Musings on Global Education (August 12, 2008)

Aussie (and Canadian) Teachers: They’re Just Like Us!

We who work in high-need schools in the US tend to think that the challenges we face every day at work are unlike any other problems that other teachers and school districts deal with. High stress, low pay, students who can’t multiply, too much standardized testing, etc., etc., etc.

Guess again. After reading local newspapers, watching local television and talking with other teachers, these seem to be global trends that are endemic to the profession. Take teacher pay, for example. Australia recently passed a new pay structure that guarantees teachers somewhere between $50,000 - $75,000 in annual salary. This sounds great -- at first -- until you adjust their salaries for the weak Australian dollar and the cost of living here, which is nearly double that in Los Angeles.

In addition, there are efforts currently underway to guarantee highly-skilled teachers as much as $100,000 through performance-based bonuses as a way to prevent them from leaving the classroom to pursue higher-paying administrative jobs. Similar efforts in the US have been met with intense resistance by teacher unions although, ironically, it is the teacher’s union here that is trying to push these reforms through.

The conditions we teach in seem to be global as well. On my cruise through the Whitsundays, I spent some time speaking with another teacher on holiday from Canada, who talked about having to take on multiple roles with her students – instructor, therapist, disciplinarian, mother, doctor, friend – because they often lack these supports at home. I empathized with her tales about having to coax proficiency out of students who do not speak English, are “far below basic” and who only come to school because it is safe and structured. If it weren’t for her slight accent, I would have thought she taught at Stevenson.

This morning, the national news included a story on reforms the Australian Minister of Education is trying to pass, such as making information about school performance and student demographics (i.e. percentage of students in special education) available to parents, information already available for US schools through No Child Left Behind. The counterpoint to these reforms, presented by an education expert, was exactly the same as you would hear in the States – ranking schools would lead to “teaching to the test” and students who were “unprepared for the realities of university studies.” I cringed, however, when he said, “Do parents really want to know how many indigenous children are in their schools?” I’m not sure if he meant it as it sounded, but it reminded me of stories my brother has told me of parents being concerned with busing students in from the city because they don’t want “those kids” and “their problems” in the same classrooms with their children.

We’re facing a challenging year at Stevenson – no doubt – but this trip has convinced me that many of the things we complain about, whether fair or not, are now a permanent part of our professional reality as they are for teachers around the world. I sincerely hope we can learn to accept these truths so that we can move forward in a positive direction instead of drowning in the challenges of our “unique” situation.

Daydream Island to Sydney (August 12, 2008)

I was awakened this morning by the howling winds outside that whipped through the palm trees outside of my room. A brief walk outside confirmed my suspicions – the gusting wind, similar to that on Orrington Avenue in Evanston (this will make total sense to you NU folk) – created weather conditions that were way too chilly for laying out and enjoying my remaining time in the sun on Daydream Island.

Instead, I headed to the gym for another workout and went back to my room to shower, pack and watch some local news before checking out of my room. I had a few hours to kill, so I walked around, taking time to snap some photos of my favorite spots (click on the link for photos) around the island, before boarding the 2:00 p.m. ferry for Hamilton Island. This time, the ride was a little more intense and I stayed safely inside as the ferry plowed through the rough surf, leaving copious amounts of sea spray in our wake.

I got to the airport and checked into my flight, quickly boarding the plane back to Sydney. (Air travel is super-easy when the airport only has two gates!) Aside from the annoying couple making out next to me, the trip was uneventful and Cara was at the airport when I arrived to shuttle me back to her apartment in Bondi. We spent the evening watching the Olympics and went to bed early in preparation for another day in Sydney.

More Daydream Island (August 11, 2008)

Because Cara had to fly back to Sydney this afternoon, we stayed on Daydream Island and enjoyed the first day of warm weather on the island. After filling up on breakfast, we walked through the rainforest to the other side of the island for a round of miniature golf. The 19-hole course (and no, the 19th-hole was not a bar, unfortunately), had an Australia theme, highlighting various areas and events throughout local history. The course mocked us with its plethora of 2-par holes that were CLEARLY not easy enough to complete in two strokes and we laughed at the PG-13 hole descriptions, which included tales of outlaws, drunks and corrupt politicians.

