Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Down Under

Dedicated to: Grandpa Saumweber, 1/21/1931-10/9/2011, you will be missed.

Hello!
I am sorry that it has been so long since i last posted something here.  I have been very very busy with work and travelling.  I will do my best in these next blog postings to update on my latest adventures.


Since i last posted i have been on 2 trips off island.  First and probably most notable was my trip to the land down under....Australia!  The trip lasted about 1.5 weeks and was absolutely epic!  I spend almost my entire time in Sydney visiting my friends Robin and James.  They live in the lovely little neighborhood of Surry Hills.  Hill being the operative word.  There was this wicked hill that i had to hike up and down every time i wanted to get back to my "hotel".  I spent time visiting all of the usual tourist attractions, the maritime museum, opera house, opal museum, aquarium.  It was really easy to get around Sydney with their myriad of buses, trains and my personal favorites....ferries.

My first day i spent at the botanical gardens.  It is huge and contains all sorts of flora and fauna from all corners of the globe.  While i was eating a lunch of meat pie and crackers i saw some cockatoos flying around.  Suddenly there was a swarm of them.  Stupidly i decided to throw some of my crackers to the birds to see if they would go for it.  I had no idea what i was in for.  Before i knew it they were flying and sitting right next to me.  One landed on my shoulder and then another on my head!  About as quickly as one landed more started coming.  The ones that were closest to me would screech at the newcomers telling them.....this is my tourist, son go get your own.  Some other tourists arrived and were just enthralled by my situation and in exchange for some crackers so they could have a date with the birds too, they took my picture.  It was sort of crazy and i totally felt like a young, and still living Steve Irwin....too soon?  Ahh its alright I've been to Australia, i can say these things.


One of the next adventures was my trip to the Blue Mountains.  Unlike the Blue Mountains of the USA which tend to be yellow with splotches of green trees.  The Blue mountains in Australia are covered with gum trees.  It was about an hour drive out there and thankfully, James and his trusty Subaru shuttled us there.  We decided that instead of taking the 2 hour hike down and risking not getting on the gondola to get back up or face a 4 hour hike up to do the ridge hike.  This is no hill either, its pretty much straight down into a sweeping valley.  It was a great time and nice to be in some cool fresh air.  We stopped for lunch and had...wait for it..meat pies!  Although the price was rather exorbitant and this got James flustered a little bit.  I understand his frustration.  After only 5 days in Australia i was already starting to feel the financial strain.  Things are expensive there.  In fact, Forbes rated Australia as the worlds 7th most expensive city.  Who knew. 


My last favorite Australian adventure would have to be Manly.  Manly is this beach neighborhood along the coast outside of Sydney.  It's one of those yuppie neighborhoods with lots of little cafes and where everyone walks around with their shirts off or in their bikinis because they can.  Its a surfing spot but also has a fantastic national park.  I had meant to go for a two hour loop but my sense of direction had other plans and i ended up doubling that.  On my way i stopped by a old abandoned military barracks and sat down to drink something, as i put my bag down i saw a bearded dragon right where i was about to lay my bag.  The thing hissed at me and i lurched backwards, and let out a primordial scream.  I think what was going thru my head was that i was in the land were there are things that could kill you almost everywhere you go and that wildlife in Australia causes a lot of deaths.  My embarrassing outburst attracted two other hikers who ran over expecting to see a murder scene and were pleasantly surprised to  see the dragon as he was perched frozen hoping that the sissy who just screamed wouldn't notice he was still there.  Or perhaps he was trying to process whether the scream came from a boy or a girl.  I continued my hike an managed to take a wrong turn which turned out to be awesome!  Although it was quickly getting dark and i had to find my way back before my flatmates.  Thankfully i managed to run into a runner who before getting back on her feet and on her way was kind enough to show me on my map where i had to go. 

Sadly Robin had to leave for Canada.  He grandmother wasn't doing too good at the time and she needed to get back to her ASAP.  But James and i had an excellent weekend!  But it was time to leave.  On my last day, James and i were sitting outside and i saw a pilot writing in the sky.  A rather weird message.  James told me that it is a national anti-suicide campaign.  Seems odd to me that anyone living in such an amazing place would consider suicide but i suppose even Australians have their problems.
 
Australia is an amazing place.  Full of deadly things and people from all walks of life.  And what's great is that regardless of whether you are talking to an Asian, African or a Caucasian they all have the Australian twang that Americans find so interesting.  I tried to mimic it but i was told i just sound British and that since they are all descended from convicts, its kind of insulting.  Wasn't sure how to take that, or if i even should from a country founded by criminals.  I'm kidding of course, great place.  Definitely be bringing more money next time.

To cap off this entry here is a preview pic of my next blog.  It's me witnessing the last sunset in the world.  Any idea where this is?  Stay tuned.

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