July 2012

Sunday the 15th

The following is my final post on this website and the only post that I wrote while at home in Pennsylvania. Jet lag has passed and I’m slowly getting used to American culture and customs. June whizzed by for me, since just the first week was crammed with my final research presentation to my lab group, conclusion of my final report (see the June page), several morning teas and a splendid going-away lunch with my lab mates (thanks again for the Australiana souvenirs--an Akubra hat, Tim Tams, Minties, and vegemite), the task of moving out of my share house, and the arrival of my parents.

My awesome lab group at the going-away lunch

After my parents arrived, I showed them around Brisbane to places like Mt. Coot-tha, various museums and gardens, South Bank and the central business district, areas along the Brisbane River, and people and places at the QIMR campus. Just a few days later, we flew up to Cairns to explore rainforest, beaches, and tablelands. On our first day in Far North Queensland, we visited the Daintree Discovery Centre to learn about the world’s oldest rainforest and walk through the canopies of the trees on elevated boardwalks.

A Queensland fan palm

Our next stop was an exotic fruit tasting and tour of a farm in Cape Tribulation. The drive between the locations was spectacular, since the dense rainforest rolls down mountainsides into pristine beaches. However, jellyfish can populate these areas in warmer months, and crocodiles sometimes swim near the beaches.

We really enjoyed trying all of the different fruits but a few were much better than the others, like atemoya, longan, and soursop. Permaculture growing techniques are used by the owners, so many different plants are grown intermixed to prevent rampant disease, and certain plants that attract native wildlife are planted in a barrier around the more valuable plants to prevent loss of rare fruits.

From the fruit farm, we met Dan Irby on his tinny (tin boat, i.e. dingy) along the muddy banks of the Daintree River for a night cruise with just a few other people. Motoring up the river through the cool winter breeze, we saw several crocodiles and many birds returning to their roosting spots. As the sun dipped into the horizon, the murky brackish water formed a black mirror that created a beautiful reflection of the surrounding mangroves and mountains. Dan provided an informative commentary throughout the two-hour journey and pointed out interesting plants and animals with his laser and spotlight. At one point along the cruise, we stopped to watch thousands of white cattle egrets glide over the tree tops and swoop down to and across the surface of the water like a waterfall as they were flying to their nighttime roosts. You will have to visit yourself to appreciate this natural wonder. This event along with stargazing (we saw two satellites drifting through the stars, the Big Dipper upside down and enlarged, Southern Hemisphere constellations, wisps of the Milky Way, the Magellanic clouds, and thousands of other stars) were the highlights of this cruise.

The tinny coming across to pick us up Dan (the man with the white beard) Sunset on the Daintree River

The next day, we took the Gillies Highway from Cairns up onto the Atherton Tablelands. Although this is a scenic drive, the driver of the vehicle doesn’t get to see much because the road twists so much (over 170 twists in 19 km) and is often near cliff edges. I wanted to visit this area because it is the native home of the plant from which the cancer-fighting drug I studied is extracted. An affiliated lab and greenhouse is located here to study other plants for biomedical applications, so I got to meet the friendly personnel and chat about my research project. We also visited the curtain fig tree and other small shops and towns around the Tabelands.

The massive curtain fig tree

Green Island, a 45 minute boat ride from Cairns, is a coral cay in the Great Barrier Reef system that offers decent views of the Reef through snorkeling, diving, or a glass-bottom boat. The Island previously had an underwater walkway, but this was removed several years ago. I was skeptical about visiting the Island because I was worried that the health of the coral would be compromised by frequent ferries and visits by tourists. Plus, I already experienced the Reef in the Whitsundays, so my expectations of healthy reef were very high. Nonetheless, I thought my parents should see the Reef at least once and, since they are not keen swimmers or snorkelers, Green Island was the most accommodating option. We were fortunate to have pleasant weather for our visit to the island, which really makes a difference because sunlight reveals the true colors of the fish and coral. While my parents did a glass-bottom boat tour, I went snorkeling and was pleasantly surprised by the large density and diversity of sea life. Although the coral was not as healthy as I experienced before, I was pleased to see a stingray, sea stars, a giant potato cod, and many other types of brightly-colored fish.

A view of Cairns from the ferry Green Island

After a short plane ride up to the Top End of the Northern Territory (NT), we arrived to the heat of Darwin and later visited the Mindil Beach Night Markets. The Markets offer a huge variety of food and craft stalls, with most of the food from Southeast Asian cuisine since the area is so close. Darwin is still a growing city due to uranium and fossil fuel mining but very small compared to Brisbane. Ironically, the top end of the Northern Territory along with other areas of Australia are home to some of the largest uranium mines in the world (many of which are located in Litchfield and Kakadu National Parks), but nuclear electric generation is banned in Australia. The irony is magnified by the fact that the Australian continent is geologically stable, crisscrossed by reliable railways, and mostly isolated from human threats; most Australians seem interested to pursue cleaner forms of electric generation too. New reactor technologies also greatly reduce waste, which no longer requires thousands of years of decay for transformation into benign material.

