We've been everywhere, man.

Hello all and Happy Belated Easter. It was a big four-day weekend for us (one of the advantages of the Australian life) so we managed a couple of rainforest hikes. Edie once again missed out on Purling Brook Falls, one of the nicest walks in southeast Queensland. She spent most of it fast asleep on my back even as we passed under the waterfall and got a little wet.

I've been on the move a lot in the past two months, with trips to the Flinders River (north Queensland), Mitchell River (ditto), and the Gippsland region (Victoria) for various sampling events. Victoria reminded me a little of home, with some nice clear water streams with gravel bottoms that had trout and eels, very unlike what I've become used to up north. It was also nice to be able to splash around in the water without worrying about a hungry reptile making a meal out of me.

This Wednesday we (and by we, this time I mean the whole family) are traveling to Tasmania to do some more sampling. Laura has kindly offered to come along to try and catch eels with a rod and reel so I can take samples. Apparently she has a bit of experience fishing them from her days on the Chegoggin River. And of course Edie will pitch in by variously collecting leaves and picking up stones. I think she plans on bringing her binoculars. Either way, it's going to be a great combined work trip/vacation, and we're pumped about seeing Tassie for the first time.

After our return from Tassie we'll be once again welcoming sister Sarah for her second vacation down under. She and Justin fly into Sydney on April 21st. No doubt we'll find plenty of things to do while they are here. But the fun doesn't end there. Laura is heading back to Vietnam in early May to see Van Anh and celebrate her pending marriage. That means Dad is staying home for a week with Miss Edie. We'll keep that a secret from little ears for the moment, as it could get ugly.

All for now, enjoy the pics!

Easter