One last week in Armidale

On Monday we leave to begin traveling around the interior part of Australia (I think this is what they refer to as the Outback, not sure, still learning the terms). We’ll be on a walkabout for about a month, so this week we are doing all we can to get ahead on homework and other things not knowing what our internet situation will be like in the coming of weeks.

Because of this we don't have a lot happening. I’ve had a little time to spend reading and have managed to finished a couple more books - The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch and the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Society by Alexander McCall Smith. My book club read both of these several years ago. I'm finally getting around to reading some of the books that got skipped because of my crazy work schedule.

On Sunday, we were invited over for dinner at the Branch President's ranch. They're a wonderful family who moved here a few years ago from WA (Westernn Australia - Perth area, no one ever says Western Australia or Southern Australia - it's always WA or SA).
They live on a ranch (I made the mistake of calling it a farm --- It's not a farm, it's a ranch) about 40k south of Armidale. Todd, the BP runs about 80 head of cattle on just over a hundred acres. Along with the beef cattle he has a bunch of chickens (chokes), milk cows, goats, horses, doves, dogs, you name it. It's a full fledge job just keeping up with the animals. Natalie seems to love ranch life and says it’s a great place for her kids to grow up. Hannah felt right at home! She'd love to live on a ranch like this. I’m sure we’ll be getting chickens when we get home. She’d love to have more but unfortunately, we don’t have animal rights.

 

 

Since we aren't doing a whole lot that I can share I thought I'd show you some of the funny/interesting signs we've seen around town.

Lamb is really big here. You see it in all forms at the grocery store (steaks, ground, leg of lamb etc). It's also fairly popular at McDonald's (Mackers). This is an add they are currently running. I thought it was hilarious.

 

 

 

 

The rest of these are just signs we've seen while we've been out driving around. Most of them we've been able to figure out.

 

This sign is on campus. People have seen koalas in the trees there but Matt hasn’t been so lucky. They do have about 50 kangaroos (in a pen) on campus but we’ve never seen a wild one (on campus). Most likely, we’re just not there at the correct time – which is early morning, or dusk on a non-windy day.
   

 



 

Things are really well marked (for the most part) in Australia. Things that you wouldn’t think would warrant a street sign like this one for the church or where to find toilets, preschools, civic centers and other things along this line. It’s really nice.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We’ve asked several people what this sign meant and they have no idea. We know it’s something to do with handicapped toilets. Who knows where they are though.

 

 

 

This is the University that Matt is working with.  It’s been a great experience.  He’s hoping to set up a student exchange program. 

 

 

This sign is posted just up the street. The Australian Magpie (similar in size to those in the States, just different coloring pattern) are not nice. They’ve been known to attack people if you come into their area particularly when they are nesting. So strange. Matt really wants to watch The Birds (Alfred Hitchcock movie). We’re living it right here in Armidale!