So I'm finally back in the States (although technically I'm currently with my cousin in the Cayman Islands, but that's a good deal closer to home than Australia is). I haven't really had a chance to blog since my return do to being in a coma/getting my new license/visiting Bryn Mawr/Haverford/Swarthmore/getting ready for Cayman, etc. But more importanly I just haven't really had the urge to blog in the way I did while I was in Australia. I therefore justify my certain desire to do so on the similar climate of Cayman to Cairns. Anyhow, being back at home has had its ups and downs. My parents got rid of my car while I was gone, so I am currently sharing a car with my sister, which is okay. It's really nice to see her and Joe and my brother again. It feels much more like it's going to be Christmas in New Jersey as opposed to Queensland. I got a chance to catch up with the Jews and Hannah and some other Mawrtyrs. But I really, really miss being in Australia. Being in Cayman with Paul and his friend Adam is essentially my last hurrah in the no-stress freedom that went hand-in-hand with my studying abroad. Since I've been here we've watched football, watched loads of VH1, ate lots of food, and went to the beach. It's wonderful, and I actually really enjoy their company. But while sitting on the couch watching the top 100 songs of the 90s while they sat outside smoking cigars, I overheard them talking about their lives and relationships, which made me realize that in a few years I will be expressing similar concerns. And that reminds me of the fact that now that I'm home again, I have to think about my future, my career, and, most importantly, somehow making money. And I REALLY don't want to think about that. I know I'm still in undergrad and that I have time before it really actually becomes important, but it's still much more real now to me than it has been in months. The one thing I hope the my time in Australia will influence more than anything else is my determination now to do something in my life because it makes me happy and not just because it pays the bills. I wish that this was a more socially accepted attitude in the States so that this would be an easier feat to accomplish.
The one thing that I think will make this all the easier to deal with will be seeing all of my friends again and getting back into the swing of things at Bryn Mawr. It was really wonderful just to be on campus and to eat at Haffner. I'm a bit concerned accademically due to the fact I'm taking some fairly difficult courses next semester following a semester of doing very little. But hopefully I'll be able to be disciplined without losing the carefree spontaneity I found in Oz. I'm working really hard on maintaining contact with people, but everything is just so different now. It's really difficult to have much more than the facebook relationship when you're separated by almost an entire day.
So, what I've basically come to realize is that at some point, maybe after I graduate Bryn Mawr, maybe after I get my law degree and/or Ph.D in history, that I need to move back to Australia. Similarly, I need to start living my life here in a fashion more like the one I had there. Hopefully I can do it without compromising too much of what has been established about "me" here, but I know for certain that in order for me to be happy, and really happy, I need to keep up the adventure. And with only a year and a half left of college before I have to confront the horrors of real life, I better live it up all I can right here and right now.
Monday, December 17, 2007
Sunday, December 9, 2007
Final Days in Torquay: a Brief Reflection
This will most definitely be my last entry before I get back home. I spent the weekend at Kym's "beach" house in Torquay with Sneha, Francisco, Javier, Simon, and many, many others. It was a really wonderful weekend. We barbecued amazing food, went to the beach, played Twister, made smoothies, played really hardcore foozeball, and just generally chilled out. It was basically the perfect ending to my time in Australia. It's always sad though to meet really amazing new people at the end of your time in a place. I got on really well with the group at Kym's, and it's sad that I didn't get to know them sooner. I guess that just means I'll have to come back :)
I really would like to write a nice reflective entry on my time in Australia, but considering I'm still here and utterly exhausted I might wait until I get home. I have a million things to do on my last day, so I'll focus on that for now and get some sleep. I'll write again when I get home.
