June 20,21 - On Our Way

We're in LA, waiting to board. So far it's been fairly uneventful. We were joined on the flight from Dallas by another People to People group from North Carolina. It was a high school group taking the same itinerary, only reversed. When they reach Sidney they'll fly on up to Cairns and bus back to Sydney.

All the delegates are pretty animated for 2:30 a.m. our time. I hope they sleep on the plane!

We'll lose a day on the flight. The next blog will be after our first day in Sydney.

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July 8 - Skyrail, RainForeStation

We ended our time in Australia much in the same way we started: a day jam-packed with activities.

We started the day by taking the Sky Rail across the top of the rain forest. Looking down on the canopy was breath-taking, and we were able to make a couple of stops along the way to explore the rain forest a little bit. It sure was high up there. We had a few discussions in the gondola car as to how difficult it must have been to build the gondola system, and what a pain it must be to maintain it. Not a job I would want to have!

We spent the rest of the day at the RainForeStation. It provided us with an abundance of activities and experiences. We were able to watch traditional Aboriginal dances, throw a boomarang, feed kangaroos, ride in an Army duck, and do some bush dances. We also got to hold a koala. She was so cute!

There was a duo playing music for us during dinner, and then after dinner the delegates joined in the singing and dancing. We had a rousing rendition of “Among the Gum Trees.” Then, before we knew it, it was over and we were on our way back to the hotel and to bed before the 2:30 wake up call to leave.

July 7 - Great Barrier Reef

The air was filled with excitement at breakfast this morning. We were headed for the Great Barrier Reef! Our tour was with Reef Magic and we boarded the boat at the wharf in Cairns.

It was a perfect day: the sky was clear with no clouds and the water was calm. It took us about 1 ½ hours to reach the reef. The boat was full of people including a couple of other People to People delegations.

After some instruction and fittings for equipment, we were free to enjoy the day at the reef. I liked that they had pontoon station that we used throughout the day. We didn’t have to dive off the boat to snorkel; there was a special station on the side with benches and open area to get into the water easily. The pontoon also had a sunning deck, tables to eat lunch and a changing area for when we were finished. All of the equipment was on it, too.

I was so surprised when I first got into the water. I expected to have to swim out a little way before I saw anything. But no, we were right there! As soon as I got in the water there was coral and fish all around me! I have never seen anything like it before. Some of the coral was very close to the top of the water, so I had to be careful swimming around it, so as not to touch it. In other places it formed shelves and caves. We had a large area that we could explore and there were a great variety of fish and coral to see. There was one huge fish, Wally, that is like a pet for the cruises. He was often seen swimming around the area, and many had their picture taken with him.

We also had the opportunity to ride in a mini-sub, to see a different part of the reef with a guide. That was pretty cool, too, and it helped when I snorkeled again in the afternoon to identify some of what I was seeing.

Lunch was fantastic (or maybe I was just extra hungry from all the swimming). They provided a buffet of ham, roast beef, and prawns, along with salads, sushi and fruit. They also had breads and muffins for morning tea and fruits and cheese for afternoon tea.

The day passed very quickly, and before we knew it, we were on our way back home. It was a decidedly more quiet group traveling back. A few even fell asleep on the boat.

Sadly, we had to say good-bye to Len, our bus driver, tonight. Because of the size of the bus, he can’t drive us tomorrow. He thought he would be able to take us to the airport on Thursday, but it appears the company has arranged another driver. Len was terrific. He was a little deaf, but always willing to share his knowledge of the area. He took good care of us.

We’re having trouble believing that tomorrow will be our last day to tour. The time has gone by so quickly, and we have been able to do so much. I have to say that this has been the most activity-packed itinerary I have ever been on, and yet we still had the much-needed down time. Tomorrow brings more great experiences before we head home.

July 6 - Cairns

With much sadness, we left Woodleigh this morning. Kate and Peter and their family were wonderful hosts, and we got to experience a great deal of station life.

Back on the bus, we saw some terrific scenery on our way down the mountain. It seemed like at every turn there was another breath-taking sight to see. I noticed that many of the fields had a clay-like composition again. We passed field upon field of sugar cane, much of it with white tassels. We also saw many banana fields and lots of palm trees. The closer we got to Cairns, the more lush it became.

We had a special treat when we got to the Cairns Center mall to eat lunch. The high school delegation from Columbus was there! We were able to meet up with our area delegation leader, and John was able to meet up with his sister, who is traveling with that delegation! It was a great surprise to see people from home.

After a bit of shopping we checked into our hotel. It’s hard to believe this will be the last one we’ll be checking into this trip. We now can take out the extra luggage bag, and some are very thankful for that!

At dinner tonight, many of the delegates decided to try something new and exotic: kangaroo. It was cooked to perfection, and was very moist and flavorful. It was similar to beef in texture, but had an entirely different taste. Some tried the barramundi, a fish we learned about at Underwater World. We all had Pavlova for dessert.

We learned that we just missed a huge contingent of Marines in Cairns. Apparently they were here over the 4th and they even had a fireworks display for them.

Tomorrow we’re headed to the Barrier Reef.

July 5 - Woodleigh Farm

This morning I work up at 5:30 to go to the bathroom and got the best view of the night sky. The stars were brilliant, and so close I felt like I could touch them. I could see Jupiter so clearly, and it looked so big I thought at first it was a plane. I’ve never seen anything so bright in the sky!

