Days 5, 6, and 7 - the end

May 12

After leaving Queenstown, the bus stopped at a supermarket so we could all buy a picnic lunch for later on. We drove a couple of hours to Manapouri. Here we boarded a ferry and ate our lunch of rolls, cheese and crackers, fruit, and tim tams. The ferry ride took 50 min and we learned about Lake Manapouri from our skipper. After the ferry ride we took about an hour long bus ride through the mountains to our destination: Doubtful Sound. It was beautiful, even though it was raining. Doubtful Sound was misnamed, it is supposed to be Doubtful Fiord. We rode on an overnight cruise called the Fiordland Navigator.

Just a few minutes after boarding, we saw bottle-nosed dolphins swimming along the edge of the bank. They were swimming fast and jumping up in the air, but they did not come near the boat. It was a rainy afternoon, but the saloon deck had a lot of viewing windows so we were able to see the vast amount of mountains that lined the Sound.

For our afternoon activity, Mike and I took a “tender boat ride.” The nature guide from the Navigator took us out on a smaller boat to see the area up close. She told us about the water that was below us - about 40 meters or so was a combination of fresh and ocean water, and the water below that (it got to hundreds of meters deep) has been sitting there for hundreds or thousands of years. That fact alone is crazy! We also learned about birds in the area. One bird, called the Moa, was the biggest bird that lived and was a lot like the ostrich or emu. It became extinct because of the Moari people and a large eagle (also extinct) that would hunt it.
Soon it began raining heavily, so we went back to the Navigator and got on board. I was very happy that I had not chosen to go kayaking. Not only did I still have my cold, but they also got very wet from the rain before they came back to the boat. A brave (stupid?) few people jumped into the water in their swimming suits. No thank you!! It was very cold out. Throughout the evening we had soup service, played board games with people from our group, and had dinner and dessert. One of my most favorite events was when we went out to the Tasman Sea and saw New Zealand Fur Seals in their natural habit. Most of them were sleeping, but some were moving around and playing with each other. They were very cute, and I can definitely say they are my favorite type of seals (they don’t eat penguins!!) At the end of the night we watched a slide show from the nature guide on the discovery and history of Doubtful Sound and the different bird species of the area including the sounds each bird makes. Mike and I agree that our mothers would really like to see the slideshow and the birds in it.


May 13

The ship’s engine started at 6.45 am and the noise definitely woke me up! Breakfast was served in the saloon area before the sun rose over the surrounding mountains, so for awhile we couldn’t see anything out of the windows. Soon the sun rose and we were surrounded by pretty mountains once again. One thing about New Zealand is that the mountaintops are continually surrounded by clouds, and it seems rare to see many tops of mountains. We made our way back from way we came from through the sound. The best part of the morning was that we saw the bottle-nosed dolphins again, but this time they swam right next to the boat for a good five to ten minutes!! They were playing amongst themselves and jumping up into the air as they got closer to the boat. It seemed as if they were trying to race the boat as well. The nature guide told a story about a dead shark that was found in the sound. It had tried to attack one of the smaller dolphins, so many dolphins attacked the shark by ramming their noses into it, eventually killing it. They are very smart creatures to say the least.

We docked at the bay around 10 am, and took the same way back that we had come in - a bus and then a ferry back to our Coach bus. After a couple of hours in the bus we stopped at Lake Te Anau for lunch. It was a beautiful lake and a quick stop. That afternoon we watched Lord of the Rings on the bus, much to my dismay. While I tried to sleep through the whole thing, Mike woke me up during the “good parts.” It was interesting to see New Zealand scenery in the movie however. We ended the evening at Lake Ohau lodge where we stayed for the night. There we were provided with lasagna dinner, movies, and ping pong playing!

May 14

Because we had gotten to Lake Ohau after sunset, we were not blessed by the beautiful view of such a large lake until the morning. Beautiful mountains lined the lake’s edges and it made for quite a sight. After breakfast we were off again for our last day on the tour. Our first stop of the day was Mt. Cook, New Zealand’s tallest mountain. Here we stopped in the Edmund Hillary Centre. Sir Edmund Hillary was the first man to climb Mount Everest, but he trained at Mount Cook so he called it home. Mt Cook is known as Aoraki or “cloud piercer” by the Maori people - which of course it did by having its peak hidden by clouds.

The next stop was Lake Pukaki. It was yet another beautiful lake that we took pictures of. After traveling around Southern New Zealand for seven days, I can definitely tell you that it is full of beautiful lakes, mountains, and green vegetation - all make for beautiful pictures and views!! We stopped at Lake Tekapo for lunch where Mike and I got takeaway Chinese food and ate at picnic tables by the lake. Mike tried to teach me how to skip rocks along the top of the water, but I much rather prefer just throwing in the big rocks and making a splash, much to Mike’s dismay. Here we also stopped at the Church of the Good Sheppard which was built in honor of the settlers of the area. We also took a look at the monument of the Border Collie!

