Pictures from the Outback continued =)

 

3. Kata Tjuta under cloud cover - very rare occurence

4. MacDonnell Ranges from Desert Park - a lot of green

 

Shelby

Pictures from the Outback =)

1. sunrise at rainbow valley

2. close up of uluru - can you spot any hidden pictures in the holes?

 

Shelby

The end -

So as I sit here typing, Shelby and I have just finished our final project.

Meaning, after the presenation time tomorrow, the most amazing term of my life, is officially over.

Heartbreaking really if you think about it.

But like they say, all good things must come to an end.

 

The trip - is nothing like I imagined.

Going to Oz has been my life long dream -

and once I got there, how could I have not dreamed of it all along?

Its hard to believe I spent 30 days there.

They days went by so quickly, and now I'm sitting here jetlagged as can be -

wondering when I can get my chance to head back there again.

Because oh yes, I will be back.

 

To all of you who love traveling -

and those of you who want some advice ..

Never pass up the opportunity to head to Australia.

You'll regret it terribly if you do.

 

 

See you later Aussieland. <3

 

 

-Jen

--
Jennifer Loveless '11
1 Park Place
Elmira College
Elmira, NY 14901

Back on Campus? Time Flew By.

Well, it's been a bittersweet return to the States, with over 24 hours of flight time logged to get back to good old Elmira College. The jet lag coming and going was well worth it for the month spent in paradise. Holding a koala, playing with kangaroos, snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef, visiting the Opera House, camping in the Outback, staying on the world's largest sand island. And these are only some of the great things that I've done while down there. If I could've stayed in Australia for the next few years of my life, I would be a happy camper. It truly is a paradise there, one filled with tropics, desert, forests, reefs and more. Choosing to go on this course is one of my top two best decisions made (the other being my trip to the Galapagos last Term 3), and I would recommend anyone to go on this trip if it is possible. Charlie, you made a great instructor to have on this trip, and your knowledge about Australia far surpasses my own, even now =) I hope everyone has enjoyed reading the blogs and looking at the pictures, and that it provided some sort of insight into the great trip that it was!

 

Shelby

Final Days in Australia

The last few days that I spent over in Australia seemed to be a blur. Camping in the outback for 4 days? Felt like 2. We saw so much and the Outback is one of the few places that will can never be compared to. Climbing the rim of King's Canyon and Kata Tjuta and walking the base of Australia's most famous landmark, Uluru, was completely out of this world. The importance that these formations hold for the aboriginals is astounding, and of all the things we've seen, Uluru was the one that had the most impact on me because of how sacred it is. I was unable to see the colors of Uluru change because it was cloudy and raining almost the entire time we were out there (it's a desert. go figure!), but I enjoyed every minute of it. Coming back to Sydney was a wake-up call that it was almost time to depart Oz, as many Australians so lovingly call it. I spent my last two free days there relaxing and doing some last minute shopping. Our last night there we all went on a dinner cruise around the Harbor. The Harbor and skyline are beautiful at night and there was an amazing light show being projected onto the Opera House.  Jen and I started a little dance party in front of the cabaret singer and we got some other people on the cruise to join us as well. It was a perfect ending to a perfect trip, and we went out with a bang! =)

 

Shelby   

Sydney Harbor Cruise

We just had our last dinner here in Australia. As a group we went on a Captain Cook Cruise boat that went all over the harbor. The meal was great, but the atmosphere was even better! We went on the Starlight Dinner Cruise and enjoyed an entrée (appetizer as we call it in the States) and the main course. Then, we all went on the top deck to look at the surrounding city and take plenty of pictures. Next, the group went back to the dining room to eat dessert. After coffee or tea some of us got up and danced a little to the live music. I personally loved the night. In my opinion it was the perfect ending to a perfect trip.

Lisa Winters  

[title added by Charlie]

I can't believe it's over!!

Hey All,

It's been a while since I've last been on here, and that's because we were soooo busy exploring Australia. I can't even begin to explain the amount of learning & fun that we've been indulging in for the past few weeks here in Australia. From our excursion on the Great Barrier Reef, to the tours of Tjapukai (an Aboriginal village), our adventures in Alice Springs, and our WONDERFUL  four-day camping trip, let's just say that I am so happy that I participated in this trip this year! I have learnt so much about Australia and the people living here. Even though our trip has inevitably reached its demise, I can confidently proclaim that this trip has been one of the best experiences of my life so far!! I recommend this trip highly to anyone considering it for Term III 2011....You won't regret it!! So long && thanks for reading!!

Rashad

p.s.: Thanks Dr. Jacobson for hosting us on such a wonderful trip!!!

