May 26 - Pelicans

I like pelicans. They are one of the few types of birds that I can see. I can’t see those tiny birds like sparrows, robins, hummingbirds and chickadees, but because of its size, I can usually see a pelican.

Pelicans can be found all over the world, but the ones that I like to see live in an area on the central coast of New South Wales in Australia.  There is a spot where the local fish and chip shop has made a daily habit of feeding the fish scraps to the pelicans which frequent the area. The practice has become a tourist attraction and you can get quite close to the birds as they wait for their afternoon feeding time.

Pelicans are large and look quite awkward when they are on land, but they are hugely graceful in flight. They have a wide wing span and sometimes even seem to hover on the drift of the wind. They can swoop suddenly and with great speed when they dive for their own catch of fish in the water.

There is a picture at the end of this post of a pelican. It is a close up because that is just as close as we were standing when we took the picture. The pelican is looking directly at the camera. Its wings are folded against its body. Its beak is large enough to hold several fish at once although it usually swallows just one whole fish at a time. Dogs are a threat to pelicans on the land and tangled fishing lines and plastic bags are a threat in the water.

I like pelicans, but not when they are flying or perched directly overhead. If you think that the droppings of seagulls and pigeons are a nuisance, the white excrement of a pelican is downright dangerous.

Pelican

May 20 - From the Inside Looking Out

There is quite a difference between the idea of looking out from the inside and looking in from the outside – especially when it comes to people. Our bodies are not clear glass and so when we are on the outside, it is impossible to look inside someone else. Our inner thoughts are concealed by our outward appearance.

I have especially been thinking of this when it comes to sight.  Perhaps an ophthalmologist can see behind the retina, but for the rest of us looking from the outside and looking in, it isn’t possible to know what someone else is capable of seeing. It is only the person him or her self who knows what he or she is able to see.

I was reminded of this last week. I met with some friends for coffee. We talked of this and that and somehow or other the conversation turned to sight challenges. I tried to explain what it was that I was able to see and some of the things that I couldn’t see. I explained that although I was looking across the table at one of the women, I was unable to see her face.

The woman next to me gasped. “But,” she said, “You look so normal!”

I was glad that I appeared to look “normal”, but it reaffirmed my premise that there is quite a difference between what our eyes see from the outside to what they can see from the inside.

May 8 - Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia

The city of Darwin is affectionately known to its residents as “the top end”. It is also known as the “front line” city for the rest of the country. Having spent five days in Darwin, Lyle and I can understand the reasoning behind each of these terms.

Darwin, on the north coast, is located on a peninsula and as such, growth of the population and expansion of the city is limited. The city is isolated and has an atmosphere all of its own. “Top end” is a good description.

As for the term, “front line” – well, during the years of World War II, this was actually the case. Darwin was the first line of defense against the invading Japanese. The city was also the target of a bombing Japanese air raid.  The raid came only a couple of months after Pearl Harbour and caught the Aussies unaware and ill prepared. Fortunately most of the women and children had been evacuated further south or over to Queensland. There was substantial damage to the city and loss of life.  In the wake of the attack, the Australian Government decided to also evacuate all the livestock so that if the Japanese army were to land on the shores there wouldn’t be a food supply to maintain them. Japan recognised the futility of advancing on land and so Australia’s front line held. Today, Darwin has a good relationship with its Japanese neighbours.

We were in Darwin for Anzac Day and I was impressed by the aura of patriotism. There is a strong military presence in the city. We attended the dawn service – a solemn occasion. Later in the morning we watched the march down main street from the cenotaph to the RSL club.  The RSL club is akin to the Legion in Canada.  There was a large crowd numbering in the thousands at both events.  It was a great display of patriotism.

With this post there are two pictures.  The first is of the cenotaph with the floral wreaths and tributes at its base.  The second is of horses passing by in the march.  The background of this picture shows some of the enthusiastic crowd lining the streets.

Cenotaph in Darwin

Horses during Anzac Day march

May 5 - Alice Springs and Katherine

The only other two en route stops for the Ghan were Alice Springs and Katherine. We did an off train excursion in each place.

We weren’t terribly impressed with Alice Springs. There were loads of flies and the town seemed dusty and dirty. This was where we took the Simpson Gap Discovery Tour. The tour was divided into three sections. The first took us on a short walk to a ghost gum tree. It was huge but we were standing too close to take a picture. This was also the only spot where our guide explained something about the area.

The second section of the tour took us on a long walk along the flat and then up a fairly steep hill. The path was narrow enough for single file walking and the pace was brisk. I had trouble with this section. I needed to concentrate on my footing and so missed most of any scenery that was around us.

The third section was the best. There was a ten minute walk down a dried up river bed to Simpson’s Gap. The walk was easy and the end stop was the only really picturesque point of the tour. There is a picture with this post. I am standing in the foreground and in the background is the narrow gap between the high cliffs.

On the next morning, the train stopped at Katherine. The flies were gone and the town looked clean and green after the wet season. The dry season up the “top end” officially starts at the beginning of May. Our off train excursion was to the Outback Experience, and Lyle and I would both recommend it to anyone visiting the area.  We sat on bleachers looking over a horse ring.  I couldn’t actually see what was happening but Tom explained in detail what he was doing to train the horse he was working with.  He reminded us a little of Robert Redford in the movie, The Horse Whisperer.  It was quite amazing. Following this demonstration Tom worked in another ring training dogs for use in mustering livestock.

From Katherine it was another few hours to Darwin.  But that city will have to wait for my next post.

Sue standing in front of the narrow gap made by two high cliffs

May 2 - Pictures

We finally have an Internet connection so I want to write a little more about our trip on the Ghan. We left Adelaide on a Sunday and the first stop for the train was the next morning at Marla. Marla is basically in the middle of nowhere in the Outback and we disembarked at six in the morning so we could see the sunrise.  Picture one shows the red glow in the sky.

The train staff had set up tables for our early breakfast.  It was great – tea, coffee, juice and bacon and egg sandwiches. It was great fun! Picture 2 shows a group of us sitting around with the train idling in the background. An aluminum shed was the only other sign of civilization.

Of course, as the sun rose a zillion pesky little insects came to life. We moved closer to one of the two bonfires hoping that the smoke would keep them away. Picture 3 shows me standing by the fire. I was using my cane on the breakfast experience and I am standing with it in this picture.

The last of the four pictures is of the train itself. The Ghan is nearly one kilometer in length and I think that there were about 300 passengers when we travelled on it. Our next stop would be Alice Springs on the same afternoon.

 

Red glow of the sky in the Outback

The Ghan train with people around

 

 

 

 

Sue by the fire for breakfast

The Ghan