Down South with the Penguins and Apostles

              Its getting crazy how fast time is going, especially when traveling around Australia on the weekends. So the past weekend we flew south to Melbourne, Victoria. Here we got to explore a entirely different city then Sydney, tour the Great Ocean Road and see the Little Penguin Parade!
        Flying out early Friday morning we landed to a windy, overcast and almost cold 20C(68F). We dropped our bags at Nomads,our accommodation, and set out around the city. It is much more concentrated in size and at a more laid back pace then Sydney. Melbourne's streets were lined with very old and architectural buildings and factories that had been converted internally into shops and businesses. You could definitely see the inner, older brick buildings that were the original Melbourne, surrounded by the more modern high rises and geometric building growing around these. Known for its shopping and lived up to this. Every street was lined with shops of all kinds, from electronics and antiques to Gucci, Versace and Louis Vuitton. What was really amazing was instead of creepy ally-ways, even these small ways were lined with shops as well. It was worth it to wander down side streets to see what lies within. In one 5 story shopping place the center court was actually built around the Lead Pipe and Shot Factory. The brick building was literally built around!

looking up at the Factory 

                                                                                                 The group at the 12 Apostles         

Early morning pick up started are 2day adventure up the coast along the Great Ocean Road to see the Ship Wreck Coast, Surf Coast and site such as the gorge and the 12 Apostles (the main picture of this blog). Everything was so beautiful, it just felt like you were in a postcard. There was always a story behind the sites, whether tale of survival or Aboriginal tale. Australia keeps amazing me with everything!

We stayed in a small little beach town house for the night and sunday brought out on the ferry to explore Philip Island. So we watched a kneeboarding competition on one of the beaches before going to see the Little Penguins. We walked along the boardwalks before dinner and saw some of the chicks hiding underneath. After some pizza we went back and sat on designated parts of the beach to watch the parade. The little penguins wait until night fall to waddle up the beach in packs, when they are least vulnerable to the larger birds that eat them. One even got kinda lost on his way up and ended up walking right through our group! They were so cute. As you walked back through the dunes you could watch and hear as the penguins found their way back to their homes in the vegetation.

Now after this trip here are the Australian animals I have seen in the wild:
Wallabies
Koalas
Echidna (like procupines)
Cookaburra
Platapus
Crocodiles
Little Penguins
Bush Turkey
Wobbegongs (sharks)
Most of the Nemo cast: Nemo, Dory, Crush, lil squishy, Bubbles, Mr. Ray, Gill, Bloat, Gurgle, Jaques

I still need a wombat....

whats left? I am headed back up to Cairn for a weekend of more Great Barrier Reef, Horseback riding the rainforest and a helicopter ride over the outer reef =) who doesnt love the study abroad programs?

Lots of Love
xoxo Julie

Fun Facts:

- the Little Penguins are the smallest at only a foot tall max and also the only blue and white penguins.
- It will not be a shark or snake or spider that kills me down under, it will be a plane! I have never flown so much in my life.

Wet and Wild Spring Break

What a Spring break in the Oz! So let me start from the beginning. The day before I was scheduled to depart I received my itinerary for the week: Great Barrier Reef, rainforest, waterfalls, party bus, free day, minji swing and bungee jumping! Sounds amazing until I realized that instead of having the last day as the free day it got bumped into the middle of the week. So now my 3day live-aboard for diving overlaps with a day of the group trip to Cairns. Which at first was kind of upsetting, but, after realizing that my worst worry was whether I went on a swing in the jungle or out to dive the barrier reef, I decided everything would be fine.

The group of 8 of us was shuttled to the airport. Now you can bring food and drink on the plane with you! Toto we are not in the states anymore! I was told to carry the lighter in my checked bag on with me…(say what!?) The boarding was split so that if you were the last half of the rows you were guided outside along the plane and runway to the back of the plane. During the flight up I experienced the worst turbulence yet. Now this was tower of terror status, where I watched my soda lift off the tray and stay mid-air for a fraction of a second before bouncing off to the floor. My friend basically jumped into the boys lap next to her. It was quite intense. I have now decided my rule is don’t worry unless you see O2 masks deploy.

