David’s Okay

By jennifer | Published: February 18, 2011

I finally got an email from David, and before that, I got an email from one of his friends, both with the good news that David’s okay.  The solar panels blew off the roof of his house (as expected) and the dunny didn’t make it.  (A dunny is what’s known as an outhouse in America.  see picture below.) Replacing the dunny will have to wait, because restoring power and water to the house takes precedence, and David already has the solar panels working again.  This was his third destructive cyclone that hit the area since he built his own home deep in the rainforest nearly 40 years ago.  It says a lot about his building skills and the faith he has in the safety of his home to want to ride out all three of those storms.

David wrote that the beautiful little town of Tully has changed, and so has much of the area.  The rainforest is brown and ripped, there are roofs missing from buildings, and it’s “awful.”  Northern Queensland has a ton of work ahead.  David has a lot of work to do, but he’s still here, and that’s what matters.  Stuff comes and goes.  Each of us is one of a kind.  I admire David’s drive to live off the grid and push through difficult times.  It says much about his character and that he’s living life on his terms.  Go David.  Here’s to a quick recovery.

The dunny before it took flight and disappeared into the rainforest.

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Cyclone Yasi Recovery

By jennifer | Published: February 13, 2011

Ten days after the storm…

Recovery news reports say that tropical Cyclone Yasi caused widespread damage when it crossed the Queensland coast at Mission Beach at midnight on February 3, 2011, with a large destructive eye that extended between Innisfail and Cardwell.  More than 80 schools in far north Queensland were shut down, including Tully State High School.  The school was destroyed and will have to be completely rebuilt.

Mission Beach, Tully and Innisfail are the areas I visited when I was in Queensland staying with my friend David.  I still haven’t heard from David, and I’m going to assume that the only reason he isn’t emailing is because his solar panels need to be replaced or repaired.  Power to his home and computer may take awhile to restore. David is resourceful, and he has neighbors who watch out for one another, so I’m going to take the stand that he’s okay. 

Queensland has a big job ahead to repair roads that were washed out, the schools that were damaged, and the hundreds of homes and buildings that need to be rebuilt.  Aussies are a hardy group, and they will get through this.  The government has stepped in and is working hard to bring assistance as quickly as possible.  One of the biggest challenges will be in finding enough materials to rebuild.

There are  three months remaining in cyclone season, and at the moment, the skies are calm.  Let’s hope the South Pacific gets the rest it needs to bring some sense of normalcy back to all those affected by recent storms.

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Worried about David

By jennifer | Published: February 3, 2011

I’m worried about David.  David is my friend in northern Queensland who chose to stay in his custom built wood frame stilt home while the eye of Cyclone Yasi was predicted to pass overhead.  Shortly after building to a category 4, Yasi grew to a category 5.  Had there been a category 6 (there’s no such thing), I believe it would’ve qualified.  Just before landfall, winds had increased to over 300 km/hr (186 mph), and the Australian weather bureau called Yasi, “A storm of ferocity not experienced in generations.”

During the worst of the storm, David was emailing me with updates.  How he managed to keep his wits about him and keep his friends updated is beyond me.  He wrote that the eye was passing south of him, which made the winds worse, and the sound outside his windows was equal to two jet engines.  Whenever the rain stopped briefly, the hills roared with a violent sound.   His windows were rattling so badly at one point, he had to tie them to keep them from blowing out.  And that was the last communication I got. 

There’s a possibility that he simply ran out of battery power to send emails, and he’s okay.   And then my mind races with crazy images of Dorothy spinning around in her bed in her house in a cylcone of her own, heading towards the Land of Oz.  I could make up stories all day long, so I’ll stop now, think good thoughts, and wait to hear from David himself.  I’ll let you know when I do. 

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Cyclone “Yasi” now a Category 4

By jennifer | Published: February 1, 2011

“YASI IS A LARGE AND POWERFUL TROPICAL CYCLONE AND POSES A SERIOUS THREAT TO NORTH QUEENSLAND COMMUNITIES,” reports the Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre in Queensland.  Everyone is on high alert.

What we call hurricanes in the USA are called cyclones in Australia, and Cyclone Yasi is a whopper.  Northern Queenslanders living in NE Australia are advised to “Immediately commence or continue preparations, especially securing boats and property.”   Coastal areas are being warned of “DAMAGING WAVES, STRONG CURRENTS and FLOODING of low lying areas.”

