A further look at strike...

Defoe told me last night that there is actually a bus strike in Brisbane last year coz the drivers want their buses to be air-conditioned... It is actually the unions that coordinate the strikes in Australia... Guess what... it works... the government promptly added more air-conditional buses thereafter... This brings me to the point that some of the free postcards they have in Australia actually serve an important purpose... That is, to reject some of the legislations meted out by the government and/or John Howard... I signed one which request that the government return the oil fields to Iraq before... (Chee Meng passed the postcard to me and he sent it for me). The post cards are all printed with the parliament house address and is addressed directly to the Prime Minister, John Howard. Guess what... it works... Australia pull out from the oil fields thereafter...

Manage to hit 6 pages for the software process assignment... Yea... need atleast 4 more and diagrams do help... Not in terms of occupying more space (tho' it does to a great extent), it actually help me sort out my thoughts in a more explicit manner... Just had a Mac Oz burger at Indooroopilly shopping mall and did some revision... Gonna practise some C programming on Agave now...

Oh, some facts I have learnt about Australia:

(1) Highest mountain in Australia is in Melbourne - Mount Kosciuszko at 2228 metres or 7,310 feet (Chee Meng just reached it summit a few days back)

Extract of his email about the mountain:

The broad shaped valleys around the main range are a result of glacial action during the ice ages and make for easy access to the Main Range which offers fantastic cross country skiing. Other interesting activities for the adventurous are challenging downhill runs, cycling on the steeper faces.

Kosciuszko National Park includes Australia¡¯s highest mountain, Mount Kosciuszko at 2228 metres or 7,310 feet. It is the largest national park in New South Wales, Kosciuszko National Park extends 200km north to south, from Tumut to the Victorian border, encompassing an area of some 6500 square kilometres. The scenery includes almost all of the high country, with ten peaks above 2100m, forested valleys and a treeless plateau with glacial lakes, as well as the headwaters of Australia¡¯s biggest river system, the Murray¨CMurrumbidgee.

Upon reaching the Thredbo, 1370 metres, I began my search for a shelter. Thanks to the helpful information counter, I manage to find the cheapest roof at $26.50 per night at YHA Thredbo. Appreciation of terrain started with visual followed by foot recce to the start point of Merittius Track. While there were patches and snow and ice on the slope and rivers, I was pretty lucky as the route to the summit seem cleared. I foresee little or no difficulties all the way up 1900metres.

On 7th June, I proceeded with the walk up the mountain at 0730hrs. The sky cleared slowly as the surrounding air is picking up speeding. After close to two hours walk, I was at 1900metres point. It was there and then that I realised the chair lift for skiing operates!? Nevertheless, I did not regret walking. I felt more relax when I saw the 6.5km route ahead was cleared. As I was at higher elevation, the ears and fingers staged a demonstration that they are feeling numb.

I fasten my pace on the plateau, and breathed Australia highest air at 2228 metres at 1055hrs. I enjoyed myself on the summit, looking at the surrounding peaks for 35 minutes. I saw more people while I was making my descent. Smarter people who discover using the chair lift is a better deal compared to waking up early.

(2) Lady Elliot Island is the first coral cay island of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park from the south... It is too expensive to go there coz one need to take a flight from Bundaberg... But I guess I will be visiting Lady Musgrave Island which is cheaper as they have day cruise which bring you to snorkel too! =) I want to see the coral reef with my own eyes... I have taken a module on "Australian Marine Environment" but have yet to seen one (ie. a coral reef in its natural environment) for myself...

(3) Fraser Island is the largest sand island in the world ( will be going there after exams)

Got to practise some coding now...