puffins are dangerous!

And so are infectious air-borne diseases... and clownfish. I am not making this up. They were all items listed as prohibited from being brought into The People's Republic of China. Don't worry though, pet poodles are okay! If you subject them to a quarantine with needles and people in masks. What a relief right?! What is a country if it doesn't have poodles!

i got one!

Meet The Esteemed Monsieur Brightsworth. He's a baby lorikeet (you can tell by his dark beak) that seriously needs some flying lessons. I'm taking donations--because really, I'm quite concerned about him. It can't be good.

Flying or not though, I love him. Thank you to whoever sent him, because now I surely will be finishing my dissertation on time.

::ahem::

distractions!

How am I supposed to submit a dissertation in December when I have to deal with this awesomeness on a regular basis. It's asking a bit much I think.

Vincent's convinced I spend half my day feeding lorikeets and praying a black cockatoo will come perch on our balcony.

He's only half right.

I mostly see galahs (the birds in the photo!) at uni, walking around eating grass and being super cool in the most laid-back way possible. They are the epitomy of suave if you ask me.

And now they are chillaxin' right outside my flat eating gum balls!

::sigh of contentment:: Dissertations can wait--who wants to get me a parrot?!

have you ever faced death and lived to tell about it?

I did this afternoon, when I came face to face with the fiercest most unforgiving animal on the planet. The saltwater crocodile. Even typing the name gives me shivers of fear.

See. Behind it is Mary holding my beer. She isn't afraid because she's hardcore, and NOT because it was a baby and only like a foot long. It was also NOT because the zoo-dude had a good hold on it and had assured us a few times that it couldn't actually kill us at that size. While I wanted to believe him I knew better, so after patting his belly (the croc's not the zoo-dude's), we made our way to visit the friendlier and super adorable echidna!

Oh yeah-- THEN, we got to eat some good food and listen to the amazing and absolutely inspiring Jane Goodall speak about the environment and chimpanzees and Tchimpounga Sanctuary in the the Republic of Congo!!

A big thanks goes out to Mary for the gorgeous afternoon!