I'm finally caught up. Almost. We got to Sydney and I relished my single room. I have a mini-fridge, a balcony, and a sink. I wish dorms were like this in Berkeley. The campus is very sleek and modern.
We went into the city for the first time two nights ago to see the symphony at the Opera House. I couldn't believe how gorgeous it was seeing the Opera House in the stone. It wasn't on a postcard, it wasn't on a billboard, or in a movie. It was right in front of me. After I got over that, we went into it and found ourselves sitting in the front row, right behind the percussion. It was mindblowing. We saw the didgeridoo performance and I sneaked in a little nap during a strange piano concerto. Afterwards, still hungry, we snacked on tacos and burritos at a Mexican food truck.
After class the next day, we had a mini shopping trip in the immediate area. During the bus ride, I spotted a Joseph Gordan-Levitt look-a-like. I tried to be obscure, but I think he spotted me taking his picture since his expression was strange. The girls in the group were particularly taken with the store cotton-on. I was less impressed since we have it back home. Still, the clothes were impossibly cheap and I got a few things myself. We went to Bondi Junction, then to Randwick shopping centre. But this shopping trip was nothing compared to the day after.
Originally a group of 8, we split into two groups to scour downtown Sydney. It was funny, because I ended up with the Cal crew: me, Hannah, and Karissa. Hannah is Chinese and hilarious. She loves imitating accents and always has an opinion. Karissa is Japanese and a sorority girl. They are both good-natured and we all get along very well. Hannah was recommended by a friend to try a pancake place by The Rocks. We made it there and ordered a heaping breakfast. Lots of nomnoming. We then explored the Saturday market, which resembled Mindil Markets. I bought three pairs of earrings: one butterfly, one with golden hoops and a set of pearls with a complimentary shell case. I stopped by a boutique and found UGGs on sale for $99. I couldn't help myself and purchased a lovely purple pair. I adore them.We made our way to the malls where we were overwhelmed by the sheer number and size of the stores there. Much of it was beyond our budget including name brands like Jimmy Choo, Miu Miu and Chanel. We walked into Miu Miu and immediately felt judged. But everything inside was so beautiful. If only. I bought the typical kangaroo crossing road sign, and a vintage sweater with elephants and camels. I'm doing a powerpoint presentation on feral camels, so I believe I found my outfit for it.
The architecture in the mall was stunning. Even the food court was beautiful. I couldn't stop taking pictures despite the stares I was getting from people. We finally left the mall for some fresh air and walked to the St. Mary's Cathedral, which was also quite beautiful. We decided to end our trip there, for we had been out from 9-5, a full working day. We had dinner back near the campus at a Siam fusion restaurant. Sydney's portion sizes are impressive. Karissa, who I'm half-convinced has a tape-worm inside of her, ordered two entrees.
Now, I am truly caught up. Currently typing this in my warm room, snug in my new purple UGGs. My plan today is just to chill around as most people are on the Hunter Valley wine tasting trip. I've been told to watch for their arrival as it is always a sh*t show, according to our adviser. Perhaps I'll make a trip to the beach if it isn't too cold.
Saturday 30 June 2012
Catching Up
I'm losing track of the order of events. I guess that's what happens when you start late. Anyways, after Kakadu, we returned to Darwin. Our program made a trip to Mindil Markets, a great night flea market. I couldn't keep my eyes off anything. Each stall had a unique array of arts and crafts and I just wanted to buy it all! I finally decided on a gorgeous lapis necklace. I also tried a fruit smoothie and a croc bite, which supposedly had croc in it, but it was too mushed up to tell.
The next day took us to the Northern Territory Wildlife Park. Our first stop was a sandbar where they asked for volunteers to feed some stingrays. Alas I was the 7th of the half dozen they needed. We were then let loose to explore. I was disappointed to find that about 25% of the park was closed due to renovation. Nevertheless, I did see some amazing animals.
