Hello From Aussie Land

Well, I am here. I just spent the last 20 minutes typing an update of my travels so far on Word, and somehow erased everything without saving it. Bollocks. So instead of spending another 20 minutes trying to rethink my tired thoughts, I’ll give you a quick outline of what has happened so far.


Flew 15 hours from FAT to LAX to Sydney on the first day. Highlights included unlimited movies, food, games, and a tail wing camera on a Qantas flight. Best of all…No infants. Watched a lightning storm over Tonga, it was amazing.

Then a flight from Sydney to Brisbane where I spent a night in the city. The hostel was loud, and I watched an Aussie and some other blokes I was drinking with almost head butt some British dude who commented on one of their girlie jackets. At that point I took my supper to my room and read.

The next morning, I took the train to Cleveland where I hopped on a fairy to North Straddie. Saw numerous pied-billed cormorants and some silver gulls, and heaps of other birds new to me.

At N Straddie waiting for my ride, I watched bottlenose dolphins surfing, a green sea turtle feeding, some rainbow lorikeets screeching, and some humpbacks breaching. Not a bad way to start the trip.

Michael Noad, the PI, picked me up and I met the other volunteers. All lovely people who also know how to drink. Ate kangaroo meat and listened to the British and Aussies tell stories ( something Americans need to improve on). Luckily there’s another American from Michigan. I’m already talk like them aye.

Today, Sun 30th, I surfed the best waves of my life with a few Cetacean experts. Saw several sharks in the very waves we surfed, saw a manta ray jump, and list ended to more lorikeets. Also heard a kookaburra.

We talked about the protocol for the survey, and learned to use a thoedolite and the Cyclopes software. We are now drinking more and playing hangman. This is going to be a FUN 6 weeks.

No photos yet, but soon I may be able to post them. We will have a Facebook page going for the study that we are going to update every day, I'll post the addrees soon. You can try and search for North Stradbroke Humpback Survey, that may work.
I can’t say I miss anyone yet, sorry. I should though later on. More to come later.