Down Under

Home

2004-04-26T08:36:25Z

So the evil kidney stones striked again. So I couldnt go to the Whitsundays =( And I'm going home. Its the best thing really to do. Im being sick every 3 weeks and Im just not enjoying myself anymore. I cant do anything. And its really not fair to Phil. Like he is either taking care of me or worrying about me. And thats just not fair to him. He needs to enjoy his time here. And although he'll miss me worrying about someone is much worse than missing someone. I will miss him to buts itll all work out. So over all I think it is a good choice to make. And plus ive really have done alot in the short two months that I have been here. Such as:
Scuba diving
Sailing
Surfing
Snorkeling
Horse back riding
camping
hiking
back packing
swimming in the ocean
in pools
in a lagoon
went to a real barbie
rock climbing
caving
stayed in a hostel
seeing crocdiles
seeing Steve Irwin
Seeing the Great Barrier Reef
Pet a koala
Seeing:
kangaroos, wallabies, tazamania devil, wombats, dingos, snakes, birds, and other animals
Been to a rainforest
Saw the biggest bag of weed EVER
stayed at a hippies house
tried keva
tried Vegemite (GROSS)
tried beet root on my hamburger (Good!)
Learned Aussie slang
Got drunk on
Aussie wine
xxxx
snake bite
QF
cowboys
And met many sweet people from all over the world =)
So over all I think I had a good trip!

Birthday

2004-04-22T11:40:29Z

So I'm officialy 20 both in the US of A and in Australia. It was neat because for awhile I was 20 in Australia but still 19 in the US. But now I'm 20 no longer a teenager. Isn't that depressing? It is to me. As my turkey said now we can watch our hair gray together :(
Anyways I did have a great Birthday thanks to my Phil:) He brought me breakfast in bed and gave me my opal necklace that he got me in the Gold Coast. Then at 12 he told me to come over and he had music playing and gave me flowers and a very pretty bracelet. Then later that day I hung out with some of my friends. And I had a very old traditional Fijian drink called keva or something like that. I just had a little it makes you really relaxed. My friend John who is from Fiji said they drink it all the time. We drank it out of a coconut half. (Today we looked it up in one of our tourist books and they really do drink it all the time. In fact if we go into a Fijian village you are suppose to bring some to the cheif and take part in a ceremony). The experince was very interesting. After that my friend Kim called me to come over and my sweetie prepared a little get together with my other friends. He got me a beautiful cake and icecream and a bottle of passion pop. Then Phil gave me my last present; oakley sun glasses. Ive been wanting a nice pair and he got them for me! Then a bunch of us went to the Birdie and did a couple of cowboy shots for my birthday! Then I went to bed. So overall it was a good time.

Holiday

2004-04-19T10:30:08Z

So I just got back from vacation. It was a lot of fun. First we took a train to Brisbane. From Brisbane we took a subway then a bus to the Gold Coast/ Surfers Paridise. I think Gold Coast is a large area that Surfers Paridise falls in or vice versa. We got off the bus too early so we had to walk with our huge packs before we reached our hostel. The hostel idea is intersting in itself. Basically its a cheap hotel room with a bunch of bunk beds in it. ANd you dont rent the room like you do at a hotel you rent the bed. So in my hostel room was Me Michelle Phil and a guy from Korea. The guy from Korea didnt speak much english or at least he didnt want to talk to us. So we got there changed quickly locked our stuff up in the lockers that they provide for you and went to eat with the others (Meghan, Amanda, Kim, and Vinny). We went to see the beach really quickly. It was nice but the whole general area of Surfers Paridse is very touristie kinda of like Miami South Beach meets Mytrle Beach. I mean there was a hard rock cafe. THere was some orginality like the park benches were made out of surf boards. But over all it was like I was in the US. So after we looked at the beach we finally agreed on going to this Itlian place for dinner. The food was good but VERY expensive like everything else in that area. Plus it was Good Friday so they charged a service fee because apparently Good Friday is a public holiday in Australia. In Australia food in resturants tends to be a tad bit more expensive but you dont tip so its all good. (Waiters make between 12-20 dollars an hour) So after we figured out who owed what we ended up with extra money so we went to a store to buy breakfast. Peanutbutter bread and bannanas. Then we shopped a bit. Phil bought swimming trunks because he forgot his. And then he bought me an Australian Opal necklace. Its beautiful. Its really colorful. After we shopped a bit we went back to our hostel and went into the hot tub. We talked with some other Americans and a Candadian then we went to bed.

