Our Seattle friends had one more day in Port Douglas, but Robin and I had the opportunity to visit her second cousin Dr. Scott Ritchie - "the bug guy" - in nearby Cairns. We stayed with Scott and his charming wife Julie in their sweet Queenslander bungalow. A Queenslander is similar to a California or NW bugalow except that the main floor is above the ground so the tropical air circulates to keep it cool. It's single wall construction meaning they have no insulation, and the dining room is outside on a covered porch with a pass-through from the kitchen. The weather being such that you can dine year round with a breeze to temper the humidity. 
Victoria Bridge and Downtown Brisbane
Julie and Dr. Scott Ritchie
Scott and Bill on the Queenslander dining porch
Every summer in the 60s Robin's mom Avis took the four kids on the train from California to Marnie, Iowa to visit the family farm. Avis' cousin, Scott's mom, lived in Council Bluffs, IA, about an hour away. Being only a year apart Scott and Robin often played together as preteens. Even as a 10 year old, Scott had a facination with bugs. When Avis saw a poisonous black widow spider, Scott asked to see it. He'd trap ants and other insects to the disgust of Avis' little girls. It was only natural that Scott would end up in Cairns, Australia after getting his PhD in Entomology - bug capital of the world.
I've met Scott a couple times in Seattle and I like him and his wife. We are politically aligned and have good conversations. Scott and I also share an appreciation of fine wines. Scott and Julie made us our best meal while in Australia - coral trout on the barbee and home made cherry cobbler - complete with a selection of Australian wines.
Dr. Ritchie's specialty is Mossies (mosquitoes). We toured his lab, which includes a replica of a Queensland bunglow back porch complete with landscaping and yard furniture. They rear mosquitoes from the same gene stock as the wild ones. But infect them with a bacteria called Wolbachia. They are not genetically modified as I previously noted. They then spread it sexually when they mate. Thus all offspring become infected with the bacteria. And this bacteria acts like a vaccine, reducing the probability that mosquitoes will be infected with dengue virus. Very Cool!
He suggested to check out this link if interested http://www.eliminatedengue.com/en/program
Plaque on Lab.
Within several generations (weeks in a mosses' case) the new mossies are disease free in the lab. They are now implementing this protocol in neighborhoods of Cairns. To pass through the containment protocol of the lab was like the book/movie Andromeda Strain. Scott and his team are partially funded by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and they have visited Scott and his lab. Pretty cool stuff - if you don't mind constantly scratching.
Scott in one of his labs
Scott immune to mossies landing on him in the lab. Robin was not so sanguine.
We left early the next day for Brisbane where K&A lived for four months. We only had a half day here before our departure for Fiji. We wish we had more time. It's been said "if you want to visit Australia go to Sydney, if you want to live in Australia go to Brisbane". Sydney, as I've written, is big, sophisticated, lots to do and places to see - Like a smaller NY. Brisbane is more like San Francisco or Seattle. Smaller scale, cool neighborhoods and manageable by walking or biking. We stayed for the first time in an Air BnB in the South Bank along the Brisbane River. This neighborhood across the river from downtown was redeveloped for the World Expo celebration of the 1988 Bicentennial of European settlement - a longer discussion is needed for the Aboriginal reaction to this event. Manmade beaches, mile long arbor of Bougainvillia, restraurants and residential line the river. The University of Queensland has a georgeous Botanical garden nearby that we strolled through before walking their pedestrian mall (street closed to traffic) Queens Ave in the downtown core and then across the Victoria bridge back to South Bank.
Bougainvillia arbor of South Bank
Restaurant along manmade waterfront. Downtown in Distance
Next Post: Aboriginal People - Part 1
Catching up on your last three posts -- from poisonous-animal-infested rainforest, to Great Barrier Reef to Brisbane. Many wonderful adventures. I'd like your guide, but doubt I'd be licking spiders or gulping down bugs. I'm one of the least squeamish (I'll say it: THE least) woman I know but I draw the line at eating a trembling insect. My SCUBA is also out of date -- but by about 50 years! Would get re-certified in some cool place as you did -- and Robin's first. Give her my congrats! I love snorkeling-so know I'd love to dive at GBR. Besides, with warming oceans, the next few years may be the end of them all.
ReplyDeleteWhat fun to be able to visit with relatives in Australia? Always a good way to get an inside view. His research with mosquitoes is perfect in timing -- what with Gates trying to eradicate so many mossie-borne diseases. A relaxing day or so with friends sounds like a perfect coda for a perfect trip! Hi to all -- Robyn, Aaron, and Kate! (and you!)