AUSTRALIA
Sorry I'm a bunch of hours late with this update. We were at a farewell dinner for our tour and many of our number left at 1 AM, so there were goodbyes and tears all around. Very draining.
We didn't have to be on the coach until 8 am yesterday and we went to see 3 very beautiful waterfalls. Some went swimming at one of them, but the steps down numbered 135 and they were quite steep. My virtigo prevented me from even attempting something like that! Oy! We have lots of wonderful pics, tho. I just need to get them uploaded and annotated. Ugh! The weather in this place is still hot and muggy, but the A/C in this hotel is awesome and a person can actually get dry after a shower. :)
We saw some HUMONGUS termite hills yesterday, too. They are estimated to be a few hundred years old and still going. We have pics next to that to show perspective. These are all grass eaters and they eat at the root of the plant. I DO NOT want them in my yard!!! One type of mound is called "cathedral" as they are shaped like a cathedral and the other is called "magnetic" as they all point north and south. They are 10 degrees from true north. The experts feel that is so when the sun is at it's zenith during the day, it hits the smallest area and doesn't overheat the mound. The temp needs to stay at 95 or so inside, but too much more than that would be fatal. The summers here must be unbelievable, judging by the current temps. This is fall! The locals don't think anything of it. *shakes head in wonder* Ray's body hasn't minded, but his lungs aren't happy.
We are finishing up our laundry and Gail has arranged for the porter to pick them up at 11 as that's checkout. Our bus to the airport is at 11:30, so that should be fine.
I talked to Tara last night and we're so excited to see each other tonight, we weren't making much sense. She's picking us up at the airport and taking us to our hotel, then she and I are going back to her house. Ray's going to crash. His lungs haven't done too badly on this trip, but it hasn't been good the last couple of days. We'll both be glad to get back to the cooler weather. :D
Ta for now.
We didn't have to be on the coach until 8 am yesterday and we went to see 3 very beautiful waterfalls. Some went swimming at one of them, but the steps down numbered 135 and they were quite steep. My virtigo prevented me from even attempting something like that! Oy! We have lots of wonderful pics, tho. I just need to get them uploaded and annotated. Ugh! The weather in this place is still hot and muggy, but the A/C in this hotel is awesome and a person can actually get dry after a shower. :)
We saw some HUMONGUS termite hills yesterday, too. They are estimated to be a few hundred years old and still going. We have pics next to that to show perspective. These are all grass eaters and they eat at the root of the plant. I DO NOT want them in my yard!!! One type of mound is called "cathedral" as they are shaped like a cathedral and the other is called "magnetic" as they all point north and south. They are 10 degrees from true north. The experts feel that is so when the sun is at it's zenith during the day, it hits the smallest area and doesn't overheat the mound. The temp needs to stay at 95 or so inside, but too much more than that would be fatal. The summers here must be unbelievable, judging by the current temps. This is fall! The locals don't think anything of it. *shakes head in wonder* Ray's body hasn't minded, but his lungs aren't happy.
We are finishing up our laundry and Gail has arranged for the porter to pick them up at 11 as that's checkout. Our bus to the airport is at 11:30, so that should be fine.
I talked to Tara last night and we're so excited to see each other tonight, we weren't making much sense. She's picking us up at the airport and taking us to our hotel, then she and I are going back to her house. Ray's going to crash. His lungs haven't done too badly on this trip, but it hasn't been good the last couple of days. We'll both be glad to get back to the cooler weather. :D
Ta for now.