checking in
Okay, so I admit, I've only been in Australia for a week and a half and I've already stopped journaling. Hard copy, that is, and this is the first time I've clicked that update livejournal button. Oh well, I'll try to be good, and at least get my pictures up so you can all be horribly jealous.
I arrived in Brisbane (Queensland, northeast Aus) on 10/2/06 (that's how we write dates here) after entirely skipping 9/2, Shaun's and my 6 month semi-versary. Yeah, I time traveled. I'm a day ahead of most of you who will be reading this. My flight to LA took 6 hours, and after another 13 hours on the airplane I was officially across the world. Jet lag wasn't too bad, as I slept the majority of my trips, and was made busy as soon as I stepped off the plane.
After a quick stop in the duty free shop with Sarah and a not-so-quick trip through immigration and customs, we boarded a bus and drove 2 hours to our resort in Noosa. Guess who was hanging around outside our bunks?
Orientation was pretty fun. We had to sit through a few long information sessions, but in between they taught us how to surf...
...and brought us to Fraser Island. I was going to make a trip there on my own, so I'm glad Butler paid for it! Fraser Island is made entirely of sand, and is pretty unique. There's no topsoil. Huge sand dunes move slowly across the island, turning the vegetation that they cover into nutrient-rich silt, which helps renew the island's flora. (Our guide was very well-informed, and interesting.) There are also a bunch of creeks that don't make any noise because there are no rocks on the island. No one could figure out where the fresh water was coming from because it never rained enough, but it turns out the creeks run with water from rains 30 years ago. Also, a fungi cleans the nutrients from the sand in some places, so there are a few gorgeous lakes with literally clear-white sand. We swam in Lake McKenzie, which is known as one of the world's best places to swim. The water is so clean that it can't support any life. And! We got around in a bus on the Pacific Highway... which is basically the beach, but they use it as a road, and road rules apply. Oh, and did I mention that part of Fraser Island is a rainforest?
The water on the ferry to Fraser Island
The Pacific Highway
Lake McKenzie
Sarah, Noah, and I
Rainforest
A goanna!
Rachel and I practicing our surfing stance at Red Rocks, also on Fraser Island
Half of the Butler group
We also met a group of Aboriginals, who sang for us and taught us how to dance..
Playing the didgeridoo
After orientation, we hopped on another plane and flew to Melbourne. I live right in the heart of the city, about 25 minutes from campus, but I absolutely love the location. I'm right across from the state library and about 3 malls. Anything I could ever want is withing a block of me. I live in an apartment with 2 other Butler girls. We all have singles, plus a common room, kitchen, and bathroom.
My roomates, Britt and Stephanie, and me
What our kitchen often looks like... Steph, Carrie, Sarah, and Alex
Me and Britt
We live a few blocks away from the Queen Victoria Market, a huge outdoor marketplace with cheap everything and a great fresh fruit and produce section. Wednesday nights during the summer, it hosts the Suzuki market which is a bit funkier and has a lot of fantastic ethnic food.
Noah tried a plate of crocodile, emu, and kangaroo meat...
Stolen from Britt, some Butler kids (Noam, Lauren, Steph, Sue, Kelli, Jeanne, and Dave)
I've spent most of my time so far settling into Melbourne, buying stuff for the apartment and learning how to enrol (with one l) at UniMelb. And exploring! I absolutely adore this city. A few nights ago we went to Federation Square and saw a documentary about a Melbourne graffiti artist at the Australian Center for the Moving Image.
Federation Square
ACMI.. one of the most gorgeous buildings I've ever seen..
Brian, Jeanne, and Carrie
Oh, and we've gone to a few pubs, too. Here are some pictures that I don't quite remember taking…
thanks to cheap Carlton Draught. <3
Dave and Jeanne
Me and Johnny, who is from Portsmouth and knows Carlier!
Noah and Lauren, who goes to UNH
So yeah, that’s what I’ve been up to. Last night Dave, Sarah, Noah, and I went to an indie disco a few blocks away that was basically everything I’ve ever wanted in a club. Tonight we might be going out, but I’ve got a bunch of UME orientation stuff tomorrow, so we’ll see. I’m really excited about my subjects here. ^_^
Oh! and I almost forgot to mention, Sarah, Noah, Rachel, and I are skipping out on a bunch of orientation activities to travel to Tasmania. We’re leaving Wednesday afternoon and getting back on Saturday night, so that we can go on a day trip to Phillip Island on Sunday. It should all be pretty spectacular.
I get free incoming calls on my cell phone, and I’d love to hear from anyone. To call from the US, dial 011 61 433613753. Just remember to add 4 hours to EST and switch am/pm to get the time here.