Actually, I'll try a shortish one. I'm actually glad that it worked out that I've been with Sneha this weekend since it's given me a chance to talk about things with her and share our feelings about the experience of studying abroad with each other. We both agree that while things at home are never really that bad, there is something about Australia, and the experience of studying abroad here that just offers a whole new perspective on life. We both realize that the way we are here will not and cannot transfer to the people we are back home, but I think in a lot of ways it still will affect my general attitude towards life. I am going to try to have more fun, do more random things and worry less. I want to have more of these memories and crazy stories I've gained while being here. But most of all I want to keep making friends from all over the world and maintain contact with the ones I've already made. I think one of the most important elements of my time abroad has been the friendships I've made not only with Australians, but with international students. The group at Kym's this weekend was composed of Vietnamese, Chileans, Israelis, and Americans. As most of my other experiences have shown, most of my social interactions have been international ones. It has been so important for me in gaining a broader perspective on the United States, on people in general, and on myself. I really do want to do more traveling, and I think that that will be the major thing that directs me when I'm trying to make decisions on my career choice in the not too distant future. I want to go back to Europe and visit these people I've met, to live there and work there and just learn through being infused by other cultures. I really do believe now that there is something incredibly valuable in this, and while it's not terribly practical or financially sound, it's extraordinarily rewarding and intellectually/emotionally stimulating. So yeah, maybe I'll do international law. Maybe I'll become a historian. Maybe I'll be a teacher and travel the world during the summer. I'm not sure yet, but I firmly believe that travel needs to be an essential part of my life.
Australia has made me a thrill seeker, a social planner, a travel buff, a much, much, much more relaxed human being, a food snob, and just generally happier. I don't know how much of that is the country's mindset and how much of that is being a student here, but it's a really good feeling and one that I'm not too willing to leave behind. I already know it will be hard for me to go home, not because I'm don't want to see my family, because I do, but because it will just be so difficult to let go of the opportunity to do anything and everything with few limits and concerns. I don't want to have to worry about things again. I don't want to be in a town that offers me nothing after having been in a city that offers everything. I was saying to Sneha today that seeing the Melbourne skyline gives me the same feeling I get when I drive through Philadelphia and into the Main Line. Philadelphia is my home. Melbourne has come to feel very much the same.
That's really all I can write for now. I don't want to get nostalgic before I even leave, but I'll miss it here. I really will.
I really would like to write a nice reflective entry on my time in Australia, but considering I'm still here and utterly exhausted I might wait until I get home. I have a million things to do on my last day, so I'll focus on that for now and get some sleep. I'll write again when I get home.
Actually, I'll try a shortish one. I'm actually glad that it worked out that I've been with Sneha this weekend since it's given me a chance to talk about things with her and share our feelings about the experience of studying abroad with each other. We both agree that while things at home are never really that bad, there is something about Australia, and the experience of studying abroad here that just offers a whole new perspective on life. We both realize that the way we are here will not and cannot transfer to the people we are back home, but I think in a lot of ways it still will affect my general attitude towards life. I am going to try to have more fun, do more random things and worry less. I want to have more of these memories and crazy stories I've gained while being here. But most of all I want to keep making friends from all over the world and maintain contact with the ones I've already made. I think one of the most important elements of my time abroad has been the friendships I've made not only with Australians, but with international students. The group at Kym's this weekend was composed of Vietnamese, Chileans, Israelis, and Americans. As most of my other experiences have shown, most of my social interactions have been international ones. It has been so important for me in gaining a broader perspective on the United States, on people in general, and on myself. I really do want to do more traveling, and I think that that will be the major thing that directs me when I'm trying to make decisions on my career choice in the not too distant future. I want to go back to Europe and visit these people I've met, to live there and work there and just learn through being infused by other cultures. I really do believe now that there is something incredibly valuable in this, and while it's not terribly practical or financially sound, it's extraordinarily rewarding and intellectually/emotionally stimulating. So yeah, maybe I'll do international law. Maybe I'll become a historian. Maybe I'll be a teacher and travel the world during the summer. I'm not sure yet, but I firmly believe that travel needs to be an essential part of my life.
Australia has made me a thrill seeker, a social planner, a travel buff, a much, much, much more relaxed human being, a food snob, and just generally happier. I don't know how much of that is the country's mindset and how much of that is being a student here, but it's a really good feeling and one that I'm not too willing to leave behind. I already know it will be hard for me to go home, not because I'm don't want to see my family, because I do, but because it will just be so difficult to let go of the opportunity to do anything and everything with few limits and concerns. I don't want to have to worry about things again. I don't want to be in a town that offers me nothing after having been in a city that offers everything. I was saying to Sneha today that seeing the Melbourne skyline gives me the same feeling I get when I drive through Philadelphia and into the Main Line. Philadelphia is my home. Melbourne has come to feel very much the same.
That's really all I can write for now. I don't want to get nostalgic before I even leave, but I'll miss it here. I really will.
