Jason & Laurel Down Undah!

Photos from our trip to Australia for the Bioastronomy Conference, July 2002.

J&L like a million bucks after a 14 hour flight!! restrooms: male/female instead of men/women! you thought the restroom signs were weird!? Welcome to Sydney mate! Check out the weird booze! More brew in the mini-bar fridge Euro-esque bathroom in the Mercure Hotel in Sydney. Two buttons instead of a handle! It's madness! View of downtown Sydney from the hotel. Sydney Sky Tower! Laurel poses with bird guide and Harry Potter and the PHILOSOPHER'S Stone! UK versions of HP Jason waiting in the queueue Sydney at night from the Sky Tower Get yer Kangaroo scrotums! Monorail public transportation system I call the big one bitey. More strange beverages.. Pepsi MAXX? Red Bull in a bottle! A clocktower in the city Freaky-ass candy, or "confectionaries" view form the hotel at night Sydney Skyline at sunset, driving on the WRONG side of the road! View from Jason's porch at the Beach Club resort on Hamilton Island another view from the porch, looking out to sea L on a tightrope bridge over one of the resort pools on Hamilton Island one of the many lovely resort pools yet another pool! a view of one of the resort buildings from the beach at low-tide J and L walking the beach at low-tide The Wild Cockatoo: Public Enemy #1 on Hamilton Island! A cockatoo doing silly tricks for us at the resort A bunch of Toos kickin it on someone's porch at the resort L feeding the cockatoos banana chips! Shouldn't be feeding the birds.... But IT'S IMPOSSIBLE NOT TO!!! A view from the Beach Club lounge A Seagull choking down a donut he stole from J's plate! SeaGULP! Vegemite! Bleh! L talking with a Too at the Fauna Park (FP) on Hamilton Island An elderly croc at the FP A shy cockatoo showing us his wing during the "Cockatoo Capers" show at FP More "Cockatoo Capers" in progress! L with a "Cockatoo Capers" performer after the show Millions of Toos (and a duck...) A cute Galah cockie at the FP, taking an afternoon snooze Big, Fat Monitor Lizard at the FP 2 younger, smaller croc sunbathing at FP An Emu at the FP Cassowary, very prehistoric looking... Cassowary and a sorry-looking Cockatoo pal One of the many "laughing" crows on Hamilaton Island, caught here at the FP Kanga or Wallaby? Doesn't matter, it's cute either way! And soft fur too J feeding a kanga as a jealous cockatoo bites his arm! Cute little Lorikeets! ("Laurel-keets") J pours bird seed all over a sleeping wombat to see what happens Dazed wombat wakes up, surrounded by Toos, shakes seed off, and goes back asleep Some furry little chincilla-looking things at the FP Diverse water birds An beautiful duck at the FP J and L with a cute,sleepy koala named Gumnut. J is holding a koala's BUTT!!! The FP entrance sign I don't even know what to say.. Wild wallabay feeding on the resort lawns at sundown! Jason snuck up on them to snap pictures you should see them bouncing a maniacal wallaby makes his escape Jason & Laurel at the Beach Club pool Aboriginal welcome at the start of the science conference Songs and dnaces of the natives of this island region were performed Hitchhiker's Guide to the Moon, installed on the mock-rover. Laurel and Jason on the rover This rover was driven in behind Dr. Harrison Schmitt, only geologist on the moon rover by itself Our poster: Origin and Evolution of the UCLA AstroBiology Society drinks w/ old & new friends: L, Susan & Mark, Steve & Geena, Eliz... Mark & Susan Harrison enjoying a bit of peace as the rest of us vie for a... time to eat drink and be merry (and talk astronomy!?) The whole crew, joined by Geoff & Susan Jason & Laurel w/ Geoff Marcy, UCLA alumnus & discoverer of extra-sol... Our favorite bird: the LAUGHING KOOKABURRA! Look at him go! The NASA Astrobiology Institute (NAI) Evening event. NAI and Bioastronomy dignitaries, notice our poster in the back! The evening showcased NAI technology and research groups Laurel chats with Dr. Baruch Blumberg, NAI director and Nobel prize