A Few Tidbits

Well mates, this may be my last blog before returning to the states. By then I'll have adventures from Tazzy and New Zealand to share with you all. I leave tomorrow for Tazzy and then I'm off to New Zealand 'til the 20th, when I fly back to LAX. Until then, this will have to keep you content along with pictures of Valentine's Day, the Queensland Reds game, Stanthorpe & Girraween and a few extras added to Where I Live. Enjoy!

There are a couple things I've been running across you may find interesting. So, here are a few random tidbits I haven't mentioned earlier about life in Australia.

Money matters... they only pay in multiples of five. K, so what does that mean? If I owe $4.74 at the grocery they'll ask for $4.75. In the same way, if my change is $0.83, I'll be given $0.85. I had heard the rumor that the U.S. may convert to this system and was skeptical. However, it works great once you're accustomed to it, which I'm still working on. They also don't have any bill smaller than $5. There are $2 coins but no $1, just $.50, $.20, $.10, $.05 (and no penny since they only pay by fives).

So, onto food. I've been asked what kind of food is "Australian?" In the words of Julia Child speaking about the U.S., Australia has a "cuisine of choice." There's no "Australian" cuisine really. Since population is centered around cities, the cuisine is multi-ethnic. Although I may have higher standards coming from California, the Mexican is incredibly sub-par. I have been told, however, to try meat pie before I leave. The produce at the grocery is all grown here in Australia and is much more flavorful. It'll be an adjustment moving back, shopping at good ol' Food 4 Less. The only thing that's uniquely Australian is kangaroo meat, which I love. It's 98% fat free, no joke! It's crazy good for you. They actually serve it to athletes of all nations at the Olympic Games!

Now for a few fun vocab terms to tide you over 'til I get back. To say thanks say "ta" or "cheers." The word for line (e.g.:the line at the grocery check-out) is "queue." In response to thanks (ta) you say, "You're alright." And one last one. They say "love" here when referring to someone. For example, I say, "Ta." They may say back, "You're alright, love." How cute is that?!

Speaking of how sweet Australians are, waiting at the bus stop last week, we were passed up four times, being that all buses were filled to capacity. As the fourth one barrels by, a woman pulls up and yells out her window, "I'm going to uni. I can take three." So, me and two others hopped in and were off to school. I will miss the Aussie generosity for sure!

There are definitely parts of my life in Australia that I'll be sad to leave- the traveling, the people, the public transit system, the pristine natural landscape, the city. But I am really looking forward to being home- seeing family (especially baby Mitchell, who's grown heaps since I left), friends, Wahoo's, my bed, being back in SLO... at least for a little while before graduating. My time here has been indescribably adventurous. I've learned a lot about myself and the world, which is invaluable! But, nothing compares to home.

Hope all is well in your comings and goings. Wish me luck on my upcoming journeys. Can't wait to tell you all about 'em!

Fruit, Wine & Granite

Last weekend, half our group went on an over-nighter to Stanthorpe and Girraween National Park. It was a blast!

After a 3-hour bus ride south, we stopped off at the University of Queensland wine and tourism campus for a quick tour and tasting of their student wines. In addition to university students, they allow high school students from the area to grow and bottle wine as well in an effort to strengthen the industry from the bottom up.

From there we traveled to a family-owned orchard. Now, I realize this doesn't carry with it the same glamour that a performance at the Sydney Opera House does, but I loved it! (Although, I am coming to the conclusion that I may have been born to live on a farm.) In six enormous fruit baskets we were pulled along by a tractor stopping frequently for fun farming facts as well as a chance to sample the fruit right out of the field, which included rasperries, apples, tomatoes and peaches, each the best I've ever had! After being given an entire case of apples as a parting gift, we went on our way to The Vines Motel. Anna's Restaurant, a classic Italian eatery, fed us well with some seven courses including salad, ravioli, stuffed mushrooms, fried potatoes, chicken and pork, plus dessert! What a treat. (Luckily, I'd gone for a run along the river across from our motel that afternoon.)

