On the shore just north of Coogee beach.    Sydney, Australia -- 7/15/2005

A memorial to Australians killed in the Bali attacks, with Coogee beach in the background.    Sydney, Australia -- 7/15/2005

Sulfur Crested Cockatoo on a sandstone cliff.    Sydney, Australia -- 7/15/2005

Sulfur Crested Cockatoo in flight.    Sydney, Australia -- 7/15/2005

Shore bird.    Sydney, Australia -- 7/15/2005

Sunrise over Sydney. Seen from North Head.    Sydney, Australia -- 7/16/2005

Magpie    Sydney Harbour National Park, Australia -- 7/16/2005

Townsville and Magnetic Island seen from the top of Castle Hill.    Townsville, Australia -- 7/18/2005

Koala (controlled situation)    Billabong Sanctuary, Townsville, Australia -- 7/19/2005

Koala. They sleep 20 hours a day. The eucalyptus leaves they eat are low in energy, so the Koala have evolved long digestive systems, small brains, and a sedentary lifestyle. Sounds like me! (controlled situation)    Billabong Sanctuary, Townsville, Australia -- 7/19/2005

Wombats (controlled situation)    Billabong Sanctuary, Townsville, Australia -- 7/19/2005

Holding a Koala (controlled situation)    Billabong Sanctuary, Townsville, Australia -- 7/19/2005

Holding a Koala (controlled situation)    Billabong Sanctuary, Townsville, Australia -- 7/19/2005

Anna holding a Koala (controlled situation)    Billabong Sanctuary, Townsville, Australia -- 7/19/2005

Failed to record which species of bird, but still a good picture (controlled situation)    Billabong Sanctuary, Townsville, Australia -- 7/19/2005

Kangaroo (controlled situation)    Billabong Sanctuary, Townsville, Australia -- 7/19/2005

Anna with a Kangaroo. The Kangaroos hop entirely with their back legs, but alternate back legs and a tail+front leg tripod when walking. It is funny to watch them lift off the ground using their tails. (controlled situation)    Billabong Sanctuary, Townsville, Australia -- 7/19/2005

Anna with a Koala (controlled situation)    Billabong Sanctuary, Townsville, Australia -- 7/19/2005

Me with a Kangaroo. (controlled situation) The top pocket of my Bora 95 pack detaches to make a lumbar pack. This allowed me to leave my day pack with Lauren at JCU.    Billabong Sanctuary, Townsville, Australia -- 7/19/2005

Me with a Crocodile (controlled situation)    Billabong Sanctuary, Townsville, Australia -- 7/19/2005

Anna with a female Red Tail Cockatoo (controlled situation)    Billabong Sanctuary, Townsville, Australia -- 7/19/2005

Lots of fruit bats (controlled situation)    Billabong Sanctuary, Townsville, Australia -- 7/19/2005

Water Python (controlled situation)    Billabong Sanctuary, Townsville, Australia -- 7/19/2005

Anna somewhat reluctantly touching a Water Python (controlled situation)    Billabong Sanctuary, Townsville, Australia -- 7/19/2005

Anna slightly more comfortable with her second snake, a Carpet Python (controlled situation)    Billabong Sanctuary, Townsville, Australia -- 7/19/2005

Olive Python (controlled situation)    Billabong Sanctuary, Townsville, Australia -- 7/19/2005

Egret (controlled situation)    Billabong Sanctuary, Townsville, Australia -- 7/19/2005

Kangaroo (controlled situation)    Billabong Sanctuary, Townsville, Australia -- 7/19/2005

Scoop Billed Ibis (controlled situation)    Billabong Sanctuary, Townsville, Australia -- 7/19/2005

A startlingly creepy eel (controlled situation)    Billabong Sanctuary, Townsville, Australia -- 7/19/2005

Turtle (controlled situation)    Billabong Sanctuary, Townsville, Australia -- 7/19/2005

Feeding two Kangaroos. This woman was from Ireland, and I am drawing a complete blank on her name. We were traveling the same circuit and ran into each other again in Townsville and yet again on Magnetic Island. (controlled situation)    Billabong Sanctuary, Townsville, Australia -- 7/19/2005

Crocodile (controlled situation)    Billabong Sanctuary, Townsville, Australia -- 7/19/2005

Requisite Crocodile stunt: Jumping for a chicken on a stick (controlled situation)    Billabong Sanctuary, Townsville, Australia -- 7/19/2005

This is the Crocodile they named Snappy Tom. He is 3.9m long and weighs 600kg (controlled situation)    Billabong Sanctuary, Townsville, Australia -- 7/19/2005

The biggest Crocodile in the sanctuary: 650kg (controlled situation)    Billabong Sanctuary, Townsville, Australia -- 7/19/2005