The last stop of the trip was Fairlie. This was where we learned about sheep farming on a family owned farm. The farmer and his wife were incredibly nice. The farmer showed us the sheep shearing equipment, but unfortunately could not shear a sheep because it is almost winter here. Then he brought out one of his four dogs and herded a small amount of sheep together so we could see how the commands work. They gave us each a whistle to keep, but I could never figure out how to work it correctly. Some people could, and it seems that they enjoyed whistle blowing a little too much. The farmer’s wife made us sausage rolls, cookies, and scones as an afternoon snack. I thought it was a good ending to the tour - a little taste of Kiwi farming culture.

Just a couple hours later we found ourselves in Christchurch, ending the tour. Tonight we have watched rugby on tv and ate dinner at a little Irish pub where many Kiwis were cheering on their New Zealand rugby team to beat the Aussies. It’s bittersweet to think that we are making the journey home tomorrow, but I am excited to share everything I have seen and learned with my family and friends. Taking this trip through New Zealand was the perfect way to end my study abroad adventure - I will never forget these four months!! One last cheers from the southern hemisphere! Sending my love and seeing you all soon, Steph

Days 3 & 4

May 10

This was our first day in Queenstown, and we had nothing planned. Mike and I decided to go up the mountain behind our hotel on the gondola after we had breakfast at a little cafe. I have been on gondolas before in Colorado, but it was Mike’s first time riding one. It was pretty fun riding up, and apparently this gondola is one of the steepest rides in the world! Once we were up to the top, we went straight to the viewing deck. The view was amazing and we could see everything from the Remarkables - the mountain range around Queenstown, and the body of water - Lake Wakatipu. Not only were those amazing, but we also saw the entire village of Queenstown. Queenstown was a gold mining town, but it was deserted in the mid twentieth century. Now it is a huge tourist attraction, especially for adrenaline junkies. After hanging out on top of the mountain for awhile, we rode the gondola back down and walked into town.

We wandered around for awhile before getting lunch at the Thyme restaurant. Afterwards, we walked to the wharf. Mike and I decided to take the SS Earnslaw, the steamboat that travels across Lake Wakatipu. It was a beautiful ride - but it was incredibly windy. This steamboat was made in 1912 and has been on the lake ever since. We were able to see how the steamboat works by looking into the work area of the boat. It’s really surprising how often we have run into other Americans. We met an older couple on the boat who took our picture and the woman had a friend who went to Albion. What are the odds? They were interesting people to say the least, but they were also very friendly.

After a beautiful afternoon, we stopped at the indoor mini golf place right by our hotel and played a round. While Mike won, I was still able to have a good time. (ha!) It was a really cool course, each hole was based off of a different part of Queenstown, and they were all run electronically. For instance, at one hole you putted your ball into the chair lift building, and then you watched as your ball travelled up on a chairlift and then went down the hill into different areas of the green. My downfall was definitely my lack of putting skills - oh well!

We met up with our tour group for dinner at Winnie’s. It was a delicious pizza place, and we got to try at least four pizzas. There was a charity event going on for some New Zealand team that was going to take place in some sort of Amazing Race type of show I think - it never really was explained. The team’s name was “Good Bye Pork Pie” which is apparently a New Zealand classic movie, and the director was there to talk about the movie. He reminded me of Steven Spielberg, and because of his thick kiwi accent, I had little clue of what he was actually saying.

Our next stop was the Minus 5 Ice Bar. We put on huge down coats and gloves before we entered a tiny room where everything was made from ice!! It was really cool (literally...). There were many ice sculptures: dolphins, tikis, kiwis, etc. A couch and chair were even made out of ice (covered with deer skin though so you didn’t freeze when you sat down). Even the cups were made out of ice! We were only in the bar for half an hour, but that was definitely long enough because it was literally minus 7 degrees Celsius. Overall, we saw a lot in one day! It was great.

May 10

I slept in really late, but even so, woke up with a cold. I blame the Ice Bar. Mike and I conveniently ran into Pete and Ashley as we walked into town for lunch! I had been hoping to see them since we were both going to be in Queenstown, but neither of us had cell phones here (very un 21st century of us). We made a plan to meet up later after dinner.

There was an optional tour of “hidden gems” through our tour, so we decided to go. The first stop was Arrowtown. It is a gold mining town, and it’s very historic. We walked along the historic avenue, glanced at the museum, and went to the old Chinese settlement that had old houses of Chinese miners. The trees on the surrounding mountains were all changing colors! It reminded me of Michigan in Autumn.

The next stop was AJ Hackett’s Bungy Bridge to learn about this history of Bungy jumping. To let everyone know, we didn’t even have any idea where this tour was going to take us before we got on! After watching a video about the history, we went out to the viewing deck to see the bridge where everyone jumps. No one was jumping sadly... and then Mike turns to me and he says “Can we do this? Do we have time?” I was so shocked I don’t know what I said besides “well go ahead and ask.” I turn and he is asking a member of the crew, and moments later he was gone into the building. Soon he was was walking out onto the bridge (like a crazy person). It happened so fast - he got strapped in, waved to his entire audience (pretty much our whole tour group) and just jumped!! It was over a river and he told them to dunk him a little, so his head and shoulders were soaked afterwards. I personally think he is insane, jumping off a bridge hooked by his feet, but I suppose he was not scared at all, seeing as after the first drop down he swung back up, gave two thumbs up and stuck out his tongue.

