we've been in NZ for 7 days. it's beautiful here. we did zorbing (rolling down a hill in a huge plastic ball that has water in it), sky diving which wasnt as cool as i thought it'd be but i'm glad i did it, walks & hikes (i did a 7 or so hour one yesterday & my legs HURT), geothermal pools, tons of sight seeing. we're crossing from north to south island tonight at 3am with our van. pretty crazy idea to spend 3 weeks with 4 girls in one mini van. the back converts to a bed and then there's this white contraption on top of the van that rolls up and becomes a bed/sleeper thing. there's not really enough room for everything but we've figured out a system and it's our home. we're having fun but looking forward to Christchurch which is on the 25th or somewhere around there (we're spending Thanksgiving there) because Sarah & Lucy are staying with Sarah's friend and Nish & I are going to stay in a hostel for at least 1 or 2 of the nights. Space! we're really having fun though and seeing amazing things. i'm glad i came but i'll also be glad to leave. i miss australia and i miss home but i'm not looking forward to going back to australia for a day and definitely not looking forward to going on 15 + 6 hour flights to get back home. oh well...
we bought advent calendars today. they were only $3 for the chocolate kind... i feel like they're so much more expensive at home and NZ dollars are pretty much half US dollars. it's weird being away from home during holiday season. it's even weirder being in the southern hemisphere because it's summer (although NZ is pretty cold compared to Australia) and there's been Christmas decorations everywhere for weeks. There were candy canes in the super markets before halloween even happened. makes sense though cause they dont really celebrate halloween and don't celebrate thanksgiving. (i dont know if i wrote this here already.)
anyway, i just feel like rambling. i'm in a weird mood about leaving and home and other stuff but i think it's just cause i'm really tired right now.
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Friday, November 14, 2008
SAD!
Tomorrow's New Zealand. We're doing the north island the first week and then the south island for the last 2 and a half weeks. we're renting a 4 person camper van which is going to be interesting but good. it's going to be a really amazing trip but i can't even be excited about it right now because i have to say good bye to everyone. :( hopefully i can update every once in a while but if not i'll be home December 11th!!!
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
So long!
Sorry it's been so long! I've had very few non-traveling days and those days have just been sleeping and hanging out with everyone before I say goodbye (sad!!).
I just got back from Alice Springs today. It was amazing!!! Sarah and I flew in Thursday, stayed the night at Alice Springs, got up at 6 am for our tour, rode camels, saw King's Canyon which was amazing, but it was POURING (crazy in the desert!!) so we didn't get to take many pictures of that. Camped in swags that night. Swags are these roll up mats that zip up and have a head flap to cover you in the cold desert nights. Basically like a cocoon. Got up at 6 Saturday to go to Kata Tjuta (the Olgas) which is a cool rock formation. We hiked that and then went to Uluru (Ayer's Rock) and watched the sun set. It was amazing. We camped again that night but slept on a sand dune so we could see the amazing stars that weren't blocked by any city lights. So beautiful. Then we woke up at 4:30 to see the sunrise on Uluru. The rock was HUGE. so much more impressive than i ever thought it could be. We couldn't climb it because most of the time it's closed because it's really dangerous and it's also offensive to the Aboriginal tribe there. It's probable that I wouldnt have climbed it anyway because of culture stuff, but luckily i didnt have to make the decision. We walked around Uluru though. It took about 2 hours to get around all of it. After that we went back to Alice Springs and spent 2 more nights there just hanging out with people we met on the tour (fun people!) and sleeping by the hostel pool.
Before Alice Springs was my trip to Tasmania and before that was my road trip around Brisbane/Gold Coast/Sunshine Coast.
The road trip was Oct 21-28th. It was my friends Sarah, Chris and I living in a "Wicked Campervan" which is a painted van that has 3 seats in the front, drawers & a table that turns into a bed, and in the back is a tiny sink/kitchen. It was a really good week. The three of us got along really well. Much better than i thought we would. The first day we stayed at my friend's apartment who goes to school in Brisbane. The second day we picked up the van after hanging out in a park in the morning. Drove down to Nimbin which is this crazy hippie town and then Byron Bay which is a cool beach town. We tried to get a camp site but got there too late at night so a cop knocked on the van that morning. We hung out at the beach that day and then went up and saw the light house. Walked out to the most easterly point in Australia. That night we camped at a site, made fajitas. The next day we drove up to Tweed's Head & Surfer's Paradise which are on the Gold Coast. The Indy 300 was goin on in Surfer's Paradise so it was SO crowded, not even any place to park in the city. We drove a long time that day looking for a place to stay and ended up staying at another camp site. On the way to going out that night we found this really cool play ground that had these crazy contraptions that are more fun for adults than for children, really high sea-saw like things that bounced and spun around. The next day we drove up to Brisbane and parked next to a golf course where we slept for the last three nights. One day we went up to Caloundra on the sunshine coast and spent hours body surfing, the next day we went to the XXXX brewery which was a really cool tour, very interactive and then we got free beer after. Then we went to an art museum and drove around the city trying to find a pizza hut (which we finally did). The last day we hung out in the park and played cards & ate lunch before dropping off the van and taking the bus & train back to the airport. You would think that 2 girls and a guy in a van for a week spending every minute together would be disastrous, but it was actually a really really good trip.
