Since arriving to Australia on Wednesday there has not been too much of a culture shock other than I have noticed they driving on the “wrong” side of the road. I did not notice a speed limit sign or police officer into about two days in. On our first full day we went to Woolworths a local grocery store and got some food essentials for lunch and snacks. They have many of the same brand as we do in the USA but the price difference is more like 14 pack of eight ounce Coca Cola is $14.10. Also the bread here has no preservatives so it only lasts three days.
We went for a snorkel/dive adventure on Saturday and it was quite an experience! The boat was gorgeous and having the opportunity to snorkel two areas of the Great Barrier Reef was unforgettable. There was some bleaching of some of the reef but the colors and texture were still present.
On Sunday we ventured out on an all day Cape Tribulation tour. We had an Aboriginal from Australia named George as our guide and he shared many stories of the lands. We walked through the rainforest and went on the beach where the only place that the rainforest meets the beach in Australia. Along the way we saw amazing sites and had homemade ice cream from local fruits. We went on a hunt for crocodiles and saw some babies as well as a green tree snake that our boat guide retrieved from a tree branch. We ended the tour at a beautiful site where many go hang gliding.
On today we had our first day of work at the turtle rehabilitation center on Cairns and our mentor was Tracy. Tracy explained to us how all the turtles were brought the rehabilitation center and how they all have their own unique stories. Woodson who was my personal favorite had to have is right eye removed and they originally called him Mankey because of how is face looked when he first arrived. The learned how to de-spine the squid, peel the prawns and clean the tanks. It is very important to understand cross-contamination and the effects it can have on these turtles with weakened immune systems. Lastly we went to Myrtles tank who has Fiber Papilloma virus so she must be handled separately. We recently had some of her growths removed to make a vaccine for her. We had the pope to take her out of the tank and access her sutures to make sure they were ok to remove. The inside epidermis layers appeared intact so we removed all but one stubborn suture.
I have the chance to go to Fitzroy Island tomorrow to work the turtles there. I am looking forward to seeing the turtles are almost ready to be released.