Last few days?!

So its been a while .. We're already back in Sydney for goodness sakes -
Only two more days left here. Not sure how I feel about that yet.
But regardless, the trip got a thousand times better since I last wrote.
Alice Springs - far better than I expected.
And the Outback .. welllllll .. the OUtback and I became good friends if you ask me.
Ever done bush camping? Well - you should. Seriously.
Greatest experience of my life if you ask me.
Nothing better than just laying out smack in the middle of the Outback..
late at night under a perfectly clear night sky -
showing every single star there possibly could be.
I mean, of course that was only one of the three nights -
and the rain could have been a little less .. rainy.
But combine the fact that NO cities or light pollution or noise existed while we were out there -
with seeing the most incredible rock formations on the face of the planet -
A pretty intense weekend if you ask me.
Uluru - the pictures aren't even CLOSE to how incredible it really is.
The many moods - nahhh.
You have to see that up close.
A snapshot at dusk or a nighttime viewing don't even begin to describe the feeling you get when you're there-
at the base of this wonderfully significant part of life.
I'd show pictures - but I think they'll have to wait.
Its one of those "you need a verbal description to coincide with the image" kinda deals.
I definitely know where I plan to live whenever I move over here.
That's for certain.

Oh. And that reminds me.
This whole camping excursion we had ..
made me realize I should test out my own backyard while I'm there too.
I knew I belonged outdoors. Good thing it really hit me while we were camping.
Just gotta get back to the States now and get my hiking/naturelovingness on.
=)

See you soon!
-Jen

--
Jennifer Loveless '11
1 Park Place
Elmira College
Elmira, NY 14901

We just got back from spending three nights and four days camping. It was great! I have been camping many times, but it did not compare to this. I don't know how to explain it all, but I will try. We arrived at our first campsite when the sun had already gone down, so we had to set up and prepare everything with flashlights. The area seemed to be in the middle of nowhere. There was a hole in the ground for a toilet, but that was all we had. The next morning we left before the sun came up for the next campsite. This place had a bathhouse! We could all wash up. The third campsite was at a place called Rainbow Vally. This was beautiful. In the morning we got to finally see a sunrise. I loved the whole camping experience and would love to do it again. 

[Charlie's note:  I do not know who posted this.]

Alice Springs and Central Australia

Here are a few photos from the camping trip to Central Australia:

1.  Around the fire at our rustic campsite outside Curtain Springs;

2.  Kata Tjuta with crowns of clouds;

3.  Laura lifts Uluru all by herself;

4.  The group at Rainbow Valley.

Camping in the Outback

We just got back from our 4 day camping trip in Central Australia. What an adventure! We left Alice Springs early Thursday morning and drove to Watarrka-our first destination. It is a huge canyon that we climbed through. The first part of the climb was called heart attack hill. It has this name because it is a fitness climb and gets your heart pumping! Our first night of camping was rustic and out in the Australian bush. We collected our own firewood as a group, built a fire, and cooked dinner over it. We slept on the ground in swags. On our second day we got to see Uluru aka the Rock. Unfortunately we did not see it change colors at sunset or sunrise because there was no sun! It was still an unforgettable sight though. On our third night of camping we stayed at Rainbow Valley which was truly a rustic camping experience because we did not even get to build a campfire because there was no pit (and we did not want to cause a bush fire). Luckily it did not rain on us that night and it was fairly warm too. We had seen our fair share of rain this camping trip which was very surprising because we were in the desert which is supposed to be a dry place for the most part.
-Amy Chipman-

White water rafting

Yesterday was our last free day in Cairns. I spent the day with Lisa, Brian, and Scott on a full day white water rafting adventure on the tully river. The day started very early (640am) but it was worth it. We drove up into one of the wettest places in Australia where they get about 5 meters of rain a year. We were in a boat with two other tourists (also from the US) and our guide who was from New Zealand. Over the course of the day we travelled down about 47 rapids, many of them being class 4's. We also got to swim in the rapids and jump off a 5 meter high rock into the river. Although it rained all day we didn't notice because we were constantly soaked. Much to our guide Paul's dismay we were the only boat to have noone fall off, but we saw quite a lot of falls and flips from the other boats. By the end of the day we were cold and soaked and some of us had a few bumps but it was an awsome experience and anyone who has the chance should definately try white water rafting.
-Rachel
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Fw: Great barrier reef

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

-----Original Message-----
From: ramsterdam@vzw.blackberry.net
Date: Mon, 17 May 2010 23:25:03
To: <chjacobson.auscourse10@bloggermcom>
Subject: Great barrier reef