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Three Hundred Pictures of Red Rocks
Of all the things I wanted to do in coming to Australia, going to Ayers Rock was at the top of the list. Despite many occasions when I thought it wasn't going to happen due to time/money/flight issues, it finally did. And let me say, Central Australia is everything I thought it would be. It was hot. It was dirty. It was red. And it was glorious.
I flew out of Cairns Sunday morning after an uneventful night. Flying over the Australian desert is one of the coolest experiences ever- it's just red, for miles and miles. There are crags and cracks in the terrain which you can see clearly from the sky. There are few, if any, paved roads. It's really, really, really neat. Mind you, there is NOTHING to do in Alice Springs. I went to the Reptile Centre and played with pythons and lizards because there was nothing else. But the natural landscape and the big hunks of rock/mountains/canyons in the desert make it totally worth the boredom of a night or two in Alice Springs.
Where to begin in talking about my tour? Let's start with the guide: it's approximately six o'clock in the morning. It's already hot. I've had my morning vegemite. The bus is late. Suddenly, there pulls up to the hostel a four-wheel, hardcore desert rover. Out pops a tanned, gray haired rugged type in khaki attire. Very outback like. Then he opens his mouth, from which comes the Frenchist of French accents. Bonjour, je m'appelle Erwan. Yes. My outback tour guide was French. However, he was also by far the coolest tour guide I've had in Australia. I get on the bus with two Swiss girls I'd met the night before, and we drive around Alice Springs collecting the various others with whom I would sleep under the stars in swags covered in red sand. The group was as follows: an unmarried 40-something couple from England, a similarly aged couple from Holland, the aforementioned 20 something Swiss girls, a pair of mid-twenties Danish boys, two twenty year old German girls, a 24 year old business masters from India who had been studying at Melbourne Uni, a Swedish forklift operator who had been working in Perth, and, later on in Uluru, a Japanese boy whose English was far from good. Together we set out across the desert, conquering the massive wonder that is Ayers Rock, Kata Tjuta, Kings Canyon, and, above all else, camping in the Australian Outback.
Our multi-lingual group got on really really well. We were dirty and hot, but we had a great experience. I got on very well with the Indian boy, the Swedish boy, and the two Swiss girls. When I accidentally stepped on a small piece of glass and started adding a new shade of red to the red dirt, the four of them took care of me and bandaged me while I laughed hysterically at the irony of the situation. By that point I'd climbed up cliffs, dealing with killer flies and sun, only to get injured on a small piece of glass. The photos of the event are probably among the best from the trip.
But let me talk for a bit about why I was there, to see the Rock. Uluru is really amazing, especially at sunset and sunrise. The Rock varies in shades from red, to orange, to mauve, to purple, to gray, to only a silhouette. It's pretty extraordinary. But in all honesty, in a lot of ways Kata Tjuta, and especially King's Canyon, were even more impressive. It's really hard to describe it, and I'll just have to put up pictures of everything when I'm home in a week.
Which brings me to my next set of thoughts: I can't believe I'm going home so soon. But I am definitely ready. When I was landing in Melbourne this afternoon I was actually on the brink of tears because I just wanted to be home and not have to deal with figuring out what to do with myself/where to stay/what to eat for the next few days. Luckily I'm feeling better now that I'm at Sneha's and essentially all of those concerns have been taken care of. I am likely going with Sneha and a few others to a friend's beach house in Torquay near the Great Ocean Road, where we will relax and have barbecues and good fun all weekend. It'll be a nice farewell and a good end to my time in Australia. That will leave Monday then to do my last minute gift/souvenir shopping before I fly home Tuesday.
So that's that. Hopefully I'll have a chance to write a final entry before I leave. If not I will certainly write one upon returning home. I've really enjoyed keeping up this blog and am really glad so many of you have found pleasure in reading it. Miss you and see you all soon!!
Friday, November 30, 2007
Reef, Rainforest, Sails and Goodbyes
Much has happened since I last wrote from Airlie Beach. Last weekend was spent sailing upon the glorious British Defender through the crystal blue waters of the Whitsunday Islands. The group on board was an amazing bunch, comparable in gloriousness to the first group we met in Byron. Among my favourites were Wilfried and Kris, the adorable Germans, Ernesto, Lindsay my Canadian homeslice, Ciska, Peter, Priscille, Richard, and many, many others. The Germans though were absolutely tops. Along with adorably shy Wilfried and flamboyantly gay Kris was Wil's sister, Nicole. The three of them are currently in Alice Springs, where I will be flying to even hotter weather tomorrow. Living on a boat for three days in paradise drinking gin and tonics and hanging out with Germans was pretty much amazing. Wearing a stinger suit to protect myself from the extremely tiny and deadly iruganji was not. As a result of the suit, not showering for three days, and a bit too much sun, I developed a really love rash on my neck. A week later it's completely gone, but it really was pretty ugly. Overall the Whitsundays are at the top of my travel experiences. I went snorkeling, scuba diving for the first time, and walked on the whitest sands in Australia.
