Platypus

Yesterday I went searching for platypus up at Paluma with two friends in the avo. The ride up there was incredibly breath taking. At first, it seemed as if it was your classic "I'm going to the Australian outback" deal where there were tall golden grasses on a long paved road. The cruiser we were in helped with that effect.

Then we hit the rainforest. It was the most lush, green, and wet place I have ever been. Its like walking through the NY Botanical Gardens or some exhibit at the Bronx Zoo. Vines, trees, plants - emerald. Some of the trees looked like they were wearing camo gettups (as if it were printed on exactly). The road was winding and narrow, making the ride much more fun. We made a few stops at some waterfalls and to just go for short walks. I couldn't believe I was doing this on a Tuesday afternoon. In Binghamton, well, not much goes on Tuesday (seeing as I usually get out of class at 7/8pm). We got to see a lot of birds, including the really awesome Chowchillas. The calls of all the birds were pretty incredible too.

We made our way up to a river with a bridge and got out for our search. We sat. For a while. Time waiting wasn't bad at all though. We located a bunch of birds - mostly yellow throated honeyeaters and maybe a golden whistler (it was some extremely yellow bird. Beautiful).

One of my friends finally spotted a platypus, though I couldn't see it all too well - and by that I mean I couldn't see it at all. Just a splash. We waited around a bit more, as I felt slightly discouraged that it would be the only one there. However, with a bit of luck, she found another one on the other side of the bridge that I got to see for a bit before it ducked under the water again. I reckon they're pretty amazing animals - they're up there on Rayna's Favorite list. They are about 40-50cm with spurs on their hind legs (M have a poisonous one), they forage underwater with closed eyes and ears (just relying on electrosensory nerves in their beaks), their legs are attached laterally instead of beneath (like a dog/other mammals), and they're monotremes (lay eggs, also have no nipples so the milk just collects in fur pockets as young lap it up).

I really wish I had the time to just learn random facts about all these animals. Even ones in the States. I'm jealous of my friend who kept on spewing out random facts or identifying the animals we saw yesterday.

On the way back to the cruiser we saw a battong - he was a cute little guy. The drive home was absolutely crazy. First of all, we hit a bat. We tried going back to see if it was ok, but it was nowhere in sight (good, if it flew away - bad if it was on the side in the leaf litter). Second, and most "crazy" was the amount of fog! It was incredibly hard to see out of the windshield (even though now it had less bug splats from driving through huge puddles), and remember - roads were extremely curved. An adventure to say the least.

We dropped one of my friends off and then I got dinner at Nando's with the other. We headed back to his place where his housemate was coming home from a huge trip up north. It was awesome to see all of his photos - I'm jealous that there aren't so many research trips and volunteer options up at Binghamton. I definitely like the way they run things at JCU. I'm also jealous of my friend going to WA for 3 whole weeks for another research project, surveying dingos. They're all doing their masters, but seem to be having the time of their lives with each other and doing the things they love (like making a random day trip to look for platypus).

I would like to travel around Australia more, see more animals, do what I did yesterday and what my friends here do.

One day maybe.