This is the first email sent out using the new system, and hopefully, it will work seamlessly and I did not lose anyone out of it.

The website is up to date once more in terms of images, with the exception of yesterday’s installment from Goodhue, Minnesota. The images are still on disk in the van, and they will be added at some time in the future, after the van returns from the repair shop.

The Dodge County Fair was a lot of fun. It’s the first time either Di or myself have ever seen pig racing which was a lot of fun. Alas, the camera was in the van also, so I was unable to capture the excitement. Try to just imagine four terrified piglets racing around a track to claim the prize of an Oreo cookie at the other end of the circuit. Hilarious to watch.

We also learned a lot about the world through the kid’s exhibits in the various categories. Among other things we learned:

• People in Australia are not allowed to wear pyjamas to breakfast.
• There are many things about the Australian government that are easy to remember.
• Koalas eat between 200-500 pounds of leaves per day. (Now there’s a reason not to stand under a gum tree! Look at the size of a koala - that much food has to be going out somewhere!)
• Koalas never leave the same tree for their entire lives. (Amazing regenerative powers of eucalypts, it would seem, since they have to cope with the removal of 200-500 pounds of leaves per day!)
• Macaroni and cheese can contain the following ingredient - 1/4 cup pees. (That’s what gives it the yellow colour, we think).

All in all, it was a great lot of fun, and we even managed to see a few kangaroos in the petting zoo, so we got a great chuckle out of it all. So glad we finally made it to a County Fair on this trip, and we highly encourage any other travellers to make this a definite to do at some point also.

Categories: Travel, Odyssey 2001