Upon arriving back at Airlie Beach, we ran into Kate, a girl who had roomed with us the night before. She is also amongst my favourite people I've met so far, absolutely lovely British girl. Monday was spent primarily lounging by the lagoon and showering at other people's hostels. Monday night Antonio and I took our final night bus up to Cairns, where arrived Tuesday at about 6:30 in the morning.
Of course, being the active travelers we are, approximately an hour after checking into our hostel, Antonio and I got onto another boat to go snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef. I initially refrained from discussing my first primary scuba diving experience from the Whitsundays to discuss it here. I am addicted to scuba diving. It is by far the coolest thing I have ever done. While I had not intended on going diving off of Cairns, I am SO glad I did. Even though I was on cloud 9 after my Whitsundays dive, my GBR dive was amazing. I fed sea turtles. I saw cuttlefish. I saw Nemo. I saw stingrays. It was awesome. I want to be under water all of the time. I can't wait to go to Caymen and dive with Paul/get certified. Seriously, best experience of my life. Oh, not to mention after the dive we went boomnetting. Boomnetting consists of you being dragged behind a speeding boat while holding on to a net for dear life. Probably won't do it again anytime soon, but it was really fun.
After our time at the reef we came back to the hostel and had a barbecue. I will miss Australian barbecues terribly. My food consumption this week has been somewhat varied, ranging from steaks to crocodile and kangaroo to hummus and fruit.
We left Wednesday to go on a three day tour to the Daintree River and Cape Tribulation. Prior to leaving I checked my mail only to discover my dirt cheap Tiger airways flight had been cancelled. In the midst of my panicking on the bus while driving out to the oldest rainforest in the world, I lose phone reception. Cue my Tasmania crisis all over again. Luckily there was reception at the mosquito infested beach, of all places.
Our time in the rainforest was really good. It is really humid but very beautiful in northern Queensland, and we had a nice time just relaxing at our luxury hostel. We met a pair from England who were also on the tour and have been spending a good bit of time with them. After a few days of croc spotting, walking through croc inhabited creeks, getting attacked by geckos and mosquitoes, and finishing my novel, we headed up to Cape Tribulation, where we had the pleasure of meeting Matt Lynch. Matt is pretty much the funniest guy I've ever met. Following a night of drinks and sing alongs (Matt pulled out of his bag a harmonica for all eight people at our table), Matt and I went Jungle Surfing. Jungle Surfing basically consists of you being harnessed to a rope and flung through the rainforest canopy. I did it upside down. Somewhere in Australia I became a thrill seeker.
Our last afternoon Antonio and I went on an exotic fruit tasting. It was pretty cool. I'm in love with soursop.
Last night we went to see Beowulf with the Brits, Lauren and Steven. I liked it overall, but it was definitely a guy movie. Although I guess considering the "epic" quality of Beowulf anyway, it's a guys story to begin with.
Today was spent at the lagoon, then hiding inside due to the extreme heat. Antonio left me about an hour ago for the airport to fly back to Melbourne. I fly to Alice Springs tomorrow morning, where I will be greeted by even more extreme heat. I am, however, pretty pumped to see the Rock.
I am not, however, all that excited to go back to Melbourne. With Antonio's absence I've realized that there isn't really going to be anyone there when I get back, making my last few days in Australia pretty lonely ones. Hopefully a few people will be around, but honestly, at this point I've come to the realization that I'd be okay with going home now. I am tired, my clothes are dirty, and I'm basically out of money. I'm ready to sleep in my bed, to hang out with Joe and Alicia, to play with Lily, and to obtain a new drivers license. I'm ready to work again. I'm to do acapella. I'm ready for Bryn Mawr again. I didn't think I'd be saying it so soon, but I really do want to come home. As much as I love this country, I'm ready to be with my family and friends again and share my experiences with them, face to face.
