NDBT

Because I couldn’t get on the internet till now (11 pm) and I’ve had a full day. Its okay though – I finished my book 5 min before my time slot opened.

Ok – made it up in time for brekkie today, which was exciting, since Tuesday is full free brekkie day and a lady I like on my floor had bfast with me. Then I got a disposable camera and caught the tram to the zoo (6$ for the day – sheesh!)

The zoo was good. I was expecting it to be bigger, since, you know, Melbourne v. Perth and Adelaide, but despite the fact that it wasn’t as giant as I expected, it was very good. The highlights included the big and small cat exhibits (the big cats had just been fed when I got there – so I got to watch the jaguars, puma, and snow leopards munching on their carcasses). The small cat group was really good and included a Serval (they’re soo pretty), binturongs (which are awesome creatures), a bobcat, and some fisher cats among others. There was a really great Aussie aviary that included a parrot that could perfectly mimic the sound of a digital camera shutter (took me a minute to figure out where the sound was coming from). There were also maned wolves, which I had never seen before, but which were really pretty. And out side the lions was an adorable toddler (1 and a half, maybe?) who was roaring with all his might, which was along the lines of , “waw, waaaw”. It was pretty cute. Really excellent red panda and tree kangaroo exhibits (it seems to be a law for Oz zoos). There was also a good reptile/frog house (there was a really pretty frog called a Ball Frog), and finally some more really great aussie bird cages (incl. a Pacific Baza, a whistling Kite, a barking owl, kookaburras, a bush stone-curlew and tawny frogmouths, which just might be my favorite bird, ever.) (Here’s a pic, although it looks kinda squashed – juvenile, maybe?:

http://sophie-g.net/photo/oz/anim/pct/frogm.jpg And another:

http://www.drellenrudolph.com/featureanimals/tawnyfrogmouth.jpg)

I had a good salad at the cafe and started Tales of the City. After getting back to the CBD, I wandered down to the mall to check out a crime book store I had been told about and the borders. Got a few ideas for murder mysteries (Tasha Alexander, Gilbert Adair, Deanna Raybourn, Ngaio Marsh), and reminded myself that I had started a couple of series and forgotten them again (Bruce Alexander, Anne Perry – although I cannot for the life of me remember how many of hers I’ve read). Plus I found a couple that I think are only here in Oz. I have 2 left in the Kathy Reichs (already) so I need new material. Found a famous amos stand and ate a cookie (they remind me of the Mrs. Fields that I used to get after the dentists. When the fluoride had worn off). I wonder if they have Orange Julius’ here?
Came back to the hostel and talked to a new girl in the room. I think she hates Australia. I mentioned I was going to Cairns, and she instantly said, “Oh Cairns is completely awful” (not I didn’t like it, or you might want to spend more time elsewhere). So I mentioned that I was using it as a base for a number of small trips I want to do. Like the rainforest. “Oh the rainforest was so disappointing. I didn’t like it at all.” And then EVERY place I mention she hasn’t liked! Oh – I spent too much money there. Oh – I couldn’t do anything there. Oh – that was all too far away. That was boring. That was hot. Holy crap! She’s been in the country for months, and I just felt so badly for her. She’s going to go back to the Netherlands having had an awful time here. We talked about how when you travel to a country, you don’t really know what you are getting into, and you learn the best way to do it next time (not to mention making a list of the things you didn’t get to). Like Australia – next time? Well, aside from Tas, camper van – all the way. It’s the best way to see a country with such huge distances. Madagascar? Head east first, try to book flights early, and go in November. But either way – I’m still loving what I have been able to see. You can’t see a whole country on your first try, anyways. I just don’t understand how she could be so miserable with what she has seen. Or – why she hasn’t packed it in and left if she’s so disappointed. Weird.

Finished Tales of the City this evening. Brilliant! (Okay – not great literature, but lots of fun). I ABSOLUTELY loved it. I loved all the little local details (the ferris wheel on top of the emporium, the doctor at 450 Sutter) and I enjoyed reading about what the city was like before my time. It was funny and lovely and I highly recommend it. (What is the emporium now? Is it the new fashion center?)
I’ve come super-close to finishing the local crossword almost entirely in one sitting. (I had to check with a local that they spell meter, metre. Oh and they call zebras zeh-brahs here, too). I have 6 left, but I’m totally thrown because I thought I had one, and now it doesn’t work anymore. Harumph. Oh – got it. A male deer is a stag not a buck. Down to 4. Anyone (mom?) know a 6 letter breed of hound? _A_S_T ?

Oh – and does anyone remember the author of that Irish murder mystery I read? (Mom – shipped it to you…) I suppose I could check back enteries… I’ll do it tomorrow.

Oh yeah – I forgot. Because one of the guys in the shooting was a backpacker, the local paper ran a article on all the backpackers that have been killed or maimed or disappeared in the last 15 years around Oz (not even including wolf creek – only foreign backpackers). Awesome.

Ooh! (I’m in an SF mood): check out how the academy is coming along: http://www.calacademy.org/newacademy/

Tags: Travel

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