April 14 - April 23

April 14

Words of the Prophets



This is the first thing I saw walking into my new bedroom. I have saved it for this day, the first day of my last week of teaching, and my 23rd birthday.


April 15

Comfort



I can't properly express how much these slippers mean to me. Because I got them from my family, who isn't really my family, but became my family by making me feel at home. And giving me slippers that are cozy and lovely.


April 16

Bouquet



Flowers arrived from friends at home, prompting much joy in my heart and much teasing from my family. Who is the special boy? they asked. All my boys are special. Thanks.


April 17

Stew



So tasty.


April 18

Corks



This two-square foot box of wine corks brought to you by the teacher's lounge.


April 19

Silhoutte



That's a funny word.


April 20

Mount Oberon



If I ever had a ship, I'd name it Oberon, because it sounds nice and is relatively bad-ass. This mountain wasn't really appropriately named, but we climbed it anyway!


Squeaky Beach



This is unbearably artsy but I swear it was unintentional.


April 21


View from Bed





People should regularly photograph their work surfaces/bedside tables/desks so they can be analyzed and remarked upon.


April 22

Gurkha's



I ate here not just because of my 20% off coupon and not just because of my desire to learn what people eat in Nepal, but because the name of the restaurant is a personal in-joke that I can't even explain.


April 23

Toiletries



I'm sort of disgusted by how much of this I own, but I also know it's not much, and you can tell it's practical rather than girly by all the blue and white labels.


Next stop: America!

April 3 - April 13

See how I tried to skip April 2 without you noticing? I'm clever like that.


April 3


Cane Toad




This friendly creature waas imported to Australia to help control pests on the sugar cane crop. Well, it didn't. Instead they ate any living thing smaller than themselves, remained untouchable by local predators due to their poisonous skin, and bred like mad. They've nearly destroyed the natural ecosystem in many areas and are essentially the worst thing to arrive in the country since white people.



April 4

Pantheon





I've always felt a certain loyalty to the Virgin Huntress, Artemis, what with her absolute freedom and general kickass factor. Due to certain events during the Trojan War I've been afraid to admit that for years now, my real favorite has been Athena, because Artemis has this whole problem with being wrathful at non-virginal or disloyal worshippers. The only real diety for me is a reasonable one: keen grey-eyed old Athena with her wisdom, dignity, booksmarts, and form-fitting armour. Sources say she's a virgin too, but my guess is is that she's just smart enough to take care of business without anyone ever catching on. Plus she invented olives.


April 5

X-ing





It's so true.



April 6

Viking Courage





Please note the awesome labels and alcohol content of these fancy beers.




April 7


Crotch Shot





Degas used to draw women as they walked around his apartment doing normal things like bathing or putting on their socks. Everything we do could be art to someone else. Every bend of the body is beautiful.




April 8

Elegance





When they say that pearls are the mark of a dignified woman I don't think they are talking about pink freshwater pearls bought for cheap from an old Chinese lady at an outdoor market. That's the mark of an entirely different sort of woman.



April 9

Dragons!





Trash day always makes me feel rich like a hobo, but honestly I have no idea what this is supposed to be.



April 10


Vesuvius





Bushfires. They suck.



April 11


Pirates Class





This is the sign across the street from my afternoon bus stop. After staring at it for several days I realized how badly I wanted to change the "L" to an "R". No one would notice for ages and when they did, hilarity would ensue. There is so much graffiti here, none of it clever.



April 12

Leisure



Served a delicious mocha by a delicious barrista, the traffic passed me by as I read a National Geographic from 1979 and listened as the radio played "Yellow Submarine".

April 13

Autumn

Look at the light! And the color!

March 22- April 1

Tasmania-MANIA!

March 22

Launceston Town Hall



This sums up Tasmania, but not, necessarily, our road-trip.


March 23

On and On



I have this thing for pictures of roads. It has to do with the wanderlust. Just go with it. Literally.



March 24

Lake Plimsoll



It is very important than when driving in a new place, one always takes random rural roads with interesting sounding names. You either find yourself on a rickety bridge staring at a giant pig, or on the shore of a beautiful lake, like this. The first one happened too, but I was too scared to take a picture.


March 25

Less Travelled By




This trail totally rocked.

Also, the next few pictures feature my compatriot Tracy. It is very important that, unlike 75% of the men I know, you do not fall in love with her. First of all, I'm getting sort of sick of it. Secondly, she's engaged.


Cradle Mountain



Ah, humble Dolerite makes for majestic scenes.
We hiked for 5 and a half hours with two liters of water and a bum hip. But we frickin' made it.


March 26

Edge of the World



Here we are just past the end of the furthest southern road in Australia. Cockle Creek is the southernmost town, but it populated mostly by itinerants. We would have joined them but it was cold and blustery and the next nearest landmass was Antartica.


March 27

Roughing It



If you haven't ever slept in a car, you really really need to do it just for the novelty of the experience. Make sure when you do it, though, that it's not a tiny rental car out in the cold.


March 28

East Coast



How we longed to be on that boat.


March 29

Ireland?



This photo was chosen from many other, less blurry photos, because it contains the following:
sunshine, a rainbow, sheep, and the ocean.


March 30

Bay of Fires



This stretch of coast was given a kick-ass name not for the red rocks but for the sighting of many fires by early explorers, meaning it was heavily populated at the time. The last full-blooded Tasmanian aboriginal died in 1876.

Oh. Uhm. The beach? Beautiful. Reportedly the second most beautiful beach in the world. But I'm guessing I'll never have a chance to have that one all to myself, to scramble the rocks barefoot in the sun.


March 31

Bridge



This was the most disappointing bridge, especially in comparison to the name. Turns out it was named after some explorer, not, you know...
OR WAS IT?


April 1

City/Night



Lookit me! I'm famous landmarks in Sydney! Blah blah blah!