Tasmania was SO beautiful. We hiked up Cradle Mountain. So indescribably beautiful. It was a 7 hour hike up steep rocks. We were actually climbing boulders. Everyone's legs hurt so much the next day but it was SO worth it. It was really nice to see the people studying through Arcadia who i met at orientation but haven't seen since then.
I'll post pictures. Have to go get ready for going out tonight!!
I just got back from Alice Springs today. It was amazing!!! Sarah and I flew in Thursday, stayed the night at Alice Springs, got up at 6 am for our tour, rode camels, saw King's Canyon which was amazing, but it was POURING (crazy in the desert!!) so we didn't get to take many pictures of that. Camped in swags that night. Swags are these roll up mats that zip up and have a head flap to cover you in the cold desert nights. Basically like a cocoon. Got up at 6 Saturday to go to Kata Tjuta (the Olgas) which is a cool rock formation. We hiked that and then went to Uluru (Ayer's Rock) and watched the sun set. It was amazing. We camped again that night but slept on a sand dune so we could see the amazing stars that weren't blocked by any city lights. So beautiful. Then we woke up at 4:30 to see the sunrise on Uluru. The rock was HUGE. so much more impressive than i ever thought it could be. We couldn't climb it because most of the time it's closed because it's really dangerous and it's also offensive to the Aboriginal tribe there. It's probable that I wouldnt have climbed it anyway because of culture stuff, but luckily i didnt have to make the decision. We walked around Uluru though. It took about 2 hours to get around all of it. After that we went back to Alice Springs and spent 2 more nights there just hanging out with people we met on the tour (fun people!) and sleeping by the hostel pool.
Before Alice Springs was my trip to Tasmania and before that was my road trip around Brisbane/Gold Coast/Sunshine Coast.
The road trip was Oct 21-28th. It was my friends Sarah, Chris and I living in a "Wicked Campervan" which is a painted van that has 3 seats in the front, drawers & a table that turns into a bed, and in the back is a tiny sink/kitchen. It was a really good week. The three of us got along really well. Much better than i thought we would. The first day we stayed at my friend's apartment who goes to school in Brisbane. The second day we picked up the van after hanging out in a park in the morning. Drove down to Nimbin which is this crazy hippie town and then Byron Bay which is a cool beach town. We tried to get a camp site but got there too late at night so a cop knocked on the van that morning. We hung out at the beach that day and then went up and saw the light house. Walked out to the most easterly point in Australia. That night we camped at a site, made fajitas. The next day we drove up to Tweed's Head & Surfer's Paradise which are on the Gold Coast. The Indy 300 was goin on in Surfer's Paradise so it was SO crowded, not even any place to park in the city. We drove a long time that day looking for a place to stay and ended up staying at another camp site. On the way to going out that night we found this really cool play ground that had these crazy contraptions that are more fun for adults than for children, really high sea-saw like things that bounced and spun around. The next day we drove up to Brisbane and parked next to a golf course where we slept for the last three nights. One day we went up to Caloundra on the sunshine coast and spent hours body surfing, the next day we went to the XXXX brewery which was a really cool tour, very interactive and then we got free beer after. Then we went to an art museum and drove around the city trying to find a pizza hut (which we finally did). The last day we hung out in the park and played cards & ate lunch before dropping off the van and taking the bus & train back to the airport. You would think that 2 girls and a guy in a van for a week spending every minute together would be disastrous, but it was actually a really really good trip.
Tasmania was SO beautiful. We hiked up Cradle Mountain. So indescribably beautiful. It was a 7 hour hike up steep rocks. We were actually climbing boulders. Everyone's legs hurt so much the next day but it was SO worth it. It was really nice to see the people studying through Arcadia who i met at orientation but haven't seen since then.
I'll post pictures. Have to go get ready for going out tonight!!
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Last weekend.
Tomorrow's my last day of classes. This weekend is my last in Melbourne. How crazy is that??? I still have a month and a half left but this is my last weekend here. Luckily I finished all of my work 2 days earlier than I expected to so I have the end of this week and the weekend to relax and hang out with everyone before I leave to travel. Monday I have my Contemporary Australia exam which is going to be easy, and then Tuesday is the road trip around Brisbane. Our flight got changed from 7 am to 2 pm so we can't pick up the van that day anymore. Hopefully we can stay with my friends in Brisbane, otherwise we'll have to get a hostel that night. I'm excited about the trip, it will be interesting because we don't really have anything planned. Hopefully the people I go with are good travel buddies!
I said my first good bye yesterday. One of my friends who I hang out with in 2 of my classes is leaving tomorrow for the outback and then going to Indonesia so I won't see her again most likely. It was weird saying "nice to meet you" when we've known each other for months now. Hopefully I can see all of the friends I've made again some day. It's good that New Jersey's so close to NYC because whenever anyone visits I can just meet them in the city and catch up.