After that adventure, the last stop was a mountain lookout. We could see towns, a river, and of course other mountains!! It was beautiful. After eating some cheese and crackers, we made our way back to Queenstown.

For dinner, the group went to Fergburger where we all had HUGE but delicious burgers. Afterwards, Mike and I walked around and then met up with Pete and Ashley where we shared stories about the guys’ bungy experiences and caught up since we had left each other in Australia. I was really happy to see them one more time before heading home!

Today we will be heading to Doubtful Sound to stay on an overnight cruise. I’m really excited!!! Sorry I have not posted pictures, internet access is slow and does not allow for loading them. Cheers!!

Day 2

This morning was an early start to the day - breakfast was at the restaurant in the inn that we stayed at. Mike and I watched as a cat named Oggie begged for breakfast from other people in our group. Soon we made our way down to the Fox Glacier Guides building, where we put on hiking boots and packed ourselves into a bus that took us to the Westland National Park where we hiked an hour to get to the actual glacier. Fox Glacier has been retreating recently, but this is just natural glacier behavior, nothing to do with global warming. One of our guides was from Texas! He was probably my favorite guide. We split into two groups and walked along a rocky path with many small streams that took us to the glacier. I was a little nervous walking in this area because a large rock fall happened just two days ago! The group had to scale 850 stairs built into the forest sides of the mountains. Again, I was nervous - heights are definitely not my thing, and one part of the climb was walking along the top of a bluff (cliff) about 150 meters high while holding onto a chain attached to the side of the mountain. Definitely not my favorite part, but it was certainly worth it once we got to the glacier. We had to put “cramp-ons” onto our boots. Cramp-ons are medal spikes that go onto the center of the underside of our boots to hold us onto the ice. The guides took us around the glacier for about an hour. It was so beautiful!! Waterfalls were on either side of us - they were coming down the side of the mountains. Water was also running on top of and through the glacier. Because the glacier is in retreat, it is melting very quickly in glacier terms. It was a great experience to hike up the glacier as well as a good work out!

The rest of the afternoon was mostly spent in the tour bus traveling to Queenstown. I feel like everywhere we drive is filled with beautiful fields, mountains, lakes, and of course, sheep and cattle. We travelled through Haast’s Pass and stopped to see a huge waterfall called Thunder Creek Falls. It flows into Haast River. Also, we stopped at a little cafe where Mike and I got coffee and hot chocolate. It was a family owned business, and they had license plates from all over - including Illinois and Michigan! We drove past Lake Wanaka and Lake Hawea before arriving at our final destination - Queenstown!

Dinner was on our own, so Mike and I stopped at a Mexican place called Sombrero’s. It was a fun little place with pretty good food. Afterwards, we walked around downtown Queenstown to familiarize ourselves with the lay out. We have two full days here to explore and relax!! I’m looking forward to scenic walks and a gondola ride - I just hope the weather stays nice!

I can’t believe it, but one week until I am home. I’m happy to be in New Zealand right now, but I’m also looking forward to seeing friends and family at home. Cheers!!

Day 1 of the Southern Island Tour

Hostel living is quite the experience. I had a hard time sleeping last night because of the noisy bar atmosphere behind our hostel, and the constant in and out patterns of the roommates! I was happy to leave this morning with our tour at 8 am. Today was mostly spent in the bus, but that was quite relaxing and I slept a good amount. We drove through the Canterbury plains where we saw sheep and cattle constantly.

Our first stop was at Arthur’s Pass - one of only three passes through the Southern Alps. The mountains were beautiful, but there was a heavy rain which kept the waterfalls running quickly. Sadly, it was not prime picture taking - that’s for sure! We also stopped off to look for the “kea,” a New Zealand alpine parrot. Apparently, it is very very large and is known to be a nuisance to farmers because it attacks sheep to eat their kidneys. Unfortunately, we did not see one.

We travelled through to Hokitika which is known for it’s native Jade stone. The Maori people find the stone and carve it - but since it takes so much handiwork, it is quite expensive. That stop was about an hour long, so Mike and I made our way to a little wildlife place where we saw eels, turtles, lizards, and the best one - the kiwi bird! It was bigger than I imagined. The kiwi is a nocturnal bird, so it’s exhibit was very dark, and I couldn’t get a good picture. It was searching for food with it’s long beak and running back and forth in it’s cage. Soon we got lunch at the little cafe in the Jade Factory. Then, it was time to get back in the bus!

The tour group has about 30 people in it - all in their 20’s and 30’s. Everyone is very friendly, and some of them have been traveling for awhile from Auckland! After Hokitika, we drove through a small town called Ross which is a gold mining town. Apparently all of their houses are sitting on tons of gold, but they refuse to move.

The bus made it’s way to our last stop, Lake Matheson. This lake is incredibly still, and normally you can see the reflection of two of the highest mountains in New Zealand in it. However, because today was so rainy, we were not able to see the mountains due to a lot of clouds. The lake itself was beautiful, and the reflections were really pretty of a few mountains and tons of trees.