Upon arriving back at Airlie Beach, we ran into Kate, a girl who had roomed with us the night before. She is also amongst my favourite people I've met so far, absolutely lovely British girl. Monday was spent primarily lounging by the lagoon and showering at other people's hostels. Monday night Antonio and I took our final night bus up to Cairns, where arrived Tuesday at about 6:30 in the morning.
Of course, being the active travelers we are, approximately an hour after checking into our hostel, Antonio and I got onto another boat to go snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef. I initially refrained from discussing my first primary scuba diving experience from the Whitsundays to discuss it here. I am addicted to scuba diving. It is by far the coolest thing I have ever done. While I had not intended on going diving off of Cairns, I am SO glad I did. Even though I was on cloud 9 after my Whitsundays dive, my GBR dive was amazing. I fed sea turtles. I saw cuttlefish. I saw Nemo. I saw stingrays. It was awesome. I want to be under water all of the time. I can't wait to go to Caymen and dive with Paul/get certified. Seriously, best experience of my life. Oh, not to mention after the dive we went boomnetting. Boomnetting consists of you being dragged behind a speeding boat while holding on to a net for dear life. Probably won't do it again anytime soon, but it was really fun.
After our time at the reef we came back to the hostel and had a barbecue. I will miss Australian barbecues terribly. My food consumption this week has been somewhat varied, ranging from steaks to crocodile and kangaroo to hummus and fruit.
We left Wednesday to go on a three day tour to the Daintree River and Cape Tribulation. Prior to leaving I checked my mail only to discover my dirt cheap Tiger airways flight had been cancelled. In the midst of my panicking on the bus while driving out to the oldest rainforest in the world, I lose phone reception. Cue my Tasmania crisis all over again. Luckily there was reception at the mosquito infested beach, of all places.
Our time in the rainforest was really good. It is really humid but very beautiful in northern Queensland, and we had a nice time just relaxing at our luxury hostel. We met a pair from England who were also on the tour and have been spending a good bit of time with them. After a few days of croc spotting, walking through croc inhabited creeks, getting attacked by geckos and mosquitoes, and finishing my novel, we headed up to Cape Tribulation, where we had the pleasure of meeting Matt Lynch. Matt is pretty much the funniest guy I've ever met. Following a night of drinks and sing alongs (Matt pulled out of his bag a harmonica for all eight people at our table), Matt and I went Jungle Surfing. Jungle Surfing basically consists of you being harnessed to a rope and flung through the rainforest canopy. I did it upside down. Somewhere in Australia I became a thrill seeker.
Our last afternoon Antonio and I went on an exotic fruit tasting. It was pretty cool. I'm in love with soursop.
Last night we went to see Beowulf with the Brits, Lauren and Steven. I liked it overall, but it was definitely a guy movie. Although I guess considering the "epic" quality of Beowulf anyway, it's a guys story to begin with.
Today was spent at the lagoon, then hiding inside due to the extreme heat. Antonio left me about an hour ago for the airport to fly back to Melbourne. I fly to Alice Springs tomorrow morning, where I will be greeted by even more extreme heat. I am, however, pretty pumped to see the Rock.
I am not, however, all that excited to go back to Melbourne. With Antonio's absence I've realized that there isn't really going to be anyone there when I get back, making my last few days in Australia pretty lonely ones. Hopefully a few people will be around, but honestly, at this point I've come to the realization that I'd be okay with going home now. I am tired, my clothes are dirty, and I'm basically out of money. I'm ready to sleep in my bed, to hang out with Joe and Alicia, to play with Lily, and to obtain a new drivers license. I'm ready to work again. I'm to do acapella. I'm ready for Bryn Mawr again. I didn't think I'd be saying it so soon, but I really do want to come home. As much as I love this country, I'm ready to be with my family and friends again and share my experiences with them, face to face.
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Turkey Day in Paradise
Since my last entry I have been to the Australian equivalent of any small North Carolina town, Hervey Bay. Antonio and I arrive on Wednesday night around 8:30 and had to walk through the town to our hostel, about half an hour away. Seriously, this place looked, sounded like, and felt like North Carolina. There were people getting drunk on their front porches and the streets were dead. The hostel itself was okay, not the nicest (there was a huge rat in the kitchen) but we were only there for the night so it wasn't really a big issue. The people staying with us were nice enough and gave us free Coronas so we really couldn't complain.
