To make up for the recent lack of Down Under posts, here's a few photos. The first two show what I'm usually up to while on campus.
I must be mad posting the last photo. The moment I return to Singapore, CatNRice will descend upon me and extract the essence of Bundaberg from my blood.
The view from a lookout point on the Glass House Mountains. The mountain range are all that remains of volcanoes that were in this area. Erosion wore down the surrounding rock leaving the harder rock of the lava plugs.
The summit of Wild Horse Mountains, looking west towards the Glass House Mountains. In the middle are forests that seem a bit too regular to be natural, they are actually timber plantations due to be harvested in 10-20 years time.
Looking south from the summit of Wild Horse Mountain. The road in the middle is the Bruce Highway, an inter-state motorway leading to and from Brisbane.
A waterfall somewhere in the Glass House Mountains.
A view from a ridge line in the Glass House Mountains. The white house at the bottom of the slope is a farm.
The rocky shore line of the Noosa Heads, a nature reserve on the Sunshine Coast.
This is the "Hell's Gate", a cliff side on the Noosa Heads shaped some what like the gateway of a castle. For an idea of the scale, the specks seen on the rocks in the middle right hand side of the photo are people.
Another view of "Hell's Gate", this photo simply doesn't do justice to the size of this cliff.
The summit of Mount Coo-Tha, on the outskirts of Brisbane, on a cloudy day. Brisbane city is on the middle left hand side of the photo.
The typical Australian suburban train station.
Brisbane City Hall clock tower.
Old Parliament House.
I thought I'd take a break in the midst of my exams to write a few words about my first hundred days in Australia.
Actually, it's been 115 days since my arrival on the 8th of February but I've never been happier. Of all the major events in my life, coming to Australia to study has been one of the easiest transitions I've experienced. And in the process, I've become less cynical and more optimistic.
Sometimes, it pays to leave your comfort zone. Humanity progressed this far as a species by doing just that. Also, be nice to immigrants, migration is to humans as water is to plants. I am not that far removed from my migrant forefathers.
Three square meals a day is a privilege. I realize that more than ever now that I have to buy and cook my own meals. I take back every complaint I've ever had about SAF cook-house food and combat rations. I should be grateful that even in the middle of a tropical rain forest, I have something to eat.
Being homesick is a waste of time. Just thought I'll mention that. I've never once felt homesick, just sick of listening to people moan and groan about being homesick. Not eating rice regularly is NOT the end of the world. When in Rome, do as the Romans do. And eat as they eat.
It's been a while since I posted anything as I've been busy with assignments. Here's some photos of my campus.
This is the view from a balcony on the campus next to my accommodation. Hard to tell from this photo but it is perched on a hill overlooking surrounding suburbs.
This is the Bus Way Station nearby with bus services to the city center. In Australia, a Bus Way is a road for the exclusive use of buses, leading from the suburbs right into the heart of the city. As you can imagine, taking a bus during rush hour means bypassing rush hour traffic. I would imagine this concept would be useful back home except for the fact that we can't spare the space.
This is Brisbane City Hall in King George Square.
Another view of City Hall.