We headed back to the room to change into our bathing suits and turned on CNN only to discover that Isaac Hayes had died (RIP, Chef), only one day after Bernie Mac’s death and a few days following Morgan Freeman’s car accident. While Cara prepared for another celebrity death to complete the trifecta, I determined that the three events were related and that Freeman somehow cheated fate, leaving him destined to avoid one brush with death after another ala “Final Destination.”

After a quick workout, I joined Cara for some quick beach time before her departure. While the island had a number of beautiful beaches to choose from, the one disappointment was that they are all coral beaches and covered with bleached-out coral, not sand. Despite this complication, we enjoyed the warm sunshine and basked in the beautiful view of the water.

As Cara jumped on the ferry, I went to the spa for a massage and then back to my room, where I learned that the value of the Australian dollar had dropped precipitously and now was trading with the US dollar at a ratio of 1AU:.88US. I quickly calculate how much this new exchange rate will save me and make a mental note to do some shopping before I leave. See kids, you DO use math every day!

I cleaned up, grabbed some take-out dinner from the café and headed out to the aptly named Lover’s Cove in order to watch the sunset. The moment would have been perfect if it hadn’t been for 1) my lack of a make-out companion and 2) the obnoxious kids trying to skip pieces of coral into the water. As soon as the sun set, I walked by the Christian Conference’s “Mocktail” Party and returned to my room to watch “The 40-year-old Virgin” on local television. About five minutes of the movie transpired before I realized that it was completely unedited, with every inappropriate, four-letter word pristinely preserved for all ears to hear. Here Americans are, still talking about “nipplegate” years after the fact and the Aussies can tune into their version of NBC and hear the f-word on a daily basis. Talk about how Aussies are not like us!

Whitsunday Islands and the GBR (August 10, 2008)

Against our nature, Cara and I woke up early in order to gorge ourselves on the free (and, this time, delicious) breakfast buffet before making our way to the dock for our day-long cruise throughout the Whitsunday Islands (click on the link for photos). After a small miscommunication, which almost resulted in our missing the pontoon boat to our catamaran, we boarded the Chimera catamaran and grabbed a seat for the ride of a lifetime.

The Whitsundays are 74 separate islands that comprise the largest off-shore island chain on Australia’s coastline. They are also the closest point off the Queensland coast to the Great Barrier Reef and, as a result, are the perfect departure point for experiencing the reef’s diverse marine life through snorkeling and scuba diving.

Unfortunately, the temperature was cooler than average during our cruise but I didn’t let that stop me from experiencing all that the reef had to offer. Our first stop was Hook Island, where I slipped into a wetsuit, threw on a mask and flippers and headed out for my snorkeling adventure. The current was stronger than I had expected and caused cloudy conditions throughout the reef, but it was still easy to see the myriad of colorful fish and coral that lived beneath the surface. I was amazed at how the depth of the ocean changed drastically from spot to spot – at times, the coral was only two feet below the surface and then it would plunge to depths of more than 20 feet.

Shortly after getting back on board the catamaran, we had an unexpected emergency when a female member of the crew nearly severed her finger while pulling in rope from the pontoon boat. I felt like I was in some kind of disaster movie, as two volunteers cleaned up blood that had spilled on the boat’s floor (seriously, lots of blood), while a crewmember walked around, asking if there was a doctor on board. It looked and sounded bad – but twenty minutes later, she was smiling and waving her heavily bandaged hand as she was picked up by emergency services and flown to an Arlie Beach hospital to be stitched up.

Once we got back on track, we circumnavigated the uninhabited Whitsunday Island, the largest of the islands, and dropped anchor just off of Whitehaven Beach, described by many as one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. It was nothing short of spectacular – a mix of the whitest, finest sand and the clearest, sea-green water you’ve ever seen. The sand itself is 98% silica, which means you can clean your jewelry with it and, even better, it squeaks when you walk! Let’s just say it was tons of endless fun for someone as immature as me.

Our visit to Whitehaven ended way to soon and we got back on the catamaran, pausing along the way to admire the stingrays and sea turtles swimming in the pristine waters. The cruise back to Daydream was no disappointment, as we were treated to delicious barbecue, discussions about Aussie beer preferences (the metallic tasting but highly alcoholic VB:Victoria Bitter, or the smoother but less potent MB: Melbourne Bitter) with our new friends and fellow day-trippers from New Zealand, and multiple sightings of humpback whales breaching and frolicking in the warm waters.

