Riverfire

Saturday night brought the kickoff of the Brisbane Festival, and with it, Riverfire, the annual fireworks display that all of Brisbane comes out to see.  I'm afraid as fireworks go, if you've seen one, you haven't seen them all.  Granted, I'm someone who gets excited on the Fourth of July, and will even brave the winter cold to see the New Year welcomed in on Boston Harbour, but I really thought this fireworks display was amazing.

The Brisbane River snakes an "s" through the city, carving cliffs along pretty peninsulas, and making the perfect setting for Riverfire.  All along the river were timed fireworks displays, bursting through the sky and reflected in the water below.  The rockets shot off barges, buildings, and bridges, bathing the whole city in colour.  Whereas New Years can get a bit rowdy, Rivefire is more of a family affair, and alcohol was banned from most viewing areas.  This meant that the families were out in force, and it was great to see a city with its eyes locked to the sky.

Fireworks shooting off the skyscrapers in the CBD

The iconic Story Bridge

Boston to Brisbane... And Back

Just short of a year after my adventures in Australia began, I realized that the adventure that my heart really needed was a trip back to Beantown.  For all the amazing technology - cheap international call rates, video chat, and Skype to Go - nothing compares to sitting across from your loved ones with a glass of wine and a year's worth of stories.

As I boarded the plane for the two week trip, I was thrilled, but anxious.  What would it be like to take a visit home?  Has my perspective changed?  After spending six months in London, I remember cursing the slow-moving, slovenly-dressed American students as I fought my way through the sidewalks of BU. What if it wasn't just a college campus phenomenon?  What if I found that Americans do live up to their somewhat damaged reputations?

Luckily, this wasn't the case.  On the plane, I sat next to a young man from West Virginia, who was studying on the Great Barrier Reef.  In back of us were two women and their mother, returning from their Australian Holiday.  Myth #1: American minds don't reach beyond America.  False.

When we reached LA, the first, most noticeable change was the diversity of the United States.  I can count on my hands the number of black people I've seen in Australia.  In LAX, the majority of employees were minorities, and announcements were read in English, y en Español.  The black stewardess, the hispanic secretary, and the eastern-European dentist that I visited only represent a fraction of the ethnicities and cultures that call America home.  Myth #2: America as the melting pot.  True.

Sadly, in LA, Americans lived up to their reputations for being rude, rushed, and loud.  As an American I know this isn't always the case (even Bostonians can be warm and friendly - if the Red Sox have won), but I would hate for someone's first impression of America to be the bombardment of landing in LAX.  Myth #3: Loud Americans.  Oh too true.

Everyone knows Americans do things big, and this was crystal clear after being gone for a year.  The roads are wider, the trucks are larger... even ice cubes and coffee mugs seem supersized in The States.  Myth #4: In America, Bigger is Better: True.

As I visited home, I was reminded not to take it for granted.  It is amazing to see Australia, and travel the world, but I was honestly surprised by how impressive New England is.  Boston is a charming city, full of parks, and brownstones... what other city could spawn a classic like Make Way for Ducklings?  The rivers and hills that snake through new England are stunning, and there is simply nothing more beautiful than watching the sun set over Lake Winnipesaukee.    Until you spot a shooting star.

Moreton Island

Back in Brisbane, Lauren, Mark and I took a daytrip across the bay to Moreton Island.  The island is one of the largest sand islands in the world, sitting in the waters off Brisbane.  Most of the island is natural parks, but it is also home to Tangalooma, a nature resort famous for its dolphin-feeding program.

I've seen lots of amazing things in Australia, and the Tangalooma dolphins are certainly high on that list.  Moreton Bay is home to hundreds of dolphins.  In the early 1990s, when Tangalooma resort was just beginning, lights were installed on the jettie (American translation: dock).  These lights began attracting fish, which in turn brought dolphins close to shore to find an easy meal.  As the dolphins became regular visitors, fishermen began throwing extra fish to the dolphins.  Like all wild animals, the dolphins soon learned to take advantage of an easy meal, and appeared at the jettie nightly.

This is when the resorts new owners decided to attempt to hand-feed the wild dolphins.  They began by getting in the water and throwing fish to one regular visitor, until the dolphin was eventually comfortable enough to take the fish from their hands.  Almost twenty years later, eleven wild dolphins visit Tangalooma at sunset, and accept hand-fed fish from delighted guests.

I have been eager to feed the dolphins at Tanglooma since I arrived in Australia.  After an exciting day of parasailing and quad biking on Moreton Island, Lauren, Mark, and I were watching the sunset over the bay when Mark spotted the first dolphin coming in.  As more and more guest gathered on the jettie, eight dolphins came in, splashing around and sticking their heads above water to see their audience.

The dolphin feeding program is now very regulated, since it does deal with wild animals.  The dolphins are fed under 20% of their dietary needs, so that they don't become reliant on the tourist feedings, and only dolphins that are born into the program can be fed - if a new dolphin appeared, he would not be given any fish.  To our disappointment there is also a strict no-touching policy, so we were all hoping the dolphins would brush up against us.

Actually getting in the water with the dolphins was amazing, but scary!  Dolphins are large, and although the staff assured us that the dolphins knew the difference between fish and human hands, you couldn't help but notice those sharp teeth coming toward you.  However, the dolphins are professionals.  As they swam in, they  waited in their designated spots along the beach (the dolphins are fed in pairs in specific "lanes"), and knew just what to do when we handed them the fish.

A free meal for the dolphins, and a great adventure for tourists - a perfect pairing!

The other Tanglooma activities.

We couldn't spot any dolphins from 500 feet up!

