Temporary Insanity

Tuesday...Well... I think my mom may kill me for this, but I will plead temporary insanity TWICE!! Marlee and I went Bungy Jumping this morning and it was amazing!! We jumped off the first ever commercial bungy site that was 43 meters high. I got dunked and the water. (and just for the record, they had to defrost the paltform before we jumped, so the water was a bit chilly; glacier water to be exact...) Anyways it was a ground breaking time in my life, I really have very few fears now...I just jumped off of a ten story building. Also, this afternoon, we drove out to the Nevis Bungy. This one was 134 meters (440 feet, 44 story building) It is the only suspended bungy platform in the world and the highest jump in NZ. What a rush!! I got a DVD of the whole thing and be prepared because you are all watching it!!! You ride a gondola out to the platform and that I thought was much scarier than the jump, but either way it rocked and I am so glad that I did it!! I'll be posted some pictures and there will be a website of photos too....I'll keep you updated! Tonight is the last night in Queenstown and we'll be off to Christchurch again. Until then, I love you and miss you all!!

Horseback AGAIN!!

Monday...I drove out to Glenorchy this morning for an all day horse ride. The morning trip was with a group of 9 people and we rode around some of the Lord of the Rings locations (Isengard Valley, and all through the Misty Mountains) The land is absolutely breathtaking...there is no other way to describe it. We went up and down mountains and rode through various rivers in the area. It was fun crossing the freezing rivers on horseback and not getting too terribly wet. My horse was a retired racehorse (thoroughbred of course) that was always up for a race. Whenever we broke off into a trot or canter, he would race out in front of as many riders as possible. After the morning crew left, it was just me around the barn and I helped untack and brush all the horses down. We turned them out to pasture and it was just good to be around them again!! In the afternoon, I was the only client on the farm. I went out on my same horse with one guide and a new girl that needed to learn the trail to guide it. It was awesome to be so private. We cantered all around the area and went to some great lookouts!! We even had a full on gallop race across one of the river beds, definitely my greatest experience on horseback!! Glenorchy was AMAZING!! Back in Queenstown, we watched the Aussies play soccer, but sadly they lost.

Skiing

Sunday...early to rise once again, this time we gathered our skiing gear and headed to the slopes. It was weird to ride a bus with chains on the tires, but we made it! Marlee, Nancy, CiCi and I soaked in the fact that about 2 inches of snow fell during the day as we skiied. The skies were cloudy and a bit foggy, but the powder was great. It was so cool to have other people to experience it with you. It was awesome to be back on skis too!! I enjoyed a few cups of great hot chocolate in the lodge and socialized with various travellers from all over the world. We skiied at Coronet Peak if you want to check it out online. Apparently the season just opened and it has already been one of the best in the last few years!! I had a great time. We unwound in the spa again and explored the rest of Queenstown.

More Buses

Saturday...in the freezing weather this morning, I boarded another bus, heading to Queenstown (adventure capital of the world) The mountains on the drive down were absolutely breathtaking!! We actually had to stop for a little while so that the roads could thaw out before we could continue. As we drove, I saw tons of sheep, cattle, and reindeer (kind of a cool animal to farm!) The snowcapped mountains lined our entire 7 hour drive and all we could think about was skiing. As we came into Christchurch, we overlooked Lake Wakitupu which is composed of solely glacier water and has a beautiful turquoise tint! We are staying in an 8 bed hostel, but the 4 girls get their own room and we share a kitchen and bathroom with Jordan and 3 other British guys. We jumped in the "spa" (hot tub) and then made a huge spaghetti dinner for the "family" (we really are that close now!)

KIWI Land

Friday...we explored a little more of Melbourne before spending a long afternoon in the airport (gotta love the early checkin for international flights) We met up with Jordan and Nancy in the airport and said adios to Australia and flew to Christchurch. After customs and shuttle we got to our hostel around midnight. We planned what we would do for the next week and hit the sack...7am bus tommorrow.

Melbourne

We got in and did a whole bunch of laundry (first time since Brisbane) gross I know. Anyways we explored the city and saw a cool market. Then we went to look at some of the cathedrals and parks in the city. The parliament house is beautiful too. We are still recovering from the bus ride and getting geared up for the 2am England game tonight. It's my last day in Australia, sad, and I only have one more week until I come home. I miss ya'll see you soon!!

Sleep and Buses

Wednesday...after a looooong night...I slept till 2 and jusst enjoyed the city for a few hours then Marlee, CiCi, and I caught and overnight bus to Melbourne!!

Bondi and IMAX

Tuesday...Marlee and I took the bus out to Bondi beach, but the wind was a little strong and it made the temp a little chilly, but the beach was still beautiful. The surf was amazing!! We went back to Sydney and got ready for the Gaff where we watched the Korea game. The koreans had been marching the streets with drums and flags for over 24hours so when they won, the entire area went crazy. Our hostel is located on the edge of Chinatown and the cops had to come and quiet everyone down. We and some friends from the hostel watched the French draw against the Swiss, then we went to the IMAX to watch the Brazilians win! That was awesome!! Great last day in Sydney and I didn't even go to bed until 8am and from the pictures you can see that we were pretty delirious by the end...haha!

