Australia
(The following message was initially sent out via a facebook message on 2/24/08)
12:52am Feb 24th
I tell this to everyone all the time, but I just can't help it. The best part of being down here has got to be having summer in February. I know, it's normal for them, but for me...it's AWESOME!! Nothing like getting scorched on the beach in what is commonly the coldest month of the year for me.
Anyways, let's start with the dolphins!! So, I have to eat breakfast early and have all my stuff ready to go on the bus. I get there, thinking that I may be holding everyone up, but I get there and all is good...everyone was there, but can't really go anywhere without the bus driver. Come to find out that our tour guide isn't even going with us. She's just giving us all we need for our WU excursion before going off to play tennis. It didn't matter though because we got this awesome bus driver that was almost like a cool friend as well. He's very knowledgable of the area and knows of some very sweet spots to stop for sightseeing/relaxing. He also had a wonderful sense of humor. There probably is a better bus...well van... driver for me out there, but I would have to look a while to find him!
When we got to the dolphins place, I was hooked up with some sweet gear for my ocean swim. Being the weirdo that I am though, I put my bodysuit on backwards. Shows you how much I've gone snorkeling before. I also got a sweet mask (w/snorkel) and some flippers. Before getting on the boat, we were advised by our guide that we may want a jacket or something because we'll get cold out there. Then we just pulled the whole "We're the NW part of the States" and he was tentative, but he was a bit more confident that we could handle it. There was a baby in our group too. Supposedly dolphins get really curious around crying babies, so we would be more prone to attract dolphins. Once out at sea right off the coast, we say quite a lot of dolphins: males, females, and juveniles. The juveniles are my favorite just due to how playful and cute they are! Now, when we get into the water, we need to get a spot where we (really the guide solely...and we just hope for his better judgment) think they will come over too. See, we can't jump in right in front of them, because we'll startle them and that's not good for their health. We didn't see any, but hearing the ecolocation (clicking noise) that they use through the water is amazing!!
Another fun thing that we did was the Bushtucker Tour....don't ask me why that name, because I haven't the slightest of clue. Anyways, it's a canoe tour up the beautiful Margaret River. Myself and the other students from WU took a 4 person canoe on the tour. It's a very gentle flowing river, but rowing up it sure "tuckers" me out....maybe that's the second half of the name...and the first is just to say that there are bushes that can be seen on the tour. lol. Anyways, we learned a lot of history on this tour...a lot about this family called the Bussles. I don't know too much of them, because I really forget the study. All I remember is than Mrs. Bussle had 13 pregnancies until she had her first son and that she housed a LOT of people from a sunken ship (The Georgette) for a while. During the tour, I got to eat all sorts of Bush berries. I also put myself together some amazing Kangaroo and Emu Sandwiches. They both were very good meats, but I couldn't really distinguish the flavors. I think they were smoked too long that they just tasted like lunchmeat. Later on, we were in a cave, and then Ben Apel wanted me to try this smaller cave out. I tried going through it and after a while I regretted it. I had the WU Prof's son right behind me in the cave, rubbing in how he was just crouching a good majority of the time...as I was right in front of him, slithering on my belly to find my way through. The journey hit enough on my old knees that I needed to take a break in this small opening. I was so excited when I saw the light. The only thing between me and the exit was a rock that just so cleverly was sitting itself up at the very end of the cave as if just to make my already difficult journey just that much harder. I was glad to get out of there, but glad that I did it as well. I had fun poking fun at everyone that didn't do it, telling them how hard and painful it is...even joking that the larger openings in the small cave wouldn't be that bad to stay in for a while. Once out I tried to wash all the dirt off of myself. Stupid me...alll I did was get my shirt wet...the dirt stayed. lol. On the way back, the boats raced for a bottle of wine. My canoe was stoked at the thought of getting it. We lined ourselves up on the inside of all the other boats to have that slight advantage. Sure enough though, we faded to the outside for some weird reason. Come to find out that it was good though, because 3 boats on the inside clashed with each other. Coming in then from the far outside we rowed hardcore to the beach...parallel parking that baby and all jumping out and the same time. Dragged the boat out of the water and raised our oars to the sky for the victory! I tried the wine, but didn't really like it, but hey, I just like being a winner. lol. It's what it's supposed to be right? The American team wins. lol.