Yesterday we went to Fraser Island. Fraser Island is one of the biggest sand islands in the world and is known for its various beautiful natural sites. Initially I had wanted to do Fraser on a self-drive safari, but since I lost my license in September that wasn't really an option. The tour was okay, not really that exciting, but the last bit, Lake McKenzie, was completely worth it. Lake McKenzie is a huge, turquoise blue, fresh water lake in the middle of the island. The weather was gorgeous so we took obnoxious sports illustrated-esque swim suit photos. I have enough to make my own calendar. Last night was my Thanksgiving, which was probably the saddest Thanksgiving I've ever had. Since we were catching the night bus to Airlie Beach, we were pressed for time and forced to eat at places close to the bus station. I had a chicken wrap and some roast potatoes from a KFC-like joint called Red Rooster. Really upsetting.
Today we are lounging around Airlie Bay prepping for our sailing trip this weekend. I decided at the last minute that I was going to go scuba diving instead of just snorkeling. I'm pretty pumped- hopefully I can find a water camera so I can take all sorts of pictures of the Great Barrier Reef and Nemo. So yeah, that's about it for what's going on with me. Will write again soon because we managed to get an hour of free internet at the hostel we'll be staying at for the next week! Love you and miss you all!
Yesterday we went to Fraser Island. Fraser Island is one of the biggest sand islands in the world and is known for its various beautiful natural sites. Initially I had wanted to do Fraser on a self-drive safari, but since I lost my license in September that wasn't really an option. The tour was okay, not really that exciting, but the last bit, Lake McKenzie, was completely worth it. Lake McKenzie is a huge, turquoise blue, fresh water lake in the middle of the island. The weather was gorgeous so we took obnoxious sports illustrated-esque swim suit photos. I have enough to make my own calendar. Last night was my Thanksgiving, which was probably the saddest Thanksgiving I've ever had. Since we were catching the night bus to Airlie Beach, we were pressed for time and forced to eat at places close to the bus station. I had a chicken wrap and some roast potatoes from a KFC-like joint called Red Rooster. Really upsetting.
Today we are lounging around Airlie Bay prepping for our sailing trip this weekend. I decided at the last minute that I was going to go scuba diving instead of just snorkeling. I'm pretty pumped- hopefully I can find a water camera so I can take all sorts of pictures of the Great Barrier Reef and Nemo. So yeah, that's about it for what's going on with me. Will write again soon because we managed to get an hour of free internet at the hostel we'll be staying at for the next week! Love you and miss you all!
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Moderately Burnt and Extraordinarily Happy
I've been away from Whitley/Melbourne for just over a week now. Since then I am been traveling all over the place. My time in Sydney with Rafal/the Polish Aussies was really wonderful. I was essentially spoiled for the week, living in a gorgeous house with my own room and bathroom about 500 meters from the ocean and eating amazing food/cocktails and not being allowed to pay for any of it. I actually spent most of my time with my great aunt and uncle. My great aunt looks exactly like Babcia and acts like her too. They are really terrific people and I hope that my visit with them will help to bridge the gap that has been crated by our family living on three very distant continents. I also managed to see Shilton while I was there, which resulted in a crazy night on the town where I met a nice Irish boy.
Speaking of which, there are Irish people EVERYWHERE. Which doesn't make a whole lot of sense, since it's crazy sunburn weather here and it's not as if Irish people do too well in the sun. But I am now obsessed with Irish people and am trying to figure out how to fit Irish into my ideal combination of the blonde haired, blue eyed, Greek Australian Jew. Yeah, not quite sure how that's going to work.
So far on our journeys Antonio and I have been to Sydney, Byron Bay, Brisbane, and now we are in the Noosa Heads. Byron Bay was absolutely wonderful- we met some really wonderful people about thirty seconds after checking in (including an Irish boy). The two days in Byron were not nearly long enough, and were filled by long days on the beach, volleyball, sunset adventures to the lighthouse, hummus, and my first sunburn of our voyage. It was hard to leave the great people and wonderful accommodation in Byron, especially when Brisbane turned out to be a major disappointment. The hostel was in a good location, but there is NOTHING to do in Brisbane. At all. We went to museums. And after being by beaches, we couldn't wait to get back.