After a poor night's sleep, we arose ready for our Castle Rock hike located in Girraween National Park. It was a beautiful 2-hour kike through granite-covered eukalyptus forest to the park's central peak, which allowed for 360 degree views. Gorgeous! From there, we headed to Ballendean Winery, which has been in business for 75 years and three generations of an Italian family. As with the orchard, we were given a tour by the grower himself (Angelo), which would never happen in the states. We tried both the red and white grapes right off the vine, toured their facilities for everything from crushing to bottleing and ended our time there with more wonderful Italian food prepared by Angelo's wife along with unlimited tasting of all their wines, which are the best I've ever tasted! My personal favorites were the White Pearl (sweet white), Summertime (semi-sweet red), and Late Harvest Muscat, which smelled and went down like honey- perfect paring with fruit according to Angelo's wife. Definitely ordering a few bottles when I get back to the states!

Coming up is a trip to an amusement park called Dreamworld, and then it's off to my six-day excursion in Tasmania. I'm sure there'll be lots to share!

Cheers!

Fun in Sydney!

So, think San Francisco minus all the steep hills. Sydney is an amazing city- clean, lots to do, beautiful architecture and the hustle bustle of a metropolis paired with the warm charm of a small suburb. Unlike New York, everyone was helpful and friendly, always willing to point us in the right direction. (Of course, that has nothing to do with the fact that we were twelve adorable American girls.)

So, after the hour plane ride and checking into our hostel, we slipped into our dresses and headed to the harbor for our sunset dinner cruise, which offered gourmet food, stunning views of the opera house and unlimited champagne and chardonnay. A winning combination! The next day, we hit the city for some serious sightseeing. We started out at the Olympic Park where the 2000 Olympics were held. The energy of the games is still in the air. I stood under the cauldron where the torch was lit, walked through the aquatic center and albeit the competition track was closed, Kira and I snuck onto the warm-up track to snap a couple quick pics. Then it was off to marvel at the 360 degree view of the city from Sydney Tower, where I took a Ferris Beuller picture- forehead against the glass looking down over all the buildings. We then hit the Sydney Aquarium, which has an incredible sharks and rays exhibit, complete with underwater glass tunnels! From there, we headed over to the kick-off of Chinese New year where I ate an array of Chinese appetizers, including dim sum, satay chicken and skewered octopus. The next morning after breakfast at Darling Harbor, all twelve girls met up at the opera house for "The Wedding of Figaro." However, due to a mix up in booking, we had tickets for March 12th instead of February 8th. After pleading with the ticket office to no avail, we headed our separate ways to make the most of the day before catching our evening flight back to Brisbane. A half mile away from the opera house we got a call informing us that not only were we able to get in, we had premium seats in the second row for no extra charge, tickets worth $250- quite a step-up from our $55, partial view original booking! Dress shoes in hand and feet burning, we sprinted through the harbor market place back to the opera house for our show that started in ten minutes. We were twelve ecstatic (sweaty) girls. To be honest, I thought of going to the opera as more a duty than anything else. You're in Sydney... Go! But, to my surprise I enjoyed it thoroughly. Without the subtitles however, I may have been singing a different tune. (No pun intended.) The 3 1/2 hours flew by! The sets incredible, the singing phenomenal, and the orchestra breath-taking. Yet another "once in a lifetime."

And, that's Sydney. If you have the chance to go, I would highly recommend it! But, call me first, so I can tag along.

Some New Photos

Hi guys!
I've uploaded a couple new albums for your viewing pleasure. Pictures from my weekend in Bundaberg and Fraser Island are now up as well as the weekend last month that I spent in Noosa, which has been my favorite beach spot thus far. Enjoy!

