Gimme the blue stuff

Well folks, I have found the true meaning of procrastination, and I have 200% embraced it. According to this email "blog," I am still in Australia. Based on those details, it is only March 2009 too... whoa. In truth, at least geographically, this email is not too much of a stretch! I departed the South Pacific on April 15th, went back to Georgia Tech for Summer and Fall semesters (to graduate!!), and on January 2, 2010, I departed again for the South Pacific! As mentioned, geographically Australia is not that far away, considering this email is being typed in New Zealand.
--> I have made a pact with myself: Finish this "2009" email trip to each of you (i.e. share pictures and stories), and if I can keep up with my 2010 tirp in a --timely-- manner, restart it all! I've been here a week; you'll know the outcome soon enough ! :)
Hugs, Jessie

In the mean time, let's talk Australia!
Add one part mie scattering by UV radiation, add millions of parts curious travelers, explorers, and aborigines, and finally add sheer beauty. Voila, I present to you The beautiful Blue Mountains, which border metropolitan Sydney, Australia!

The Three Sisters of the Blue Mountains

As a group of 50, we took a field trip to the Blue Mountains (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), and the students collected tree and animal information at six stops along the 15 km hike. Not too bad, except that it rained the night prior, and there were a bunch of leeches out! These little blood suckers kept grabbing hold of people’s ankles and latching on for the long blood ride. Some of them went unnoticed for a while, so by the time a “body check” occurred, the little suckers were about to burst with fullness. One guy even had a leech bite and latch on through his hiking socks! I had a couple leeches, but found and plucked them off well before they migrated up my boots to my precious warm skin.

The Blue Mountains are truly beautiful, named after the blue hue that is seen from a distance given off by the eucalyptus forests that dominate the landscape. They are home to several endangered and protected flora and fauna, and have excellent hiking trails!

Enjoy the pictures (leeches not included)! Blue Mountains