Daydream Island (August 9, 2008)

Are there wallabies on your island resort?

There are on mine. Today, Cara and I woke and began packing for our two-hour flight to the Whitsunday Islands on the southern end of the Great Barrier Reef. After checking into our Jetstar flight (Qantas’ version of Southwest Airlines), we breezed through security and headed to our gate. One note – when I say breeze through security, I mean breeze through. The Aussies must either have the best intelligence in the world or are taking their “no worries” philosophy too far -- not only do you not have to remove your shoes or limit yourself to 3 oz bottles of liquids (love it!) but they don’t check IDs either (love….uh wait, is that really such a hot idea?).

Our pilots managed to land our 737 on the rather short Hamilton Island runway, thankfully without going into the water. From there, we collected our bags the “old-school” way, on carts instead of conveyer belts, and boarded our ferry for the 45-minute ride to Daydream Island. For the entire ride, we were mesmerized by the absolutely beautiful color of the water – I finally understand where Crayola got the inspiration for the blue-green crayon.

After a brief stop at South Molle Island, we disembarked at Daydream and promptly checked out our cheese-tastic resort hotel, complete with a stingray and shark-infested lagoon out front, giant plastic tropical fish and disco balls hanging from the ceiling, and family bingo in the lobby bar (for a nominal fee, of course). Further exploration of the island, however, led us to our most surprising discovery – families of wallabies hanging out everywhere, including on the beach and by the pool. I wonder if they enjoy the swim-up bar as much as the other resort guests.

Before dinner, we attempted to walk to the other side of the island, which had tennis courts, shops, a café, a bar and miniature golf. We were stopped in our tracks, however, by the flocks of giant bats flying out of the island’s rainforest to partake in their daily, nocturnal activities. The worst part was the sounds that the bats made, a creepy, high-pitched screeching noise that would give even Batman the heebie-jeebies. Cara also says that it’s not pleasant when they pee on your head. She clearly speaks from experience, so I’m more than happy to have faith that she’s telling the truth.

We made our way back to the main resort in time for the night’s only dinner option, a $42-per-person Italian buffet that was probably the worst meal I’ve had in years. It takes special talent to screw up spaghetti bolognese, but our fine friends at Daydream seem to have risen up to the challenge. Cara and I agree to starve rather than eat at the buffet again and we head up to our room and sleep in preparation for tomorrow’s Great Barrier Reef excursion.

Sydney -- Manly, Sydney Harbor, The Rocks and the Opera House (August 8, 2008)

On my second full day in Sydney, I got on the bus and headed back to Circular Quay in order to take a ferry across the harbor to Manly. Built in the 1920s as a resort, Manly (click on the link for photos) is the first of many beach towns on the north coast of Sydney and home to expensive, beachside residences located in a laid back, beach-y neighborhood – think a less developed Santa Monica.

I took a walk down the town’s main strip, the Corso, filled with small shops and cafes, and walked to Manly Beach, a beautiful, tree-lined, white-sand beach with a long, rolling break that is perfect for surfing. As I continued along the ocean-side pathway for 15 minutes, I reached Shelly Beach, a small cove nestled into protected parkland that is pretty but does not live up to its “shelly” name.

After riding the slightly turbulent ferry back to Sydney, I walked around the CBD to get a feel for downtown life. It’s difficult to explain how amazing and vibrant Sydney actually is. As I’ve said, Sydney is oftentimes compared to Los Angeles, but I’d say Sydney is more a blend of the best elements of New York (sophistication and energy), San Francisco (hills, harbor and bridges) and Los Angeles (weather and sunshine). It is, without doubt, one of the most stunning cities I have ever seen – simply magnificent.

From downtown, I walked over to “The Rocks,” (click the link for photos) Sydney’s original settlement, literally built into the rocks (hence the name) at Sydney Cove in 1788. After coming close to being demolished in the 1960s, The Rocks has experienced a resurgence and is now a mix of pubs, clubs and stores all housed within beautiful, historic brick buildings. I met up for drinks with Cara and Cristian at Argyle, a former wool store that is now a very cool indoor-outdoor bar and changed into more appropriate attire for our night at the symphony.