The storm will affect the same path I took exactly 11 years ago when I was in Australia for two months.  January and February is cyclone season, but I caught a good year, and the skies were peaceful.  David, the star of Part Six in An American in Oz said in a recent email that he’s going to ride this one out in his home in Queensland.  It’ll be his third cyclone that I know of.  He’s confident his home will stand.  My thoughts are with him and all of Northern Queensland.

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Huge Storm Headed for Queensland

By jennifer | Published: February 1, 2011

This image, dated Feb 1, 2011, shows a massive storm headed toward Queensland, Australia, an area that covers most of the NE quadrant of the country.   Queensland is still recovering from the worst flooding in history, an event that has affected thousands.  The country of Australia is similar in size to the continental United States.  With that thought in mind, it gives perspective to the size of the swirling image in the NE corner of the picture.  Moving at the speed of 30 km per hour (almost 19 mph), this storm is going to hit hard, and Aussies are preparing for another challenge.   I’ll keep you posted.  Meanwhile, here’s a link  to the above satellite image. 

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Travel is Stressful

By jennifer | Published: January 30, 2011

“I have found that there ain’t no surer way to find out whether you like people or hate them than to travel with them.”   Mark Twain

Two months in any one country, traveling side-by-side with any one person, is going to bring out the best and the worst in a person everytime.  Because there’s nothing like being out of one’s comfort zone to stir things up.   If you want to get past the honeymoon stage of a new relationship, my advice is this:  take a trip together and the longer the better.  You’ll each see aspects of your personalities, the good and the bad, that might surprise both of you. 

Traveling through Australia for two months went exceptionally well for me and Jeff.  Even though the relationship didn’t survive more than a few months after the trip, we got along well while on the trip.  In hindsight, I think our experience had a lot to do with Australia’s weather and its residents.  There was plenty of sunshine, always a mood lifter, and plenty of friendly locals to help us along the way.   We were guided to the best restaurants, told of the best places to hike and when to hike, and we were saved when our car’s petrol tank was on “E” for empty.  All the petrol stations in one small town in the outback were closed, but a creative solution emerged.  Had we been in India or China for two months, non-English speaking countries with vastly different customs and cultures, I think we would’ve been challenged on every level.   

If at all possible, take an extended trip with your significant other before making a lifetime commitment.   You’ll get to know each other better and know if this is someone you want to be with for the rest of your life.  You’ll learn a bit more about yourself too, and that’s always worth the experience.

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January 26th is Australia Day!

By jennifer | Published: January 26, 2011

January 26th is Australia Day, a day similar (sort of) to our Independence Day in America except Aussies are so laid back (and it’s a relatively new celebration) that they don’t really know why they have the day off. They just know they don’t have to go to work and it’s time to go “On holiday”!

January 26th also marks the first year anniversary of An American in Oz.  Readers give it excellent reviews, and many are inspired to take a trip of their own.  To hear a recent podcast interview with me and Val Heart, “The Real Dr. Doolittle,” about the very odd creatures that live downunder, click here.    It was a lot of fun talking with Val.  I hope you enjoy it!

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Recent Flooding in Australia

By jennifer | Published: January 16, 2011

Australia is a land of extremes.  It can be too hot, too cold, too dry, and too wet, and right now, in scattered sections throughout the entire country, there is massive flooding going on.  Thousands are currently affected by too much rain too early into the “wet” season.  Power is out, an airport is closed, once-dry riverbeds are overflowing, and homes are flooding.    

The Queensland Government recently posted this announcement,  “Significant flooding occurred in many areas of Queensland during late December 2010 and early January 2011, with three quarters of the state declared a disaster zone. Recovery work is underway, with support available for those affected and opportunities for everyone to help others in need.”    Here’s a link to read more. The photos are reminders of our own Hurricane Katrina.  (Brisbane, the capital of Queensland, is mentioned.  The Australian continent is similar in size to the 48 United States, which puts Brisbane about where Wilmington, North Carolina sits in the USA.)  Here’s a YouTube link showing how strong flood waters can get and how nature can have its way at any moment.

David, my friend in Queensland, who is the star of Part Six in An American in Oz, said, ”The Australian government learned a lot about disaster relief from the US government during Hurricane Katrina.   They learned what not to do.”   It’s easy to think we’re our own island here in the States, that no one is watching, but they are, and if others can learn from our mistakes, then the world’s a better place for it.