Tonight we had dinner in the restaurant at the Inn where we are sleeping. Then, we went on a dark walk through the forest near by and saw glow warms... it was kind of frightening to walk through the dark! I was glad I had Mike’s arm to grip on to, especially when someone behind us nearly fell into the creek! Glowworms are actually maggots, and the glowing part is their poop. You learn something new every day! Time to sleep now... early start in the morning!

Cheers :)

Goodbye Australia, Hello New Zealand!

I cannot believe I am typing this from New Zealand and that my study abroad experience is over. Yesterday I finished my last final - Contemporary Health Issues. Besides learning the names of bones and muscles, the test was not too bad at all. I was really excited to be done with all of finals, and at the point I was pretty much packed up as well and ready for our Harbor Cruise! All of the study abroad students met Amy, our ICMS coordinator, out front of the castle to get our study abroad certificates and shake the hand of the ICMS president. From there, we got on a bus and drove about 20 minutes to Mosman Wharf, where we got on our cruise. The ship was nice, it had three levels. The first was a dance floor and bar, the second was tables for eating, and the third was a viewing deck. All of the food and drinks were free, so we all took advantage of that to celebrate our last night together! We also watched the Term video that features students and is put together by one of the teachers at the school. It’s mostly funny, but the end definitely brought that bittersweet feeling of leaving all of my friends and Australia. In the middle of the cruise, we switched boats “because we were such a special group of students” or because the other boat was having engine problems. The second boat was even bigger, and we spent the rest of the evening out on the dance floor.

These past three and a half months have been amazing, and the people who I have shared it with are spectacular. I am going to miss Australia and the friends I made, but I will hold the memories dear to my heart forever! I am excited to go home and see family and friends that I have missed while being abroad - hugging my parents at the airport will definitely make me incredibly happy!

However, before I arrive home on May 15, I have a lot to see!! Our flight was bright and early at 7:15 from the Sydney Airport. Once we arrived in Christchurch, we grabbed our bags, went through customs, and caught a taxi to our hostel. Our taxi car was a Hyundai, and I immediately thought of my dad! It was interesting to be in a Hyundai that had the driver’s seat on the right. The taxi driver was an older man who thought it was great that we came to New Zealand and told us a little bit about Christchurch. Once we got to “the Base” (our hostel) we rearranged our luggage so that we could put the majority of it in storage for the week so that we don’t have to lug it around New Zealand. Mike and I had no plans for the day, so we ended up wandering because everything is walking distance. Our hostel is right near Cathedral Square, which just like the name, Christchurch Cathedral is right in the middle. It is a beautiful church built in the 1880’s, and we walked around inside as choir boys sang songs. In one corner of the huge sanctuary was a candle tree, where you could light a candle and say a prayer for someone. I specifically thought of my family who I will be seeing soon, and Mary who is currently flying home.

After seeing the cathedral, we hung out in the square for a bit and got Starbucks to help keep us awake. A few things I noticed while being in the square: just like the taxi driver said, all school kids wear uniforms, and we saw a lot of really tacky school uniforms on kids of all ages! also, there were little food stands and a market in the square, which really gave me a small town feel to the city. as we looked at souvenirs, everything was focused on the kiwi bird and sheep as opposed to the kangaroo and koala that I have been used to seeing! The money features famous “kiwis” (New Zealand people) on one side, and birds on the other!! Of course, my favorite is the 5 dollar note... penguins! I think my mom would REALLY like to have this kind of currency. One other thing we saw was the cable trolley system that does a loop around the town. Mike considered taking it until I saw the price - 15 dollars! No thank you. At least the currency exchange is pretty good here: 1 US dollar is about 1.35 NZ dollars.

Mike and I both have terrible direction, while looking at a map we discussed which way we felt we needed to go to head towards the gardens. We were both wrong, but we got there anyway! First, we stopped in at a free museum and learned a little bit about the native people of New Zealand - the Maori. There was also an exhibit on their emergency services - instead of 911 it is 111. After looking around the museum, we walked around the gardens until it was dark. Something strange is that it is autumn here, so all of the leaves on the trees are changing colors and falling off. It’s weird to compare that to the thought of everything becoming green and blossoming at home. The last stop was the rose garden - it was beautiful!

When deciding on where to eat for dinner, we stopped and looked at a map. A girl about our age stopped and asked if we needed any directions and recommended a place called Dux de Lux that Mike had also read about. It is a restaurant and brewery. We shared a calzone pizza and walked back to the hostel. Even though it’s only about 7 pm in Sydney, and 9 pm here, we are both exhausted from traveling early and finals week. I look forward to our trip - we are supposed to see a lot in 7 days! I hope to post a few times throughout the week, depending on the internet situation. Also, pictures will be added later to this post! Cheers from New Zealand!!

last weekend in Australia

This week and last week are "finals weeks." Tuesday evening I went to the Manly Wharf Hotel with Mary, Jackie and Heather for their 15 dollar pizza and drink special. We sat outside along the wharf and we watched people pass by as we enjoyed our pizza and wine. Afterwards, we went to Copenhagen to get our fill of ice cream!

