Brisbane Australia - FPT conference !!!

7:38 am dec-6-2004 Brisbane, Australia

Its just wonderful here in Australia. All that I wanted seems to be here. Got up at around 4am due to the jet lag. Had the exam still pending so worked on if for an hour or so and then it became just impossible to sit inside while many many birds called out from outside. Had to go out!! The exam could wait.

The birds perhaps knew that I was interested in seeing them and so called so often. I walked out into the open with my camera and binoculars. Professor was still sleeping. He didn't seem to be jet lagged and was following the time of this place. But I was sure feeling good about being jet lagged which enabled me to get up at such early morning hours. Given my life style I surely wouldn't have got up at 5am.

Anyway, as I stepped out of the guest house, the first bird was a white and black bird, slightly larger than a Myna. It allowed me some nice snaps. Further ahead, I saw some beautiful parrots/parakeets (?) lush green with red and yellow, to match them, there were a few red all over!! A few ibis like birds, a sure yellow wattled lapwing cousin, many crow like birds, with different eye ring colours and a few other birds kept me busy.

The other nice thing was that now a group of cyclists would pass me by. That was so cool! This is what I wish to do, watch birds, cycle a lot and be in an academic setting. Queensland Univ of Technology was offering me all this ! A little water body some steps ahead had rowers rowing furiously in sync. People having walks in the morning, pretty gals running by, oh this is heaven on earth I suppose :)

The conference starts today. Its around 7:45am. Hope to get some breakfast before we leave for it. Will carry my camera and the binoculars along so that I can make more use of this great opportunity. Already I have more than 10 new birds in my list :)

Yesterday, on a nice sunday afternoon had lunch on the street ! Wel, not on the street, the hotel extended upto the street. A tiny place called "Tidy". Had some long named veg dishes which I ordered while my Prof. thoroughly enjoyed a fish. The setting was nice, a drizzling afternoon, good food, hot coffee, on the street watching life, people around..yes this is how sunday afternoons are meant to be.

And.....the exam, yes, gotta work on it too. Perhaps the best time would be night, when the world outside does not beckon me any longer to come and explore its charms.

Australia at this point of time seems great !!!

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