My Time in Australia

Hey everyone!!

I'm home, working and active in my church again!! It's been nearly two weeks since I got back and I've finally got a bunch of pictures from my time away posted. There are lot of pics, so you need to scroll down to the place where Archive links are on the right side of this page and click on November 2005 (NOT November 2004), and then you'll be able to see them all on one page. I've tried to include a variety of pictures and I've made an effort to try to explain the picture in the caption...hopefully I've done an okay job. The pictures start from the start of February and run up to the graduation on November 13. There are also pics from the two and half months I spent in California at the Salvation Army's Camp Gilmore in the Malibu "mountains." Having seen the Rockies I don't really think they are mountains, but geologically they do qualify...but they just look like big hills to me. So yeah, there are about 70 pics. Enjoy.

Take care all!!

My first picture of the Australian coast...taken only hours after arriving in Australia.

Glenn and Alicia looking out over the ocean on the day we arrived in Australia. 

A stingray swimming in the seagrass in Lake Munmorah. 

This is Bartholamew Ian Virtue, his name sounds quite distinguished, does it not? 

Bart at the drums in the classroom. 

Myrtle, Chris and Alicia at the computers in the school library. 

This little plaque was near an intersection not from the school...it makes me think, "What will I be remembered for?" 

Alicia with a guy who works at a Starbucks in Sydney, Australia...apparently she had promised a friend that she'd get her picture taken with an Australian Starbucks guy. 

Cameron and Bart playing on...well, I'm not really sure what it is. 

Bart cutting his birthday cake on his 18th birthday. 

Myrtle and me playing on the swings. 

Judith, Myrtle (the arms sticking out from behind the guy walking by), Anita, and Alicia doing old people excercises. The two guys walking in are Paul and Simeon, the leaders of the Mission Team in the Salvation Army Australia East Territory. They were coming to speak to us about mission. 

Me, Matt and Chris having our picture taken during Lorelle's birthday dinner. 

Myrtle, Heather, Lorelle, Alicia and Anita posing for pictures at Lorelle's birthday dinner. 

Our Speechcraft graduation cake. Speechcraft was our public speaking course. 

The staff and students at our graduation from our public speaking course (Josh was sick that day and isn't in the picture). 

Me standing in front of the Sydney Opera House shortly after sunrise. 

Alicia, Heather, Chris, Anita, Myrtle and Judith at our ANZAC Day picnic. ANZAC stands for the Australia/New Zealand Army Corps. The day is a holiday to remember the invasion by Australian and New Zealand troops at Gallipoli in Turkey during World War II. 

This is Issabella, Matt and I spent a day with her and her parents in Airlie Beach after attending a youth councils in the northeast part of Australia. 

The SFYL group on the top of Big Nellie, near Hanam Vale. 

Myrtle and me at the "Big Cross" for the first time. I would make the trip 4 times during the summer. Once with Adam and Myrtle, once with the staff group, once with Leslie and one more time with Myrtle. 

Bart, Myrtle and Chris at the "Crags Cross" 

Don (the Camp Director), Adam (Program Director for Camp Wilderness) and Myrtle setting out to clear a new path. 

Some of the 2005 staff from Camp Mt. Crags, Camp Gilmore and Camp Wilderness up by the "Big Cross" in the Malibu Mountains, California. 

One of our favourite activities to do with the younger boy campers was to take them down to the creek for moss fights. Campers vs. Counselors!!