Fresh water Crocodiles. Smaller than the salties, they don't see humans as food, but will bite defensively. (controlled situation)    Billabong Sanctuary, Townsville, Australia -- 7/19/2005

Anna with a Wallaby (controlled situation)    Billabong Sanctuary, Townsville, Australia -- 7/19/2005

Red Legged Pademelon (controlled situation)    Billabong Sanctuary, Townsville, Australia -- 7/19/2005

Red Legged Pademelon nursing (controlled situation)    Billabong Sanctuary, Townsville, Australia -- 7/19/2005

Didn't record this bird's species (controlled situation)    Billabong Sanctuary, Townsville, Australia -- 7/19/2005

Cassowary, taken through a chain link fence (controlled situation)    Billabong Sanctuary, Townsville, Australia -- 7/19/2005

Australia has 176 native snake species. About 130 of those are venomous. About 25 of those can seriously injure or kill a human. Deaths from snake bites are rare because snakes only bite humans defensively and their venom is injected very shallowly which makes it slow acting.    Billabong Sanctuary, Townsville, Australia -- 7/19/2005

Kangaroo (controlled situation)    Billabong Sanctuary, Townsville, Australia -- 7/19/2005

Dingo (controlled situation)    Billabong Sanctuary, Townsville, Australia -- 7/19/2005

Emu. They make deep grumbling noises in their throat. (controlled situation)    Billabong Sanctuary, Townsville, Australia -- 7/19/2005

Small girl with a big Wombat. Wombats typically weigh 25kg to 40kg. They use their mass and solid backs to pack dirt in their burrow, protect themselves from predators, and crush small critters. (controlled situation)    Billabong Sanctuary, Townsville, Australia -- 7/19/2005

Mother and baby Wombat. The Wombat is the closest living relative to the Koala. (controlled situation)    Billabong Sanctuary, Townsville, Australia -- 7/19/2005

Frilly Necked Lizard (controlled situation)    Billabong Sanctuary, Townsville, Australia -- 7/19/2005

Blue Winged Kookaburra (controlled situation)    Billabong Sanctuary, Townsville, Australia -- 7/19/2005

Isabella posing by a huge Banyan Tree.    Geoffrey Bay, Magnetic Island, Australia -- 7/21/2005

Posing by a huge Banyan Tree. The tree is either a Native Fig or a Banyan Fig (imported from India), but I don't know how to tell the difference.    Geoffrey Bay, Magnetic Island, Australia -- 7/21/2005

Ross hanging out in our Camp-O-Tel.    Magnetic Island, Australia -- 7/21/2005

The yellow flower of the Kapoc tree.    Magnetic Island, Australia -- 7/21/2005

My little home with clothesline and Exotic Fish of the Great Barrier Reef poster.    Magnetic Island, Australia -- 7/21/2005

This possum was often found in the tree immediately outside my door.    Magnetic Island, Australia -- 7/22/2005

Shore bird    Magnetic Island, Australia -- 7/22/2005

The first wild Koala I saw in Australia.    Magnetic Island, Australia -- 7/23/2005

Koala    Magnetic Island, Australia -- 7/23/2005

Skink    Magnetic Island, Australia -- 7/23/2005

The northeast end of Magnetic Island.    Magnetic Island, Australia -- 7/23/2005

Koala    Magnetic Island, Australia -- 7/23/2005

Green ants and their nest    Magnetic Island, Australia -- 7/23/2005

Another Koala    Magnetic Island, Australia -- 7/23/2005

Rock Wallaby    Magnetic Island, Australia -- 7/23/2005

Rock Wallaby    Magnetic Island, Australia -- 7/23/2005

Rock Wallaby    Magnetic Island, Australia -- 7/23/2005

Rock Wallaby with baby in pouch.    Magnetic Island, Australia -- 7/23/2005

People fed vegetable scraps to the Rock Wallabies. This was allowed, or at least tolerated, but they are wild animals so I didn't feel it was appropriate.    Magnetic Island, Australia -- 7/23/2005

Rock Wallaby    Magnetic Island, Australia -- 7/23/2005

Barely visible in the distance is a Koala with a baby on her back.    Magnetic Island, Australia -- 7/23/2005

Biggest Koala I saw in Australia. He climbed down the tree and sprinted off in the direction of the mother and baby, so I assume they were a family.    Magnetic Island, Australia -- 7/23/2005

Biggest Koala I saw in Australia.    Magnetic Island, Australia -- 7/23/2005

Shore bird    Magnetic Island, Australia -- 7/23/2005

Nude beach bouldering. The Whale boulder at Rocky Bay.    Magnetic Island, Australia -- 7/25/2005