                Never the less we arrived in Cairns, Queensland, The tropics. Stepping out of the back of the plane, you hit a wall of humidity and heat even with the cloud cover. Colin, our guide for the week took us to our accommodations, a backpacker style hostel and bar, names Gilligans, before walking down the street for a welcome dinner at another restaurant. The tropics lived up to its name with thunderstorms and rain alternating with clear skies throughout the night and day. No wonder why it is so green here! At dinner there was free Bacardi tastings which ended with me winning sunglasses! O yeah. After 3 more bars/clubs we turned called it a night, so we could get our early start to the reef cruise.
        The Ocean Spirit sail catamaran took us out for a day of scuba and snorkeling on the inner reef. I got to see a crash coarse, and was blown away by how little people are told before being thrown in the water. We found lots of colorful fish, giant clams and NEMO! At first it the lowish vis and colors were a little disappointing but for just having a cyclone and all the flood water running back into the ocean this reef was closest to shore and getting the brunt of it all.

Next we took a day to drive up to Cape Tribulation and explore the Daintree rainforest and spot some crocodiles. We also went past Snapper island which was where some of the WWII series 'the Pacific' was shot. Due to all the rain they were still getting we almost got stuck up north because major road kept getting flooded over, and it wouldnt have been the first time that a 1 day excursion turned into 3 days. Luckily that was not the case.

Strangler vine, there was a host tree inside there before...

 Tuesday was another day trip but this time we visited the Misty Mountains and the Atherton tablelands to see the waterfalls and swim in lake Eacham, a volcanic crater. The rain was a lot less forgiving but it was still amazing. Here is the Milla Milla falls that we got to swim in and behind!

Tue night our group joined the Ultimate party bus which took us around Cairns to about 5 different bars. There were people from sweden, germany, england, denmark and of course the usa. the night-long game involved the girls each getting a nut, the guys each a bolt, and trying to find your match. this forced you out of your own group. Each destination also had a game or contest as well. It was just a fun, entertaining night around the city.

Wed was our free day, so a group of us decided to go whitewater rafting, or actually swift water rafting. the main river was so over flooded it was not raftable so we took the less intense river which was a nice day drifting down through the tropics. Idont think half of the group could have physically taken anything more considering they were still feeling the effects from the party bus ending only hours before. After rafting we were supposed to continue to skydiving but the weather turned against us after a beautiful morning so it was cancelled. 

Instead i went to a presentation on the Great Barrier and got packed for my early morning with the live-aboard. Our ship, the ScubaPro I, took us to the outer reef for 3 days of diving. Over all the water was abit rough but at 29C (84F) its hard to not like. Of course we were stuck between a storm to the north and also to the south causing a "very rare and unusual" SW wind, which is the only direction that doesnt allow the reef to protect us. But even still on the first dive we jumped in and found 2 turtles sleeping on the coral! amazing. even witht he so-so viz the colors and sea life were absolutly amazing. I had to learn some metric conversions in my head to list off after every dive for the crew and really got to practice my navigation since my 27yr old asian buddy was not the most experienced diver (although she followed quite nicely so i basically did whatever and she would simple tag along with her camera). I got some very nice pictures on my first dive and started to figure out my strobe as well. the rest of the day i dove without it. Luckily that night i pulled all my pics off, remembering my last liveabord, because on the first dive on friday it flooded! =( the second fatality. This was upsetting but it couldnt ruin that i was diving the GBR.

A sleepy turtle

close up to a giant clam about 4' long!

What was amazing was that you only had to visit 2 or 3 sites to get many different dives! On one reef you could get multiple dives and see a variety of sites by just heading in a different direction off the boat. So in the end it was amazing, I loved it and I have now officially dove the Great Barrier Reef in Australia.

Since the rest of my group left 2 days earlier I was on my own in Cairns. I went  back to Gilligans where I bunked with a 19yr old girl form Denmark who was backpacking, a boy from Sweden and another from Dublin, Ireland. I met up with everyone form the live-aboard for dinner and then hungout with my new roommates and the rest of the Dublin boys from next door. My last day was a tight fit on time because I went right out to the Mijing swing that i missed on Thursday. Luckily i was able to rebook it. Swung through the jungle and watched a few people bungee jump before the shuttle dropped me off an hour before my flight took off for Sydney!