Sydneyside

 From Phillip Island, Lauren and I headed north along the coast toward Sydney.  I had be warned many, many times about driving this trip, because Australia is so vast.  After half way across the US last year, I thought  we'd be just fine, but nothing really prepared us for the drive between Melbourne and Sydney.  After crossing through cow country, we got into the mountains, where we were surrounded by a wall of trees for hours.  One lane, no other cars, and basically a tunnel through the forest.  Needless to say, we were thrilled to see this sign:

After seeing that glorious sight, we needed to switch camper vans.  We picked up our new van, as well as directions to get to our campground.  Five minutes later, we were navigating rush-hour Sydney traffic and heading toward the Harbour Bridge.  Even though it was dusk, rainy, and we were exhausted after a long drive, driving over the Harbour Bridge and sneaking a quick peak at the Opera House was a great welcome to Sydney.

The next day we set out to see the sights.  It's impossible to get a hold on a city in a day, but Lauren and I really did make an effort with Sydney.  We started our day with a free student-guided tour of the city.  It was a great way to see all the major sights, and spend time with a Sydneysider, as the city's residents are known.

Sydney reminded me a lot of Boston.  The cities are both built around the water, but the similarities go beyond the obvious.  As we were walking around the city, we quickly realized how small it is - the entire city is walkable.  We were also stopping every few blocks to look at a historical monument - the flag planted by the First Fleet, or a pub where the British navy sailors used to gather.  In history and charm, Boston and Sydney could go tit for tat.

But Sydney certainly has one thing over Bean Town - the beaches.  We hopped a bus to the world-famous Bondi Beach, on the south side of Sydney.  Unfortunately the weather didn't cooperate, but the beach was beautiful even with clouds and wind, so it has certainly earned its reputation. 

In the afternoon, we took a ferry across the Harbour to Manly, another beach on the northern side of the city.  For anyone visiting Sydney, this is a must do.  As the ferry pulled out from the dock, we had a gorgeous view of the city (evidence in the picture up top).  Just as we turned away from that sight, we were saw the stunning mouth of the harbour - massive bluffs cascading into the Pacific.  And, like most Aussie beaches, Manly did not disappoint.  It was the perfect end to our day in Sydney.

Sydney and the Harbour Bridge

The Opera House

A Little Adventure

After leaving Melbourne, Lauren and I headed south to Phillip Island, home of these adorable Little Penguins.  Growing only 12-13 inches tall, these native Aussies are the smallest birds in the penguin family.  Each night at dusk, thousands of them flock from the sea, waddle over the rocks, and find their sandy burrows on the coast.

I had no idea what to expect from the so-called Penguin parade, but it was amazing.  The penguins have suffered a large loss of habitat as the shore has been developed, so unfortunately they now only nest in a few areas on the south coast of Australia, and Philip Island is home to the largest of these colonies.

The southern coast of Australia isn't home to pristine beaches - in fact, the rough coastline, battered by antarctic waters, looks more like Britain than Bondi.  Just like in Ireland or Scotland, the green, scrubby hills fall directly into the surf.  As we walked around the boardwalks, the hills around us were a buzz with penguins calling out to their mates.  I've listened to the sunset songs of frogs, crickets, even bats, but to know that it was penguins calling out around us a very unique experience.

Melbourne

Melbourne - the capital of Victoria and second-largest city on the continent - is the "other" city in Australia; although if you said that to any Melburnians you'd have another thing coming.  The Melbourne-Sydney rivalry is even more alive than that between Boston and New York.  Even though Sydney always seems to be just one step ahead, Melbourne is widely regarded as the cultural capital of Australia, and is projected to overtake Sydney as the largest city in the next few decades.

For me and Lauren, Melbourne was the starting point for our trip.  After a quick two-hour flight from Brisbane, we landed in the cold.  I'd be told many times that Melbourne is a city that gets four seasons in one day, but as a proud New Englander, I wasn't intimidated.  However, as a New Englander who has become acclimatised to a subtropical surrounding, I promptly put on my layers and whinged when we hit the airport.

The first thing that hit me about Melbourne was the trees.  It's Autumn in Australia, and Melbourne is temperate enough to get a true change of seasons.  After missing two falls at home, my heart melted to see all the reds and oranges, and hear that familiar crunch beneath my feet.

We really only had one afternoon to see Melbourne, so unfortunately we didn't really get a grasp of the city.  One drawcard of the city is its beautiful gardens, which we did walk through.  The city is also famous for its side streets and alleyways, where you need to be in the "in" to know where to go.  I won't pretend to be a trendy Melburnian, but I'm lucky enough to know a few, so Lauren and I had a delicious dinner at a trendy tapas bar that you wouldn't have looked twice at if you had passed the the street.

Although I only got a taste of the "other," I was certainly left wanting more of Melbourne.

Melbourne CBD

Exhibition Hall from the 1880's

The Great Australian Roadtrip

After a quiet month of May, June came in with a roar with the beginning of the Great Aussie Roadtrip.  Lauren, a friend from home, came over to visit, and we set about our mission to see as much of Australia as we could in two weeks.  And I must say, it was a great success.

We flew from Brisbane to Melbourne, which is on the south-east coast of Australia.  From there we drove to Sydney, and then from Sydney to Brisbane, before flying up to Cairns in far North Queensland to see the rainforests and the reef.  In between the vast nothingness that makes up this country, we did manage to find quite a few amazing spots, and have lots of fun along the way!  And, most importantly, managed to make it back to Brisbane in our massive campervan (surely a tribute to my Barry heritage), without dumping each other along the way.

Over the next few days and weeks I'll blog about some of our best adventures, starting down in Melbourne and working up to Cairns.  Stay posted - it will be great!

All 2,000 kilometers of our road trip, and Cairns way up at the top.