Elena watched a flock of cockatoos burst from a tree canopy, their white wings flashing like sparks against the dark green.

Elena stepped out of the plane. The heat was physical; it pressed against her skin like a heavy blanket. The air smelled of dry earth, heated eucalyptus oil, and the faint, sharp scent of ozone.

Jack adjusted his sunglasses. "Why’s that?"

As they flew further south, the landscape shifted. They crossed a river where the water moved sluggishly, a dark ribbon cutting through the parched earth. On the banks, kangaroos lazed in the sparse shade of acacia trees, their movements slow, conserving energy.

Understanding Seasons in Australia: A Reversal of the Northern Hemisphere Date of Report: [Current Date – assumed to be consistent with user's query context] Subject: Determination of Australia’s current season

"It’s honest," Jack corrected. "Winter in the north is a closing of the door. Summer in Australia is the door being blown off its hinges."