This was the official half-way point of my Studies abroad. The rest of the time will fly by and Ill be home again! All my love to those at home!

--xoxo Julie

Fun Facts:  The Great Barrier Reef is the only living thing that can be seen from space and can only live in water higher then 68F

Most vines in the rainforest cannot even support their own weight, never mind Tarzan swinging on it

Nemo got his name from the type of fish he is which is an: Anemone fish

          

End of February

         Thats right. Its March 1st and i have now been in Australia for 6 weeks!! That means that next week is spring break (woohooo) but it also means that my adventure is half over (booo). If you thought February was packed with events and happenings gear up for March. I have every single weekend booked out in either Cains or Melbourne. This will the the month of diving the Great Barrier Reef, which was the whole point of my trip here right? This whole school thing has only gotten in the way of playing doctor and exploring Australia.

      Any who, to finish up the last week of February I had my normal classes, but I also explored Darling Harbor including a walk through of the Aquarium, Wildlife World and the Maritime Museum complete with Shark exhibit. I plan on revisting the Barrier Reef section of the aquarium and spending time reviewing all the creatures I may encounter in my mini holidays there =) Thursday was my Bridge Climb! We were put into very sexy gray suits with a fleece, headset, headlamp, and guide line clipped to us as we headed out right after sunset. We caught the fleeting colors and light as we started our trek upwards. It was a very gradual climb, with the exception of 3 steeper staircases to bring you from below the traffic to above it. The view was breathtaking as you watched the city light up in the night. We had the funniest guide who gave us fun facts on the history and making of the bridge as well as information on anything else you could see, from the harbor, to the flags and other building in sight. When we first headed out in our line I was last and he commented that I must be trouble because of it (he didn't even know the half of it). The total climb took around 4 hours but was absolutely amazing!

Friday was a stressed day at the office... I was taken up to a yacht club in Newport, just north of the city, to my boss's 34' catamaran, to go out for the day with a bunch of the nurses and staff. We sailed over to a small beach only accessible by water, anchored, swam and had lunch. So nice!  

The inside of the upper cabin with our cheese spread snack while sailing

(also took my traditional post boating nap here =] )

The weekend was the last weekend of summer here, and it brought some of the best weather. We went to the beach on saturday before a rushing home to grab my stuff and get to my workplace where i was meeting a coworker, Alex, for dinner. I was taken over this nurses house, met her two kids, who were soo cute, and then headed out for mexican. The group ended up being alex and husband, her best friend meda, husband, and son chirs, whos my age, and another husband whos wife was away. The restaurant was next to the beach and the weather was so nice we sat outside. The party began, with a tapas style meal and margaritas. Then came more food and a mojito and finally tequila shots. A birthday party also at the restaurant strung a piñata across the street and was entertainment for a while and by the end of the night the 5 guys almost drank the place out of coronas and we ran up a tab of over $700. After we visited one of the friends house for a while and finally got back to Alex's just past 1am. An early morning wake up around 7 got me and alex up so I could be shown the Central coast with its beaches and markets. (o yeah, I forgot to tell my roomies I wouldnt be home so half way through the day i got a text asking if i was still alive and if i was kidnapped.) The day was amazing, I met bush turkeys and swam in the surf. After dinner with the family i was driven home where the homework began.

part of a`walk we took besides one of the beaches

Bush turkey - quite small and can semi-launch fly

Now with classes done for the week I only have wed and thurs to work and then I am free. I will be flying up to Cains on saturday for a group trip until wed, where I will hang around for my liveaboard! It is going to be absolutely amazing and i will try to keep updated

Thats all for now folks! The next blogs should be from spring break =)
-- Love always,    Julie

Fun Facts:
-->The four large posts on the bridge are only cosmetic they do not actually hold up or support the bridge at all!

-->The bush turkey is protected and also build huge nests that look like a pile of leaves up tp 8' high and 15' in diameter. Once they are built you cannot touch them until the nest is deserted. this caused one of the rental properties to have to shut down when it was build in their driveway!

Bush turkey nest in the backyard of the beach house