Tomorrow, January 17, 2011, The Oprah Show will begin featuring ”Oprah’s Ultimate Australian Adventure.”  At the same time a tsunami of flood waters wash over much of this beautiful continent, so will a tsunami of goodwill wash over a country that can use the attention right now.  It is my belief that the world works within the Law of Duality, equal parts challenging with equal parts joy and happiness.  The tourism industry is doing its best to keep visitors coming to Australia in the weeks ahead and redirecting holidays as needed to keep everyone safe.  This is real life, with its ups and downs, the good parts and the sad ones.   Life’s ultimate lessons can be found beyond what happens in our lives and more on the side of what we do with what is happening.  It’s how we respond that matters most.   Australia will get through this.  Maybe the underground artesian basin, the only source of water for much of the outback, is being replenished, and once the mud washes away, maybe new growth will appear where there was only red sand.  Whatever is going on, one thing is for sure…when we help one another, we can get through anything.

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Top 10 Reasons to Love Australia

By jennifer | Published: January 2, 2011

There’s so much that makes Australia great, and it was a challenge narrowing it down to 10, but I managed. 

Here they are:

10.  Opals – 90% of the world’s opals come from Australia, and Coober Pedy is one of the most “colorful” mining towns in the world.

9.  Wine – Australian wine is known for its quality and affordability.  Yellow Tail is one of my favorites.

8.  Worldwide quisine – the continent is a melting pot of cultures, and Australia is full of fantastic chefs.

7.  The beaches – Australia is one large island surrounded by gorgeous beaches north, south, east and west.  awesome.

6.  Unique animals – from cassowaries to the Tasmanian devil, there are more strange critters in this country than any other due to its secluded location.  The egg laying duckbill platypus (below) defies explanation.

5.  Trains – The Ghan and the Indian Pacific Railway, to name a few, are worth checking out.  It’s a wonderful way to see the outback and travel from city to city, which leads us into #4.

4. Eight beautiful and unique capital cities - Darwin, Adelaide, Brisbane, Perth, Sydney, Melbourne, Hobart, and Canberra.   They’re all worth a visit.  Oh, so many reasons to go back to Oz.

3.  Uluru (Ayers Rock), the outback, and the Aboriginal Culture – Aborigines have a lot to teach us, and fortunately for us, they are opening up to deeper communications through indigenous tourism programs.

2.  The Great Barrier Reef – the name says it all.

And the number one reason to LOVE Australia…..

It’s the PEOPLE- Aussie hospitality is the BEST, and the country has delivered many talented actors and musicians.  Here are a few of my favorites – Hugh Jackman, Nicole Kidman, Keith Urban, Simon Baker, Russell Crowe, and Naomi Watts.   Bands:  Men at Work and The Little River Band

Australia is a wonderful place.

Christmas in Australia

By jennifer | Published: December 19, 2010

Australia, like America, is a multicultural nation representing many different religions and nationalities, and when it comes to Christmas, Australia celebrates much like America does. 
 
There is Santa Claus, tree lighting, house decorating, caroling, presents, enjoying time with family and friends, and lots and lots of food and drink.  Many Aussies say they enjoy grilling shrimp on the barbie in their own backyards. 
 
The one thing that won’t be found is snow. 
There is no such thing as a “White Christmas” in Australia.
 
The seasons are opposite to ours in the ‘States, which makes it summertime in December.  Santa can often be seen cruising in a speed boat waving to sun bathers lounging on any one of the beaches surrounding this beautiful country.  Since Australia is south of the equator, the weather is best the farther south you go, edging closer and closer to the South Pole. It’s much like heading to Maine for a summer vacation. Come to think of it, Tasmania, the island south of the continent, is very similar to Maine.
 
The day after Christmas is also celebrated much like in the USA….with after Christmas shopping sales. Known as ”Boxing Day” in Australia, this British holiday tradition began centuries ago when business owners would box gifts for their workers the day after Christmas. Boxing Day is celebrated throughout New Zealand, Canada, and Great Britain. 
 
Here’s a thought:  If Santa lives in the North Pole, is the South Pole his vacation home? You know, to get away from the office for awhile?
 
Whereever the holidays take you, and whatever you do, may they be filled with family, friends, love and laughter.
 
Merry Christmas!
Jennifer Monahan