We left Argyle and walked to the Sydney Opera House (click the link for photos), stopping for a quick dinner at Opera Bar (delicious roast chicken and potatoes) before heading into one of the Opera House’s five auditoriums for a program of Tchaikovsky and Stravinsky. The Tchaikovsky piece was fantastic – a juxtaposition of symphony orchestra with piano played by famed pianist Yefim Bronfman. Maybe it was the late hour or exhaustion after a long day, but Stravinsky’s Firebird, despite the sheer size of the orchestra, failed to hold our interest. We were, however, highly amused by conductor and current Music Director of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, David Robertson, who took no less than THREE encores for EACH performance. So much for midwestern humility.

Following the performance, we drove back to Bondi Beach and sat on the couch to watch the always-esoteric opening ceremonies of the Olympic Games. After laughing at the clearly lip-synced performance of the adorable Chinese girl (there’s no way that was her voice), Cara and Cristian passed out on the couch and I headed to my bedroom for some much-needed rest.

Aussie Television

Aussies – They’re Just like Us!

Unlike, say, Greek or German television shows (don’t even ask me to describe the latter – this is a PG-13 blog, after all), Australian TV is remarkably similar to television in the US, and in fact, many American shows make their way here, although sometimes multiple seasons behind their US run.

My first night in Melbourne, I caught a “new” episode of “American’s Next Top Model” from a cycle (the 1,000th or something – I’ve lost count by now) that regularly re-runs on MTV. Of course, there is also “Australia’s Next Top Model,” which according to the newspapers (and confirmed by Cara), is much less “urban” than the US version, with more modeling and less model drama. This, I’m sure, is due partly to the apparent lack of diversity in Australia. Cara said that they pluck their contestants from the Australian countryside, so the girls are very young (in their teens) and farm fresh. On the other land, the latest winner of the Australian version is actually now a top model working around the globe, which says a lot about the “real” goals of American “reality” TV.

You can also catch both the US and Australian versions of “So You Think You Can Dance,” Australia’s “Dancing with the Stars” with its requisite mix of former athletes and washed-up actors, and of course, that reality juggernaut, “Australian Idol.” Australia’s version of “Make Me a Supermodel” begins soon here, complete with US host Tyson Beckford but swapping Aussie and former Miss Universe Jennifer Hawkins for the wooden American Niki Taylor. Of course, since there are only about 20 million people in Australia, the contestant pickings are slim and, according to Cara, the results are oftentimes laughable, with only two or three of each show’s contestants being remotely talented.

Of course, the international TV trading route goes both ways. The US recently imported “Farmer Wants a Wife,” a show that has already had a couple of runs here in Australia and is set to film its third installment in early 2009. Apparently, it is quite popular and has already produced two marriages, which is more than the US can say about all its reality dating shows, combined.

That’s not to say that Australia doesn’t have its own, unique television shows. Most popular are the daily and weekly drama serials like, “Neighbors,” “All Saints,” “McLeod’s Daughters” and the very popular, “Home and Away,” which has apparently included just about every now-famous Aussie actor including Guy Pierce, Isla Fisher and Heath Ledger. Cara shared that these shows are like “really bad episodes of One Tree Hill,” and after having caught a thankfully-only-30-minute episode of “Neighbors,” I’d have to agree. I guess some things are better left on this side of the Pacific.

Sydney -- Taronga Zoo (August 7, 2008)

I woke up early this morning due to the fact that I couldn’t feel my nose I was so cold. It reminded me of when my heat was broken for a month in LA and I slept on my couch in the living room with two portable heaters keeping me warm. (These are not pleasant memories). My only respite was a hot, 20-minute shower that also managed to take the chill off the apartment, at least for a little while.

After getting cleaned up, I jumped on the Bondi Beach bus and took the 40-minute ride to Circular Quay (pronounced “key”) in Sydney Harbor. After a 15-minute ferry ride to the North end of the harbor, I disembarked at Taronga Zoo, which looks like a Thai rainforest on the edge of the ocean.

The Taronga Zoo (click the link for more photos) is filled with a wide variety of animals, including the requisite zebras, elephants and monkeys. However, the real showstoppers here are the creatures native to Australia, including Koala bears, kangaroos, dingoes, kookaburras and the elusive Tasmanian Devil. I immediately headed out to see the koalas and somehow lucked out, as these notoriously lazy animals (they are sloths, after all) were awake, eating, climbing trees and mugging for the cameras.

