't miss you because I do terribly (maybe bit exaggerated but I can accuse some maternal genes for that too ) but it became too complicated if I wouldn't and with my autistic traits I need structure. The facts: I only did one field trip thus far and still have some goals to reach if I want to finish (at least partly) what I proposed my employer (the National Fund for Scientific Research in Flanders , FWO). In July and August I will have some good times (I hope) in the ... read more
Still a big fan of clouds. View from the plane on my way to Cairns
Back from my first field trip, finally! I will tell my story via the pictures but the main thing: I enjoyed the long awaited out-of-office-work, the atmosphere in the group was good, we worked hard but also laughed a lot (how can you else with a ukelele playing hippie in the group ) We stayed in one of the only B&Bs near our work place so bit more luxury than needed (I couldn’t even fill half of the bed) but a good shower and sleep feels good if you have to wake up again between 5 and 6 am and work until the cane toads start their weird woodpecker sound. There were also many curlews which really make a scary sound as if someone is in danger. But before these start their songs, the flying foxes ... read more
It's a beautiful day...
No pictures, no long storry, I just wanted to share with you this happy event. Last Sunday I went to the Canberra zoo (regrettably there was no Echidna, so still didn't see one!) . Like in all zoos there were lots of children very enthusiastically running around but one little boy really made my day. When I arrived at the cheetah place it was already noon and thus very hot. I was leaning against the fence while searching for this big cat between the bushes and rocks of his yard. At that time a father with his about 4 years old son arrived. The father eagerly started searching the cheetah to show his son but he, he had found something much more interesting and screamed "Hey dad, look steps!" and he joyfully jumped of the few ... read more
Justine Henin in the Weekend Australian
Dear all, It has been a long time since I wrote you but actually nothing happened and it frustrates me. Everyone is kind, sun is still shining, cockatoos are even screaming louder I have the impression (they are really noise makers!) but the work doesn't advance. I even didn't started yet. We want day to Clyde to have look and we planned and even booked tickets for the first Daintree mission BUT cyclones Nelson and Olga disturbed the way. Nothing to do about the weather of course but in the meantime I am here almost 0.5 year and still couldn't start what I am here for. It troubles me but I try to put it aside and just help my students in Belgium as much as possible via mail and work at data I gathered last ... read more
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Hello, After 3 weeks holiday it's time to start working but first I will share the beauty we saw with you. In brief, I went with my sister Goele for 10 days to Katoomba village in the Blue Mountains and afterwards another 5 days to Sydney and.... I really enjoyed!!! We made wonderful tours in a landscape that changed from a very hot dry forest with the deafening screaming of cicada-males, to wet rainforests with oh so beautiful tree ferns. We always took 4 liters of water with us and that was really a must. First of all because of the heat but also because of the pretty tough climbs. The "problem" of a canyon, as we experienced, is that you always have to get in and get out again But, it was worth the effort ... read more
My home in Hacket
Hello, Long time since I wrote something but nothing special happened and I had not had time to make pictures. I just arrived back at “home” from a 1 week visit to Brisbane. There was a PhD student who had to do her confirmation (a defence before they can start their 2nd year) and since her work deals with the wood anatomy of Avicennia and since it was a good opportunity for me to have a look at the possibilities in Brisbane, Catherine Lovelock of UQ (University of Queensland) asked me to be in the ‘jury’ (it is not really a big deal) and come over and so I did. First impression of Brisbane (Brisbie for the locals): BIG and the skyline is impressive at moments with of these huge Skyscrapers and modern bridges. The Brisbane ... read more
Rainbow in Canberra
Just a short one because nothing happened and do only have few new pictures. I moved for the second time and am finally settled, yeahaa!! I live in a 1 bedroom flat in Hackett, which is right at the border of a nature reserve so that I have some wonderful hills as I look outside my windows. The neighbourhood is really quiet and peaceful with the exception of the noisy birds and the possums on the roof that sometimes wake me up in the morning It is 30 min by bike to ANU but I love it! The air is nicely fresh in the mornings and around 7 am you are almost alone on the street. There is a splendid bike path that runs through the woods and along the creek. It is like a little ... read more
