| SKINK STRUCTURAL IRIDESCENCE: OH MAN I AM IN FLAVOR COUNTRY (I can't believe Chris found us a lizard with interference colors, that is ridiculous in the most awesome way) |
This is a durian. It is covered with spines and a half-inch, rock-hard woody husk. It smells indescribably foul. You are supposed to eat it. |
So Chris and his most gracious family invite us over for dinner, acting all hospitable and such, and then WHAMMO out comes the demon fruit. It has a texture that I can't rightly describe, although "soggy bread dough" comes to mind. |
Having exhausted the non-durian-based possibilities in Sydney, we fled to Brisbane and the International Congress. Caroline went for a swanky hotel; I went for the Palace Backpackers. NEVER GO FOR THE PALACE BACKPACKERS. (depicted: roommate aftermath) |
| At ICE, I finally got to hang up the posters I'd been schlepping around various hemispheres for the last two weeks. (I then forgot to get a picture with the systematics one) |
John Lawrence, Rock Star of Beetle Systematics, surrounded by a passel of adoring fans. I don't know who the fella on the far left is, but the babe to the far right is in fact Rich Leschen. |
An enormous phasmid ("stick insect") at the Queensland Museum. Holy crapoley, that's fairly large. |
So, in the first-floor Ladies' Room of the Brisbane Convention Center lurks this squat, 'seventies-ish... thing. Why is it there? What does it do? Kira investigates. |
