Why Em and Gwyd Will Love the American South

So, I've come up with a little theory about why I think my Aussie friends Em and Gwyd are going to love the American South. Incidentally, this theory also helps explain why I loved Tasmania so much.

Both Tassie and Kentucky:

• have profound, and often unappreciated, natural beauty
• are looked down upon by the "cooler" parts of the country
• have a whole set of jokes directed toward them -- jokes relating to inbreeding, ignorance, etc. (Seriously, name one thing you know about Kentucky that's not a) the movie Elizabethtown or b) about hillbillies marrying their cousins)
• have a sort of homey, mellow coolness all their own
• have a legit, growing indie music/art scene

That's my story and I'm stickin' to it. We'll see if my theory is correct.

I Miss Tassie

Specifically, at the moment, I desperately miss morning tea, which is an Aussie tradition so sacred that its omission at social or business gatherings of any kind is punishable by death. Or at least in theory, because who, really, would even dream of skipping a steaming cup of tea and a plate full of booze-soaked cake, scones with jam and cream, and chocolate slices?

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go sob into my afternoon tea.

My Epic Tassie Weekend, Part the Second

Thousands of unemployed men built the road to the top of Mt. Wellington during the hard financial times of the 1930s:


...so that travelers could drive to the top and see this view:


I was one of those travelers. See?


More panorama:


I'm cold. Or possibly incognito. Can you tell?


Even more panorama. That's Hobart down there. Pretty cool, right?
Seriously, though... God made this beauty so we would worship him. Get to it!

My Epic Tassie Weekend, Part the First

Saturday afternoon, Woodbridge, Tasmania:

Saturday evening, aboard the Peppermint Bay II, Derwent River, Tasmania:
Saturday Evening, aboard the Peppermint Bay II, Somewhere in the ocean near Hobart:
Saturday evening, Mt Wellington and surrounds, from Hobart Harbor:
And I was really there! Here's proof!

Imaginary Thoughts from an Imaginary Land

THIS is Tasmania:


THIS is NOT Tasmania:


When I was telling people that I was going to spend 5 weeks in Tasmania, more than once I got slightly pitying looks, as if people were saying, "Oh, poor thing... she thinks that's a real place. Tsk tsk."

Well, despite how surreally beautiful it is here, what with the breeze and the sun and the apples and the falling leaves and all (it's Autumn...weird), Tasmania's not an imaginary land after all.

An Idea So Crazy It Just Might Work

This is Australia. Duh.

It also is a cartographic representation of what might be my Spring/Summer (or, Fall/Winter, for you Aussies) activity this year. What a strange turn of events. Christine and I were chatting last night, when I told her about a funny comments-conversation I had with Neil and Craig, in which they jokingly said we ought to start a "bring Laura to Oz" fund, har har har, wouldn't that be cool? Christine, ever practical, replied, "Well, why not?" After a bit of a stunned pause, I thought, "Why not indeed?"

So, it would seem, there are three things that must happen before I could be on my way to Australia for six weeks (apart from finding my doggone passport, of course):

1. Secure a teaching job for the fall.
2. Find a girl who needs a place to live for 3 months (since I would be spending another six or 8 weeks at home in Colorado in addition to the six weeks I'd be in Australia).
3. Get enough fundage to purchase airfare for me from Denver to Sydney/Hobart and back. And back, Christine (who is currently trying to apply for a spouse visa on my behalf, just in case)!!

Christine says that I am only responsible for 1 and 2, and that she is taking full responsibility for number 3; to that end, she has even started a Facebook group called "Bring Laura Down Under" to help get the word out! Ha! Don't I have the world's greatest friends? I keep telling you all this but I'm not sure that you get it yet.

Well, check out the Facebook group if you like. Even throw some money Christine's way if you like! And most of all, pray that 1 and 2 would fall into place so that I can go see my dear dear friends in their far-away home!