Last Days in Brizzie!

This week has gone by in a blur - Monday and Tuesday I listened to 46 research presentations from my classmates and gave a 15 minute presentation on the effect of algae on corals. Oh my.

Here's some of my graphs, just to prove that I've actually done research:


If you want to know more, just ask me! I'll email you my scientific paper and you can read all about it for yourself. Yeeeeeah.

So anyways, I finished my 20 page/ 5,000 word research paper on Wednesday (yesterday) and went to see ZOMBIELAND in downtown Brisbane with KL. It was SO FUNNY!! I actually liked it more than Shaun of the Dead. I felt so many emotions! Especially considering that it's just a zombie movie!
I am also SUPER excited for Holmes, which looks epic!

We also went on the Wheel of Brisbane, which is a ferris wheel that has a really nice narration of Brisbane's history.



Thursday (today) we went to Lamington National Park. It was gorgeous! John Hall, our forest ecology professor, offered to take a few extra field trips there since we couldn't go during the class. He gave us basically the same lecture he gives to his classes, and we ended up hiking about 15-16 km. It didn't feel like that far because the trail was pretty even and really well market. We saw some truly beautiful things!

Valley inside Lamington National Park:
HUGE TREES!
Strangler fig, taking over! You can see the roots trying to reach the ground.
Antarctic beech - this tree can live for literally thousands of years because the roots can sprout into trees.
Wet schlerophyll - eucalypts on the top, rainforest on the bottom.

Looking out onto flame-trees and beautiful eucalypts.SO PRETTY!
My girls at the top of Surprise Rock - KL, Coop, Tessaly, and Lauren:
More gorgeous scenery:
Waterfall!

We also stopped by a pie place on the way back for DELICIOUS MEAT PIES! Apparently he took us to one of the most famous pie places in Australia - it's been around since stagecoach times, and everyone in Queensland knows it. It really was quite tasty. I had a steak and mushroom pie with gravy... mmmmm that's good eating!

Tomorrow is our 2nd to last full day in Brisbane. Crazy! I can't believe this quarter has flown by so quickly - I'm going to try to make the most of the time we have left by enjoying the city and soaking in Aussie culture!