We ended our time in Darwin at a celebratory dinner at the Monsoon nightclub, where we had pizza. Calvin tried for half an hour to get me on the dancefloor. When I started dancing, the guys seemed shocked and surprised at my ability and made a big deal of out it. Esther, an art student, was my dancing buddy. We had a great spot right in front of the stage with lots of room. We danced and imitated Beyonce in Single Ladies and grooved to Lady Marmalade.Unlike most of the others there, I didn't need intoxication to have fun.
We left Darwin and arrived at the Blue Mountains on 6/24/2012. Our lodgings were considerably finer than the Maleleuca. I took many photos of our abode there in comparison to the zero back in Darwin. It was quite a shock though going from hot sunny Darwin to the freezing rainy Blue Mountains. Many fell sick. I was one of the lucky ones. We shared the same roommates as in Darwin and each room had a name. Ours was Empress Falls, which I thought was aptly named since I felt we were all empresses. It was a very cozy place. I felt like Laura Ingalls from Little House on the Prairie. We went on a hike the next day and boy was it the hike of my life. The scenery was breathtaking, but so were the multitude of stairs. At one point were were going straight down. Like a 15 degree decline. It would have been a bad tumble. It was truly a test of stamina. Thankfully, at the end there was an ingenious placement of a gelato shop and I treated myself to a scoop of mango gelato made with 100% green energy. I have to note the wardrobe of our fearless guide and leader Wynn. He looked just like a giant garden gnome complete with purple knit leggings and a red beanie. He would be the star of any fashion blog.
A visit to Secret Creek reserve immersed us in the land of dingoes, quolls, wallaroos, and wallabies. A friendly wallaroo came up and grabbed my gloves, hugging them tightly to his chest. I suppose my grey fingerless gloves seemed to him like the outstretched hands of a mommy wallaroo. I could've died right there right then.
Dinner at Papa Dino's was an unforgettable experience. While waiting for our pizza, we must have looked extremely bored since the owner came over and handed us rolling pins, mats, and pizza dough. We looked around and the only others we saw equipped with such goodies were 5-year-olds. We had a blast making a variety of pizza animals. The pizza itself was delicious. Kelvin accepted the challenge of finishing our pizza. Kelvin is a student from Hong Kong who asks extremely insightful questions and is an affluent swearer. He cracks us all up. All the time.
I forgot to mention that upon our arrival, we took a short hike to the landmark of the Blue Mountains, the Three Sisters rock formation. It was quite beautiful. There was a hike to the bridge that led directly into the rocks, but our tight schedule did not allow us to fit it in.
The next day took us to the Northern Territory Wildlife Park. Our first stop was a sandbar where they asked for volunteers to feed some stingrays. Alas I was the 7th of the half dozen they needed. We were then let loose to explore. I was disappointed to find that about 25% of the park was closed due to renovation. Nevertheless, I did see some amazing animals.
We ended our time in Darwin at a celebratory dinner at the Monsoon nightclub, where we had pizza. Calvin tried for half an hour to get me on the dancefloor. When I started dancing, the guys seemed shocked and surprised at my ability and made a big deal of out it. Esther, an art student, was my dancing buddy. We had a great spot right in front of the stage with lots of room. We danced and imitated Beyonce in Single Ladies and grooved to Lady Marmalade.Unlike most of the others there, I didn't need intoxication to have fun.
We left Darwin and arrived at the Blue Mountains on 6/24/2012. Our lodgings were considerably finer than the Maleleuca. I took many photos of our abode there in comparison to the zero back in Darwin. It was quite a shock though going from hot sunny Darwin to the freezing rainy Blue Mountains. Many fell sick. I was one of the lucky ones. We shared the same roommates as in Darwin and each room had a name. Ours was Empress Falls, which I thought was aptly named since I felt we were all empresses. It was a very cozy place. I felt like Laura Ingalls from Little House on the Prairie. We went on a hike the next day and boy was it the hike of my life. The scenery was breathtaking, but so were the multitude of stairs. At one point were were going straight down. Like a 15 degree decline. It would have been a bad tumble. It was truly a test of stamina. Thankfully, at the end there was an ingenious placement of a gelato shop and I treated myself to a scoop of mango gelato made with 100% green energy. I have to note the wardrobe of our fearless guide and leader Wynn. He looked just like a giant garden gnome complete with purple knit leggings and a red beanie. He would be the star of any fashion blog.