I only had one final last week - Intro to Sport Management. This was on Wednesday afternoon. Mary and I studied together beforehand, and we felt pretty prepared for our exam. It was a two hour exam, and while it was a little different than I thought it would be, it wasn't too bad. Afterwards I ran out to the tennis courts to play soccer. Not many people showed up, so it was great exercise, but also really tiring. Since I was still hungry from the mediocre dinner, Jackie, Heather and I walked down the hill to Nando's, a chicken place which has really good pitas and "peri peri chips"!! Peri peri is a spice found in Africa, and they put it on their chips (french fries) and chicken. I've come to crave Nando's a lot here, and I'm definitely going to miss it when I go home.

Thursday afternoon was beautiful! I went to Collin's Beach with Mary, Ashley, Heather and Jackie. Mary and Heather were very adventurous and jumped off of the rocks - fun to watch, but definitely not for me! The sun was shining and keeping my skin warm, but the breeze was strong and kept making us all chilly, so we left a little earlier than expected. Since it is autumn here now, it gets darker earlier and the prime sun time is basically right around noon. That night I decided to treat Mike to a birthday dinner (because his birthday is May 30, but we will be back home working so I won't be seeing him then). We went down to the Manly Italian restaurant. It was delicious! I also had bought a bottle of wine from the Hunter Valley tour, so we brought that along as well. The evenings can be chilly here, so after sitting by the beach and looking at the moon reflecting on the water (see second photo), we went to Max Brenner's for a cup of hot chocolate before venturing back up the hill to school.

Friday was a rainy, cold day in Manly. I did leave the castle for a little while to souvenir shop with the girls, but I spent the majority of the day watching FlashForward online with Mike. That show is definitely addicting!!

Saturday was a much nicer day, even though it was still on the cool side. I took the ferry into Sydney around noon to meet up with Taylor who is studying at the University of Sydney for the semester. (Earlier I wrote about meeting up with Taylor and her mom in Manly.) After getting a warm Starbucks drink, Taylor and I walked to the Rocks and walked through the markets. We also walked along Circular Quay. We saw a couple of street performers. One was a man who from far away looked like he was dancing with a woman, but in fact it was a life size puppet that was attached to his shoes. It was very strange and I think people were giving him money because they felt sorry for him. The other street performer was a contortionist who fit herself into a 16 inch box. It was sort of disgusting to watch her fit into that box!! (fourth photo) We quickly walked away after she was done with her show. Then, Taylor and I took a train back to where she lives in Bondi Junction. Her apartment used to be a hotel room, and it has a great view of the city. I met her roommates and some of her guy friends as we took a bus to Bondi Beach (third photo), walked along there, and stopped at a restaurant for a dinner of fish and chips and cider to drink. It was a fun afternoon catching up and sharing Australian stories. When I came home, I went out with some friends to Shark Bar - a bar that we have frequented since we came to Manly. Overall, it was a great day!

After brunch on Sunday, Mike and I walked to North Head and from there we took a trail to Shelly Beach. We started at the Former School of Artillery where soldiers were trained before and during WWII. We also saw some gun posts and bomb shelters that had been built in case of an attack on Sydney. It was quite a warm afternoon, but the views we could see from North Head were of at least 4 northern beaches, so it was definitely worth it! When we made it to Shelly Beach, we watched surfers in the waves - including one who was surfing with his small child lifted above his head! That is talent right there! Mike and I ended our walk at the beach where a group of friends were laying out for Jessa's birthday. After about two hours of being there, we were covered by the shade of the trees that line Manly Beach, so Mike and I had milkshakes from Copenhagen and laid in the grass by Manly Wharf with Ashley and her boyfriend Pete. It was a great one to spend one of the last beautiful afternoons here!!

This week I have three exams, unfortunately. I will be studying for them, packing up my room, and getting ready to go to New Zealand with Mike. While I am looking forward to seeing the beauty of New Zealand, I can't believe I'm going to leave Australia so soon. Everything has been so amazing! One of my favorite little things is the sunset here that I can see from my window. Almost every night I see it, and I always try to capture it in a photo, but that never seems to show just how brilliant the sky really looks! The first picture is an attempt at the sunset from last Thursday.

It is time to review before my exam! Cheers!!

Manly Scenic Walkway

This morning Mary and I got up early to go on an adventure! We left ICMS and headed down the hill towards the wharf to walk on the Manly Scenic Walkway that ends at the Spit Bridge (some 6.9 km later... or approximately 4 miles). The entire walk took about three and a half hours to complete, but it was definitely worth it! The path basically winds around Manly Cove, and then goes on to different view points as you walk through Australian bush as I would put it. The lookout points were absolutely beautiful, and as always, the pictures can not truly grasp the vast panoramic views that we could see. We could see Manly, the wharf, our school, Collins Beach and other small beaches, North Head, the light house we pass by on the ferry, and towards the end we could see the Sydney skyline and the bridge. My favorite boats to see in the water are the Manly ferry, the parasail boat with parasailing people in tow, and sail boats. There is something about the crisp white sails against the sparkling blue water that make them a target for great photos! Another favorite is seeing a rocky coastline with the waves splashing up against the rocks below. So amazing to see!! At one point, we stopped at an ice cream truck that was sitting on the road above us for "freckle cones." While eating these, we were literally surrounded by black birds, so we hurried to eat our cones and left. After about three hours the rocky trail of hilly stairs ended onto a beautiful beach, and the Spit Bridge was just a walk along the beach and one more trail away. We crossed the bridge and waited for a bus to Manly - we spotted a really cool tree (last picture). After the bus ride back to Manly, we ate at the Creperie. Mary had the Eggs Benedict Crepe and I had the Chicken Crepe for lunch - both were delicious! We walked around the Corso to complete our adventure. It was definitely a successful day with one of my best friends! :)