We got up bright and early the next day because we had to catch a bus back to Brisbane to catch another bus to get to the Sunshine Coast so we could go to the Australian Zoo.(Thats where Steve Irwin is from the crocodile hunter!) We picked a great day to go. It was the day that they opened the Crocosium which is like a sports areana accept where you would watch the game theres places to see animal shows/ demostrations. We saw a bird show, a snake show and then we waited. And waited and waited. And finally Steve Irwin and his family came out. They were there for the opening. The President for the discovery channel was there. And the film crew from Steves Show was there so look for me on Animal Planet! Steve and his family chilled in the stands as we watched a show with the cutest baby tigers. Then there was a little cermony to open the crocosium and then Steve did a show with the crocidiles. It was great he really is an idiots and gets all close with them. He also brought out these beautiful Asian elephants. The zoo is all about preseveing and protecting wildlife. After the show we looked around the zoo. We saw lots of snakes, wombats, koalas that were actually awake, dingos, which are basically dogs, tasmanian devils, which I have no idea where the cartoon came from cause there little. Oh and I saw harriet the oldest turtle living. She was magnficent. OKay enough about the zoo. Bottomline it was great.

After the zoo we caught a bus back to Brisbane and then waited a few hours in the transit center. Where we caught another bus to Byron Bay.

So we got into Byron Bay at 1030 at night we had no accomidations. Our horrible travel agent told us we could sleep on the beach. Which was not true at all. They were fineing people 150 bucks. So here we are its late everywhere we see says no vacancy because there was a Blues and Roots Festival going on. And there are hippies and people everywhere. And this french lady named Monique came up to us and was like I am a local artist and I open my house up to people during festivals. She was dressed all hippyish she had glittery blush on and a flower sticker on her forhead. So we discussed it and she said she could take 3 of us to see it. (By the way she was charging 20 bucks a night) So Phil, Meg and me went to the the hippy van. Phils sitting in the front and me and Meg are in the back sitting on like a piece of wood. We're driving a little bit and she was like O I forgot there the police. They are breath alyzing up here. I will get in big trouble with you two in the back. So Ill drop you off and keep walking straight and Ill pick you up once we get past the police. So meg and I get out and Phil drives away with the hippie and and everyones stuff. Me and meg are walking down this street laughing and saying how dodgy this is. And how we cant beleive we are doing this. We walk past the police who just give us a look. And we kept walking and there was Monique and Phil waiting for us at the next corner. I felt like I was doing a drug deal or something. So we get to Moniques which is actually in a really nice burb of Byron. We thought it was good so we started to unload and set up are tents in her backyard. She went to get Vinny and some of the others. So then Phil, Amanda, Kim and I went to bed and the others went out for a little while.

The next day was Easter Sunday.
We went to the beach and walked awhile to get near town. On the way we walked through a nude beach which was quite an eyeful to say the least. There were no signs or anything. All of a sudden I see a completely naked guy just lying out in the sun. So I look away and then theres a naked couple coming out of the ocean. Everywhere we looked was nakedness. After we walked a long way from that area we found a nice spot. We laid out for awhile and then we went swimming. Then we went in to town. Had a good feed (I love that Aussie expression its like were animals). And arranged to to have surf lessons the next day. That night we went out and had a nice dinner.

Okay this is getting way to long so Im going to just highlite the parts where I had fun.

Monday
We had surf lessons which was a lot of work..Its really great when you catch a wave and your standing up but its a ton of work.
We looked around town.
We all went out to eat at a bar resturant and had a few drinks. Meg Kim and I did Cowboy Shots. There sooooooooooo good. Its butterscotch schnappes with a little baileys on top.
After that people wanted dessert and others wanted to go out but we didnt want to have to pay a cover to get into a club. So Meg Vinny and I went to the bottle shop. Meg and I bought Balieys minis. Then we went to a store a bought chocolate milk mixed it all together. It was the best drink ever.. It was soooo good... Then we pretty much called it a night.

Tuesday
I slept in. Phil went scuba diving with Amanda. Then I moved everything from our tent into the house cause Monique had room for us in her house. I talked with some sweedish girls they were really nice. We went out to eat at a Pizza place. Then got homemade icecream. Then we went to the movies to see Starsky and Hutch.. Very funny!!

