First Week and It Feels like a Month

So the first week is over and we have already done so much that we have been here for much longer.  We have been on several excursions for classes so far including visiting local Cinder Cone volcanoes called the Seven Sisters and interviewing locals in the town of Karanda (pictured at right).  We have done a bunch of work at the station as well cleaning it up from the past season and especially getting the greenhouses up to par for planting this season.  A group of us spent three hours clearing over 500 potted trees out and weeding the massive amount of weeds that can grow in a year in the Wet Tropics.  As a group we have accomplished a lot and have bonded really well.  Our first night out last night was a blast where we hung out with a bunch of locals at the pub.  It is still astonishing that we have only been here a week because of how much we have packed into the few days we have actually been here.  To update the animal count we have two more snakes to add to the list, both on the list for most venomous in the area.  The Brown Tiger snake and the Small Eyed Black snake both were hanging out around the station.

Living in the Rainforest

Life got real when we went on our first walk around the school property today.  As we descended the first ravine we all commented that it was the set for Jurassic Park.  Our hyper-awareness of snakes and spiders came in handy as one group came across a black and yellow Carpet Snake.  The other creatures we have come across in the past couple days are Lace Monitors that hang around our composting unit, Bandicoots that roam the grounds at night, turkeys that wander like domestic chickens in the woods, and the occasional Pademelon at night.  The night after our walk around the property we thought that is was only necessary that we watch Jurassic Park and needless to say our walk back to our cabin (pictured in the last post) was slightly scary.  These cute creatures made up for it though.

The Preparation

After reading a packing list, weather reports, and talking to people who have visited this new part of the world many times, I have finally packed four bags with hopefully all I will need for the next 4 months.

As a little back story on Australia for me, I created a poster on Tasmania when I was in second grade.  Since that research, if it can be called that, was done I have suggested only 'Australia' when a family member asked where we should go on vacation.  Needless to say, it hasn't happened until now that I finally get to go.

Please enjoy the following 4 months of my travels as they happen. The beginning with a group of School for Field Studies students in the rainforest of Queensland, Australia and the later part which has yet to be planned will be traveling the eastern coast with some inland excursions.