Hello Heron!

After half of us spent a blissful 3 days in Port Douglas, soaking up the white sand beaches and scuba diving in the Great Barrier Reef, we joined up again with the other group on Monday. The other half of the group stayed back at Wetherby station and diligently worked on their Targeted Research Projects, relaxed, or helped out around the ranch. It was great to be back together again and after lounging on the beach for one more day, you could feel the tittering of excitement about the upcoming adventure we knew we were about to embark upon: Heron Island.

The crux of this trip for many of us in Australia, Heron Island is the manifestation of why we picked our abroad program over some of the others. That's not to say getting here was easy. First came the 22 hour train ride from Wetherby to Gladstone; in truth, time does fly by when you're watching Anchorman, hanging out with friends, and getting into that book you've been meaning to read (*ahem* Game of Thrones). We passed by lengthy stretches of indistinguishable Australian countryside; although the train moved with no apparent urgency at about the same pace as sea mollusk on vacation, it was incredibly clear how much space, open land, and nothingness lay in the undeveloped portions of this upside down country. It rained on our way, and we saw a couple of bushfires. In truth, if you have the stamina to look out the window instead of at your computer screen, the train is a pretty neat way to check out the countryside.

We eventually made it to the Heron Island ferry, but the trip was far from over. Two and a half hours of the most rambunctious waves and aggressive seasickness you could imagine left us green and gasping for fresh air when Heron Island finally came into view, but it was well worth the wait. The most beautiful white island awaited us, one that exceeded even my wildest imagination. We were shown our rooms, given the safety spiel, and fed a meager lunch before hopping into the water to pass our snorkeling proficiency test - there's one we all aced. After a day of settling in, we met some of the other students staying at the research station from the Australian Uni, Southern Cross. With 96 students in total, some staff, and a resort, it's clear the island is not huge. However, with Research Projects in swing, the coral reefs beckoning, and the weather [hopefully] clearing up, the potential for adventure is indeed grand. Whenever we get the chance to stop for a moment, look around, and take in the reality of what we're experiencing, I know that PB&J lunches instantly fades to the back of my mind. Heron Island, we have arrived!

Beckie