Wednesday
Phil and I went to Nimbin. Its a town that once was a hippie settlement. Now its a bunch of people addicted to pot trying to get it legalized. It was an aexperince every 5 seconds someone asked if you wanted a smoke. There were people selling marijunna in every form possible, cakes, cookies ect. I saw the biggest bag of weed ever. It was like what you see on cops after a drug bust. It was one of those big ziplocks bag and was filled halfway with pot. Store owners were toking up in there stores. There was a hemp cafe where people were just chillin and smoking. And this was at 11 in the morning. Now I know your wondering where are the cops? Well apaprently they only occasionally have busts. And when they do it they do it in unmarked cars accept everyone knows what they look like. ANd people start yelling taxi as soon as someone spots a cop. Even though there is no taxi sevice in Nimbin. And then all the locals scatter and hide there pot. Overall it was disappointing because I thought it was going to be all anti war and really about peace love kinda of deal and really the whole town are just a bunch of old pot heads. But it still was an experince.
After Nimbin we went to a swimming whole. Then we went on a rainforet/ nature hike it was really pretty. We walked over this damn. It was breathtaking. Then we had a bobbie. Then we looked for Koalas in the wild but we didnt see any. And then we saw a beautful waterful.

Thurs
Phil and I were picked up at 2 am to go on this hike in the rainforest. We started our way up but then I had an asthma attack. So I slept in the van and watch the stars all night. In the morning I felt better and hiked a little on the mountain it was really pretty but it looked just like the one in Costa Rica. I kept having flash backs. It was great. Very Beautiful.

Fri
I went and had a float and massage. Very relaxing. Need I say more...

Sat
Shopped
Then Phil and I hiked to the lighthouse which is the eastern most part in Australia. It was breathtaking. We did it just as the sun set. It was amazing. The rocks with the waves hitting it. We could see the whole town. It was def worth the hike. And then a very kind person who controled the marine radios gave us a much needed ride into town. Then Phil and I went out for dinner and had a nice bottle of wine. Which I got very drunk on.

SUN
We left had a very long day of traveling got back at 1215 am

Overall this was a great trip. Very relaxing but very active. The above is only a quick summary of everything. Byron Bay is a very fun town. It was founded by surfers and hippies and still has a very relxed atmosphere. Its great for backpackers!

Chemist

2004-04-07T10:48:55Z

So I def caught a cold. Of course its two days before I go on vacation. So I went to the chemist (Australia doesnt have pharamacys only Chemist) and got some nice cough medicine and cold pills.

On a plus note I did get a package from back home. THe best thing in it (sorry guys) were tampons with applicators!!! Yea in Australia you can rarely find tampons with applicators. ANd when you do there the cheap cardboard kind and they cost a fortune. I also got my easter candy :) My easter pjs, a huge towel, a tic tac toe easter game, flip flops or in Australian thongs, a cute bunny, and sun block 45!! Yea thats another thing Australia doesn't have sun block over 30. They think theres not a difference but I disagree. I got burned when I wore 30 but not when I wear 45. If your pasty you know what I'm talking about.

I also went to my insurance company today. I had a few medical issues before I received my health insurance card so I had to pay out of pocket. Still way cheaper than the US. I love socialist medicine! Anyways I brought my insurance company my receipts and they gave me a 560.00 check. Right there. No questions. That would never happen in AMerica you would be on the phone fighting with the insurance company for like a month!

Well I am off to finish packing for my trip. Im going to the Gold Coast to see The Australian Zoo (thats where Steve Irwin is!) Then were going to Byron Bay which was established by hippies and surfers so I think Ill be having a great time. Im also going to take surf lessons so Im going to be a surfer!!

Rainy Days arent fun any where

2004-04-06T11:07:46Z

Nothing much happened today. I had aboriginal islander history which was boring. My teacher is an interesting bloke though he looks like Santa Claus and sounds like Sean Connery.

The weather was crappy today. It was only sunny for a few hours. It rained alot. But on the plus side I did see a beautiful rainbow. I seem to see them more here than back home.

I'm catching a cold so I think Im going to go to bed early tonight. Its funny cause its flu season here because its the beginning of autumn.

Night all

Passion Pop

2004-04-05T14:11:19Z

Gotta Love the Glennie for Passion Pop runs :)