winner! Laurel and Jason back on the rover, this time on Mars, and with more action! Another beautiful view from the hotel. More strange candy Jason enjoying an exotic drink poolside Laurel dozing off, and dreaming of birds! Jason obeys traffic signs Lush and interesting flora on our hike to the island's highest peak Australian trees The hike was a long one but it was worth it! Look at these stunning views of the surrounding islands! The cool wind is refreshing Laurel takes a few minutes to sit on her laurels You can see for miles, er kilometers A look back at the resort (it's low tide) This picture taken by Simon Conway Morris! more breath-taking views ... another look back at the resort a different trail we took back to the hotels; it was getting dark... Edna Devore from the SETI Institute talks on science and evolution in teaching Frank Drake talks about progress made since previous Bioastronomy meetings time to party! dancing begins after the gala dinner scientists and educators getting down! good times all around Custom worlds adorned every table. This one may have been Marcyland! An underexposed shot of the banquet room BANDITS! A rogue wallaby sneaking around Jason's patio door Complex Australian gambling machines. Kookabucks!!! GREAT BARRIER REEF SNORKELING PICTURES COMING SOON! Crows these guys make some loud strange noises The island bar! Where you can enjoy drinks from inside the pool! Some last splendid moments on the beach before departure A final look back at Hamilton Island from the place back to Sydney Sunset over the Australian Sky Darling Harbor at night, look: a water taxi! The world-famous Sydney Opera House! A great view of the opera hoouse from our tour of the Sydney harbor Jason looking a little dazed in front of the Sydney skyline closer view of the end of the opera house sydney harbor bridge The Australian flag and the Opera House L&J in front of the opera house Flag, Opea House, and Bridge distant view of Sydney, on our way to the zoo! an elegant black swan and other water birds at the zoo more lovely and interesting water birds 2 Australian Pelicans grooming themselves. Very large birds, about 5 ft tall! Australian White Ibis foraging the grounds for worms and such. A Common Myna bird, visiting the zoo. Doesn't look happy about the picture! lazy kangaroo. the males are called stinkers! Crested Pidgeons (aka MOHAWK PIDGEONS!!) A lovely pic of a male peacock The elusive duck-billed platypus. Rare egg-laying mammal. Look at him go! A laughing kookaburra on exhibit at the Sydney zoo (soo cute!) Some sort of fat pheasant Another pic of the fat pheasant an interesting yellow-winged bird. didn't catch the name. this kangaroo is actually doing something A Crested Pidgeon taking a nap on top of a bird exhibit. An adorable Little Kingfisher sitting in a tree at the zoo. A pretty Diamond Firetail finch A Masked Lapwing going for some food Isn't she gorgeous? A Yellow-tailed Black Ccockatoo at the zoo An echidna, going around in circles. The only other egg-laying mammal. We think this is a Lyrebird, but we haven't confirmed this! Two Curlews looking sleepy A Little Penguin having the time of his life! Look at this monkey dude! This sign was just funny somehow Mecha-gorilla! Will be appearing in Terminator 3 This was the spectacular view of the city from the zoo's terrific bird show! look closely and you can see a bird in action! Big giant fat old tortoises! Yet another Kookaburra, this one sitting atop a Kookaburra enclosure at the zoo. Tasmanian devil.. a bitter disappointment! Dingo striking a pose for us Fat birds rule! (This one is called a WONGA Pidgeon!) Mechanical walking elephant! We're at a loss for words! Great display in the Darling Harbor shopping center uncanny and glorious booze mixed drinks in a can! For the love of god!! McOUTBACK BURGER!! Hungry Jack's, aka Burger King Laurel poses by an outlaw sculpture in the historic Rocks district Sydney Opera House at night rocks behind an arch. this area is very old bizarre urinals!