Class time!
I said my first good bye yesterday. One of my friends who I hang out with in 2 of my classes is leaving tomorrow for the outback and then going to Indonesia so I won't see her again most likely. It was weird saying "nice to meet you" when we've known each other for months now. Hopefully I can see all of the friends I've made again some day. It's good that New Jersey's so close to NYC because whenever anyone visits I can just meet them in the city and catch up.
Class time!
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Great Ocean Road
Just got back from my Great Ocean Road trip. It's a road that follows the ocean across the bottom of Victoria (which is the state i'm in) and possibly further, i'm not sure. We didn't nearly do all of it, but got to see The Twelve Apostles and Loch Ard Gorge. It was a nice trip, but I'm glad it was free because most of the time was spent on the bus and after a while the ocean out of the window all looks the same. It was a good time to catch up on sleep. What we did see was amazing. And we got a surfing lesson too. I think i'm actually getting a little better at surfing. I'll put pictures of it up. And i'll put some pictures from One Fish Two Fish up too. Hopefully I'll find some time to squeeze in writing more about One Fish Two Fish, but this is the last week of classes so I have A LOT of work to squeeze in before i start all of my traveling!
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Something small before I write about everything else
sorry i havent updated about my trip yet. i've been so busy with classes this week since i've gotten back. i figured i'd just write a short one and then go back and describe my trip in detail later on.
bungee jumping was amazing. i was the first one to go out of all the people from my trip. it was tons of stairs to climb up. you just kept walking and walking and look up & there were still tons of stairs. it was 44 meters high which is about 145 feet, and then you get up to the top and they tie your ankles into a towel with straps & buckles and tons of knots, then you get down and shuffle to the edge (since your ankles are bound together) and they make you wave to the camera, which is hard to do since you've already looked down at the water below you. then they said put your arms up & stick your chin in & then count 5,4,3,2,1 & you jump or dive off. i hit the water & went waist deep. i wasnt expecting it because they said it doesnt happen to everyone but apparently it has to do with how you dive off and since i was the first to go no one told me about it. it was fun though. so then you're hanging by your feet and a man in a raft comes & unties you and you get off and run back to your friends. it was weird, i felt a bit paralyzed when he was untying me, i guess because i didnt know what to do and i was really shaky. it was amazing though and i bought the video to watch when i get home.
Scuba diving was amazing too. At the Great Barrier Reef. It was a two hour boat ride on a really nice boat but it was so choppy & bumpy that we all got nauseous and had to lay down & sleep. for me diving was scarier than bungee jumping was. you have to remember to breathe a certain way & pop your ears and then swim a certain way & stuff. they say the most important thing is to not touch the reef because you'll kill it and it will cut you and at one point i thought we were going to run into it because i didnt realize the guide was steering us (3 of us were linked at the arms) so i kind of freaked out, but i just used my A-OK signal & everything was fine. the reef is so amazing, colorful. stuff you'd never be able to imagine on land. we got to see Finding Nemo fish in their little house. It was really indescribable.
I'll have to write about the rest later because i have to go to class.
I changed my flight from November 16th to the 28th. I get home the day after Thanksgiving, but I get to go to New Zealand for almost two weeks. I'm excited but I miss everyone so much!
bungee jumping was amazing. i was the first one to go out of all the people from my trip. it was tons of stairs to climb up. you just kept walking and walking and look up & there were still tons of stairs. it was 44 meters high which is about 145 feet, and then you get up to the top and they tie your ankles into a towel with straps & buckles and tons of knots, then you get down and shuffle to the edge (since your ankles are bound together) and they make you wave to the camera, which is hard to do since you've already looked down at the water below you. then they said put your arms up & stick your chin in & then count 5,4,3,2,1 & you jump or dive off. i hit the water & went waist deep. i wasnt expecting it because they said it doesnt happen to everyone but apparently it has to do with how you dive off and since i was the first to go no one told me about it. it was fun though. so then you're hanging by your feet and a man in a raft comes & unties you and you get off and run back to your friends. it was weird, i felt a bit paralyzed when he was untying me, i guess because i didnt know what to do and i was really shaky. it was amazing though and i bought the video to watch when i get home.
Scuba diving was amazing too. At the Great Barrier Reef. It was a two hour boat ride on a really nice boat but it was so choppy & bumpy that we all got nauseous and had to lay down & sleep. for me diving was scarier than bungee jumping was. you have to remember to breathe a certain way & pop your ears and then swim a certain way & stuff. they say the most important thing is to not touch the reef because you'll kill it and it will cut you and at one point i thought we were going to run into it because i didnt realize the guide was steering us (3 of us were linked at the arms) so i kind of freaked out, but i just used my A-OK signal & everything was fine. the reef is so amazing, colorful. stuff you'd never be able to imagine on land. we got to see Finding Nemo fish in their little house. It was really indescribable.
I'll have to write about the rest later because i have to go to class.
I changed my flight from November 16th to the 28th. I get home the day after Thanksgiving, but I get to go to New Zealand for almost two weeks. I'm excited but I miss everyone so much!
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