Australia: The begining

2004-04-05T10:54:14Z

Hello everyone. I decided to keep a journal online because frankly I hate writing in the one I bought for my trip. As most of you know I am studying abroad this semester in Australia. Im in a little town up north called Rockie. Well Australians call it a city but its def more of a small town as far as I am concerned. So I've been in Australia for a little over a month so I have lots to catch up on. First the plane rides. OMG an absoulte endurance test. My first plane went from Buffalo to Chicago But of course the first plane was delayed so when we got to Chicago we had to do a little Home Alone running throughout O'hara. ANd it didnt matter because we missed our plane. Then we had to wait for awhile. Finally we got to LA where we were just in time for our 13 hour plane ride to Auckland New Zealand. That ride was absoutely horrible. The plane was packed. And I only could sleep for 45mins. I was sitting next to this old couple who were really nice but they kept having to pee. THe one highlight on the trip was the fact that you could play video games. I was a wiz at hangman by hour 5. When we finally arrived in New Zealand we got off the plane for a few mintues so the plane could refuel. Then we finally landed in Brisbane Australia. Once we arrived there we had to take another plane to Cairnes. That is where we met our orinetation leader Matt. Matt was really nice we had classes about Australian culture throughout the days we were there. That night however we tried vegemite. Which is possibly the grossest thing I have ever tasted in my life. Its made out of yeast extract. Its just nasty. SO we were in Cairnes for about four days. We went to the Great Barrier Reaf and I went scuba diving. It was really beautiful. I def want to get certified when I get back home. We also went up to Port Douglas Nature Reserve. We saw kangaroos, wallabies, and I got to pet a koala. After we left Carines we took another plane to Rockie. It stopped 4 times. But by the second taking off they were handing out free wine and beer so that made flying so much better. We got into Rockie late at night. We were told what houses (dorms) we were in and we basically just unpacked and went to sleep. I was very jet lagged. But then at 6 am all of a sudden I hear banging on my door and a alarm going off and someone yelling time to get up maggetts. Yea apparently we came just in time for Orienatation week at College (College is where you live not where you go to classes. You go to classes at uni). So College is like a big frat. It really is. So us being woken up at 6am was like an our initation. But after that all week we partyed. They are huge drinkers down here but everyone is so nice. We had a picnic on top of Mt Archer. We went to a 5 star resort and used there huge pool. We went to ODowds (irish pub). We had a parties at the Birdie (toga party, and the red light green light party). It was just alot of fun. The week after that we was uni orientation. Not so much fun. I actually only went to one day of it because it was so boring. Throughout that week and sometime after. We went to the caves. The caves are amazing. During this class I take called outdoor pursuits I was able to go caving. Like I was on my tummy sliding aroound like a snake it was alot of fun. I saw a python, cane toads, and bats. One day we took a ferry over to the Great Keppel Island. Its where road rules went when they were in Australia. We took this hike and found the most beautiful beach you can imagine it was called Long Beach. It was practically deserted. It had pure white sand and crystal blue water. Just picture a postcard youve seen that has a beach on it now multiple the beauty by 100000. It was great. Then we had to hike back over rocks and a mountain and of course none of us had the proper footwear on. So what we learned is that flip flops are all terrain (thanks Michelle). Another weekend we went horse backing riding in the outback. We horse back ride/ rode to a campsite. It was amazing the stars were as if you could reach up and touch them. Phil and I saw so many shooting stars it was great. The next morning I toasted my toast on an open fire and had an amazing breakfast that was all cooked on a open fire. Then I rode my horse back (named Rosie)through this amazing mountain overlooking bushland. It was surreal. The next weekend we went to a crocodile farm. And I even held a one year old crocidile. It was all squishy and jelly feeling and it was soo cute. We also saw some of the crocidles get fed. And we also learned what to do if you ran into one. RUN as fast as you can. They'll stop following you once your out of there nesting area. Then we went and got the best hamburger I have ever had. (Did I mention Rockie is the beef capital of Australia?) And I even tried it with beet root. WHich many australians eat on their burger. It was good it gave it a little extra sweetness. We also went to the Birdie many times during all of this. THe Birdie is the bar that is on uni. Its nice and they usually have decent music. I even danced on stage once when I was there! We also went to Owdods were we heard the band Tyneside. There a good cover band. We also went to the bar that is on college called scholars and we heard the other band in Rockhampton called Alfonki another good cover band. This last weekend was amazing. Phil went volunteering the previous weekend and met a ranger who lives in Rockie. Hes like in his late 20s and is really nice. Him and his wife took Phil and me to this fresh water lagoon. There were trees you could jump off of and swings you could swing into the water with. It was great. It was something you only see on tv. Then we went to the beach and played in the waves. Then on Sunday Lee's mother in law invited us over for a bobbie (bbq). Shes from Kalamzoo Michigain so she missed home and wanted to be around us yanks. It was nice to hang out with a family for a change. Besides all this I am going to classes. Ill be honest they are so easy. Im taking one class for peopel that want to be gym teachers. The other class I am taking is called OUtdoor Pursuits and I went rock climbing and caving it it so far. I am taking an Aborginal and Islander history class which is interesting. And the other class is an online class which I have like 3 assgments in. So yea Im loving Australia. Its hot and sunny all the time and everyone is so layed back and always say "no worries" Its a great attitude to have. Ill write more later. My other entries will be much shorter I promise.