Day 2: Blue Mountains

Day 2:

We were told to be ready to get on the buses at 9am on Saturday morning, so we all eventually woke up and ate breakfast and got ready just in time. Our teacher Wayne told us this hike was going to be more intense than the last one and to prepare ourselves since it was around a 5 hour hike!! Once again it was a gorgeous day we got so lucky. Once at the place we were going to start our hike, Wayne told us the hike was called The Grand Canyon just for all of us Americans to help us feel at home! 

Our group went out first and it was amazing how the terrain changed in a matter of a few hundred feet. One minute we were walking on paths with dry trees and ground around us, the next minute we are walking through a rainforest surrounded by waterfalls and going down rock steps covered in water! 

It was just so beautiful and we were walking down into the canyon. It was amazing to think we were going to be walking down into the canyon, but that means you have to get back up somehow! Halfway through the walk we all met up at a resting spot at the top of the canyon, it was breathtaking as all the views were in the Blue Mountains. We had our lunch that we packed there, but of course half of my sandwich ended up on the floor! I was not too impressed but had packed enough snacks to fill me up. After lunch it was about another 1.5 to 2 hours just up up up!! It was pretty steady though apart from all the stairs at the end but if you just looked around and took in the scenery the walk seemed easy.

When we got back that evening, we went into town for a little again to stock up on more food if we needed and then we all headed to a pub to watch the Footy that was on. Once we got back to the cabins we were all exhausted. We all showered and then cooked dinner. Tonight on the menu was Spaghetti Bolognaise it was delicious. We had garlic bread also. Luckily there were no fires, we definitely learned our lesson! Everyone met by the bonfire once again for the night to share more stories and bond with the group. We roasted marshmallows and had hot chocolate to keep us warm!

We were all really tired so wanted to get a good nights sleep before our last hike, so our cabin went back inside and sat around our fire inside and chatted for quite a while and had some laughs which was nice and then went to bed. 

Day 3 coming soon...

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

Happy Mother's Day to my beautiful and amazing mother!! Wish I could be there to give you a hug but you will be in Sydney soon!! I Love You!!

AND..

HAPPY 21st BIRTHDAY CHRISTA!!!

Day 1: Weekend in the Blue Mountains!

I am taking a class called Outdoor Learning and at the start of the semester we were told we were going on one day hike and a weekend trip for 3 days and 2 nights. The first hike was to the Royal National Park and it was spectacular, so I had big expectations for this weekend because the Blue Mountains is supposed to be completely breathtaking. Well all I can say is the Blue Mountains not only reached my expectations, they completely went above and beyond! I am going to write this day by day cause there is so much...

Day 1: The Three Sisters, Federal Pass, and the Giant Stairway

Above is an image of the Three Sisters, a famous landmark seen on Australian advertisements. This was taken at the end of our first hike which was around 2 hours. We woke up early to get on the train to Katoomba at 8:20am where we all of our class met. The train ride was about 2 hours long, so we all fell asleep! Once we got to Katoomba our teacher was there to meet us and we got on a coach bus to the first hike. Before we left for the trip, in class we split up into 6 groups of around 6 people. There were 4 groups of girls and 2 groups of guys. Our group was 3 americans and 3 australians. It was Beth, Rachel and I all from miami, and then 3 aussies, Kellie, Whitney, and Jade. We were going to hike and live with our group for the 3 days. Turns out we chose well, our group was absolutely fantastic! When we got off the bus we went on the World Steepest Railway down to the beginning of the hike. This is a picture of us in the railway, it was very steep! 

We started our hike and it was around 5 minutes between each group to make sure we didn't catch up with each other. It was so gorgeous and we all chatted and really enjoyed the walk. It was pretty steady but you had to watch your footing as is was up and down a lot. Here is a picture of our group on the hike on day 1!

Towards the end we heard about the Giant Staircase that we had to climb...the name described it perfectly. It was literally 1000 stairs that were a mixture be and tween steps made out of the side of the rock and some wooden steps. Needless to say, we needed a lot of breaks to catch our breath and it was intense but so cool climbing up the side of a mountain!

The views from the stairs were just gorgeous, and during all of our stops I took may pictures. You could just see for miles, I have never seen anything so breathtaking. It realy made the walk seem so much easier!