Anzac Day

Today, April 25th, is Anzac Day. Anzac Day is very similar to the U.S. Memorial Day. I asked an Australian friend, Sheridan, in class what Anzac Day is all about. Her response: "Well it honors the soldiers who have fought and died for us in the different wars. When you are little you normally march in a parade around town. When you're older, you normally drink a lot the night before because you don't have to go to work." This is when I obviously made the connection to Memorial Day.

I took Anzac Day as a day for relaxation (because life here is obviously stressful). Apparently, normal autumn temperatures have begun, as it was only in the sixties and everyone complained of the cold at mealtime as we sat outside to eat. Because I hadn't left the castle all day, I knew I would want to venture to the Corso in the evening for something. Normally, my friends and I would go down to the Corso for an ice cream cone, but I had an idea to go to Max Brenner's in the wharf for a cup of hot cocoa. Olivia, Jackie, Heather, Mary and I sat in Max Brenner's and drank "American Marshmellow Chocolate" which was delicious! Afterwards, we noticed that the Chat Thai place across the way was having a celebration. Mary and I decided to get pad thai for a snack later on in the night, and we stood in a long line to wait. They had balloon decorations, and two workers were blowing whistles and banging on tambourines. Every time someone ordered, that person got to draw a coupon from a box. The box contained "free" coupons which meant you got your meal free, or coupons for 10, 20, or 50 dollars off, or just "pay" slips where you essentially got nothing. I ended up drawing a $20 voucher as the two girls said "Steph free or pay, free or pay..."

After getting the pad thai, the girls and I headed out to the beach. Mary came up with a fun game where we each wrote our own name in the sand, and then we all went around and wrote words that described each other. It was definitely a "feel good" game, and made me appreciate my study abroad friends even more! I cannot believe that in less than two weeks I won't be seeing a lot of these people for an indefinite amount of time. I've made some outstanding friends here who I have shared so many memories with. We will have to see what is in store for the next two weeks! Of course, that is all the activities besides studying for my four finals. No worries, mate!!

An Afternoon at the Races

Yesterday, I went to the Randwick Race Courses with a group of friends for the Sydney Cup race. It was family day at the Randwick Autumn Carnival. Unlike a lot of my friends, I've been to the horse races before with my best friend Katelyn and her family, so I knew somewhat what to expect. Everyone looked great all dressed up as we made our way to the races by ferry and then bus.

It was incredibly crowded at the horse races, especially as the day went on. There were eight races total, and we got there right after the first one. There were a lot of stands to sit in, but there was also a large grassy area with food and drink tents and a lot of tables for people to sit at. We made our way towards the front of the lawn area and sat at the front tables. We were able to stand at the front gates and see the end of each of the races. It was the perfect place to be for the afternoon!

The races were even more thrilling than I remembered. At first, my friends and I would just pick numbers of horses to see who could win. As the horses would near the end of each race, the people around us (almost all had money placed on the horses) would start yelling and jumping up and down for their horse. It was pretty exciting, so Mike and I decided to join in on the fun. For race 5, we each put down 5 dollars on number 9 to place. It was a two lap race, and as it started I was wondering how much I relied on Mike's ability to pick a horse! For a long time, number 9 was in first place!! We were both yelling, but I thought Mike was going to jump into the race course to help the horse go faster! At the end, number 9 (named Monaco Consul) ended in third, so we made $17.50! The betting was thrilling, but not something that I would want to do that often. I like keeping my money safe... I guess I'm not much of a gambler!

Overall, the day at the races was really fun, and I'm glad I decided on going. Of course, the only reason I went was because the tickets were 2 for 1. It definitely is a high class place where many Australians go to have a good time and (try) to make some money! I'm happy to have come out a winner... a whole $3.75 more! My friend Ashley's boyfriend Pete was really into betting and lost quite a few times, but he did win once with a horse named "Jessicabeel." This made him quite happy, to say the least! I did learn that you can bet on a horse to win, or just to place, but if you bet to place, it wasn't as much money. I feel like I learnt some at the races as opposed to just making money! :)

Done with Classes

It is hard to believe it, but I am done with my classes at ICMS! This week was full of review classes to prepare for finals. Wednesday morning I went to my last class, Intro to Sport Management, and then relaxed most of the day until playing soccer Wednesday evening. I always look forward to playing soccer here. There is a different mix of people each week, so you aren't sure what is going to come of it, but it is always good exercise and a good way to get touches on the soccer ball. Thursday I went to Manly Beach for a good three hours to enjoy the beautiful weather. We have been really lucky to have had such warm weather for so long. Because it is autumn here, having the last week or so be in the 80's is typically unheard of for the area!

