Archive for August, 2006

from Regina, SK

Tuesday, August 8th, 2006

After wandering about New Zealand and Australia for nearly five months, Liz and I are back in Canada to start new adventures. We stopped in Vancouver for a few day before she flew to Edmonton and I went to Regina to visit my family.

During our time in Australia, I was busy applying for overseas internships funded by CIDA and run through various NGOs and universities. I was eventually contacted by two such organizations for phone interviews, and while in Sydney on our way out of Australia, I was offered overseas positions by both.

Although six months of surf, sun, sand and coral reef at New Caledonia in the South Pacific had it’s allure, I decided instead to take a six month position in Pretoria, South Africa. I will be working within an organization there called the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research in some capacity within the water resources division.

My turnaround in Canada is very quick, as the position starts in South Africa on Sept 1st, so I’ll be spending another week and a bit in Regina preparing, then a week and a bit in Edmonton visiting before flying to Vancouver for cultural training and leaving for South Africa on August 29th.

I’ll again be posting photos and such from South Africa on this website and trying to detail some of my experiences there for the folks back home.

As for the last bit of the Australia trip, here are the photos I promised from Sydney:

2006-07-28 005 - E with cacti in the botanical garden at Sydney 2006-07-28 013 - Bats hanging in a tree at the botanical gardens in Sydney 2006-07-28 032 - Closeup of the Sydney Opera House tiles 2006-07-28 035 - K in front of reflection of downtown in window of Sydney Opera House 2006-07-28 063 - Statue of man with bull - Hyde Park in downtown Sydney
Liz with cacti at botanical gardens; fruit bats in the gardens; the Opera House tiles; Downtown reflected in the Opera House (with K); man and minotaur statue near cathedral at Hyde Park

2006-07-29 009 - E at Bondi Beach in Sydney 2006-07-29 016 - Ocean-side pool at Bondi Beach - Sydney 2006-07-29 026 - Circular Quay and downtown Sydney from the ferry 2006-07-29 031 - Sydney Opera House from the ferry 2006-07-29 042 - Downtown Sydney from the ferry under the bridge
Liz at Bondi Beach; pool on the ocean at Bondi; Circular Quay from the ferry; Sydney Opera House; Harbour Bridge to downtown

2006-07-29 043 - Downtown Sydney and the Opera House from the ferry under the bridge 2006-07-29 081 - Smooth yabby at the Sydney Aquarium 2006-07-29 089 - Gippsland water dragon at the Sydney Aquarium 2006-07-29 100 - E in front of shark oceanarium at Sydney Aquarium 2006-07-30 009 - K and E in front of Bridge and Opera House
Sydney Harbour Bridge (Opera House and Downtown); smooth yabby at Sydney Aquarium; Gippsland water dragon; Liz with the sharks; us in front of classic view

2006-07-30 010 - Downtown Sydney from park across little bay 2006-07-30 011 - Opera House and Bridge from park - Sydney
Downtown and the Harbour Bridge from the park

I hope you’ve all enjoyed the photos and stories from Australia!