When we finally made it to the top, we were all very tired but felt so accomplished! From what started out as a cold morning, I was very happy to have worn layers and a t-shirt underneath because I ended up getting so hot the t-shirt was perfect! Here we are at the top of the stairs, all out of breath and tired

After the hike we had a short bus ride to the town where in our groups we went grocery shopping for the weekend. We had to cook all our own dinners and make lunches and breakfast, so it took us quite some time to get around the store, but we made a plan beforehand of what we wanted to cook (well what the other girls were going to cook as I have no idea how to work my way around a kitchen!). We got steak, chorizo, and chicken with salad and lots of other sides for the first night (everyone was making fun of us for how much meat we got, the said we must have killed about 10 animals!) For night 2 we got ingredients to make spaghetti bolognaise with mince and sauce. Cold cuts were for lunch or bread, and cereal and porridge for breakfast. 

Once the shopping was done we all headed to our cabins which was another short bus ride away. They were located on a huge farm and there were 8 cabins in total, and we took up 7 of them. We were told we had to make a fire to heat up the cabins, so our challenge was to use one match . The aussies went straight to work, I helped collect wood, and we had a great fire going in no time, which our professor was extremely impressed with. 

Well this soon turned...I got out of the shower as everyone else was napping, went to find a plug for my blowdryer, saw the wood on the top of the fireplace was smoking, 2 seconds later there were flames everywhere! I screamed and everyone woke up, we ran to the fire extinguisher as the flames were to the roof!! Next thing we know our teacher came bursting through the door to put out the fire with the extinguisher!

It was scary how quickly the fire started and the timing was good because it could have been a lot worse had I not seen it right when it started! 

Interesting first evening to say the least!! 

We all sat around the campfire that night all 40 of us and shared stories and things and it was lovely. Then all got in bed ready for day 2 of hiking, which we were told would be a grueling 5 hours!!

Day 2 coming soon..

Bondi to Bronte Beach Run!

Yesterday I went with one of my friends on the Bondi to Bronte Beach run. I had heard a lot about it and I have wanted to do it for a while, so the weather was perfect to run yesterday, sunny and a crisp 60 degrees. It was the most stunning run I have ever done. The run is along the coastline passing 4 different beaches, so you run along the cliffs. It is a hard run with lots of stairs and hills, but the views are breathtaking you forget about being so tired. I am going to do it a lot more, and also walk it so I can take pictures and post them for you! I am excited to take my Mum on the run when she comes, she will love it! 

Can't wait for camping and hiking this weekend!

Love, 

Nic xoxo

Real Aussie Camping in the Blue Mountains!

Hi All!

On Saturday it was Anzac Day here in Australia. It is sort of like Memorial Day in the US and the soldiers are remembered. We started the day off early with Mimosas and then a couple of my local friends picked me up and we drove the 2 and a bit hours to the Blue Mountains for a 21st birthday party. Instead of the usual "rent out a bar and invite all your friends", Stu decided to invite all his friends to his grandparents farm and have everyone camp out for the night.

The drive up there was just beautiful, stunning views and mountains all around. I am heading back to the Blue Mountains next weekend with my Outdoor Learning class so I will take pictures then, didn't manage to take any this weekend! But it was stunning and the clearest sky you have ever seen. After passing many "kangaroo crossing and wombat crossing" signs, I knew we were out of the city and into the bush! I didn't run into any wild Aussie animals this weekend, but my teacher assured me when we go with our class we will see lots of wild Kangaroos and Aussie wildlife, which I am very excited for!

We got there around 4ish and put up the tents (yes I learned how to pitch a tent I was VERY proud of myself!) We had sleeping bags and mattress pads so it ended up being quite comfy, despite the intense winds outside that I thought were going to pick up and throw the tent a mile away! After the tents were put up we all started having some of the punch and there were a bunch of parents serving some nibbles like homemade sausage rolls which were unbelievable, so good! All the parents got a kick out of me, and kept telling me how lucky I was to experience a "real aussie camping experience" and I have to say it was so cool. The farm was huge and beautiful. When the sun went down there were two mini bonfires we all crowded around for warmth (it was cold, thank god for Uggs!!) and we sat on hay bushels, and ate dinner. Then came the speeches, it is so lovely here 21st birthdays are a huge deal and the parents and friends all give speeches, tell funny and embarrassing stories, but its a really nice tradition. 

Then we all started drinking and dancing in a shed on the property, and then the two massive bonfires were lit. They were so huge, I can't even explain, but we were certainly not cold after that! The sky was so clear I thought I could see every star in the atmosphere! I got to see the Southern Cross which was beautiful and some other constellations, I couldn't stop looking up!! Really breathtaking

In the morning, we all got up and the parents made breakfast, and all night all the parents kept telling me was have you seen Trixie yet, and I didn't know what they were talking about. Well in the morning I found out! Trixie is their pet sheep, which goes in the house, and just wonders around and comes when it is called! It was so cute, and was standing next to me as I ate my bacon and eggs! I thought it was hysterical! The picture at the top is Trixie!!

