by Jim Stevenson,
Hello Travelers,
It is time to begin thinking seriously about the Australian Trip. Here are some details that might help you to know if you are interested. We would fly on Monday, July 8, to Townsville, Australia (see below for additional dates). You would pick your flight and pay for it. After that, I pay for everything except your meals.

We would work up the coast through Cairns and the Cape York Peninsula, then head down the inland mountains and west into the Outback. From there we will work our way back to the coast and down to Townsville to fly out two weeks later on July 22.

This is a poor picture of a honey eater, a huge family of songbirds in Australia. These are not to be confused with the honey creepers of the American Tropics, with their long, sickle bills and brilliant colors. These honey eaters are like the warblers of Australia and occupy about every imaginable niche. This is the Mangrove Honey eater, and of course, lives in the coastal forests.

This is by far the birdiest part of Australia and you’ll see hundreds of species. Our vehicle is a roomy, six-passenger van with great visibility, so there will only be five of you. Meals will cost about what you pay in thee US (maybe a bit higher), and breakfast will be quick and lunch as well.

Accommodations are very expensive in Australia (my bill) and they will range from moderate to nice, depending on the situation. For instance, there is a very decent hostel right on the Esplanade in Cairns with some of the best shore birding in Australia. But some places will also be standard hotels. Also my bill is gas, which is around $7 gallon!

All this makes the trip a bit expensive, as my trips go, but I think I can do it for $4000. What I would appreciate right now is word on your intentions, so I can begin to plan, and begin to offer a second session if the numbers indicate it. A second run would begin Wednesday, July 24, still with five people and the same price.

IF YOU ARE INTERESTED, PLEASE TELL ME WHICH SESSION YOU PREFER AND WHETHER ONE WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE.

It would be great to run two trips! I should say the photo ops on this trip are fantastic, you will have the opportunity to even have great, natural-looking shoots in a couple of zoos, and the Great Barrier Reef is a great experience, as well as photography of seldom-seen sea birds breeding. For many of you, this is a once-in-a-lifetime trip, so I make every effort to “cover it.”

Feel free to ask any questions by emailing me below, especially those which affect your status, and please know Internet is sometimes difficult here in Venezuela.

I am very excited about returning to the Land Down Under!

Jim