A NT road train, the longest in the world

The highlight of our time in the Top End was a day tour that was packed with interesting facts and fun activities. I learned the most about Darwin’s significant involvement in WWII, including Japanese bombing raids and the construction of a large number of airstrips and bunkers. Darwin is still home to an active military base that also houses U.S. Marines and saw the visit of President Obama last November. Our first stop was a site with cathedral and magnetic termite mounds in Litchfield Park. If humans built a structure with the same structure:body size ratio as the termites’ cathedral mounds, the structure would be several miles tall. Importantly, two-thirds of the cathedral mound is below the ground and, combined with special vent shafts, proximity to the water table, as well as orientation to the sun’s path of travel, the mound maintains a relatively constant and comfortable interior temperature despite the stifling exterior heat. First mistaken for tombstones by European explorers, the magnetic termite mounds are more prevalent, smaller than the cathedral mounds, built by different types of termites, and have narrow edges that point north-south with broad faces that point east-west (like a magnetic compass). Studying the design of both types of termite mounds can solve significant problems for new construction, including how to efficiently heat and cool tall buildings and how to physically construct tall buildings (the colonies that build the mounds can persist for about 80 years, and the mounds are made from just mud and plant fibers).

Cathedral termite mound Magnetic termite mounds

After the termite mounds, we visited several waterholes and waterfalls. From the massive expanse of scorched grass plains, you would never expect to come across such lush areas with cool water gushing out of high rock walls. For this reason, the traditional Aboriginal landowners regarded these permanent water sources as sacred and used them for special rituals. Crocodiles also inhabit many of waterholes. The two main types of crocodiles in this region are freshies (only tolerate freshwater) and salties (tolerate both fresh and saltwater). Freshies are neither very big nor usually aggressive and eat small fish and reptiles. On the other hand, salties can be very aggressive and will eat whatever enters their territory, and male salties will grow exponentially in a favorable environment. Our guide assured us that there were not any salties in Wangi Falls, which is where I swam. Wangi Falls was a ritual bathing site for Aboriginal women where young girls were brought after their first menstrual cycle. There is still a natural hot tub at the base of the smaller falls that is supplied by water heated from the rocks exposed to many hours of sunlight. The Buley Rockholes was another awesome swimming site we visited, and it is totally free of crocodiles because of its higher elevation.

Wangi Falls Buley Rockholes Me in the falls

We next went on a cruise in the Adelaide River in a small boat with the 12 or so other people in the group and our guide. The River is very murky and filled with salties, which liked to stealthily approach the boat. Our guide tapped the water with a stick and got several crocs to jump out of the water and chomp a piece of pig bone. Some of the crocs were nearly as long as our boat, which made the cruise quite exhilarating and even a bit frightening when the crocs jumped out of the water at eye level. In the second half of the twentieth century, salties were almost hunted to extinction for their pelts and meat. Crocodile farms largely prevented their extinction because demand for pelts and meat remains high, but this demand could be restricted with enough effort. Our final stop was a location called Window on the Wetlands, which is a high point of land that offers views of the Adelaide River wetlands and floodplains. Over prawns and champagne, we recapped the day, chatted with other people in our group, and watched the fiery-red sunset.

The tinny

A two-hour flight brought us to Alice Springs in the Red Centre of the Northern Territory. In terms of climate, this was the most significant change we experienced on the trip. The winter temperatures here are in the low 60s (14-16) during the day and the low 30s (0-2) during the night, and the humidity is very low; most days are sunny and exceptionally clear. We did two day tours from Alice Springs. The first was to Kata Tjuta (The Olgas) and Uluru (Ayer’s Rock), both of which are massive rock formations comprised of conglomerate (compressed sediment and pebbles) stained by the high levels of iron oxide (rust) in the surrounding sand. Each site is also sacred to the Aboriginal landowners and many spots in the rock formations hold unique stories. Certain areas are thus not open to the public and photography is banned in other areas. Despite what you may have heard, the public can still climb Uluru as long as the weather conditions are suitable. This activity is strongly discouraged not only because Uluru is a sacred site, but also because people regularly die from health problems or falling off, which is why I was so surprised to learn climbing here is still allowed! After walking around the bases of some of Kata Tjuta (there are 36 mountains) and Uluru, we enjoyed a sunset dinner with Uluru in the background. We were worried that the sunset would not be good because clouds had moved in but, just a few minutes before sunset, a break in the clouds formed and created a spectacular view of Uluru as its color changed from gray-red to bright orange-red.

Mt. Connor, not Uluru Kata Tjuta Uluru before After Sunset among desert oaks

We spent our day in between tours exploring the Alice Springs Desert Park, which houses only native plants and animals. Located at the base of the MacDonnell Ranges, the Park has superb displays of the different desert ecosystems and nocturnal animals as well as an interesting bird show that includes the various types of native falcons. We also attended a bush medicine session and learned about how different plants and insects are used by Aboriginal people for treating common ailments. Alice Springs has a large market every other weekend in the morning that hosts many local artisans and food stalls. Several stallholders were Americans because they had come to Alice with the U.S. military or some contractor to work at the Pine Gap Intelligence Facility. Pine Gap is a satellite tracking station jointly operated by the Australian and American Armed Forces, and it is the major employer for Alice Springs with close to 800 employees.

