U.S. TRACK TEAM LIVING DIFFERENT LIFE COURAN COVE, Australia (AP) - Friendly wallabies sidle up to the tables during meals, stand on their hind legs and beg for food. Fruit bats flutter in the trees. About 150 species of birds fill the air. There's a 25-meter swimming pool. Sports facilities abound, from the usual basketball, volleyball and tennis courts to lawn bowling, rockclimbing and bocci. Parasailing, windsurfing, kayaking and scuba diving are among the dozen water sports available. Not your typical spot for a U.S. track team to prepare for the Olympics. But that's where the Americans have been for the past week, on this island off Australia's Gold Coast. They'll move to Brisbane on Tuesday for two more weeks of preparation before the opening ceremony of the Sydney Games. For the most part, the small contingent of athletes -- the other team members will join the group later -- have been enjoying themselves. They have quickly adjusted to the 14- to 17-hour time difference from the United States, the change in diet and the strange surroundings. Spending a week at the resort was a decision of the team coaches about a year ago, and it has worked out well. *** For the full U.S. track team feature, see http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2569276940-6e1