Friday was another beautiful day. In the morning Mike and I went on a walk to North Head. The views from the look out points never get old - they are always amazing! I skyped with my parents after eating lunch. I will be so happy to see them when I come home and share my adventure even more with them. After Mike got out of class, we went on a "castle photo shoot" to take pictures of Mike in his uniform and of the castle. We walked around behind the castle as well, but there wasn't much to see. It was a great way to spend one of the last warm days of "autumn."

After dinner, no one was really doing much, so Mike and I went to Four Pines for a drink. The brewery has a great location, and they make great beer (as you can tell from my frequent stops to Four Pines). Afterwards, we walked along the Corso. We saw four different street performers. One group was singing "sweet home alabama" as a group of intoxicated guys started singing with them. It was quite entertaining. Also, we saw another performer called "Tux Guy" who was a great singer! It will be things like this that I will miss so much when we leave Manly. That, and watching the sunset from my window! (The first picture on this post). :)

"can you believe this is our life right now??"

Yesterday I went to Collin's Beach with Mike where we spent the day lounging along with Laura, Mary and Jackie. Since the weather is slowly but surely getting cooler down under, when a day proves to be sunny and warm - it's a great day to go to the beach! Collin's Beach is great because there is not much of a breeze. It is really hidden in a cove, unlike Manly Beach. After hanging out for a little, we heard a bell ring. A small boat was coming our way with a man selling soft drinks, ice cream, and coffee. We each got an ice cream and sat around eating. The title of this entry comes from Jackie - "can you believe our life right now? just laying on the beach, and someone comes to us in a boat just to sell ice cream." Soon we were all napping. It was a great afternoon.

Last night I went to Four Pines Brewery with Mike - he hadn't been there yet. I ate the Terri's Pasta yet again, and Mike got the Mega Burger. They were not lying when they said it was "mega!" We also drank the "tasting rack" which has five small glasses of each of the Four Pines beers that they brew right there. Afterwards, we walked along the Corso and Manly Beach before stopping to get ice cream cones.

It's simple days like these that I will really miss once I get home. Afternoons spent at the beach with friends, being able to look out and see the Sydney skyline and tons of boats in the water. Having ice cream at night on the Corso has become another habit which I love! It's the little things in such an amazing place that has made this experience so wonderful.

Hunter Valley Winery Tour!

Today I went on a school sponsored trip to the Hunter Valley to tour three wines and one brewery. Hunter Valley is the oldest commercial grape-growing area in the country. We started early in the morning and took a two hour bus ride to Hunter Valley. We stopped at the McDonald's for breakfast which everyone was grateful for - no one wants to taste wine on an empty stomach!! Our tour guide was a very good looking young Australian man named Bob, and since the majority of our group was American girls, Bob certainly got a lot of attention!

Our first stop was Drayton family wines. We went into a decorated room and got small wine glasses to do our wine tasting. Two young guys were explaining the wines as they came around and poured each one into our glasses. We tried white wine, red wine, dessert wine... I had never tried dessert wine before but it was very sweet! After we were done tasting wine there, the girls and I took a lot of photos on the property. It was beautiful with a fountain, vineyards, and the beautiful valley in the background. It was here that our tour guide Bob had prepared a sausage BBQ sizzle for all of us.

The next stop was Bluetongue Brewery. For $12, we received a "taster's paddle" which held six mini glasses of each kind of beer they offered. After trying them all and returning the paddle, we each got our own glass of our favorite beer. It was a great set up with a lot of outdoor seating and live music playing. I quickly stopped in the winery located there before the bus left. My favorite wine there was a white fruity wine called "six degrees." I probably would have bought a bottle if the bus wasn't leaving right then!

The following stop was another winery - McGuigan. This was my favorite stop of the day! We walked into the winery and saw tons of large barrels and bottles of wine in true winery setting. The group sat around large rectangular counters while our wine experts Steven and Emma explained and poured each wine for us. Again, we had white wine, red wine, and dessert wine. I like the sparking shiraz the best! Delicious. It was a fun atmosphere, and everyone seemed to have a great time! Next door was the cheese shop. It was a bit unorganized, but we sat at tables and tried 5 different types of cheese with crackers. I tried all of them, some were very strong! My favorite one was some sort of "fromage" and it had tomatoes and some oil it in. Very flavorful without being too sharp. Once again it was time to get in the bus!!

The last stop was quick, but the scenery was gorgeous. It was called Golden Grape Estate, and we were able to see the valley and the beautiful sky! Olivia, Jackie, Heather, Mary and I sat at a table. We had one more space so I called good ol' Bob over to sit with us. We had a good time tasting 6 different drinks - the last one was "chili schnapps." It's called Dragon's Breath, and with good reason - there was two chili peppers in the bottle, and it was pretty hot! I didn't think it was too bad. After the tasting, we took some pictures in front of the beautiful fields before hopping back on the bus for the ride home.

Overall it was a great day to learn about Australian culture and try a lot of different wine! My dad is a semi wine expert, and after spending today at the wineries, I'd like to learn more! On a different note, I only have three weeks left here. It's surreal, and my friends and I can't go a day without talking about how much we are going to miss this place and each other. It's strange to think about going home, but it's not necessarily a bad thing - I miss my parents and friends so much! Bittersweet is the way to describe these feelings the best.

