I'll start off with my adventures in Sydney-
The first day we went to Cochee Beach, which was packed with people. We found a nice spot to lay down our towels and then proceeded to head straight into the water. You know how I said the waves at Cape Shank were aggressive? These were way, way worse. Not only were they taller, but if you got caught while the wave was breaking you were immediately pulled under and grated like cheese against the sand. I swallowed so much salt water I thought I was going to end up hallucinating like those lost-at-sea sailors do. Has anyone seen that TV show 'I shouldn't be Alive?' They have a lot of stories where people drink salt water.
Anyway.
Besides being beat up by crazy waves (You think we would learn and get out of the water. Nope.) I also did some sun bathing, and, like always, despite putting on and re-applying loads of sunscreen, I still got burnt. Not terribly, but I did. We probably picked the worst day to roast on the beach, though, since I'm pretty sure that was the day it reached 115 degrees.
The last thing I'll mention about Cochee is the jellyfish. They weren't a problem early in the day, but as the tide came in so did, literally, my worst nightmares. Jellyfish freak me out, and when I have bad dreams there are always, ALWAYS jellyfish in them. Technically they weren't just jellyfish though, there were also bluebottles, which are siphonophores- meaning that they aren't an individual organism, but a colony all working together. I avoided getting stung (there were times where I was dodging jellyfish-filled waves- I probably look really cool.) but several in my group weren't so lucky. They rinsed off and toughed it out, though.
But enough about the protoplasmic, jelly-like creatures of death **shivers**.
I don't really remember the rest of that day- I walked around Sydney a bit and went to the City Market. It was huge and packed full of cheap touristy items.
I think I went to bed that night without going out. Other people did the Sydney Harbor bridge climb, which sounded cool but it was some two hundred dollars. So I was cool with staying in and resting.
The next day I did a lot of reading for school and then went out to see a Burlesque-kinda show in the Sydney Opera House. We had standing seats, which cost thirty bucks. Money well spent! The show was very circusy, and so. fun.
After that everyone went out to a near by bar called Side Bar, but I stayed back. Why was I so tired that weekend?!
We checked out of our hostel at about 10:30 am on Sunday and spent the next nine hours roaming around Sydney before we got on The Bus of Hell and headed back home to Melbourne.
Moving on to the next topic-
I had a good hard think about what I had done in Australia so far and how I felt over all as a person. Almost half way through the trip, I kind of expected to feel... different. Changed. Maybe I am and I just don't know it? Or maybe it's something I'll notice more when I get home? Or maybe my expectations are just too darn high.
Either way, during this think fest I asked myself what I really wanted to do in Australia, before I actually came here or even knew about this trip. And the answer was go to the Outback and see myself some venomous snakes! I of course, realized then that I had already booked my travel week up in Cairns (the Great Barrier Reef anyone?) and then had to go to The Friendly Backpacker where Travel Josh (bless his soul!) spent several hours canceling and re-planning my new trip to Adelaide.
So, as it stands, I am leaving on the 29th with my friends Steph and Jen, and we are all flying out to Adelaide, South Australia, where we will rent a car and drive out to the outback and stay in a cabin for three days.
I know all the horror stories you've ever heard about young, naive travelers getting lost in the desert just popped into your head. Don't worry! We'll hardly be roughing it in these cabins- I haven't seen pictures but someone described in detail what it would be like- it's twice as nice as our dorms here at Newman college. Of course as soon as the lady said 'toaster' over the phone everyhting else she said from then on was biased.
So we'll stay three days in the desert- not sure what we'll do there but hiking is probable. After that we'll drive back to Adelaide and stay two nights in a hostel, enjoying the night life! We'll get back to Melbourne a few days before we have to leave for New Zealand.
All in all I saved $100 dollars by switching trips! I am so excited and I know I made the right decision.
But there is still a week left of school, and I have papers to write!
I'll try and post pictures in the next post!
But for now....
Britha and I at Cape Schanck
Thanks for reading!
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