For dinner that evening, we had a good old Australian BBQ. Let me tell ya, people down here sure know how to BBQ!! We had hamburgers, sausages, chicken kabobs, and steaks. I ate like a monster that night....1 hamburger, 1 steak, 3 kabobs, 3 sausages...and throw some Pasta salad on top of that! However, that trend would continue throughout the week. If someone couldn't eat anything, they would just throw it my way it would seem. One night I went through my heaping plate of pasta as well as the majority of someone else's Fish & Chips. Since we're talking of food, might as well bring up trying vegemite. All 4 of us tried it at hotel breakfast one morning. The other really despised it, but I thought it wasn't all that bad. I didn't really like the aftertaste (thought it tasted like wine or maybe rum) but I could handle it. I also ate some tasty grub....that was interesting. I could feel the texture, but could only taste the yogurty sauce around it. Sorry if that upsets your stomach a bit...but I have to share that as well if I"m talking about Vegemite.
We also looked at Mammoth Cave...what a wonderful, wonderful sight it was. First off, it was about 1000x more cozy than that little cave that I whined about for about 15 minutes on the canoe tour. I could stand in it comfortably, and it was just spectacular. A lot along the line of how the cave was formed, I already know from my Geology course, but it always felt great to revisit the wonderful subject. It just reinforced what I already know and made me feel good that I have retained that info for about 2 years. Rocks and rocky structures....aka caves and the such are just fascinating...wouldn't you agree??
1:01am Feb 24th
Let's see....we also took this walk up along the canopies of trees...a bit scary, but much more cool being up that high! It's called the Valley of the Giants...just in case your feet get itchy to the sound of it. lol. We also walked a long Jetti....I walked it quickly with my turbo speed. It's mostly wood, so some parts are chipped and unstable, but as long as you're concentating on not biffing it into the water, you should be good. For both ends, I beat my group by a good 1-2 minutes each way. I guess you have to wait a lot when you have long legs that like to Go Go Go!!! There was an underwater observatory at the end. The coolest thing was the oyster that decided to stick himself on the window...don't ask me why. Maybe the smooth cool window feels good to him. Or maybe he just wants attention.
We went on a tour of forest and dunes and finally a beach. It's amazing how everything changed just so quickly. There is a forest under the dunes...isn't that something! It was a windy day so the sand really hurt...especially at the coast, but our tour guide was excellent. The vehicle as a little packed, and I just happened to get the worst seat though...no leg room and no view at the back of the 4WD rig. On the way back though, I rode shotty....it was niced to talk to the guide. The only thing that wasn't nice was that I didn't find my snake. They are deadly over her, but I just wanted to see just one...but no luck. On the way back, we had a tea...or a coffee. Being not a coffee drinker, I chose the tea. I'm not a huge tea fan, but if I'm thirsty and it's free, I'll take it!
Most of the rest of the stuff is cool, but pretty self explanatory. One was a lighthouse. Nothing special there, and if so, I don't know of it, because it cost AUD $5 to just go inside. I mean, I know what a lighthouse looks like from aclose. We also visited a lot of beaches...being from Oregon, I imagine that you can kind of sense what that would be like in 90 degree weather....or what's about 35 Celsuis here....that's me guestimating...hopefully I'm near the mark. I'm trying to get all my conversions down. One beach though was cool....it was practically two beaches connected together...the mainland beach connected to the island beach. It's beautiful I'm telling ya! Also visited and frolicked on the rocks around a huge hole called the gap, and a natural bridge made out of rock. I just think there is something manly about watching waves pound into rocks time and time again...just waiting for the big spash to beat all other splashes. At the hotels, we watched a lot of Rugby, Aussie Rules Football, and even some Cricket. I think the bus driver has helped me get a grasp on the first two, but Cricket has turned me inside out time and time again! I just don't understand it...and probably never will. I also say some Kangaroos from a distance...that was fun.
Anyways, I think that's it. I'm just going to leave you with some Aussie slang that I picked up on the trip. I"m actually going to aim to have five new words or phrases each message.
Hungry Jack's=Burger King
Overtaking Lane=Passing Lane
Bombies=Cannonballs
Chuck a U-E (sp?)=Do a U-Turn
Are You Right?=something along of the lines of "Are You Alright?" or "Do You Need to Be Helped?"
One last thing, please let me know if you don't want to be receiving these types of messages from me. Also note that messages that I send may not answer all of your questions. I don't have time to write everyone individually, but I definitely have time to answer questions that you may come across. Please do feel free to ask them, as I don't want these messages to get in the way of any interpersonal connection.
I hope that everyone is doing well.
James