Next up was the reptile house, which was “guarded” by a Komodo Dragon, the largest reptile on Earth and occasional eater of humans. Inside the exhibit (and safely kept in glass houses) were some of the deadliest snakes on earth, including the Fierce snake, which doesn’t look “fierce” but has enough venom in one bite to kill 200,000 mice! (It turns out that 11 of the 15 deadliest snakes are native to Australia, and I was silently thankful that I wasn’t heading out into the “bush” anytime soon).

One of the cool things about the Taronga Zoo is that you can get up close to the animals. I got a chance to pet one of the elephants, and for a nominal fee ($20AU), you can feed the giraffes and take pictures with the koalas. In addition, the wallaby and platypus exhibit is open, meaning you inhabit the same space as they do. I didn’t see any platypuses but did come face to face with the wallabies, which are incredibly cute.

After a massive thunderstorm made its way through the area, leaving buckets of torrential rain in its midst, I made my way through the rest of the Australia section and happened upon the crocodile cage right at lunchtime. It was like feeding time in the reptile cage to the nth degree, as there was a giant bird in the mouth of the crocodile with blood dripping down on the floor. There was just one word for the experience – AWESOME!

I also came across a kookaburra, which ironically has a call that sounds exactly like a monkey, and the dingoes (“The dingo ate my baby!”). Last up was the Tasmanian Devil, another usually-nocturnal creature that happened to be running around, presumably just for me. The devil actually looks like a large, black-and-white hamster with red ears, and is kind of cute, that is until it goes crazy, bears its sharp and large white teeth, and starts screaming at you.

The zoo closed at 5:00 p.m., so I took the ferry back to the CBD and met up with Cara on the 36th floor of the Shangri-La hotel for a drink while watching the sun set over the Sydney Harbor Bridge. We then made our way to Surry Hills for drinks and dinner at the hip and happening Longrain, where I had a delicious (and, of course, expensive) Whiskey Sour and a grass-fed Thai Beef salad, which apparently is a very popular dish in Australia. My dinner impresses me once again and I realize that the Aussies really know how to eat well!

Melbourne Photo Album

For more pictures from Melbourne, check out my Melbourne Facebook photo album.

Melbourne -- National Gallery (August 6, 2008)

Aussies – They’re Just Like Us!

I spent some time hanging out at the hotel this morning before getting started with my last day in Melbourne. Thankfully, to go along with my lovely, free breakfast, the hotel stocks an array of local magazines and newspapers to peruse. I’m most amused with the local newspaper, which has the same type of stories that you would find anywhere in the US, including coverage of Morgan Freeman’s car accident (as Cara said, I guess he won’t be “Driving Miss Daisy” for a while -- ugh) and suspicions over Mary-Kate Olsen’s alleged refusal to speak with police regarding the details of Heath Ledger’s death.

The cover story is a sports scandal brewing within the world of the AFL – the Australian Football League. Days before, Collingwood Magpies player, Heath Shaw, had been involved in a car wreck while under the influence of alcohol. At the time of the accident, he lied about the car’s other passenger, teammate Alan Didak, who was on a team-imposed curfew due to previous alcohol-fueled antics. I would say that this is a typical day in American sports except for the fact that the two players were suspended for the REST OF THE YEAR, including any possible playoff or finals games!! In the US, you have to run a dog-fighting ring before you get that kind of reaction.

After packing up and leaving my luggage with the front desk, I went to the National Gallery of Victoria to see Art Deco: 1910 – 1939, an exhibit on the celebrated style and its influence on everything, including architecture, fashion, jewelry, posters, furniture and cars. It was a stunning collection of items, including a pants suit designed by Coco Chanel, elaborate Cartier jewelry, travel posters, the foyer from London’s Strand Palace Hotel, film of Josephine Baker and, my favorite, a vintage Cord 812 Westchester Sedan in mint condition. (The car pictured is a vintage Mercedes -- not quite the Cord but not too shabby, either).

The main theme of the exhibit was the juxtaposition of the movement’s classical influences with the desire to create something that looked modern. In addition, many of the items were influenced by the new freedoms and independence that women experienced after WWI. I made a mental note to discuss how Art Deco relates to the women’s suffrage movement in the US with my friends, Jeanette and Danny, who teach history and art, respectively, and begin brainstorming ideas of implementing a cross-curricular project.

