Just for the record, beaches really should look like this:

Now I have visited every Australian capital city. We have just returned from a three day safari through Kakadu national park, starting in Darwin. I sat next to the driver, and he pointed out dozens of birds, monitors, and marsupials as we drive through the lush green land. I saw goose hawks, blue-winged kookaburras, brolgas, magpie geese, whistling kites, sulphur crested cockatoos, cattle egret, blue-faced honeyeaters and galahs.

My favourite animals were the agile wallabies that surrounded our campsite on the first night. Cute little creatures that looked at us with complete alertness, bounding off if we got too close. I even got to hold an orphaned joey who had been adopted by humans at the Didgeridoo Hut art shed. Some of the smallest creatures built the biggest nests – cathedral and magnetic termites building stark red towers over five meters tall, standing out against the bright green grass. We also saw short-eared rock wallabies, an owl, and sadly, cane toads everywhere, even throughout Kakadu.

We also got to experience the less friendly natives – crocodiles and dingos. We went on a jumping crocs cruise on the Adelaide River, where they drag huge chunks of meat through the water to encourage five-meter long crocs to jump out of the water next to our boat, and learn that tourist boats equal food. Not the smartest idea, but a terrifying and majestic sight to see a 240 million year old species lunge at prey. Like seeing a T Rex in action. Our last camp site was visited by dingoes, howling at each other throughout the night.

Our days in Kakadu were also filled with sweaty hot long bush walks through the outback, however they always ended with a delightful and refreshing swim in beneath a waterhole – a very iconic Australian experience. In one place, we were greeted with large illustrated “saltwater crocodiles swim here and will eat you” signs. Our guide insisted that it was just the government covering all bases, and the area was it was too high for the crocs. I was so over-heated that I trusted him and swam in the water, but now I can no longer mock those German tourists who get eaten in the Northern Territory after ignoring the signs.

We saw some amazing Aboriginal art sites ranging from 1 000 to 20 000 years old. Striking and beautiful symbols of the world’s longest continuous culture. Despite the government apologising for its genocide, the missionary spirit is still strong in the government’s handling of indigenous regions, as signs stating “no alcohol no pornography” were quite common throughout the region.

No alcohol, No pornography

Photo by onlineoffroadtours

Europe’s tourist spots have their own charm, but it is only in NSW that one can see the Big Merino. As we drove through Goulburn, we couldn’t spot it anywhere. Mum was giving us directions, but as we drove through Hume Street, we couldn’t see it anywhere. “They must have moved it” she mused. We mocked her, as we couldn’t imagine anyone picking up a 15.2 meter high, 97 tonne concrete ram and popping it down somewhere else. Later, upon further research, we found that it had indeed been moved in 2007 by nearly a kilometer so that is was closer to the M5 Hume Expressway. Designed by Adelaide builder Glenn Senner, the Big Merino was my first Big Thing experience as a child, and it still brought a smile to my face as I saw its regal pose once again.

Continuing the sheep theme, the next morning we stopped at the multi-million dollar Shearers’ Hall of Fame in Hay. We learned all about the best Australian shearers in the world, and while I failed to match Jackie Howe’s legendary blade-shears record, I did get to sniff sheep urine and start my sheep shearing training. We even watched a live sheep shearing demonstration by a gun shearer, watching him carefully yet deftly navigate the delicate folds of skin on a live merino ewe, and then slapping the poor naked thing on the bottom declaring “and that’s two bucks” – the current rate is $2.3559 per sheep.

Soon it was time to cross the border into South Australia and pass underneath the Big Tire. Our car was inspected for illegal fruit, of which we had none, as we were Fruit Fly Fighters, and we were welcomed to “the Phylloxera free Riverland and South Australia”. Phylloxera are similar to aphids, feeding on and damaging grapevines resulting in secondary fungal infections. I kept an eye out for the little critters, but I did not see any of the tiny bugs my whole time in South Australia.

On our travels we were also lucky enough to see both Orange World (Mildura) and the Big Orange (Berri), but we were not able to experience their entire orange experience. The tractor tour of Orange World did not start until 10:30 am, and we had to get on the road before then. When we arrived at the 85 tonne, 15 meter high Big Orange we found that it was fenced off. It was closed due to financial problems, and I was not able to step inside what was touted in 1980 as the largest sphere in Australia. It is a sad day when even the biggest of Australia’s big fruit struggles to stay afloat.

