You know you’re in the Tropics when everyone in the airport at midnight is in shorts, t-shirts, and sandals! Students slept in until 8:00, which was a treat. We started the morning in blazing sunshine at Crocodylus Park and Zoo. Our Crocodile Hunter-like guide passionately told us everything you wanted to know about the saltwater crocodile – the largest reptile on earth. A few delegates were chosen to feed these huge animals breakfast. Can you imagine waking up to one of these creatures every morning? We then saw and learned about many native Australian animals, including wallabies, wallaroos, emus, cassowaries, and dingoes. I heard a few mumblings among the delegation about getting a dingo for a pet. Ummm ???? No one mentioned getting a crocodile, although the babies are sort of cute (see photos). During our photo op, the leaders broke out into Elton John’s Crocodile Rock. Although the beaches around Darwin are beautiful, they’re empty. The salties, as they’re called here, have full reign at the Top of Australia.
Later in the afternoon, the delegation toured the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory. On Christmas Eve, 1974 the city of Darwin was totally destroyed by Cyclone Tracy. It was Australia’s greatest natural disaster. Students experienced the sound and fury of the winds of a cyclone in a small dark gallery. What a way to spend Christmas. Darwin was totally rebuilt from the ground up and is one of Australia’s most modern cities. An afternoon swim in one of the hotel’s many pools brought relief from the hot weather. Tomorrow we’re off to Kakadu National Park -- where the Crocodile Dundee movies were filmed. A community service is on the agenda. For the next few days, I won’t have internet access, so you won’t see any blog updates for a time. I guess this means that we are really in the Outback. Your student ambassador is having a great time in OZ. Cheers!
ThumbsUp for Darwin
U.S. = Burger King
Australia = Hungry Jacks
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