More soon, as always! Cheers. (PS - yes that is Bob with Olivia and me in the last photo!)

quick update

The first picture is from a walk I took with Mary over Easter. :)

This past Friday I went into the city with Mike and Mary to see our friend Matt who we met in Cairns. He is studying in Perth, but his parents were visiting so they travelled to Sydney together. It was fun catching up and showing Matt the places we had been the week before! Also, we got to see his really cool hotel - the Westin right in downtown Sydney. It was beautiful and really high tech.

Yesterday afternoon I walked into Manly and met up with my friend Taylor and her mom who was visiting her. Taylor and I played soccer together at Benet, and it has been awhile since I have seen her so it was great to catch up. She is studying in Sydney and living right by Bondi Beach. I showed them around Manly - part of the Spit Bridge walk, the Corso, Manly Beach, and Shelly Beach. After tiring them out from all of the walking, we went to Four Pines Brewery for lunch and a pint. We ended up staying a couple of hours talking about all sorts of things, including their recent trips to Darwin and Cairns. It was fun having the chance to catch up and also really nice seeing familiar faces from home!

The grading system here worried me at first! Something as low as a 75% is a 4.0, but that is split between getting a "distinction" or a "high distinction." I am just getting credit for taking these classes as long as I pass (which is a 50% here) so I didn't think about it too much, but of course the nerves always hit when you are about to get a paper or test back. So far I've gotten 3 grades, my hospitality quiz which I got 30 out of 40 on (75% - distinction), my health issues paper (high distinction), and my most recent grade I received, intro to sport management (distinction.) I am very happy with the grades I have received, especially because I found the assignments interesting, but I have not spent them same about of time here studying as I normally do in Albion.

Tomorrow in Service Management I am giving an individual presentation on a service leader from my home country. I have chosen Herb Kelleher (founder of Southwest Airlines.) I am also turning in my hospitality report which is describing a conference venue that we have to plan out. Hospitality itself is very interesting, but this assignment is tedious and not exciting in the least bit.

There is not much going on this week, but I am looking forward to Saturday. The school is sponsoring a trip to Hunter Valley - Australia's wine capital for wine and cheese tasting! Can't wait. :)

defying gravity!!

On Thursday afternoon Mary and I went into Sydney to see Wicked!! Mary had seen Wicked two times before in Chicago and absolutely loved it, and I had not yet seen it. I wasn't sure what to expect because while I had heard amazing reviews, I am not always the biggest musical fan, but I was incredibly excited nonetheless.

After getting off of the ferry, we walked along George Street towards Capitol Theater. We had plenty of time, so we walked through the Queen Victoria mall which was full of high class and expensive shops, but we fit right in since we were all dressed up to see the show! We ran over to Paddy's Markets for a couple of minutes so I could buy a couple of gifts. For dinner, we stopped at the Three Monkeys pub. We split delicious nachos for an appetizer; I had a ham pizza, and Mary ate chicken tortellini. Because we had some time, I enjoyed a cider as we sat and listened to music and watched soccer on tv. The atmosphere was pretty chill, some younger crowds stopping by for dinner or a drink after work.

From there we walked to Capitol Theater - the main event!! The theater was decorated with green lights, and you could get an "ozmopolitan" from the concession stands in green lighted souvenir glasses. We were seated first in our area - on the upper balcony, three rows back, and right in the center!! The seats were great - we could see the whole stage perfectly. The set design was amazing (as the girl who sat next to us said "she could just look at the set all night, no need to see the show..." strange..). There is no way to actually describe the show in words besides the fact that I was amazing and I loved it!! The music and actors were wonderful; we couldn't ask for better!

I am so glad I have my DG sister, ACWS teammate, and one of my best friends here with me. While Mary and I are all about having our own study abroad experiences, we have been able to share some amazing times together that I will certainly never forget. We have been able to bond over some crazy and memorable experiences, and I am so glad to have Mary in my life!!

the WOW factor - Mad Hatter Dinner

Last night was the WOW factor charity event. Term 5 events students put on one big event and get graded on it. My friend Ashley was a part of the group running the event, and it turned out great! It was a black tie event, so all of the girls were in cute dresses. When we arrived, we walked down a hallway decorated with candles, floating paper lanterns, and giant playing cards at the entrance. We were served "mad hatter" cocktails which was sparkling wine colored blue with blueberries. My friends and I were seated and soon the show was underway. One of the teachers here, Paul Collins, was the "Mad Hatter" MC who made comical jokes and sang both at the beginning and the end. The talent was great as well, six singing acts and one drum solo! Two of my friends, Chui and Jessa, were in the performance as well and they did amazing. Chui even won second prize! The judges included a representative from Bear Cottage (a children's hospice home a few blocks away - the money made at the event was donated to them), a lecturer from ICMS, the mayor of Manly, and her husband. My personal favorite act was two lecturers - one being my Hospitality teacher - singing and dancing up on stage. The dinner was delicious - a salad to start, chicken stuffed with cheese and tomato including asparagus and potatoes on the side, and an interesting pudding dessert that tasted a lot like marshmallow to me. The local brewery - Four Pines - donated a lot of beer for the evening as well. Overall, it was a great reason to get dressed up and have a great meal!!