Finally, after three days of driving, we were nearing our destination. Firstly, though, we had another Big Thing to experience – the 18 meter Big Rocking Horse in Gumeracha. It was voted by wotif.com as the country’s best Big Thing, and I have to agree. We climbed the three storeys inside the horse to reach the top, and then explored the toy factory with its beautiful wooden toys, including a scale model of the very rocking horse outside.

The Big Scotsman in Adelaide concluded our Big Tour. I really enjoyed our quest for some of the Big Things in Australia, although in my lifetime I have still seen less than 5% of these icons, and the rest will have to wait quite a few years. Atomium will just have to do the job until then.

We exchanged gifts, and food was also major theme for the day. We started the day with egg and salmon filled croissants, made mini pizzas for lunch, and capped it off with roast turkey and tofurkey. Adrian and I decorated gingerbread people in festive and delicious costumes, but I am afraid to say, they didn’t even make it 24 hours before being devoured.

Adrian and I were so pleased with our decorative abilities that we proceeded to decorated my cousin’s hair in a manner fitting the occasion, which promptly fell out after several energetic games of Tag.

My Nana mentioned to Adrian that she had always dreamt of having dinner out on the lawn in the backyard, underneath the trees. I sympathised with her that such an impossible dream would never be realised, as we had always had dinner on the verandah. Adrian, however, told her that if her dream was that easy, he would make it happen. He simply rummaged through the garage for a spare table, picked it up, washed it off, and brought everything down to the lawn. In no time at all, a festive table was decked out under the afternoon sky, and we all sat around it, listening to the clinks of wine glasses and laughs of kookaburras as the day wound to a close.

I am really enjoying my time in Canberra with Adrian by my side. Spending most of my day studying at the ANU, peppered with coffee and lunch with old friends and hearing about their many adventures. Every day warm, sunny, and full of blue sky and a gentle breeze. It is relaxing and satisfying.

Amy has always worked so hard, so it is no wonder that she makes running her menagerie seem effortless. Her five-month-old baby is a delight, sticking to a schedule of naps and sleeping through the night. Her horses did their best to throw her off her game by throwing a shoe as soon as the farrier had left to fix the last one, but she managed the whole thing with grace and humour.

They even found time to take us to Mount Tamborine to see the waterfalls and the shops, and on the way there we saw hang-gliders and para-gliders dive off a grassy cliff, and almost impossibly sail into the air, gradually circling up above us.

Image from flickr.com/photos/dragonflysky

How strange it is, to be back in this country after 22 months of absence. Crossing the street is difficult, as I am still looking the wrong way. And the loss of my iPhone is almost crippling, as I am no long able to bring up an instant map of my location, or able to check my email anywhere, or find out where the nearest movie theatre or when the next bus is coming. The sign and smell of the local Starbucks elicits fond memories of all my hours curled up on the couches of that Seattle-bred coffee house. I miss the friends that I have made in Seattle, their stories about the intricacies of American culture, and their interesting perspectives on national and international events.

Still, it is refreshing to be back in Australia, and in a strange way it almost feels like I have never left. Very little cognitive effort is needed to get around. The supermarkets are filled with delicious and familiar delicacies. Our cupboard is filled with Aussie ingredients. I have been eating Weetbix for breakfast and vegemite and honey sandwiches for lunch (and sometimes also for dinner). My aunt and uncle generously welcomed us back to Australia with a spectacular spread that included vegetable pasties and beetroot – both items that are impossible to source in the USA.

I am enjoying my intense Masters of Public Health blocks – not starting the day until nine o’clock is such a luxury, and the other students are friendly and enthusiastic. We completed our first joint presentation on Friday, and I am proud of how well everyone pitched in to produce such a great seminar. I now have a bunch of assignments hanging over my head, but with no more 14-hour experiments to do, I feel quite confident that they will all be completed in time.

I am savouring the luxury of speaking the same language as the locals, of understanding the etiquette and the signposts, and of being so close to friends and family. Apart from the terrible storms, the weather here is generally warm and mild, and the days are full of sunlight. These are the comforts that I will miss in Belgium.

You have received this email as you have been assessed by your College as eligible to graduate in the December 2008 Conferral of Awards ceremony.
Congratulations! We look forward to celebrating with you in December!

 
On 10 am Friday 12 December 2008, I will be walking across the stage to finally receive my Doctor of Philosophy.

Now I have a couple of weeks to adjust to all things American. The time-zone, the cold, the upside-down light-switches, the power outlets that look like tiny surprised people, the units of measurement, the cars on the wrong side of the road, tipping and sales tax, pennies, and the paper money that is all the same colour.

Still, somehow it feels like home.

I only have one resolution this year: Finish Thesis.

I can wear sun hats again.