The start of our journey couldn't have began better.....As we drove up into the parking garage and I hopped out of the car, I literally hear a honk, and past me drives Addie and her parents! If that isn't perfect timing...LOL
After about a 20 min chat with the parentals, we said goodbyes and I literally laughed my way down the long line to security because this wierd realization hit me that,"It's just us now, Addie, in a foriegn country! AHHH!" We got thru everything fine and our planes all ran on time! By 11 pm July 7, we were boarded the plane and beginning the looooong ride over to Sydney. It was probably the best flight tho, I slept about 12 hours of the 15. Landed in Sydney around 6:45 am.
We were met at the arrivals gate by study australia people and waited for a bus to take us to the World Tower. We got cell phones around 2 pm and finally got to let our parents know we were safely there!!
The rest of that day was pretty relaxed, and Study Australia took us out to a restaraunt where I ate my first and probably only serving of Kangaroo. Not that it was bad, it is just clearly not a dish I would crave.
The next day, Sat, we met for a walking tour of Sydney! This was beautiful. There are several parks aroudn Sydney, some of which were strategically placed by some of the early founders of the Sydney. Thank God for this, because the greater majority of the city is just all buildings and steets for miles. We got to see the spectacular Opera House and The Rocks.
The Rocks is where the first explorer, James Cook, landed in what is now called Australia!! We ended the tour with some general shopping around in a city market. Later that evening, most of the group met at The Gaff, where we had dinner, and many of us had our first legal drink! wooo hooo!! haha
The following day we met early and went to a Wildlife park to play with Kangaroos and Koalas and see the most venomous snakes and a crocodile! It was a fun little park. This was followed by a breathtaking hike through a part of the Blue Mountains. I was basically in awe the entire time, especially as we trekked down litterally about 2000 steps into these mountains, where there stand some of the most beautiful vegitation I've ever seen. I felt like I was already in a rainforest! There are also some amazing waterfalls in the mountains, of which we got to see one.
We drove back into Sydney and watched some Hilarious Australian sattire on the bus ride. The movie is called, We Can Be Heroes, and is literally a good representation of some of the crude humor that is totally acceptable here in Australia. Funny watch to say the least. That evening I caught about a 5 hour nap and woke around 2:45 am to go to Darling Harbour where we watched the World Cup final game on a huge floating screen! This was my first ever soccer game...worth it, even though we FROZE and the game went on fooooorever!
The next day we were free to do whatever. Several of the girls and I, trekked along the coastline of Sydney. Hands down, most beautiful beaches I've visited yet. Too bad the weather is dreadfully cold.
Greatly anticipating the warm weather awaiting me in Townsville =))))) This evening we had our last orientation session and had a harbour cruise, my first ever in fact. Most everyone was soooo tired, as the whole middle of the night game the night before was leaving us with very heavy eyes. I crashed as soon as we got in that night. Definitly not over the time change and jet lag still.
And finally, Tuesday morning we met early and off to the airport to journey to Townsville!!! The guy who checked my luggage in said, "oh are you a fan of the cowboys?" I quickly looked down to see if I was wearing Texas clothes, nope sure wasn't. With a befuddled look I asked if that was a sports team. He said, "yes, the Townsville Cowboys, the rugby team, will be on your flight, something good to look at!" Haha I thought that was too funny! They definitly were on our flight, we motioned one of the players down just to chat, afterall we have nothing to lose right?!! We found out later, they wern't that big of a deal, because they are not a ery good team...oh well, I already had met some of the town "fame"!!! LOL
And now.....by 2 pm.....Townsville, I'm here!!!
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