Annnd lastly, if I return to the USA fat as a cow, it will be because of
and
.
Holy delicious.
I arrived in Brisbane (Queensland, northeast Aus) on 10/2/06 (that's how we write dates here) after entirely skipping 9/2, Shaun's and my 6 month semi-versary. Yeah, I time traveled. I'm a day ahead of most of you who will be reading this. My flight to LA took 6 hours, and after another 13 hours on the airplane I was officially across the world. Jet lag wasn't too bad, as I slept the majority of my trips, and was made busy as soon as I stepped off the plane.
After a quick stop in the duty free shop with Sarah and a not-so-quick trip through immigration and customs, we boarded a bus and drove 2 hours to our resort in Noosa. Guess who was hanging around outside our bunks?
Orientation was pretty fun. We had to sit through a few long information sessions, but in between they taught us how to surf...
...and brought us to Fraser Island. I was going to make a trip there on my own, so I'm glad Butler paid for it! Fraser Island is made entirely of sand, and is pretty unique. There's no topsoil. Huge sand dunes move slowly across the island, turning the vegetation that they cover into nutrient-rich silt, which helps renew the island's flora. (Our guide was very well-informed, and interesting.) There are also a bunch of creeks that don't make any noise because there are no rocks on the island. No one could figure out where the fresh water was coming from because it never rained enough, but it turns out the creeks run with water from rains 30 years ago. Also, a fungi cleans the nutrients from the sand in some places, so there are a few gorgeous lakes with literally clear-white sand. We swam in Lake McKenzie, which is known as one of the world's best places to swim. The water is so clean that it can't support any life. And! We got around in a bus on the Pacific Highway... which is basically the beach, but they use it as a road, and road rules apply. Oh, and did I mention that part of Fraser Island is a rainforest?
The water on the ferry to Fraser Island
The Pacific Highway
Lake McKenzie
Sarah, Noah, and I
Rainforest
A goanna!
Rachel and I practicing our surfing stance at Red Rocks, also on Fraser Island
Half of the Butler group
We also met a group of Aboriginals, who sang for us and taught us how to dance..
Playing the didgeridoo
After orientation, we hopped on another plane and flew to Melbourne. I live right in the heart of the city, about 25 minutes from campus, but I absolutely love the location. I'm right across from the state library and about 3 malls. Anything I could ever want is withing a block of me. I live in an apartment with 2 other Butler girls. We all have singles, plus a common room, kitchen, and bathroom.
My roomates, Britt and Stephanie, and me
What our kitchen often looks like... Steph, Carrie, Sarah, and Alex
Me and Britt
We live a few blocks away from the Queen Victoria Market, a huge outdoor marketplace with cheap everything and a great fresh fruit and produce section. Wednesday nights during the summer, it hosts the Suzuki market which is a bit funkier and has a lot of fantastic ethnic food.
Noah tried a plate of crocodile, emu, and kangaroo meat...
Stolen from Britt, some Butler kids (Noam, Lauren, Steph, Sue, Kelli, Jeanne, and Dave)
I've spent most of my time so far settling into Melbourne, buying stuff for the apartment and learning how to enrol (with one l) at UniMelb. And exploring! I absolutely adore this city. A few nights ago we went to Federation Square and saw a documentary about a Melbourne graffiti artist at the Australian Center for the Moving Image.
Federation Square
ACMI.. one of the most gorgeous buildings I've ever seen..
Brian, Jeanne, and Carrie
Oh, and we've gone to a few pubs, too. Here are some pictures that I don't quite remember taking…
thanks to cheap Carlton Draught. <3
Dave and Jeanne
Me and Johnny, who is from Portsmouth and knows Carlier!
Noah and Lauren, who goes to UNH
So yeah, that’s what I’ve been up to. Last night Dave, Sarah, Noah, and I went to an indie disco a few blocks away that was basically everything I’ve ever wanted in a club. Tonight we might be going out, but I’ve got a bunch of UME orientation stuff tomorrow, so we’ll see. I’m really excited about my subjects here. ^_^
Oh! and I almost forgot to mention, Sarah, Noah, Rachel, and I are skipping out on a bunch of orientation activities to travel to Tasmania. We’re leaving Wednesday afternoon and getting back on Saturday night, so that we can go on a day trip to Phillip Island on Sunday. It should all be pretty spectacular.
I get free incoming calls on my cell phone, and I’d love to hear from anyone. To call from the US, dial 011 61 433613753. Just remember to add 4 hours to EST and switch am/pm to get the time here.
Annnd lastly, if I return to the USA fat as a cow, it will be because of
and
.
Holy delicious.