Everyone was so nice and welcoming and it was such a great Australian experience. I am excited to go camping again with my class next weekend, but we are staying in cabins so its cheating a bit, but we are going to do 3 hikes which should be so awesome! I will take lots of pictures so you can all see, didn't get a chance to take pictures this weekend, but will make up for it as I will be going back!

It is certainly getting colder, so strange that as May creeps upon us here in Sydney the temperature is dropping, and it is turning into winter not summer! But it is nice to bundle up a little bit, and it is Fall (sorry I should say Autumn) here and around 60-65 during the day. I guess I will just have to go shopping for some winter clothes to stay warm (just kidding Dad! sorta...)

I will update after my weekend in the Blue Mountains with my class with pictures and more stories!!

Love, Nic xoxo

Back from Fiji!!

BULA!!

That is the "hello" in Fijian, and you certainly here it every 5 seconds, it becomes quite catchy! When we arrived, we were welcomed by singing Fijians and women putting shell necklaces around our necks! It felt very much like Hawaii. It was night when we arrived and we got on a boat filled with American's all doing the same thing as us, Spring Break in Fiji. Of course we got to talking and figured out we had many mutual friends, typical, on a dinky boat in the middle of a Fijian ocean and we know the same people!! 

Once we arrived, it was pretty apparent we overpacked rediculously since we all brought one of the HUGE suitcases we came with when we moved to SYDNEY, and in Fiji, no one wears shoes, so our black heels and jeans were definitely not needed. Dress code is Bikini and shell necklaces, never shoes. 

We had a great first night, there was one bar on Beachcomber Island where we stayed. It was a very small island but it was great. We had a beautiful little beach front hut, which turned out to be luxury because everyone else we met stayed in a 86 person "dorm" which consisted of a room enclosed with a tiny screen and 43 bunk beds...not my idea of luxury, so our hut with a fan was high class! 

Every day we sunbathed on the beach, went into the ocean, and then at night went to the bar. It was very relaxing and a great time! There was one staff member in particular that everyone on the Island fell in love with, his name was Clive, and he would have the biggest smile on his face at all times, and he would get us drinks and just pop out of no where! He is one of the pics below, I'm pretty sure you'll be able to figure out which one he is!!

I have to say, I won't miss the food. We had 3 meals a day, breakfast was strictly from 8-9am (naturally we only made that twice!), Lunch was from 1-2pm, then dinner was from 7-8pm. If you missed a meal, you had to eat the cheese sandwiches they made at the bar...so we definitely lived off cheese sandwiches since even when we made the meals, they consisted of a tiny scoop of rice, and some sort of curry. Cheese sandwiches were what got us through the week! 

It was stunningly beautiful and just Islands everywhere. The water was clear blue and at night, we could see baby sharks right off the beach!! We didn't end up going diving or anything so didn't see any big sharks (just you wait until we got to the Great Barrier Reef!!). We had a great time, but as always, its nice to be back home, and we are all happy to sleep back in our own beds I think! 

I would love to explore some of the other Islands in Fiji, there are so many, and each more beautiful than the next. Hopefully I will get the chance to go back again someday...

HAPPY EASTER!!

Happy Easter everyone!! Hope you all eat lots of chocolate this bunny day! Off to Fiji in 2 hours!! The first picture that I uploaded yesterday is of the Great Hall on my campus, so beautiful!

Love, 

Nic 

Fiji Here We Come!!

Spring Break 2009 starts tomorrow, and we are off to Fiji!! 

Since my last update, I have done so much and have been so busy!! I went to Melbourne for the weekend, and we got to see AFL which is the Australian Football its insane, they pretty much combine every sport and don't wear pads, and it is really exciting to watch!! It was the opening night so that was really fun. We also go to see the Formula 1 which was in Melbourne, it was such a cool experience to actually be there, the cars are so fast and so loud!! One of the boys that studied in Miami last semester but lives in Melbourne had his 21st birthday party that weekend too, so a lot of the boys from Sydney flew down also, so it was a lot of fun and celebrating. It was a great weekend. 

We are going to be in Fiji for 5 nights, and are staying on Beachcomber island, which is supposed to be beautiful and a great spot, very popular for spring break! I will try and update my blog a lot more often when I get back ,I have been terrible with it, just so busy!! But I will be more on top of it I promise!