Friday we went out on the great barrier reef for the day with passions of paradise. It was an amazing day to be on the water. For part of the way we were even sailing. While at Michealmas Cay, Jen, Alison, and I went diving together since the three of us are certified divers. Our dive guide was from the US as well which was a cool coincidence. The dives were amazing! We saw millions of fish including ones we learned about at reef teach the night before like the chocolate dipped damsel and the triggerfish. You can even hear the parrotfish chomping on the coral as you swim along. My favorite sighting was the turtle we got to swim along with. Overall the day was great and I loved every minute on the reef.
-Rachel
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Wildlife in the Daintree

Two days ago we took a ride down the Daintree and saw a couple of baby crocodiles, Scarface the massive 5 meter adult male croc, a white-lipped green tree frog who caught a ride, 2 Amethyst pythons (Australia's largest snake), and got to hang out with some more kangaroos and wallabies. All in all a fun day that even ended with some exotic tropical ice cream!!

Meghan and Chris

The days just keep getting better in Australia!

Dr. Jacobson told us while we were on Fraser Island that the trip gets better and he was so right! Everytime we do a new activity I like it better than the last thing we did which I did not imagine possible. On Friday we went snorkeling and scuba diving on the Great Barrier Reef which was by far my favorite experience so far on this trip. I even found Nemo when I was scuba diving...he was hiding in a sea anemone(the home of a clown fish). On Sunday we went on the Billy Tea Safari trip and saw the tropical rainiforest as well as got the chance to swim in a 100 pecent pure rainwater creek, and of course we tried some billy tea which is tea made from ingredients found in Australia's native bush.  We also went on a search fro crocodiles on the Daintree River. We ended up seeing 3 baby crocodiles and one large adult one. The highlight of our wildlife spottings that day was seeing a Cassowary in the wild. That is a very rare event since there are only about 1000 remaining in the wild. We are one lucky group! Today May 17th, was our free day in Cairns. 8 of us went horseback riding and white water rafting for the day. The horseback riding was amazing and we rode through all different parts of the Australian nature including the native bush and creeks. I have loved the time we have spent in Cairns, but it is coming to an end and tomorrow we're off to Alice Springs which I have heard is going to be much cooler (literally) than the tropical weather we've been experiencing in Cairns.
-Amy Chipman-

A Wild Cassowary

We were incredibly lucky today in our visit to the Daintree, in that we had a chance to see a wild cassowary.  The one in this photo walked right by the passenger door of our coach, so I got a pretty good look at it.

There are not many left in the wild; estimates range from 800 to 2500.  There are cassowaries in captivity, but the attempts to breed them have thus far been unsuccessful.  So, it is entirely possible that the cassowaries of Queensland will go extinct in our lifetime. 

--charlie

Fraser Island Pictures continued

1. the class going up one of the larger sandblows (sand dunes) on the island

2. Lake Birrabeen, a perch lake with exceptionally clear water

3. the largest creek on the island that we walked over in the rainforest

 

Shelby

Fraser Island Pictures

1. the first dingo we saw on the island

2. the pinnacles - a colored sand formation halfway down the island

3. 5 different colored sands that our tour guide Russell had found

 

Shelby

Great Barrier Reef

Today was the day that I was finally able to snorkel and explore the world's largest living formation that can be seen from outer space - the Great Barrier Reef. Now, I was disappointed that I wasn't able to scuba dive because of my asthma, but I was able to see so many interesting fish and coral just by being on the surface. The parrotfish were plenty in number, gnawing away at the coral. And the coral! So large and intricate and colorful. I even saw a piece that represented good 'ole EC - purple and gold. Another thing that I hadn't seen when I was snorkeling in the Galapagos last year was the giant clam. Their name suits them well - they are GIANT. Although I was told that they cannot chop your arm off, it really looked like it could. Seeing them embedded in the coral was also interesting and not something I expected. Those clams were a little bit smaller and opened much more often. My personal favorite encounter, which only lasted all of 15 seconds, was with a squid. Like Deb, our instructor at Reef Teach said, they are exceptionally inquisitive. The little guy swam right up to me and looked at me with his big eyes, trying to figure out just what I was. The current pushed me and him apart, so I was only able to see him for a few seconds. Even though it was such as short amount of time, seeing a squid up close and personal was definitely something to add to the books. =)

 