Our second tour went to King’s Canyon, a massive sandstone feature formed by shearing events and erosion. We really enjoyed this tour because of the scenic 6.5 km rim walk we undertook with our small group. The walk was strenuous at first because of a steep ascent up Heart Attack Hill, but the effort was certainly worth the view at the top, since the clear sky allowed for a visibility that was easily between 80 and 100 miles. From that point onward, the hike was much less difficult and offered many views down the sheer 300 foot canyon walls. Our guide offered bits of information along the way and, fortunately, the descent was gradual. By the end of the trip, we were all tired, but I still had a week planned for us around Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast.

Our group Great visibility The "Garden of Eden" oasis Me and my parents

Our first destination was the home of the Oxenfords, a Rotary family I had met when I visited Bribie Island last November. After quick introductions, we went to the meeting of the Bribie Island Environmental Protection Agency because John and Diane are committee members, and we were keen to hear about current projects and concerns in the local area. Diane also gave a wonderful presentation about turtle monitoring and challenges faced when residents and visitors fail to respect the areas around rookeries. The next day, we visited the Maleny Cheese Factory (I have mentioned this great place before) and the mountain town of Maleny, which has many shops and cafes. After two wonderful nights with the Oxenfords, we headed north to see the Roachs, another Rotary family I had met last November, and stopped at the Eumundi Markets along the way. Now, although we were visiting the Sunshine Coast, we were lucky enough to experience Southeast Queensland’s wettest June in 30 years! From Monday to Thursday in the last week of June, this area received more than 12 inches of rain. I had not expected so much rain, especially since the winter months between June and September are usually the driest. Since it was so cool and damp, we lit a fire in the stove and then had an enjoyable dinner together. On Thursday of that week, I gave my final presentation to Fortitude Valley Rotary and said goodbye (for now) to many good acquaintances I had made throughout the year. The final Rotary bulletin from my host club is attached to the bottom of this page.

The next day, we drove up to Dicky Beach to meet the Foxs, another family affiliated with Rotary. All of us went to the Caloundra Rotary changeover, and I spoke to the audience about the highlights of my year. On Saturday, incoming president Roger showed me and my parents the Caloundra lighthouses that he helped restore and then Roger took me out surfing for what will probably be the last time for several years before I can return to the Sunshine Coast again. We then returned to Brisbane to stay with Philip and Fran again. On Sunday, we all went to Janet’s house for a wonderful lunch with her family and her parents on their deck; by this time, the rain had finally moved out and the weather was sunny and mild again! If you return to my July 2011 post, you will remember the remarkable connection Janet has with Pittsburgh. During my upcoming visit to Pittsburgh, I am looking forward to meeting two of the families that hosted (and still keep in touch) Janet when she first visited that area in 1980 as a year 12 high school student. On 2 July, we finished our packing for our impending departure the next day, but had one last family to meet. That night, we went to the Whitemans’ house for dinner with their family. I mentioned David’s name a few times before on this website because I am good friends with him and his family after our initial meeting in 2009. In fact, David was the main person responsible for introducing me to the QIMR in 2009 and setting up my communications with the lab where I worked these past 12 months. Almost three years prior to the recent date that my family and I had dinner with the Whitemans, I had dinner at the Whiteman’s house just before I returned home from Brisbane in June 2009 after a month-long study abroad. As you can imagine, this recent dinner was a special night for all of us, and I really enjoyed introducing my parents to the Whitemans. By the end of the night, I felt as though we were all old friends and hope the period between now and when we next meet is not too long.

From L to R: Fran, the Whitemans, my parents, the Whiteman daughters

Overall, my parents were impressed by Australia and especially by the genuine kindness and witty humor of friends that I had made but also of strangers we met along the way and interacted with in public settings. Australian culture is quite different from that in the U.S. and significantly different from what is portrayed in the media, so I encourage you to travel across the continent and experience it for yourself (only a simple, cheap electronic visa is required of American citizens for vacations lasting no more than three months). I am confident that you will enjoy your time there, especially if you can stay with acquaintances or take part in some type of exchange. I certainly struggle to believe that my 12 months have passed so quickly, but I’m glad that I can always refer back to the content of this website (approximately 30,400 words) to recount all my excursions, meetings, lab work, and fun times with new friends. Finally, I encourage you to read my Rotary report on the June page, contact me with any questions or suggestions, and please distribute this website to anyone who may be interested. Although all of my thanks are recorded in that report, I must thank the Rotary Foundation and all the Rotarians I have met over the past few years again for providing this unique opportunity to live abroad and allowing me to lead the best year of my life so far. I will keep this website active for as long as Google allows and post links to any additional websites that I may create in the future.