After getting back to the hotel, I headed out to the Melbourne airport for my one-hour flight to Sydney. My friend, Cara, and her boyfriend, Cristian, met me at the airport and drove me to their place in the world-famous, Bondi Beach. After a quick pasta dinner, I unpacked and climbed into bed, with my hooded sweatshirt, gloves and socks on, under two layers of blankets. It turns out that, despite the fact that it can regularly get into the 30s and 40s at night here during the winter, most of the apartments DON’T HAVE HEAT!!! I’ve never been so thankful that we have laws against these types of conditions in the US.

Melbourne -- Shopping (August 5, 2008)

Melbourne is often described as the San Francisco to Sydney’s LA – a funkier, edgier city full of diversity and creativity. It is considered the cultural and fashion center of the country and, based on this information, I headed out for a full day of shopping, keeping in mind the current 1:1 ratio of the US dollar to the Australian dollar.

I started out in the downtown CBD, where I immediately turned down Collins Street, with its high-end designer boutiques such as Gucci, Chanel and Ralph Lauren. Considering I cannot afford any of these stores (and the fact that they are five minutes away from me at home), I continued further into the city.

Quite unexpectedly, I happened upon the ever-ubiquitous red-and-white Target logo and peeked inside for a look at the Aussie’s take on Target’s high-lo aesthetic. The store, super-small compared to our Target super-stores, carries mostly clothing and little to none of the toilet paper, house wares and electronics that you would expect to see in the US.

Most shocking, however, were the prices – let’s just say this Target is much more high than low, with simple tops and bottoms in the $50 - 60AU range. Like home, Melbourne’s Target has a “GO International” collection, this one a lingerie grouping designed by hometown talent Collette Dinnigan. While the pieces are a bargain compared to Dinnigan’s runway pieces, they are still too expensive for what they are at $28AU (on sale from $45AU, no less) and I headed out the door disappointed and empty-handed.

Next up on the agenda was Myer, one of Australia’s two main department stores (David Jones is the other). Despite being a leading retailer, the store seemed fairly dilapidated and reminded me of what the downtown St. Louis Famous Barr looked like before it closed down. Myer carries a mix of domestic and foreign labels, including high-end designers such as Peter Som and Derek Lam. However, once I saw the same Robert Rodriguez dress I just bought for $180 at Neimans selling here for nearly $1,000, I hightailed it out of the store as quickly as possible.

Per the recommendations of Jen Norris and the lovely girls at my hotel, I headed to Chapel Street, the Melrose Avenue of Melbourne. True to description, the area was a mix of high-end boutiques and cafes, and stores filled with the latest club wear. After popping my head into places such as Alannah Hill (a grown-up version of Betsey Johnson) and Eurotrash (a brilliantly-named hole-in-the-wall with high-end vintage finds), I headed back to the hotel to rest before going out for the evening.

That evening, Jen’s friend, Tomas, picked me up and we went to dinner in St. Kilda, a formerly run-down beach resort that has now become the hip hangout for Melbourne’s youth. (Imagine if Coney Island became the new Brooklyn). After another great dinner (mussels with chorizo in a tomato sauce) and a quick walk down St. Kilda’s main drag, I went back to the hotel and happily plopped into bed, exhausted from a long day of walking.

Melbourne -- Day One (August 4, 2008)

I landed in Melbourne around 9:00 a.m., and after Customs confiscated just about all the snacks I brought with me, I grabbed a shuttle to my hotel in South Yarra. I immediately made friends with an older, Australian couple on the shuttle who were just returning from a two-month long trip abroad, including six days in Las Vegas. How anyone can spend six days in Vegas is beyond me, but they seemed to really enjoy themselves even though they don't gamble.

My new friends narrated our drive from the airport through various parts of the city, including downtown Melbourne, St. Kilda and Albert Park, the home of Australia's Grand Prix. (The gentleman seemed very excited about the race track while his wife replied, "You don't have to mention EVERYTHING.") The thing that really caught my attention was the architecture of many of the buildings. The town houses are like a cross between southern plantation homes and buildings from mining towns in the Old West, with gorgeous columns and porticos accented by elaborate, lacy ironwork. It's like nothing I've ever seen before and it is stunning.

