I am still here

Hi everyone, I know I am long overdue for posting. I left Hobart 4 weeks ago to start my field work in far north Queensland. My internet access has been real hit and miss lately. When I first got up here I bought a little car. The rental car was costing almost $80 a day so it made sense to buy a car for $3200 since I have a lot of field work in the area.

I have had the car 3 weeks now and already lost 2 hubcaps on dirt roads, replaced the battery, got a nail in the tyre (Aussie spelling), replaced the bracket that holds the window in track and worst of all my cigarette lighter went out so now I can’t listen to my ipod. All in all it runs great and I am really happy with it.

It has been really nice to get back in the field. I had a grad student from the lab help me for a week. Poor girl had no idea what she was getting herself into. We ended up carrying 30 3meter pieces of rebar 2 km into the forest. Tim came up for my birthday and to help me as well. The first thing I had him do was to carry the rebar out. I came up with a better, lighter plan, which now involves Tim climbing trees and set lines up for me….I have a great husband.

He almost lost it one evening when the mozzies (Aussie term for mosquitoes) were really bad. He has already had to put up with the leeches. My current leach count is 11 and still counting. The best was when I found a full leech in my bellybutton.

While up here in far north Queensland I have been spending time with my friend Denise. It is so nice to have a good friend here and a place to be based out of. Denise is the one in the middle. The other surprising thing is that another friend from my days in Panama is also up here for a couple months. I paddled the Panama canal with Sue (on the right). Here is a picture of us during the race, I am in the back and Sue is in front of me.

Thank you for all the birthday wishes. I will try to write emails soon. Happy Holidays, while everyone is cozy inside with family and friends Tim and I will be enjoying the warm sun, swimming in the lake and drinking margaritas with Denise and beau Franz (my office mate from Panama).