Shelby

Fraser Island

This is a little late, but so many things have been going on lately that it's been a little hard for me to write. From Brisbane on the 8th of May, we left in a four wheel drive bus to journey to Fraser Island, the world's largest sand island. Our tour guide/bus driver's name was Russell, and he was definitely an asset to have on this trip. For most of the bus ride to the island, he explained so much about the crops that are grown in Brisbane, the cattle farming, and the history. He was like a walking encyclopedia of Brisbane. Once we got onto the island after taking a barge across a bay, we were in for a bumpy ride. There are no roads, so everything that you drive on is sand. It was very fun to be flying up and down (strapped in a seat belt, of course) and seeing a lot of interesting wildlife. About 10 minutes into our drive, we saw a dingo. Since they are nocturnal, I was surprised that they were even out. They are so beautiful and on the island, they are the purest dingoes in the world. For the rest of the trip on the island, we saw about 15 dingoes, more than I ever expected to see in the wild in my lifetime. The lakes on the island are all freshwater, so swimming in them was just like swimming in a big bathtub, but not as warm as I'd like. Lake Birrabeen was so clear that you could see straight down to the bottom from the shore. The sandblows (or dunes) were huge and those required a trek to get up to the top. Going up is much less frightening than going down.  The colored sand was really interesting to see because even though it seemed like it was a solid piece of rock, if you kicked it the right way, sand would crumble down.  From the top of Indian Head, the only rock formation on the island, I was able to see bottlenose dolphins catching the surf. Even though we were very far away and very high up, it was still such an amazing sight to see them in the wild. I was very sad to leave Fraser Island because at that point, it was one of the greatest 3 days that I've had. Soon to come though, is the Great Barrier Reef =)

Shelby 

The Great Barrier Reef?!

Ever heard of the Great Barrier Reef? Yeah. Its got the word Great in it for a reason .. although I personally think Great is an understatement. I have to say - getting scuba certified just for the heck of it last year - best decision I ever made. Rachel, Al and myself all got to go off on our own with our Dive Master Russell (which apparently is the name that ALL awesome guides get) to explore some things further down below than everyone else. Although it was darker than being up top, and the colors weren't as vivid as they are closer to the surface - the ecosystem that's been formed over a few hundred years .. pretty friggin' cool. If only I had more sets of eyes - sooooo much to be seen in only an hour and a half of Open Water diving. Oddly enough though, as I was swimming along observing all the amazing life to the left of me - I turned to the right and saw nothing .. Quite a scary realization - here I was in between the vast never ending ocean and the greatest natural barrier in the world. How awesome is that though? Its crazy to think that everything I've ever dreamed of doing ever since I could barely even talk - I've done in only two weeks time. Sadly, that means we only have two weeks left, and to be honest, I will probably bawl my eyes out the moment I step on the plane (but don't tell anyone, cuz that's not what I do). Cairns is really sweet, and I'm glad Charlie decided to save all the "best stuff" for last .. I can't wait to see what the next two days entail - the Daintree River followed by a day full of Horseback riding and white water rafting. You can bet I'm pretty excited. =)

Lots of love from Aussieland! - Jen


Ps. Nemo - WAYYYYYY cuter in person. =D

--
Jennifer Loveless '11
1 Park Place
Elmira College
Elmira, NY 14901

Desintation Cairns

Yesterday, May 12, we made our way from Brisbane to Cairns. Our flight got delayed but we ended up making it to Cairns nice and safe. Last night some of us got to explore around Cairns a little and do a little shopping. Today we went to Kuranda village and took the skyrail (a gondola) which took us on a ride above the rainforest. After the skyrail trip we went to Tjapukai which is an Aboriginal Cultural Park. We all got the chance to throw a boomerang and a spear. If you throw a boomerang correctly it should return to you....needless to say I didn't throw it like a professional and my throw was more like as if I was playing a game of horseshoes. It was definitely a neat experience to learn more about the Aboriginal culture and the way the indigenous people live in Australia.

-Amy Chipman-

Week Number Two -

So .. as Charlie said - the trip only gets better.
It sure doesn't feel like we've been here for almost two full weeks -
but no complaints on my end (other than the time seems to be FLYING by).
We've done so much - and have already seen Sydney, Canberra, Brisbane and now we're in Cairns.
Brisbane was definitely my favorite place to be so far -
it just felt more like a me kinda city (if I had to choose a city that is).
We got to explore a little bit here and there, see what it was like to be in another city compared to Sydney.
But I think the coolest thing we did in Brisbane (since I've decided Fraser Island must stand by itself) was the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary.
Similar to a zoo - but BETTER. Far far better. The Sanctuary is home to over 130 koalas! But even cooler - is the fact that you can hold one.
Anddd get your picture taken with him or her. But on top of all that - they have a walking in "petting area" .. for KANGAROOS and EMUS.
Way awesome. Surprisingly - the koalas and the roos are incredibly soft. As long as  you had food with you, they were quite content with life.
Definitely made new best friends.