A visit to Secret Creek reserve immersed us in the land of dingoes, quolls, wallaroos, and wallabies. A friendly wallaroo came up and grabbed my gloves, hugging them tightly to his chest. I suppose my grey fingerless gloves seemed to him like the outstretched hands of a mommy wallaroo. I could've died right there right then.
Dinner at Papa Dino's was an unforgettable experience. While waiting for our pizza, we must have looked extremely bored since the owner came over and handed us rolling pins, mats, and pizza dough. We looked around and the only others we saw equipped with such goodies were 5-year-olds. We had a blast making a variety of pizza animals. The pizza itself was delicious. Kelvin accepted the challenge of finishing our pizza. Kelvin is a student from Hong Kong who asks extremely insightful questions and is an affluent swearer. He cracks us all up. All the time.
I forgot to mention that upon our arrival, we took a short hike to the landmark of the Blue Mountains, the Three Sisters rock formation. It was quite beautiful. There was a hike to the bridge that led directly into the rocks, but our tight schedule did not allow us to fit it in.
Happenings in words
So
I realize that two weeks into the program, I should probably start
recording all the shenanigan happenings that are making this experience
unforgettable. I guess I should start at the beginning then.
We arrived in Darwin on July 15th at the Maleleuca Hostel on Mitchell street. There we acquired our rooms. I have 5 other roommates and we couldn’t be more different. Ruthie is an engineering major exploring a new field who’s sensible and practical, Marianne is small and soft-spoken, Becca is tall and reckless, Jess spunky and out-spoken, Katie sweet and follows Becca and Jess in their crazy partying antics. And then there’s me. HAH. We’re an interesting bunch, but we get along for the most part.
Darwin is a small strip of bars, tourist shops, and beach. Our classes are mostly from 9-12 at the Travelodge Mirambeena, a nicer hotel. Aside from that, activities are limited in Darwin. Our first day of exploration led us to the shoreline where we fed fish. It is a lot more exciting than it sounds. The fish are rather large and we tear off loaves of bread to feed them while standing on a ramp leading to the ocean. The fish had feathery lips that tickled the back of my knees. It was quite amazing. We then walked to a rock-climbing area where Calvin and Marianne contemplated climbing. Calvin is a tall thin African-American guy who is also a dancer, specializing in hip-hop.
After a couple of days in Darwin, we set our for Kakadu World Heritage Park. Our first stop was a jumping crocodile tour where we boarded a boat and spied for crocs to feed. They had a fishing pole with a slab of meat to lure the crocs, and if they felt like eating they would propel themselves out of the water. I snapped pictures like a madwoman and got some great shots with the crocs with ⅔ of the their body out of the water. We then went to a place where we got to hold large snakes. I held an olive python and a black headed python. It was great fun. Mom would have fainted dead away if she saw me. We arrived at our campsite by dark. I shared a tent with Ruthie. The mosquitos were ruthless. I looked diseased.
We stopped by a termite mound assumed the largest in Australia. It was thus named the Cathedral Mound. We were told to have a taste of the mound and a termite. I tried a termite. It had an interesting peppery taste. The mound itself I was told, tasted like dirt. I’m glad I didn’t try it. We were told after that the mound was made of termite saliva, secretions and dirt. We visited Ubir, a rock art site the next day and saw the Aboriginal etchings of barramundi, kangaroos, contact art, and various other depictions of daily life. We hiked to a lookout that had a spectacular view. I felt like I was in Africa, looking over Pride Rock with Mufasa saying: Simba, everywhere the light touches, is our kingdom. It was that epic.