It wasn’t as cold out as I thought it would be, and once the sun came out, it heated up quickly.

We’re called to meals with a dinner bell, and the food is hearty and delicious. Last night we had roast and potatoes and an apple crumble with real whipped cream for dessert. This morning it was bacon and eggs.

We learned how to milk a cow and how to crack a stock whip. The cows were really patient with us. One of the delegates shouted every time she touched the udder. Peter asked her if she played tennis, too.

We got to hold a tiny kangaroo that they are nursing. Her name is Cassidy and she is so cute!!

Between cow milking and whip cracking we had skomo (or a snack). This morning it was biscuits with jam or the most wonderful golden syrup I’ve ever tasted.

Cracking the whip was not as easy as it looked, but I eventually got it. Some of the delegates became quite adept at it.

After lunch we hiked across the horse pasture to the river for some swimming. Along the way we saw many termite mounds, most 4-5 feet high. These aren’t the type of termites that destroy wood. I had seen a large termite mound in the Blue Mountains, but never so many as are in the field here.

We went on a kangaroo and crocodile hunt. They loaded us into an open truck bed with benches that looked reminiscent of the ones used in Jonestown. Peter was driving, and he loved hitting the bumps at great speed. We did see and couple of crocs and many kangaroos. The truck even crossed through the river at one of it’s lower points. When we were headed back at the end of the trip, we were crossing the river again, and just as we were reaching the other side, the truck stopped. I was sitting in the back at the very end. The next thing I knew, the entire bed was lifting from the other side! It looked a lot like the Titanic did when it went down, and everyone was headed toward me! That Peter--he’s a real jokester.

July 4 - Ayr, Burdekin Shire, Ravenshoe

We drove into Ayr to meet with a council member. It was especially poignant that we started the meeting with the playing of the national anthems of both countries. We learned about how important the sugar cane industry is to this area. Burdekin Shire produces an abundance of sugar for the area and the world. We also learned that many of the farms no longer burn off the cane, but because of the moisture in Burdekin’s cane, the farmers there still burn it off.

We also drove over the Burdekin Bridge, known as the Silver Link. It’s a pretty unique structure. It crosses the Burdekin River.

After lunch, we headed up to the farm stay in Ravenshoe. The name might be different from what was on the itinerary. We had a switch in locations once we arrived.

The drive took about 4 ½ hours and took us up into the mountains. Before we arrived we were treated to the a most magnificent sunset of crimsons, gold and purple.

We are staying at Woodleigh Farm, owned by Kate and Peter Waddell. It is 42,000 acres and they have 2,500 cattle. It is run mostly by family members.

After dinner we went into one of the side fields to do some star-gazing. The Southern Cross was clearly visible, and we saw a couple of shooting stars, too! Then we headed to the camp fire for ghost stories. Seems one of the earlier owners of the farm, Uncle John, is sometimes seen around the property. He’s buried right outside my sleeping quarters. (I’m thrilled.)

The delegates are becoming quite adept at cleaning up after themselves. Many of the places we’ve eaten have had them scrape and stack their plates. Here at the farm, they also have to lightly wash and rinse the plates, too. (A great skill for them to continue at home!)

The delegates are sleeping in huge tents that they call marquees. There is one for the girls and one for the boys. It’s expected to get down to 36 degrees tonight, so they’ll be bundled up well.

July 3 - Mackay, Airlie Beach

Today was a “bus day.” We really needed a break. The delegates are starting to feel the effects of non-stop touring. They are pushing to the limit, and frankly, some of them are exhausted. They hate to give up any time for rest because they don’t want to miss experiencing something. I can’t say that I blame them. There is so much to do, and it seems like precious little time to do it all. Last night, we got back late, and had to be ready to go this morning.

So, it was really quiet on the bus this morning. Most were sleeping and we have a couple who are feeling a little under the weather. It’s nothing major, just a bit of a stomach virus. The timing is great because we have a couple of travel days and they can sleep on the bus. By the time you read this, everyone should be feeling terrific again.

Traveling today, we passed through terrain that was truly kangaroo country. The grasses were higher and the area was “scruffy,” as Lauren called it. We saw quite a few dead kangaroos on the side of the road. Lauren calls them “wuzaroos.”
We stopped just outside of Mackay today to learn about sugar cane farming. While Farmer Brown (no joke!) took us around the field, we had a big piece of sugar cane to chew on. We got to see how it is harvested, learned how to tell when it’s ready to be harvested ( it tassels like corn), and tasted the juice of freshly harvested cane. It was so sweet! We also lunched there before heading further north.
We’re spending the night in Airlie Beach, the gateway to the Whitsunday Islands. The town is a huge resort area. We stopped at the beach before we checked into the hotel. The water was crystal-clear blue, just like a postcard. The bay was filled with boat;, many of them sailboats , with their white sails shining against the bright blue sky. It’s a sight I won’t forget soon.

We are staying at the Club Crocodile, and it’s very tourist friendly. We’re all together at one end of the complex. There is a pool just for that end. The rooms are good sized, and have safes and locks on the cabinets to store valuables. They even had a room designated for our group to meet or hang out.

Tomorrow we’ll celebrate Independence Day by meeting with the government official and arriving at our farm stay. It’s another long travel day, but we’re up for it!