Lovely Oz, 2008

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Sydney is nice. You just gotta give hats of to a major city that has a "lovely" park that cruises down it's very center like a mohawk on a 12 year old. Sorry, had to throw in the "lovely" they like to say that allot here. Espically the Oz gals 😊

Standing at the Opera House is a bit unreal. I had to constantly resist the urge to ask for some popcorn since it felt like we were watchin a movie. That being said, the park goes right up to the opera house which makes for a nice spot to nap while taking in the Iconic moment. So we had the best nap since Fiji, maybe even better since there wasn't any mozzies (mesquitoes) around.

Cairns and Port Douglas have been pretty sweet all in all. For this last week we've had a T.V. set in our room which has been a little bit of a luxury. That being said, everytime we turn on the tele we get reports of drownings, shark attacks, or recent stingings from the Irukanji type of jellyfish. For real.

For beach swimming up here they have small netted portions that are used to keep out the box shape jellyfish. That being said once we noticed the ocassional wave washing over the netted part of the beach to keep us safe we decieded to go inland and avoid the ocean for a bit. I opted for the jungle critters over the ocean ones.

Mossman Gorge (Part of Daintree National Park) is sweet as (see South Island Mayhem for explanation of sweet as). *GeoFact*Turns out when Australia broke away from Gondwanaland it manged to keep some of it's ancient rainforest. So today this section of rainforest goes back with more plant and animal species making it the oldest living rainforest (140 Million Years). In ten hectares of land you will find more species of trees then in all of North America or Europe. Nevermind the fact that most of the fruit is poisonous. We found some nice swimming and managed to get in some nice rock soaking. We wanted to head further north, but rains and flooding turned us around. So we ended up spending New Year's in Cairns (pronounced Caans since they like to leave the "r" out of things).

Happy New Year to everyone 😊

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Photos

Great Barrier Reef
Our mega expensive underwater pic from the lady that followed the group taking shots ($16.00 per photo.) Got me thinkin, I should do that for a livin.

Back On land.
Clover happy to be back on land after some rough sea's returning from Diving Great Barrier Reef.

Furry Captive Brother.
Hot, humid, sticky day. This little feller brought a smile to my face but made me feel for him. I can sympathize, all that fur is no good in the heat.

Cassowary
Big Bird's Austarlian cousin, otherwise known as the cassowary. Actually it can get up to 170+ pounds and has one big sharp claw. We were told not to feed it cheetos or to run from it. Rather to sing out your alphabet and back away slowly.

Mossman Gorge
Deep in the Lush Primordial Jungle.

Mossman Gorge 2.
The Chillin Rock.

The Lagoon at Cairns.
Kinda nice that they got such a cool swimming pool in Cairns along the beach. If you got dangerous jellyfish and crocs in the ocean best to build a free nice swimming pool.

Hangin Loose.
Yup, it's that hot.

Flooded Road.
Rain strikes again. This time it floods the road and keeps us from moving north to Cape Tribulation for New Years. :(

Cairns, New Years 2008
Cool fireworks over the ocean.

The Comfy Rock
Clover always finds the sexy rocks to chill on.

New Year's Eve, 2008
Sexy Devil's.

The Opera House.
Cool, eh :)

Queensland Coast
On our way to Port Douglas. Notice the clear beaches. Jellyfish season anyone?

Comments

[Michael Pearson]

Happy New Year!
Happy New Year to you both! Glad to see you are doing well. That comment about the Roo is absolutely hilarious. Miss you both!

[Steve Waggoner]

The horror continues
[Open on our Hairy little Hobbit's, underwater and back to back, with Hagas trying to swat away a tiny suspicious looking piece of translucent material while Clover uses Hagas's leg to ward off vicious sharks]. Fatigue and travel go hand in hand as the hobbits learn that one drunken bruhaha after another, and another, (ad-naseum) with physically brutal treks through ancient jungles coupled with visiting vast vista's of desert in 100 + heat and humidity really can not be called a vacation...maybe it's more symbolic of a death march or being lost in the Sahara with the occassional oasis thrown in just to keep you alive. The creature comforts quickly vanish once you leave home. Air Conditioned environments give way to stale rooms with open windows and a chirpping fan in the corner that only reminds you of how insanity correlates to the level of water leaking from your body. Being exposed to the constant fatigue of translating cultural English slang and using your body in new and unusual ways to convince a confused vendor that you only want a wedge of cheese, some fresh bread and for God's Sake please some regular water. Of course you didn't know that water is typically served carbonated or that in many foreign lands a hamburger is exactly that...a sandwich with ham..."where's the beef? It's in America my little hobbits." On the epic adventures fatigue scale I'd say you've only just reached Rivendale and have yet to venture into the Mines of Moria. There you must truly embrace your despair. You will be faced with rocking your own backpack in a desperate effort to capture some significant piece of memorabilia and flinging yourself in desperation at the foreign teenager that doesn't understand what a "number two value meal is" (Quarter Pounder...yummy). You have only begun to have strange and bizzare conversations with foreigners both while drunk and sober with greater confusion resulting and a developing aversion to human communication. You will clutch furtively at the overweight gaudy tourists that dwell in pampered seclusion and give no notice to your travails or hardships but still you will feel a longing to wear burmuda shorts and drink cocktails in the morning while having your every whim fulfilled. No sycophantic captured natives for you little hobbits but rather the gloomy despair of impoverished locals overcharging for a ride in their turnip trucks and skulking revolutionaries lingering, always in the corners of your vision. Will the hobbits pass this epic challenge of endurance or succumb, thereby surrendering to the ring and seeking solace in the arms of luxurious 5 star hotels? Will they return home scarred but worldy wise about the horrors of dysentary and importance of fresh fruits and vegetable available year round? Or will they become embittered and angry at the lack of civilization beyond the boarders of home....ah, home....it calls to the little hobbits with neon clarity and eternally paved roads. The hobbit burrows of America call to the little hobbits who yet have so far to travel.

[Whiskeyspoke]

Fear the Roo.
Seeing the horrible effects the heat has on the Roo, the hobbits flea in terror in search of cool waters to bath in. Next, the troubled travel weary hobbits tour the Volcanic Yungaburra WaterFalls in search of the fabled duck-billed beaver. Plat-o-puss?

[Lucky Charms]

Nice Dive Pic
I paid the same crazy amount on Christmas Day to get a picture at 10 meters with my christmas tree and santa hat on. Where's their Christmas Spirit. I saw lots of sharks as well and actually swam up through about 10 of them with two other divers. I think some food was falling off the boat which drew the sharks in. I was a little unnerved by the whole deal. I would love to hear about the shark attacks if you have some details. Your blog is great and update even! It was great traveling with you and Clover in Kiwi Land! Take care and I hope we cross paths again some day! The Fireworks in Sydney were out of this World. I got goose bumps even! Hasta Luego! Lucky Charms