Then, we went to Gunlom Falls, where we took a dip in the large pool at the bottom of the falls. It was quite a swim across. Brandon was next to me, struggling and saying: Oh man, I’m going to die halfway. I’m not going to make it. And there I was, thinking: I suppose I am certified as a lifeguard. I could probably save you if really necessary. Marianne and I swam the entire perimeter of the pool. It was a great way to cool off. We then hiked up the waterfall to several pools at the top. I felt that I discovered where the mermaids live. There were a series of pools leading to the waterfall, each with clear blue water. Lauren had a funny experience there. Some of the pools were deep with a couple of rocks to rest on. Katie was resting on one of these rocks while Lauren was struggling to find one. Brandon asked her: are you ok Lauren? She weakly replied: yea... He asked her again. She said: I think I just saw Jesus. I can’t find a rock. Brandon: Why didn’t you say something. You could’ve died a silent death. That story emitted peals of laughter from our group afterwards.
We arrived in Darwin on July 15th at the Maleleuca Hostel on Mitchell street. There we acquired our rooms. I have 5 other roommates and we couldn’t be more different. Ruthie is an engineering major exploring a new field who’s sensible and practical, Marianne is small and soft-spoken, Becca is tall and reckless, Jess spunky and out-spoken, Katie sweet and follows Becca and Jess in their crazy partying antics. And then there’s me. HAH. We’re an interesting bunch, but we get along for the most part.
Darwin is a small strip of bars, tourist shops, and beach. Our classes are mostly from 9-12 at the Travelodge Mirambeena, a nicer hotel. Aside from that, activities are limited in Darwin. Our first day of exploration led us to the shoreline where we fed fish. It is a lot more exciting than it sounds. The fish are rather large and we tear off loaves of bread to feed them while standing on a ramp leading to the ocean. The fish had feathery lips that tickled the back of my knees. It was quite amazing. We then walked to a rock-climbing area where Calvin and Marianne contemplated climbing. Calvin is a tall thin African-American guy who is also a dancer, specializing in hip-hop.
After a couple of days in Darwin, we set our for Kakadu World Heritage Park. Our first stop was a jumping crocodile tour where we boarded a boat and spied for crocs to feed. They had a fishing pole with a slab of meat to lure the crocs, and if they felt like eating they would propel themselves out of the water. I snapped pictures like a madwoman and got some great shots with the crocs with ⅔ of the their body out of the water. We then went to a place where we got to hold large snakes. I held an olive python and a black headed python. It was great fun. Mom would have fainted dead away if she saw me. We arrived at our campsite by dark. I shared a tent with Ruthie. The mosquitos were ruthless. I looked diseased.
We stopped by a termite mound assumed the largest in Australia. It was thus named the Cathedral Mound. We were told to have a taste of the mound and a termite. I tried a termite. It had an interesting peppery taste. The mound itself I was told, tasted like dirt. I’m glad I didn’t try it. We were told after that the mound was made of termite saliva, secretions and dirt. We visited Ubir, a rock art site the next day and saw the Aboriginal etchings of barramundi, kangaroos, contact art, and various other depictions of daily life. We hiked to a lookout that had a spectacular view. I felt like I was in Africa, looking over Pride Rock with Mufasa saying: Simba, everywhere the light touches, is our kingdom. It was that epic.
Then, we went to Gunlom Falls, where we took a dip in the large pool at the bottom of the falls. It was quite a swim across. Brandon was next to me, struggling and saying: Oh man, I’m going to die halfway. I’m not going to make it. And there I was, thinking: I suppose I am certified as a lifeguard. I could probably save you if really necessary. Marianne and I swam the entire perimeter of the pool. It was a great way to cool off. We then hiked up the waterfall to several pools at the top. I felt that I discovered where the mermaids live. There were a series of pools leading to the waterfall, each with clear blue water. Lauren had a funny experience there. Some of the pools were deep with a couple of rocks to rest on. Katie was resting on one of these rocks while Lauren was struggling to find one. Brandon asked her: are you ok Lauren? She weakly replied: yea... He asked her again. She said: I think I just saw Jesus. I can’t find a rock. Brandon: Why didn’t you say something. You could’ve died a silent death. That story emitted peals of laughter from our group afterwards.
Darwin
Kakadu World Heritage Park
Highlights from the Blue Mountains
These beautifully cut stairs Hugging a wallaroo
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