I arrived safely at my hotel, The Hatton, a 30-room boutique hotel in South Yarra, which can best be described as the Upper West Side of Melbourne. After getting settled in my room and cleaning up, I headed out toward the Botanical Gardens. Despite warnings from colleagues about the "really, really cold" winter weather, it is about 60 degrees outside and feels like a cool, crisp fall day in Chicago -- perfect "football" weather, as I like to say.

The Botanical Gardens are quite lovely, with numerous lakes and pathways all surrounded by native flora. I am most struck by how unbelievably large the plants are -- some are 20ft-tall "bushes" that tower over people. After meandering a while through the gardens, I continued on toward the downtown, central business district, or CBD, which was bustling with activity and people.

Melbourne is the state capital of Victoria and is considered to be the sporting and cultural capital of Australia. While oftentimes compared to San Francisco, the CBD of Melbourne is fairly small and somewhat run down, much more like the downtown of a midwestern city. There is a mix of turn-of-the-century colonial architecture with newer buildings, although scaffolding and cranes throughout the downtown area speak to Melbourne's rapid growth. (My Australian "tour guides" told me that Melbourne was supposed to overtake Sydney in population within 20 years).

Much like San Francisco, Melbourne hosts a number of ethnic enclaves, including significant Chinese and Greek communities. Numerous streets make up Melbourne's scenic Chinatown, which is lined with Chinese lamps and lanterns. There is also a Greek district, which, from what I could tell, included a sweets shop and a souvenir store that rivaled any schlock-palace on The Plaka.

When I got back to my hotel, I took a long bath and then got dressed to meet up for tea with Tomas, a friend of Jen Norris and my designated evening company in Melbourne. Later, I dined on spring lamb at the award-winning restaurant, Botanical, and it was there that I discovered what was going to be a recurring theme throughout my trip -- drinking liquor here is really, really expensive. I was expecting a hefty bill for my meal but was floored by the cost of my one martini -- $19!!! (By the way, that was for a Gin martini without premium liquor.) On that note, I walked to my hotel, sober from the sucker-punch my wallet just took, and passed out happily in bed around 8:30 p.m.

On My Way

Well, I successfully made it to Melbourne after nearly 24 hours of travel, between airport waits, transfers and flight time. My first leg, which was Los Angeles to Auckland, New Zealand, took more than 14 hours but went by surprisingly quickly. I was thinking that flying long distances is much like a running a marathon -- once you know you can survive the 11 hours from LAX to London, everything else is totally doable.

I must say that Qantas provides an excellent flying experience. Their in-flight entertainment system is first rate and you can even watch Gone With the Wind which, given the fact that you're in the air for 14 hours, seems like a great way to spend the time. The food was more than edible -- dinner included a delectable chocolate brownie and their "snack" involved M&M's. The bathrooms were super-clean, had tile floors and provided a needle disposal area. I assume this is for diabetics but realize that it might also be handy for those heroin addicts trying to get rid of their stash before going through customs. Very thoughtful, those Aussies.

I was also captivated, as always, by the flight tracker on the screens. About eight hours into the flight, we crossed the equator and then the International Date Line. The IDL lies on the 180 degree longitude but is not vertical line, as it has been moved to accommodate the needs of various countries, some of which are the Pacific Islands near Tonga and Somoa over which I flew. Although the paradox of the IDL was first written about in the 12th century, there still is no international treaty that establishes its exact location. (Interested in more? See http://www.phys.uu.nl/~vgent/idl/idl.htm). Of course, I began to think about whether it is possible to straddle the date line, effectively existing in two different days at one time, and this led to thoughts on multiple time dimensions and LOST. This distraction used up a good 30 minutes as I tried to come up with new theories to share with my brother.

Unlike recent Qantas international flights (or on LOST), my plane landed safely in Auckland, New Zealand, with no holes blown through the bottom of the plane. After a quick stop (where they, nonsensically, made us get off the plane, go through security and then get back on the SAME plane!), I landed in Melbourne around 9:00 a.m. Monday morning. Due to crossing the International Date Line, I am now missing a day of my life, which is weird but not as strange as it will be to relive the same day on the way back.

More on Melbourne to come.....