Here are some overdue pictures. Today I just got my computer back from the fix-my-computer shop; it was fixed by an Israeli dude.
This is the EASTERN MOST POINT OF AUSTRALIA. I am as close to the United States as I can get on the continent of Australia. Also, I am as close to my buddies studying abroad in South America (you know who you are, even if you're not reading the blog, Anya). While camping at Linnaeus, we awoke one morning at 5:30 AM to go see the sunrise at the Byron Bay lighthouse. This is the view of the Pacific, post-sunrise. And now, for the sunrise.
Yea, it's pretty sweet. The light house was atop a huge hill, and the path up to it was covered in coastal rainforest-type vegetation. Something I did notice in the long trek down the hill was all the the peopl passing me; they were old. I don't mean one-foot-in-the-grave old, but they were in their late-60s to early 80s. And they looked great. And they were power-walking up this enormous hill at six in the morning. It dawned on me then that Australians are more health conscious than Americans. They also seem to enjoy a more active elderly life than most of us in the US.
To the right is Linnaeus, as seen from the infinity pool. Since we have left orientation at Linnaeus, we have returned, and each time, our taxi drivers ask what the expansive property is for. At one point in time, it was zoned for education use after a huge resort deal fell through with some Japanese investors. Phil, the millionaire architect/owner, ingeniously fudged the zoning laws to create a posh vacation home settlement for Australia's rich environmentalist. The one catch: they have to donate large sums of money to education and environmental groups. It works out for our group, though, because we get to use Linnaeus occasionally.
On an unrelated note, completely unlike in the Unites States, egalitarianism is of great importance in Australian society. The taxi driver is equal to the head of state, and they can have a conversation as equals, and they treat each other as equals. Peter, our program director, made the group aware of this by explaining how taxis work. Unlike in the United States, a passenger sits next to the taxi driver, even if all the passengers can fit in the back. That is to say that the driver is not a chauffeur, but another guy who really wants to have a conversation with you. I have had the pleasure of sitting next to the driver during three of the four taxis we have been on; all of the drivers were interesting and had jobs other than taxi driving. Three taxi conversations = three new, Australian friends.
Speaking of new friends, my trip buddy Michelle introduced me to the two Italian twenty-somethings living next door to her at the Byron Bay Holiday Apartments, where we are staying. Simon and Giovanni are taking a break from their post-undergraduate jobs near Bologna to travel around Australia. Simon was the talkative one, probably because Giovanni does not speak English. Apparently taking an immediate liking to me, Simon gave me his cell number so that I could call him to go out to eat (and then to party) the next night. Not trusting that I would make good on this deal we had made, he made me give him my phone number. The next night, Simon did not call me, and I did not call him. But I am assuming I have a place to stay if I ever visit Bologna.
I have added a couple of pictures to the previous post, so feel free to check them out. Today is a free day in Byron Bay, and this evening we get on a bus to Casino, and then a train to Sydney, and then a train to Melbourne. I will be on a train for 23 hours, chugging away into the areas ravaged by the fires in Victoria.
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