Lots of pictures from Melbourne and Fiji to come, so check back in a week and there should be some updates!!  

Here are some pics from the Formula 1 Grand Prix Race!!

internet down...

My internet has been down for quite some time now, that is why I haven't updated my blog!! Im in the library where there is wireless but I will hopefully be getting it back in my room in the next few days! I have TONS of things to update you all on and some gorgeous pictures to go with them. 

Stay tuned...

First week of classes!

This past week has been really busy. I finally started classes, and it was a strange week since they told us "shop around" for the classes you want and then at the end of the week go in and change your schedule and add or drop courses. So I did exactly that, I went around to a bunch of classes, and figured out which ones I wanted. I am taking three classes this semester: Outdoor Learning in Education (which is great, I get to go hiking and also camping for one night!), Marketing (Consumer Behaviour), and US in the World: Obama's America (which is going to be really tough but interesting). So I have a few courses that I would never even find at Miami and I am excited to not have too much work to worry about, but still be challenged, but have enough time to relax and enjoy Sydney and travel! 

I already have some homework, reading and something to write, but hopefully my classes won't be too time consuming, (but don't worry Dad, I'll be working hard!).

Friday night we went to the Waratahs Rugby game again, we are becoming quite the fans I must say! The games are a lot of fun, and we won so that was a plus! Everyone had been talking about Mardi Gras on Saturday, and we thought we must check it out. We quickly realized it is not like the Mardi Gras we know in New Orleans, but a gay and lesbian parade, so we went to see how crazy it was and experience it once, and I must say, it was 10 times busier than the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, packed with people wearing anything from fairy wings, to full blown costumes, basically anything goes. So we people watched which was fascinating, stayed for a couple floats, then left. Apparently there is a concert that goes from 10 p.m. until 8 a.m. that people go to, which just sounds absurd! 

We were all tired last night but decided to go out with Andrew since we hadn't seen him in a week or so, so went to this place called World Bar where they serve drinks in teapots, it was very funny. So everyone is drinking out of these white teapots, certainly a unique way of serving a drink!

We are going to go shopping a bit today, check out the stores, and we are going to plan a trip to Melbourne for the last weekend in March, so hopefully we will get that booked! 

It is my 21st birthday in a week, I'm getting so old! We are still new to the city but I am sure we will be able to find something good to do next week, and celebrate like we would have in the US!! It is certainly a day to celebrate and I am very excited!

Travels to Brisbane and the Gold Coast

Sorry for not posting for a while, but I have been traveling around up North and had my first day of classes today so things have been busy.

Last Tuesday, we left for Brisbane. There were 4 girls, all of us from Miami, and we flew to Brisbane mid afternoon. I have never experienced less security in my entire life, they never once checked my ID, it was a little strange, and we took liquids and food through security!! Things are definitely more relaxed and there isn't much concern here. The flight was very quick just an hour and a half, by the time we took off we were landing. Once we got to Brisbane, we went to our Hostel called Bunk which was right next to Brian's roommates from Fairfield who are studying in Brisbane for the semester. Bunk was interesting...there were 4 bunk beds in the room, so 4 random girls in there with us, and one bathroom and one shower. Not the hotel room I am used to but for 2 nights it was ideal and very very cheap! The first night we met up with Brian's roommates and went out with them. It was great to see them and funny to see people you know in Australia!

The next day, Wednesday, we went to the Koala Sanctuary in Brisbane. It was incredible. Koala's and Kangaroos everywhere, we literally walked into the area where all the kangaroos were and you just go up and hug them and feed them in a large field. It was unbelievable I loved them! Next, we knew we wanted to take a picture with a Koala, and Brisbane, Queensland is one of the only places you can actually do it, so Beth and I went straight over and hugged and held a koala!! They are so cute, and cuddly, I wanted to take her home with me!! We saw all sorts of animals there, saw some shows and it was just amazing. Such a great experience!

The next day we traveled by train to the Gold Coast, where Surfer's Paradise is and we felt as though we were back in Miami. There was even a sign that said "Miami Beach" so we were very confused. It was gorgeous, beautiful beaches and definitely "surfer's paradise". We found out hotel which was so great, especially after the hostel. It was a hallway with 2 separate doors, one with 2 single beds and a balcony and small living room, and then mine and Beth's had 2 single beds, a huge bathroom, a full kitchen, dining table, couch, and a balcony looking right at the water, we couldn't believe we got it for just $50 a night!! We went straight to the beach after dropping our stuff off, got some great colour, then went out that night. The next day we spent the whole day on the beach and had a great dinner, and then went out for a couple hours again. It was beautiful but nothing more than the beach and bars really, so for a couple days it was very relaxing but I certainly couldn't live there!