- Enjoy the pictures, and I'll be sure to chat soon.

Can't wait to explain about the GREAT BARRIER REEF!

-Jen

Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary Pictures

Some more pictures from the Koala Sanctuary

 

1. An emu in the paddock

2. Several kangaroos (and Charlie!) in the kangaroo paddock

 

Shelby

Fwd: Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary Pictures

Order of the pictures:

 

1. A gray kangaroo looking for some food

2. A koala sleeping in a tree

 

Shelby

Students at Lone Pine

A little out of order, I know.

--charlie

Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary

Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary was an amazing place. I held a koala, a crocodile, and a snake! I could not believe how close we got to get to all the kangaroos. They were happy t see us since we had our bags of food for them. It must be an amazing job to get to work with these animals day in and day out. The trainers talked about the animals knowing them by smell and by voice, which I think is an awesome bond to have. It was definitely an unforgettable day!
Rachel

free day in Brisbane

Today was our free day to do whatever we wanted around the Brisbane area. Jen, Shelby, and me went to the Australia Zoo...aka the home of the Crocodile Hunter. It was about an hour train ride outside of Brisbane. Despite as many zoos we have been to and all the animals we have seen so far in this trip, going to the Australia Zoo was so worth it. We went to the Crocossium (huge stadium at the zoo) and saw the wild animal show and of course there were crocodiles involved. The zoo was much more interactive then I expected, they had koals we could touch and kangaroos we could feed (like at the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary) and they also had animals that they had out of cages and just going all around the zoo with a guide. They even were walking a dingo on a leash. In case you dont know what a dingo is, it looks like a dog but is much less tame and is dangerous to be around because they will attack.
-Amy Chipman-

Fraser Island and Brisbane Free Day

Glass House Mountains: Maleny, QLD

Wild Rainforest Wallaby seen in Rainforest near Maleny, QLD

Clored Sands on Fraser Island

Dead Sea Turtle washed up on Eastern Shore of Fraser Island

Butterfly Lake, Fraser Island (Tea Tree Leaves on the Surface)

Our first day at Fraser Island

It was rainy, but we still saw some pretty remarkable things:

Dingoes:  we wound up seeing several over the three days
A dead sea turtle.  We figure that this one was probably killed by a shark and just managed to get to shore before dying.
Sea eagles.  In the photo, one is a juvenile, probably flying for the first time.

Sheep Dogs and Sheep Shearing

This demonstration takes place at Lone Pine.  There were two dogs:  one that herds the sheeps and moves them wherever the shepherd wants.  The other dog works the sheep once they are in the yard, keeping them moving through the chutes and such. 

The sheep shearing was very fast.  I think it was a little upsetting to some of the students who may not be used to the way farm animals are treated.  The shearer is not particularly gentle with the animals -- but it was pretty typical of what goes on at a sheep station. 

Animals at Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary

A sheep,
a kookaburra,
a very relaxed wombat
a hopping kangaroo
a Tasmanian devil

--charlie

Fraser Island Experience

For the past 3 days we were on Fraser Island. It was an amazing experience and the island had absolutely beautiful scenery. I did not realize that Fraser Island is the largest sand island in the world until I got there. Driving on the beach in a 4-wheel drive truck was so much fun! We got to swim in 2 of the fresh water lakes there and hike through the rain forest on the island. Me, Brian, Rashad, and Dr. Jacobson took a plane ride over Fraser Island. The plane takes off and lands right on the beach. That was a lot of fun and the ride was defiantly a lot shorter than riding from Los Angeles to Sydney...and had great views of the island. While on Fraser Island we did not swim in the ocean because there are too many sharks around and it would be too dangerous to swim. Our trip to Fraser Island has been my favorite adventure in Australia so far.
-Amy Chipman-

Fraser Island

Our internet access on Fraser Island is minimal, so do not expect any photos until we return to Brisbane.  But, we have seen so far:

Four dingoes
Catfish
Sea eagles (including a baby learning to fly)
A dead sea turtle, probably killed by a shark
A live short-necked turtle, caught at Lake Wabby by our tour guide
Pied oystercatchers
Rainbow lorikeets (which I dislike!)

And that's just the first day. 

--charlie

Koala Sanctuary

One of the most amazing days of the trip so far and SO much fun! I even held a snake, which was scary enough, but it also put it's tail in my shorts which definitely scared me even more! The koalas were so cute and I really learned a lot today. Such a great experience!

[Charlie adds:  I do not know who posted this.  Please let me know.]