Sydney Bridge and Gardens

Monday...Today the weather was beautiful and we were able to walk around outside!! We walked up one of the pylons on the Sydney bridge and had a breathtaking view of the harbor. I loved reading all about how it was made. It is the largest bridge of its type in the world!! After that we walked down to the Royal Botanic Gardens and saw various plants that represented all the flora of the continent. Marlee and I bought dobule decker bus tour tickets and rode it all around the city. It was nice to be off of our feet and able to hear the basic history of various parts of the city! We went to Scruffy Murphy's to watch the Australia v. Japan game and the Aussies went nuts after their win!! The cops were filming the crowds in the streets instead of even trying to control them. People were jumping around and making noise for hours! The US played right after them and lost and I could only stomach about one half of that game...

Opera House

Sunday...Everyone got in last night and we went and watched the England game at the Gaff...it was so awesome to see all the celebrations. They won off of a free kick from David Beckham (I mean he is the best thing on that team!!) All the backpackers were going nuts and it was absolutely packed watching the game.
Because of the rain today we took the indoor tour of the Opera House and it was amazing to see the inside and the amazing design of the place! It is the most recognized building worldwide!! Chad, CiCi, and I walked around Darling Harbor and Chinatown to see some cool local life and got to stop in this outdoor market that was amazing! We went to watch the England and Australia rugby game tonight. It was Union so our friend Mark taught us all of the rules so we would know what was going on. The Dutch played tonight, so we went to the Three Monkeys with Douwe, one of the desk workers at the MAZE from the Netherlands (that is him in the Red). The Dutch won and we all had a blast!!

World Cup

Well..I love being abrod for the world cup, it is a totally different atmosphere being with all the backpackers eagerly pulling for their homw country!! I have seen just about every game and we're goin to see Brazil on the IMAX!! I have loved Sydney adnd w're going to Melbourne tommorrow. I'll update ya'll when I have more time...I'm going to watch South Korea play tonight!!

Sydney

It was a little rainy today, but I got to go exploring all over the city while I waited on the Fellows' flight to come in. There is a jazz festival going on and I listened to them play for a while. I nice tribute to American Music. Also I heard the "Sounds of Australia" concert (digeridoo players) which was fascinating. I walked around Hyde Park and down to the Harbour. Here are a couple of pics!!

Flights

My flight went well and I got in at about 11pm and went straight to the Hostel. I am staying at the Maze and it is huge there are probably about 150 rooms here and many are 6 and 8 share. I made a new friend in the Airport...he is from France and has been in Indonesia for 7 months. He was flying through Sydney and we shared a Tim Tam. I am amazed at all the cool people that you meet while travelling, especially staying in hostels. Everyone has such a cool story. I stayed up until like 2 chatting with the people at the reception desk of the Maze (they're from Scotland and Wales, and they are pumped about the upcoming World Cup Game!

Horseback Riding

Friday...I got to sleep in until 7am today then I drove out to Mareeba to go horseback riding on a cattle ranch. It was actually really nice because there was a group of 3 advanced riders with me, so we got to go off on our own with a guide. WE worked the cattle for a little while, and we also cantered all around in the rainforest. It was so nice to be back on a horse again. It was really fun to go off and be by myself for a little while, I felt completely independent. I am now getting ready to catch my flight to Sydney and meet back up with the Fellows. The city is buzzing because the World Cup starts tonight and this weekend is the Queen's Birthday! I love ya'll!!

SCUBA in Port Douglas

Thursday...once again I was up early (5:30) to get in the bus to drive to Port Douglas. It is about 45 minutes north of Cairns. I dove with HABA...the boat was big enough for about 100 people but we only had like 40 on there. WE dove twice in the morning and saw some great coarl and fish. We even saw a white tip reef shark!! Our guide, Jack, was really helpful and showed us some cool animals underwater as well!! I was able to go diving again in the afternoon and that was my favorite dive of the day. We took a glass bottom boat to a place on the reef and then we rode the current back to the boat. I was able to stay underwater for 41 minutes!!! We saw hundreds of fish in school and I took some great photos. I rented an underwater digital camera that takes photos and movies and I will post them as soon as I can. We all went snorkeling for about an hour then we headed back to camp. The waves were a bit rough but I made it through the trip without getting seasick!!

Rafting the Tully

WEdnesday...I am staying at Gilligan's hostel and it is so nice!! There is a pool and the cafe area is incredible as well. This morning we were up at 5:30 am to catch a bus out to Tully. I white water rafted down the river for 5 hours. The rainforest around the river in Northern Queensland was to die for! The Tully is one of the most technical rivers in the country. Our group was lots of fun because it was just the 7 of us and we made fools of ourselves being "American" (loud and obnoxious). WE did our "Go Dawgs" cheer at the bottom of every tough rapid. The water was a little chilly, but you get used to it. We never flipped but we got lodged in some pretty dodgy places in the rocks. I have some cool pictures that I will load soon!