Bundaberg and Fraser Island

Well, just finished midterms and tomorrow morning I'm off to Sydney with twelve girls from my program! Woohoo! But first, I wanted to tell you all a bit about my escapades last weekend. (Pictures to come.)

Our entire group of forty-five traveled together for the fun-stuffed weekend. We left Thursday morning and drove to the Bundaberg Rum Distillery, which is the number one spirit manufacturer in Australia. We toured the facility, learning all the way from molasses purification to bottling. My favorite was the molasses barn filled with ten solid feet of molasses, which you could view from walkways above. To end our time there we were given two complimentary drinks. I chose to start with the "Dark and Stormy," which is ginger beer (ale to us Yanks) and Bundaberg rum conveniently paired in one bottle for my enjoyment. My second drink of choice was the liqueur. Oh, so yummy.

From there we were off to the Mos Repos Turtle Hatchery. Once the sun went down we were given an introduction into the endangered species of turtles that lay their eggs on the beaches there. After the riveting slide show, we were led to the moonlit beach to embark on a search for a female turtle emerging from the water to lay her eggs in the dunes. The wind was whipping my hair all around and rain drops began to fall. It was so exciting. We received a call from one of the rangers down the beach. Upon arriving we could talk but not be seen by the turtle or else she would cease laying and return to the sea. This was a difficult task with such a large group! By dim flashlight we watched in awe as the mother laid her eggs and meticulously buried them in the sand. Once her duty was done we followed her back to the sea and watched as she disappeared. It was amazing to witness! And it gets better. Her eggs weren't buried far enough up on the dunes, so the ranger dug up the nest and we were each allowed to transplant two eggs to the new nest farther up. I am blown away at how hands on Australians are with such delicate situations. In the states tourists like us would never have even been permitted on such a beach. Yet another once in a lifetime experience! Great pictures to come!!

The next morning we headed down to Fraser Island, the largest sand island in the world. Our mode of trasportation for the weekend was, no joke, a four-wheeling, off-roading charter bus driven by a typically wild Aussie. What an adventure! Although we were restricted from entering the treacherous surf and shark-infested ocean, we did get some time for some water-wading. We drove through the rain forest to Lake McKenzie, with water so pure they prohibit it's swimmer's from wearing sunscreen in it! I took a private airplane ride over the island admiring the dense flora, rolling sand dunes and pristine lakes. One of my favorite parts of the weekend was our tour through the rain forest, where we wandered through trees and palms adorned with hanging vines (which Kira and I did pole vault swings from!) and drank from the "silent stream" flowing with water that's been purified for up to 300 years. Mmm, so good. Being a water lover, I was in heaven. Back at our resort, there was a small bar which we dominated on kareoke night. For once on the trip I enjoyed being an obnoxious American. Kira and I debuted "I Love Rock and Roll" by Joan Jett and were a big hit! And of course we all belted out "Born In the USA." It was a great time! It's beautiful what a little alcohol does for a group. On our last day we hiked over sand dunes (I felt as though I were in "The Three Amigos," it was so hot.) to Lake Wabby, where we caught some rays before heading home to Brizzy.

So, that's that. And now I'm off to another adventure. I know, it's tough keeping up. But, that's what my blog is for. Stay tuned for details from Sydney.

Australia Day!

So, I guess I better fill you in on Australia Day (a.k.a. "The Day of Mourning" to the Aborigines. Guess it depends on your perspective.) before more time gets away from me. I'll set the stage with the weather to start. It was the hottest and most humid day we've had since being here. But don't fear! I stayed hydrated and sunscreened for the duration of our day. (I've yet to be sun burned actually. Knock on wood.)

