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.