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10/05/01
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Leave Dulles Airport at 3:00 PM after waiting in Airport Security line for
5 hours. Arrive in Los Angeles 5:15 PM but baggage was sent on separate
flight and won't arrive until tomorrow.
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10/06/01
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Leave Los Angeles at 10:30 PM and Fly to Sydney Australia. Try numerous
ways to avoid blood clots in legs because of 19 hour flight. Arrive Sydney
at 6:10 AM on 10/08/01, losing a day after crossing International Dateline.
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10/08/01
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Leave Sydney at 8:15 AM to fly to Cairns on the Great Barrier Reef. Don't
really want to get on a plane again, but baggage has already arrived in Cairns.
Suffering from jet lag but decide to start working on suntan once having
arrived in Cairns. Airport security has already searched through luggage,
removing anything of value.
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10/09/01
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Try to avoid shark bites while swimming and snorkeling on the Great Barrier Reef. Enjoy a sailing trip along the Coral Reef in a glass bottom boat. Notice
awful things in the water that could have bitten legs and arms while snorkeling. Vow never to swim in tropical waters again but decide to work on suntan
instead.
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10/10/01
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Fly to tropical city of Darwin on the Northern Tip of Australia and Kakadu National Park. Protect from sun exposure and soothe serious sunburn with
Aboriginal remedies and various ointments. Next time will remember to
pack sun screen.
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10/11/01
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Visit Nourlangie Rock to see Aboriginal rock art, then take the Yellow Waters cruise to view crocodiles and thousands of waterfowl including jabiru, egrets, and herons.
Tour group offered crocodile meat at buffet dinner but pass.
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10/12/01
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Fly to Alice Springs in the Australian Outback for sightseeing in the bush country. Try to fight flies and stinging insects by wearing heavy clothes during
blistering heat. Regret not having packed insect repellant. Enjoy air balloon trip high over outback but amazed at how high bugs can fly. Dodge huge
thunderstorms during balloon ride.
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10/13/01
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Fly to Central Australia to visit Ayers Rock and get boomerang lessons from Aborigines.
Eat roasted grubs and kangaroo meat served at traditional Aboriginal dinner.
Request remedies for boomerang accident, bug bites, and indigestion.
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10/14/01
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Fly back to Sydney and then down to southernmost island of Tasmania, the town of Hobart. Soothe insect bites with ointment and local poultice remedies.
Try to isolate cause for skin rash.
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10/15/01
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Tour the town of Hobart in Tasmania. Visit the aged Port Arthur Penal Colony
that seems to remind people of TJ Computer Lab. Admiring other scenic wonders
including waterfalls. Experience sudden weather changes due to surprise storms
from Antarctica.
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10/16/01
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Fly to Melbourne to see Fitzroy Gardens, Queen Victoria Gardens and Philip Island with Fairy Penguins on the beaches.
Wonder if penguins bite but avoid swimming because sharks eat penguins. Work on suntan.
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10/17/01
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Fly to Australia's capital, Canberra, for a brief tour. Canberra is said to
be designed after Washington, D.C., so visiors are not surprised to receive
Automated Traffic Ticket while on tour bus. Fly out in afternoon to Sydney.
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10/18/01
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Visit Koala Park in Sydney to see Koala Bears and Kangaroos. Then tour the town to see Kings Cross, the Harbour Bridge, the Botanic Gardens and the Olympic stadium. Buy souvenirs and wash huge pile of dirty clothes. Search for
deadly funnel spiders.
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10/19/01
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Cruise Sydney Harbour by boat and marvel at huge shark population. Buy opals at one of the largest jewelry companies, Gemtec.
Climb Sydney Harbour Bridge for view of city and better view of sharks circling under bridge. Decide to pass on bungee jump option.
Fall asleep during live performance at Sydney Opera House.
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10/20/01
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Throw away extra clothes to make room in luggage for accumulated souvenirs and jewelry.
Fly from Sydney to the South Island of New Zealand and the town of
Christchurch. Tour city, gardens, cathedral and Avon River. Look for place to
to check email.
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10/21/01
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Take Tranz-Alpine Express train ride through the Southern Alps of New Zealand to snows at Arthur's Pass. Remember stories of
Donner Pass in California. Return by train to Christchurch. Try to
buy winter clothes but find local stores are displaying spring fashions.
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10/22/01
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Travel by tour bus to Mount Cook National Park for nature walks and close-up views of galciers. Get second case of frost bite.
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10/23/01
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Drive through New Zealand countryside during their spring season and see
huge sheep farms and adorable baby lambs.
Spend night in the private home of a New Zealand family.
Try trading personal items for anything made of wool.
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10/24/01
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Travel through Beech Forest and scenic Hollyford Valley followed by a cruise on Milford Sound. Buy postcards of
beautiful Milford Sound since entire place
is enveloped by fog. Travel to Queenstown
and look for rubber boots, umbrella, and rain hat.
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10/25/01
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Take a boat ride on the rapids of the Shotover River and then a helicopter ride over the Remarkables Mountain Range.
Dinner reservations at elegant Skyline Restaurant in the mountains overlooking Lake Wakatipu.
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10/26/01
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Travel through New Zealand rain forest. Everything is damp.
Still anxious to buy rubber boots, umbrella, and
rain hat.
Tour bus winds through New Zealand Alps to see Franz Joseph Glacier
but most people stay on bus to build fire.
Finally, tour bus arrives at Greymouth
for the night. People wonder if city was given name because of cold damp fog
and common fungal diseases.
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10/27/01
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Travel to Picton and then take a ferry to the North Island and capital of New Zealand, Wellington. Keep close eye out for pirates while on ferry ride.
Also look for sharks.
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10/28/01
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Tour Wellington and historic buildings before traveling to Rotorua, the center of Maori civilization and geothermal springs. Forgot that geothermal springs
smell very bad but most people assume aroma is caused by
dirty laundry.
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10/29/01
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Visit Whakerewarewa Thermal Reserve to see geysers, and then Rainbow and Fairy Springs to see trout pools, wildlife and native Kiwi birds. Enjoy a traditional Maori celebration at a Hangi meal.
Still not sure what one actually is eating during a Hangi meal.
Throw away rest of clothes to make room for more souvenirs.
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10/30/01
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Visit Waitomo Caves with its famous glowworms before heading to Aukland, the "City of Sails" with its beautiful harbour and majestic Mount Eden.
Prepare to fly to the Fiji Islands by throwing away souvenirs because luggage exceeds maximum weight allowance.
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11/01/01
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Relax on the beautiful South Pacific beaches of the Fiji Islands. Enjoy palms
and orchid gardens but express concern over polical unrest and rumors of
other American tour groups being taken hostage.
Work on suntan but avoid speaking English.
Fly out of Fiji in early evening.
Arrive in Los Angeles earlier in the day of 11/01/01 after 19 hour flight. Gained a day because of crossing back over the International Dateline.
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11/02/01
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Seek treatment for possible blood clots in legs after long flight but have
to wait 1 week for appointment at HMO.
Leave from Los Angeles at 8:30 AM and arrive back at Dulles Airport at 4:21 PM.
Try to recover from jet lag but substitute delivers bushel basket of papers to
be graded by Monday along with stack of college recommendation forms students
asked to have completed by November 1st. Considering a quick trip back across
International Dateline.
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