To begin our morning, we headed to the Queensland governor's estate, where we toured her home and got to meet her. Bagpipers marched past blaring patriotic tunes and the Army band set the mood with classics like "Come Fly with Me." The highlights included the ponds covered in lily pads and the dining room in which each place setting cost an astonishing $28,000! Though parts of her home are beautiful, it was a bit stuffy for my taste. There were countless portraits of British royalty including signed photos from Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip. I was surprised be the strong reverence for the British monarchy. Observing the excesses of the royal family is sickening to be honest. Let's just say I wouldn't call myself a monarchist. Although it was interesting to know that even post-independence, Australia still has such a tie to England.

From there we went to South Bank where all the action was- the barbies, the beach, the market place displaying tourist nick-knacks and cheap jewelry (both of which I indulged in), dance and musical performances, and innumerable crowds. Australia, being concerned with sun health has an entire corporation devoted to just that called SunCorp. They were handing out free sunscreen all day! My two roommates and I tooled around for a few hours, bought a smoothie and headed home to get out of the heat. We made our way back with four of our guys friends to South Bank for the fireworks. To give you an idea- think of a finale for the show's entire duration set to snip-its of music with no real synchronicity with the explosions. The bar is set high growing up at Disneyland, I guess. Although, they did have a couple of my favorite fireworks and the colors reflected and glittered on the windows of the downtown skyline. Beautiful! We then headed to dinner at a swanky restaurant with poor service, due to the fact that there's no tipping here. Unfortunate for the waiter and the customer. But it was really fun to be in the city for a nice dinner!
Being pretty tuckered out from the heat, we headed home to relax. It was a wonderful ending to a wonderful day.

Aboriginal Cultural Center

We went on a group field trip to the Musgrave Cultural Center to learn about Aborigines, their cultural practices, history, and current plight. It was a great experience. Their culture is one that doesn't run on linear time, which means that sticking to a rigid schedule isn't given much thought, making our afternoon a relaxing one. They performed indigenous dance and even taught us a few moves. They fed us their traditional breakfast breads with "bush relish" and golden syrup, which is a key ingredient in a bunch of Aussie foods- like molasses and honey mixed, very sweet. We made our own boomerangs and learned how to throw them. To end the afternoon, they were hospitable enough to grill kangaroo meat for a barbecue. 'Roo meat is similar to beef but more lean and tender. Really good!

Not only was it fun but a great education as well. The Aborigines' current situation is almost identical to that of the Native Americans in the states. Land is being fought for, unemployment is high and alcohol and drug use runs rampant. But they hold onto their culture and emphasize that it is alive and well amidst their struggle. I have to agree.

Taste of Culture

So, here's your quick dose of Oz culture to assist in your immersion process. Hope it gives you another peak into my life here and answers various burning questions I know you all have.

Tid bit number one: It's not a wive's tale. The water, as a result of the Coriolis Effect, does swirl down a drain in the opposite direction- clockwise.

Now, onto traffic... Australians drive on the opposite side of the road. With the addition of round-abouts, adjusting is actually a lot more difficult than expected, especially when crossing streets on a run! The fast lane is furthest to the right and on/off ramps are on the left. I wondered before coming to Australia if driving on the opposite side of the road had an effect on people's walking logistics (nerd alert), and it does. If you're walking toward someone in the states you veer right to avoid them, and if you want to pass someone you pass on the left. But, here it is just the opposite- veer left and pass right. A car's passenger seat is on the left side, and you enter/exit a bus on the left side.

K, onto Aussie Speak... and that's AuZZie. (I was repremanded for saying it with an "s" sound.) Aussies are notorious for shortening words or adding endings to them. They also use British English as well. So, here's some fun vocab to use back in the states:

Brizzy=Brisbane
Oz=Australia
bird=girl
bloke=guy
garbo=trash man
wheely bins=trash cans with wheels
rubbish=trash
sunnies=sunglasses
sickie=sick day from work
brekkie=breakfast
arvo=afternoon
owyagoin'?=how are you?
mate=guy to guy greeting
stubby=can of beer
no worries=you're welcome
dunny/lou/toilet=bathroom
Poms/Pommies=Brits
Kiwis=New Zealanders
sanger=sandwich
truckie=truck driver
heaps=lots
g'day=hi

Cheers to acculturation!

