How many Richard Nixon Memorial High schools are there in the states? Lots of examples of Hero to Zero the world over.

thanks for the update Pat

A/D

some bloody fierce sandflies (or summat) around Cairns / Kakadu though - ripping myself to shreds!

Hi margo - don't scratch them. Hope you enjoyed Kakadu.

Pat, re the jellyfish researcher who has the cross wife, what is it about these people who experiment on themselves??? I read Bill Bryson's book A Short History of Everything (or something similar) and the scientists in there were constantly doing things to themselves in the name of science. I think a controlled experiment would be of better use. Also re your husband's stone fish sting: hope he is better. I think I saw one when I was snorkeling off Lizard Isl. I heard that the sting was very bad--even through running shoes. How does one avoid them?
Sally in Seattle

By vigilance, Sally, I think. Stonefish aren't an everyday hazard by any means, it was quite some time ago when my husband was stung, he can't remember if he was wearing anything on his feet, but they can sting through light soled shoes or thongs. He's OK now thanks, actually this didn't happen on reef - he was fishing around mudflats off Moreton Bay, near Brisbane. You could well have seen one at Lizard Island, they half-hide in sand - ugly looking brownish things with a row of spines along the back. They're found on about 2/3 of Australian coastline from Moreton Bay, South Qld right around to 500kms north of Perth. Antivenom has been available for years, unlike the box jelly.

No need to worry about the spiders and snakes - it's the deadly jellyfish, octopus; poisonous stonefish, coneshells, canetoads; dangerous crocodiles, sharks, scorpions; stinging caterpillars, bees, wasps, ants ,ticks, and bluebottles you have to be wary of. Even our cute little platypus has a poisonous spine on his back foot!

But seriously, I have survived for 41 years living all over Australia, and with a little common sense intend to go another 41 without encountering any of those fellows.

The statistics will say you are more likely to die from a bee sting than a sharkbite, and the road toll and drowning deaths each year are horrendous and cannot compare to the list above.

So relax, use common sense and enjoy your stay. You'll have a wonderful time.

I agree with Steggy, except that it's a good idea to keep the road toll in perspective - it's actually far, far lower than it used to be.

Thanks for all your comments. We are still planning our holiday and I have now decided to forget about snakes and spiders, I won't be going looking for them, so I just hope they hide when they see me coming!

Snakes do makr themselves scarce when they hear you coming. Spiders just - well, hang about. They don't chase you around the room.