Cairns

I flew out at 700am today to Cairns, it is absolutely amazing here. The temperature is in the high 80s and sunny. We layed out on the lagoon on the beach and just soaked in the weather and sun before we checked into the hostel. Our hostel is like the Hilton of hostels. I am so glad for all the things that we have coming up. I am travelling here with people that I got certified for SCUBA with so we should get in some good diving!!

Brisbane

Monday...We took our final today and it was actually pretty difficult, but luckily it was open note so we got everything that was questionable out of the notes. It was wierd to walk around Brissie knowing that we won't be coming back. We had a farewell dinner then watched a slideshow of all of the pictures from the trip. I had to say goodbye to everyone because my flight left so early the next morning, but I am excited about the weeks to come!!

LEI

Well we flew out of LEI this afternoon after getting up for sunrise and hanging out on the beach for a few more hours. Here is a picture of all of my new Aussie friends. They were quite a bunch. They have a cool system where they work for 20 days and then take 8 day holidays. Of course they rotate who is off when but it really is great for people who just work for about 6 months there to enjoy the diving. It was really hard to leave the island because you just become attached to the relaxed way of life. I am so glad that was our last stop on the trip because it was a great time for us to unwind. We are back in Brisbane and we take our Final Exam tomorrow. After that I am travelling with just a small group of friends all over. Keep ya posted!!

Saturday

I got up and watched the sunrise again, here is a picture. We went out reefwalking and took down some data about the frequency and size of giant clams. The winds were a little too strong to do anymore diving or snorkeling today so we enjoyed the beach and the chill time. We played alot of volleyball and just hung out with the staff on the island. It was fun because there are honestly only about 55 people on the island (36 of us and the rest is the permanent staff) We really did OWN our own island for a little while. We had a beach party and then sat out by a bonfire all night and looked at the stars

Friday June 2

I woke up at 5:30 to watch the sunrise and it was gorgeous. It is easy to see why all the people here are so chill...there are no worries on this island whatsoever. We went out snorkeling and saw some awesome coral reefs and manta rays. We saw all kinds of fish that I could bore you with their species but trust me, it was awesome!!We went out reef walking to see all the small animals that live in the reef flat that is protected by the cay. That afternoon I went on my first ever real SCUBA dive and it was incredible!! We chased some manta rays for about 20 minutes, they were enormous probably twice my size. ( By the way our guide said that in the 7 years that he's been diving he has only seen mantas like 5 times so it was really speicial. We saw huge loggerhead turtles who would let you get really close to them and that was such a cool experiecne. I thoroughly enjoyed diving and can't wait to do it again!! We watched the sunset again ( our two guides here...Sascha and Tyrone...are awesome...they make us chill out in the late afternoons on the beach to watch) THis is the picture from that sunset. After that we watched Finding Nemo, it's amazing what you learn about aquatic life, I have a new appreciation for that movie now!

Flights

Yesterday we spent the day in Surfer's Paradise on the beach and I learned to surf!! We went to Hervey Bay for the night and woke up this morning to fly to Lady Elliot Island!! It was beautiful and I got to sit in the co-pilots seat. I saw some whales and dolphin as we flew in over the island. It is a coral cay and that is what protects it from the harsh breakers. The sand is white but made up of coral pieces, the island is only about 3km around so you can easily walk the length of it in about 15 minutes. We had the entire thing to ourselves, besides the staff. It was honestly a little piece of paradise. We layed out on the beach then went in for some lectures about the species of fish and other animals that live on the reef. We watched the sunset, played volleyball, looked at the stars and got some rest!

Hikes

Monday and Tuesday we went on long hikes (about 13 miles apiece) and we studying different aspects of the rainforest. We saw some amazing lookout views and got to ride a zipline through the forest. (they call it a flying squirrel) I had to help get everyone harnessed up and once again I am preparing for Dawg Camp!!

Binna Burra

We woke up early and headed to Lamington National Park. We are staying at Binna Burra, it is a quaint little lodge and camping area at the top of a beautiful mountain. We can see the ocean, Gold Coast, and Brisbane out on the horizon. It's a bit chilly and we listened to a few lectures. We had a barn dance and it was fun to watch some of the people in our group. We had lots of fun!! This is Barry our guide at Binna Burra

Lagoon

Well there is a beach and lagoon in Brisbane, it's kinda in a park in the middle of the city (kinda wierd). Anyways, it was beautiful and we went to the outdoor market and looked at cool Aussie authentic stuff. After that we went to the Brisbane Broncos game. It was my first experience with Rugby but I really enjoyed it. Those guys are absolute athletes. It was awesome atmosphere and hopefully I will get out to another game before we leave!!