The Whitsundays and Australia Day

Some of my pictures are finally online for your viewing pleasure from my first week here and my weekend excursions to Byron Bay and the Whitsundays with still more to come!

So, the Whitsunday Islands turned out to be a great getaway, although a tropical rainstorm happened to be part of our experience. Luckily, the weather held up enough to still allow for our snorkeling day-cruise though. The colors weren't as vibrant and the sediment decreased visibility, but the Great Barrier Reef is a world all it's own and was still incredible to see! The highlight for me were the HUGE blue clams. In spite of the rain, the water was 85 degrees! So, we pulled on our "stinger suits" (essentially full-body spandex leotards for protection from deadly box jellyfish) and hopped in. And yes, I invested in an underwater camera. Our cruise included a rainforest hike to the Daydream Island lookout and Whitehaven Beach, which has the clearest water and whitest sand I've ever seen. Back in town, we did do bit of sun bathing on the bank of the lagoon in Airlie Beach where we stayed. (Oddly enough, there is no significant beach- just the lagoon.) As the rain came down, I passed time with a few of the girls in the local bead shop. The fruits of my labor turned out three pairs of adorable earrings and two bracelets. On our last night there, I learned how to play Aussie rules pool at a local bar and got hit on by a seventy year old, Asian-hating drunk, who coincidentally was seated in the row in front of me on the plane flight home! What are the chances?! So, that is my weekend in brief. It was great to get away, but nice to be home. All this traveling is surprisingly exhausting. But don't worry Mom and Dad, school work of course comes first. ;)

Last night, I was lucky enough to see my very first "touch footie" game. A friend I met in the states lives here in Brisbane permanently. He plays in a rec league and invited me to their semi-final match. As far as I understand, it's touch rugby. Think touch football but much faster and harder to follow! Brisbane is a diverse city with lots of ethnic food, which we took advantage of by ordering Indian takeout. Mmm! It's great to get away from the group and experience normal Brizzy life, not feeling like a tourist for even just a short time.

This weekend is Australia Day, which is similar to our 4th of July. The entire country shuts down, "barbies" start up along with concerts, outdoor movie marathons, dancing, drumming, fireworks all accompanied by XXXX beer, which is actually brewed here in Brisbane. We plan on grilling up some kangaroo meat. Heard it's tastey. I'll let you know!

Whitsunday Islands

This weekend I'll be traveling to the Whitsunday Islands, which are located two-thirds of the way down on the Great Barrier Reef. Five of us girls are going and will be staying in an apartment on the mainland. We are planning a snorkling tour for one of the days, which should offer some pretty spectacular photo opps. Better invest in an underwater camera. Can't wait to tell you all about it. Cheers!

Setting the Stage

The fifteen hour flight went much faster than expected with no hitches in travel. Having returned from Urbana in St. Louis just the day before, I was packing furiously until leaving my parents' for my LAX departure, but so far I haven't found that I've forgotten anything. Phew!

So let me get you up to speed on where I'm living...

Our apartments are a quick walk to the bus stop in a suburb of Brisbane called Taringa. They include a salt water pool and once a week maid service. Torturous, really. My roommates are great, one of which is my SLO roommate, Kira.

The city of Brisbane is beautiful. It reminds me a bit of Boston with a modern twist. There's a great outdoor mall and an area called South Bank where a man-made beach is located along with an art museum, gallery, and botanical gardens. The public trasportation system includes trains and buses and also a ferry called the City Cat, which gives way to scenic rides home with the night skyline draped behind.

University of Queensland is an incredible school, one of the top four in the country! Having been opened in 1901, the architecture is beautiful. I feel like I'm on a "real" college campus, and it inspires me to go somewhere with true atmosphere for my masters.

So, there ya have it. That's the setting for my quarter down under. Here goes...