Lauren bouldering at Rocky Bay.    Magnetic Island, Australia -- 7/25/2005

Lauren bouldering at Rocky Bay.    Magnetic Island, Australia -- 7/25/2005

Lauren bouldering at Rocky Bay.    Magnetic Island, Australia -- 7/25/2005

Me and Lauren after kayaking.    Magnetic Island, Australia -- 7/25/2005

Lauren demonstrating her toe dexterity.    Magnetic Island, Australia -- 7/25/2005

Sebastian, one of my scuba buddies.    Magnetic Island, Australia -- 7/25/2005

Divin' Ivan, my scuba instructor.    Magnetic Island, Australia -- 7/25/2005

Scuba class heading into the ocean.    Magnetic Island, Australia -- 7/25/2005

Castle Hill, viewed from the ferry while returning from Magnetic Island.    Townsville, Australia -- 7/27/2005

Estuaries seen from the hills at the southern edge of the tropical rainforest.    Queensland, Australia -- 7/28/2005

Mist in the rainforest.    Wooroonooran (Palmerston) National Park, Australia -- 7/29/2005

Top of Mt. Bartle Frere    Wooroonooran (Palmerston) National Park, Australia -- 7/29/2005

Top of Mt. Bartle Frere    Wooroonooran (Palmerston) National Park, Australia -- 7/29/2005

Nicolas with one of the buttress root trees.    Wooroonooran (Palmerston) National Park, Australia -- 7/29/2005

Intricate vines on a tree.    Wooroonooran (Palmerston) National Park, Australia -- 7/29/2005

Post-hike, my leech damaged feet.    Wooroonooran (Palmerston) National Park, Australia -- 7/30/2005

Josephine Falls.    Wooroonooran (Palmerston) National Park, Australia -- 7/30/2005

Skink    Wooroonooran (Palmerston) National Park, Australia -- 7/30/2005

The base of Mt Bartle Frere. The top shrouded as always in clouds.    Wooroonooran (Palmerston) National Park, Australia -- 7/30/2005

This is a picture that Nicolas took at Big Rock.    Wooroonooran (Palmerston) National Park, Australia -- 7/30/2005

These trees reminded me of the Kapoc, but with bright red flowers instead of bright yellow. I saw them throughout my travels in Australia, from Nowra to Mossman.    Wooroonooran (Palmerston) National Park, Australia -- 7/30/2005

Aboriginal protest signs along the Bruce Highway. They remind me of similar signs placed by Native Americans along Interstate 81.    Queensland, Australia -- 7/30/2005

Aboriginal protest signs along the Brue Highway. They remind me of similar signs placed by Native Americans along Interstate 81.    Queensland, Australia -- 7/30/2005

Crocodile warning.    Edumund Kennedy National Park, Australia -- 7/30/2005

Cassowary crossing.    Edumund Kennedy National Park, Australia -- 7/30/2005

Kangaroo crossing.    Queensland, Australia -- 7/30/2005

Lorikeets    Townsville, Australia -- 7/31/2005

A shrouded figure in the mist?    Paluma National Park, Australia -- 8/1/2005

Climbing the lone hill in Eubenangee Swamp    Eubenangee Swamp, Australia -- 8/2/2005

Crocodile    Eubenangee Swamp, Australia -- 8/2/2005

Misty swamp    Eubenangee Swamp, Australia -- 8/2/2005

Aboriginal museum. I received permission to photograph this piece of art.    Yarrabah, Australia -- 8/2/2005

The catamaran Poseidon that I took out to the Agincourt Ribbon Reefs.    Port Douglas, Australia -- 8/3/2005

Preparing to climb Swinging in a Sunday Breeze at Kissing Point.    Townsville, Australia -- 8/4/2005

Stick clipping the first bolt.    Townsville, Australia -- 8/4/2005

Sydney harbour viewed from the air.    Sydney, Australia -- 8/4/2005

Murphy's Glenn    Blue Mountains, Australia -- 8/5/2005

Lauren and me at Murphy's Glenn.    Blue Mountains, Australia -- 8/5/2005

Lauren and me at Echo Point.    Blue Mountains, Australia -- 8/5/2005

Lauren on Lockley's Pilon trail.    Blue Mountains, Australia -- 8/5/2005

Lauren on Lockley's Pilon trail.    Blue Mountains, Australia -- 8/5/2005

Sunset at the Mt. Hay trailhead.    Blue Mountains, Australia -- 8/5/2005

Lauren overlooking the Grosse Valley from the top of Mt. Hay.    Blue Mountains, Australia -- 8/6/2005

Lauren overlooking the Grosse Valley from the top of Mt. Hay.    Blue Mountains, Australia -- 8/6/2005

Lauren overlooking the Grosse Valley from the top of Mt. Hay.    Blue Mountains, Australia -- 8/6/2005

Lauren overlooking the Grosse Valley from the top of Mt. Hay.    Blue Mountains, Australia -- 8/6/2005