Which brings me to Noosa. I want to live here. It's gorgeous. I've picked out my beach view house. The hostel has a spa and beautiful flowers that creep into the bedrooms in the morning. They're fuchsia. We went on a hike today around Noosa National Park and walked through a nudist beach filled with old men. Alicia would have loved it. In about an hour we are leaving to go to Hervey Bay, where we will stay the night awaiting our trip to the white sands of Fraser Island in the morning. Here is the itinerary for the rest of my trip:
Nov. 21- leave Noosa, head to Hervey Bay for the evening
Nov. 22- Spend the day in Fraser Island, head to Airlie Beach over night on Greyhound
Nov. 23- Arrive in Airlie Beach, spend the day lounging around, stay the night in Airlie Beach
Nov. 24- Depart for sailing in the Whitsundays. Stay on boat overnight
Nov. 25- Still sailing in the Whitsundays. Still sleeping on the boat.
Nov. 26- Arrive back in Airlie Beach around noon. Hang around for a bit. Depart for Cairns overnight on Greyhound.
Nov. 27- Arrive in Cairns early in the morning. Going snorkeling. Stay the night in Cairns.
Nov. 28- Cape Tribulation= Reef and Rainforest. Staying in Cape Trib
Nov. 29- More Cape Trib.
Nov. 30- More Cape Trib
Dec. 1- Head back to Cairns or may stay in Cape Trib for one more night. Not sure yet.
Dec. 2- Fly out from Cairns in the morning, arrive in Alice Springs in afternoon. Hang around in the desert for the day.
Dec. 3- Wandering around in the desert, riding camels. Sleeping under the stars.
Dec. 4- Going to Ayers Rock. Sleeping under the stars. Getting eaten by spiders.
Dec. 5- Rock part II. Returning to Alice Springs, spending the night in the city.
Dec. 6- Flying out of Alice Springs back to Melbourne. Accommodation to be determined. Probably staying with Emma or going back to Whiltey for a few days. We shall see.
Dec. 6-10- Doing last minute gift buying in Melbourne/saying goodbye to Australia.
Dec. 11- I fly back home!!
So that's it. That is the rest of my stay in Australia with roughly what I will be doing. I hope you all have a lovely Thanksgiving and will think of me sailing in pristine Australian waters while you eat your turkey and fall asleep on the couch. Love you! Hopefully will write again once I get to Alice Springs!!
Speaking of which, there are Irish people EVERYWHERE. Which doesn't make a whole lot of sense, since it's crazy sunburn weather here and it's not as if Irish people do too well in the sun. But I am now obsessed with Irish people and am trying to figure out how to fit Irish into my ideal combination of the blonde haired, blue eyed, Greek Australian Jew. Yeah, not quite sure how that's going to work.
So far on our journeys Antonio and I have been to Sydney, Byron Bay, Brisbane, and now we are in the Noosa Heads. Byron Bay was absolutely wonderful- we met some really wonderful people about thirty seconds after checking in (including an Irish boy). The two days in Byron were not nearly long enough, and were filled by long days on the beach, volleyball, sunset adventures to the lighthouse, hummus, and my first sunburn of our voyage. It was hard to leave the great people and wonderful accommodation in Byron, especially when Brisbane turned out to be a major disappointment. The hostel was in a good location, but there is NOTHING to do in Brisbane. At all. We went to museums. And after being by beaches, we couldn't wait to get back.
Which brings me to Noosa. I want to live here. It's gorgeous. I've picked out my beach view house. The hostel has a spa and beautiful flowers that creep into the bedrooms in the morning. They're fuchsia. We went on a hike today around Noosa National Park and walked through a nudist beach filled with old men. Alicia would have loved it. In about an hour we are leaving to go to Hervey Bay, where we will stay the night awaiting our trip to the white sands of Fraser Island in the morning. Here is the itinerary for the rest of my trip:
Nov. 21- leave Noosa, head to Hervey Bay for the evening
Nov. 22- Spend the day in Fraser Island, head to Airlie Beach over night on Greyhound
Nov. 23- Arrive in Airlie Beach, spend the day lounging around, stay the night in Airlie Beach
Nov. 24- Depart for sailing in the Whitsundays. Stay on boat overnight
Nov. 25- Still sailing in the Whitsundays. Still sleeping on the boat.
Nov. 26- Arrive back in Airlie Beach around noon. Hang around for a bit. Depart for Cairns overnight on Greyhound.
