“This plant is having sex 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for 3 or 4 months; it’s very strenuous!” Jim Celeri is showing me a gorgeous rhododendron that is in full bloom, and explaining the plant’s need for water. While I’d prefer a less thirsty specimen for my garden, I have fallen in love….”
I’ve visited rainforests around the world—in Argentina and Brazil, Trinidad and Tobago, in the mountains of Madagascar, and in Queensland, Australia. But my favorite rainforest is less than four miles from downtown San Francisco.
What’s the biggest surprise Down Under? Yes, Australians speak English, and no, you will not understand everything they say. You won’t need a translator, but you will want at least a basic understanding of Aussie terminology for your visit. Here are some “bits and pieces” about Aussie lingo you’ll want to know before you go.
One of only 12 “megadiverse” countries that together account for 75% of the world’s total biodiversity, Australia is home to more than 1,000,000 plant and animal species, many of which are found nowhere else on earth.
“If nature didn’t make it, one of our customers almost certainly did.” Join me on a tour of Autodesk’s fascinating mini-museum, where more than 20 exhibits—ranging from a Ford Shelby GT500 to an 8.5-foot dinosaur made from more than 62,000 LEGOs—represent the diverse range of products designed with Autodesk software.