Lauren overlooking the Grosse Valley from the top of Mt. Hay.    Blue Mountains, Australia -- 8/6/2005

Lauren overlooking the Grosse Valley from the top of Mt. Hay.    Blue Mountains, Australia -- 8/6/2005

Overlooking the Grosse Valley from the top of Mt. Hay.    Blue Mountains, Australia -- 8/6/2005

Leading the first pitch of Margarine Ridge.    Blue Mountains, Australia -- 8/6/2005

Margarine Ridge was over 1100' of this sort of climbing.    Blue Mountains, Australia -- 8/6/2005

It was dark when we finished the climb.    Blue Mountains, Australia -- 8/6/2005

It was dark when we finished the climb.    Blue Mountains, Australia -- 8/6/2005

Century plant. Or at least something that looks similar.    Royal National Park, Australia -- 8/7/2005

Lauren and me taking a break from hiking to enjoy the ocean view.    Royal National Park, Australia -- 8/7/2005

Hiking    Royal National Park, Australia -- 8/7/2005

Lauren hiking.    Royal National Park, Australia -- 8/7/2005

Me and Lauren hiking.    Royal National Park, Australia -- 8/7/2005

The costal trail through Royal National Park really does go right down to the beach in many places.    Royal National Park, Australia -- 8/7/2005

I sacrificed dry feet to take this picture.    Royal National Park, Australia -- 8/7/2005

Brilliant red flowers.    Royal National Park, Australia -- 8/7/2005

Hiking along the coast. All of the trees in this area looked like Truffula Trees.    Royal National Park, Australia -- 8/7/2005

Kangaroo in the distance.    Royal National Park, Australia -- 8/7/2005

Kangaroo in the distance.    Royal National Park, Australia -- 8/7/2005

Same Kangaroo much closer. This is as close as I ever was able to come to a wild Kangaroo.    Royal National Park, Australia -- 8/7/2005

Same Kangaroo much closer. This is as close as I ever was able to come to a wild Kangaroo.    Royal National Park, Australia -- 8/7/2005

Kookaburra. The Kookaburra really does have a call that sounds like laughter. It is quite distinctive and amusing. When you laugh, the world laughs with you.    Royal National Park, Australia -- 8/7/2005

Inside the bug bivy at night.    Royal National Park, Australia -- 8/7/2005

Deer were imported from Indonesia in the 1930s for food and sport. Now they are one of the worst invasive pests in the park.    Royal National Park, Australia -- 8/8/2005

Lauren's bruised knee.    Royal National Park, Australia -- 8/8/2005

View along the coast.    Royal National Park, Australia -- 8/8/2005

Lauren under an arch of trees.    Royal National Park, Australia -- 8/8/2005

This odd looking flower was popular with the bees.    Royal National Park, Australia -- 8/8/2005

The cliffs along the ocean create updrafts which are popular with the gliders.    Royal National Park, Australia -- 8/8/2005

Photo shoot on Werrong Beach.    Royal National Park, Australia -- 8/8/2005

Wombat crossing.    Nowra, Australia -- 8/9/2005

Kangaroo    Nowra, Australia -- 8/9/2005

Kangaroo    Nowra, Australia -- 8/9/2005

Beautiful bird. I believe this is a Crimson Rosella.    Nowra, Australia -- 8/9/2005

Lauren climbing.    Nowra, Australia -- 8/9/2005

On rappel.    Nowra, Australia -- 8/9/2005

At the top of a climb.    Nowra, Australia -- 8/9/2005

Leading a climb.    Nowra, Australia -- 8/9/2005

Seek the guru in a cave on the mountain.    Nowra, Australia -- 8/9/2005

Kangaroo    Nowra, Australia -- 8/10/2005

Kangaroo in motion.    Nowra, Australia -- 8/10/2005

Lauren's first outdoor lead.    Nowra, Australia -- 8/10/2005

Lauren's first outdoor lead.    Nowra, Australia -- 8/10/2005

Lauren after finishing her first outdoor lead.    Nowra, Australia -- 8/10/2005

Post trip gear explosion. Note the Tim Tams. Yum!    Kiama, Australia -- 8/10/2005

Me with my Arcteryx Bora 95 backpack loaded with about 65lbs. of gear.    Kiama, Australia -- 8/11/2005

Lauren loaded down with all her possessions. Note the traveling outfit (semi-clean shirt, pajama bottoms and shorts).    Kiama, Australia -- 8/11/2005

After a very long flight, I landed in the chaos that is the Los Angeles airport. This line stretched out the door and on to the airport road. There was a 20 minute line just to get into the security screening line, which then took another hour. I was threatened with arrest for taking pictures. Yeah. Great to be back in the USA.    Los Angeles -- 8/11/2005