Nov. 27- Arrive in Cairns early in the morning. Going snorkeling. Stay the night in Cairns.
Nov. 28- Cape Tribulation= Reef and Rainforest. Staying in Cape Trib
Nov. 29- More Cape Trib.
Nov. 30- More Cape Trib
Dec. 1- Head back to Cairns or may stay in Cape Trib for one more night. Not sure yet.
Dec. 2- Fly out from Cairns in the morning, arrive in Alice Springs in afternoon. Hang around in the desert for the day.
Dec. 3- Wandering around in the desert, riding camels. Sleeping under the stars.
Dec. 4- Going to Ayers Rock. Sleeping under the stars. Getting eaten by spiders.
Dec. 5- Rock part II. Returning to Alice Springs, spending the night in the city.
Dec. 6- Flying out of Alice Springs back to Melbourne. Accommodation to be determined. Probably staying with Emma or going back to Whiltey for a few days. We shall see.
Dec. 6-10- Doing last minute gift buying in Melbourne/saying goodbye to Australia.
Dec. 11- I fly back home!!
So that's it. That is the rest of my stay in Australia with roughly what I will be doing. I hope you all have a lovely Thanksgiving and will think of me sailing in pristine Australian waters while you eat your turkey and fall asleep on the couch. Love you! Hopefully will write again once I get to Alice Springs!!
Monday, November 12, 2007
Parting Thoughts
Tonight is my last night at Whitley. I am sitting in the computer lab entirely ready to go out, and am fully disappointed that no one was up for it tonight. I fly out tomorrow for Sydney to stay with Rafal and re-connect with the Polish side of the family I've never met. I'm really excited to be traveling again, but I have mixed feelings about leaving Whitley and Melbourne in general. I wish people weren't studying/going home now because I will very likely not see most of them again after tomorrow morning and I want to spend time with them and I can't. Despite having multiple "meal" dates today, I actually feel ridiculously lonely. I know I'll be fine tomorrow, but I am having serious issues getting through this night. I don't want to go to sleep because my room is bare and prison-like with half-packed bags, and I have several unresolved issues that I have to figure out before I can even fall asleep. I definitely should have waited until tomorrow morning to leave notes for some people....
I really have enjoyed it here, despite some bullshit and some personal drama, I'm definitely glad I got to stay in a residential college. I'm excited to come back after Alice Springs and see Emma and Anna and all again- they've been my life support here. But I am going miss some people terribly. I decided today that I hate saying goodbyes. It never was a problem for me before because I always figured that if people cared that much to stay in touch they would, and it's not like you're that far away. But I know that there are people here that if I was here for longer would become even better friends than they already are, and its the kind of thing that you can't really duplicate solely over facebook. Much of my time here has been about the experiences. Next semester there will be new freshers, new Americans, a new start. When I first came to Whitley I remember how jealous I was of Marty because everyone talked about how much they loved him. Feeling the way I do now, I'll be really sad if they don't talk about me in the same way.
I know that I'm not leaving Australia tomorrow. I know that there are going to be many more stories and experiences. But I also know that when I leave tomorrow it will be back to living out of my suitcase until I get home. I guess in that respect I'll be really happy to get back to a "stable" living environment.
Right, I can't deal with this right now so I'm going to go sob in my room.
I really have enjoyed it here, despite some bullshit and some personal drama, I'm definitely glad I got to stay in a residential college. I'm excited to come back after Alice Springs and see Emma and Anna and all again- they've been my life support here. But I am going miss some people terribly. I decided today that I hate saying goodbyes. It never was a problem for me before because I always figured that if people cared that much to stay in touch they would, and it's not like you're that far away. But I know that there are people here that if I was here for longer would become even better friends than they already are, and its the kind of thing that you can't really duplicate solely over facebook. Much of my time here has been about the experiences. Next semester there will be new freshers, new Americans, a new start. When I first came to Whitley I remember how jealous I was of Marty because everyone talked about how much they loved him. Feeling the way I do now, I'll be really sad if they don't talk about me in the same way.
I know that I'm not leaving Australia tomorrow. I know that there are going to be many more stories and experiences. But I also know that when I leave tomorrow it will be back to living out of my suitcase until I get home. I guess in that respect I'll be really happy to get back to a "stable" living environment.
Right, I can't deal with this right now so I'm going to go sob in my room.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)