Brother Konchog's Australia Invasion

So a short while ago I got a preliminary itinerary from the organizers of my Australia tour that provoked no small alarm on my part. It was created on a calendar grid program, used to log daily appointments. From my arrival on January 5 and for the next two weeks, it read, “6:00AM: Bris.” I read this and thought to myself, where on earth did they get the idea that I perform traditional Jewish circumcisions, and why do I have to do one each day at dawn?

Then the slightly less stupid part of my brain fizzed to life: “Bris” = “Brisbane”, my first stop.

{For ten years, I worked in VIP catering in the DC area, on the service side. Once in a while we’d cater a bris. Our standard joke was, “Well, we’re guaranteed a small tip!”}

Anyhoo, here’s my roughed-out Australia schedule as it stands now:

Brisbane: January 5 - 13
Sunshine Coast: January 14 - 20
Brisbane: January 21 - 28
Canberra: January 29 - February 1
Sydney: February 2 - 8
Melbourne: February 9 - 25
Brisbane: February 26 - March 3

In each location, I’m arranging to give a PowerPoint presentation on Mongolia called, “The Buddha Was Only Sleeping: Mongolia’s Post-Communist Buddhist Revival.” They added a cool sub-subtitle: “An American Monk’s Tales from the Buddhist Frontier.” So far, the only fixed date I know for this is in Brisbane. I’ll give this talk on Saturday, January 12 at 2pm at the Brisbane Football Stadium Brisbane Square Library Community Meeting Room, 266 George St. While I can't guarantee lithe contortionists and dancing camels, it will be entertaining. If you want more info on this event or anything else concerning Brother Konchog’s Australia Invasion, email kpcinaus@gmail.com.

Please let your potentially interested Australian pals know about all this. When I’m not birding, I will be giving Buddhist talks also, naturally, and I’ll feed info into the blog as soon as it’s given to me. If you can help with promotion, good onya, mate!

Comments

[Leamur]

What birdies are you hoping to spy down under? Any special lifers you want?

[Konchog]

Here's the thing, Leamur. With the exception of a few wintering waders and waterfowl, everything will be a lifer, totally endemic to the continent. It's a birder's dream come true and I'll be blogging lots and lots about it.