On Saturday we traveled back to Brisbane and went straight to the airport, and were back in Sydney by 630pm, and Will picked us up from the airport which was nice. It was nice getting back to Sydney, it certainly feels like home now!! 

We had our first day of classes today, I had Australian Politics at 10am, and that was it, so went and changed my classes and schedule around, and I have a 9am tomorrow morning (Tuesday) but that is it for Tuesday so will be nice to get up and be done with class by 10am! 

I will attempt to post some pictures now...

First week!

So I have officially been here a week now, and it is just amazing! We have been doing a lot of exploring and walking around trying to grab our bearings. My friend Rachel and I walked to the Chinese Gardens on Friday which was just gorgeous, very relaxing and beautiful. We got jasmine tea and had scones with jam and whipped cream, so it was quite a great day! 

Friday night we went to a rugby game! We were cheering on the Waratahs and it was great, we didn't know what was going on, but such an exciting atmosphere and we will definitely be going back!

We are trying to plan a trip up North for this week, maybe Brisbane or Cairns so hopefully that will work out! We just need to actually book it, so tonight we are going to look for flights!!We still have another week before classes start, and then the first week of classes is just sitting in lectures and then the following week is when school ACTUALLY starts, so still lots of time!

The weather is supposed to get better so I am sure we will be heading to the beach if we aren't in Brisbane! I will try and post pictures soon...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MUMMY!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MUMMY FROM SYDNEY!! Hope you have an amazing day; we toasted in your honor tonight! Love you xoxo

Sydney Harbour and the Opera House!

Today was the first sunny day, thank goodness it stopped raining!! We knew we had to take advantage of it and decided to walk to Darling Harbour and then to Sydney Harbour and the Opera House. It was a really nice walk, absolutely beautiful and we walked a long way and had a great time. When we turned the corner and saw the Opera House and Sydney Bridge, it was real that we were actually in Sydney. They are as stunning in real life as they are in pictures, but it was just amazing to see! We saw people walking up the bridge, and we are definitely going to do that soon. We walked up the 100 steps to the Opera House and the view was incredible. We were all looking in the water to see sharks, but didn't spot any! We took a bus back and then UniLodge (the apartment building that we are staying at) had a welcome BBQ and live band on the rooftop deck so we went to that, got food and it was BYOB as all places are here so had some wine too which was great. 

We went to dinner after because one sausage did not fill us up. We found this great new Italian restaurant near to where we live, and the owners and cooks were actually Italian, and not Asian, so that was a good sign that the Italian food would be legit! They were so nice, there were 5 of us and we sat outside in the back surrounded by trees it was really nice. Will ate with us too, he lives here but did a year at Miami. They gave us free wine and it was a great meal so we will definitely be back!

Last night Andrew, another guy that went to Miami last semester, but lives in Sydney, picked us up and we went to Coogee for dinner. He just got back from his world travels 2 days ago so it was great to see him and catch up! We went to a really good Thai restaurant, again BYOB and a liquor store right across the road so very convenient! We then went to a bar in Coogee and were outside on the back deck, but then it started pouring! 

We are so happy the rain has stopped, it is very uncharacteristic of a Sydney Summer we have been told so we are going to the beach tomorrow, to finally get a tan and enjoy the beautiful Sydney beaches! I am just really loving everything about Sydney, and can't wait to keep exploring!

Darling Harbour and Orientation Day 1

Last night, us Miami girls decided to go to Darling Harbour for dinner on the water. It was absolutely breathtaking! So beautiful with restaurants lining the water, and so much to choose from! We finally picked a cute Italian place, and realized you order at the bar, pay when you order and then find a seat and they bring you your food. Certainly a new way to get food at a restaurant but we sat at a table right on the water. We will definitely be going there a lot more, and there are supposed to be great bars and happy hour places, so I am sure we will be back! 

Today we had Orientation Day 1 and it started at 9am so we all met downstairs in the lobby and walked over together and I can't believe how gorgeous the University of Sydney is. Beautiful old buildings and gorgeous courtyards, it is a scene from a movie. It started out in the Great Hall  which looked like the inside of a church, stained glass windows and high ceilings. There are 580 or so international students, and I would take a guess that 90% are from the United States! This is definitely a hot spot for study abroad. We met a lot of people, and got some good information. There are 2 more days of orientation still.

The weather was nicer today but then suddenly turned dark and it started pouring again. Thursday is supposed to be 80 degrees and from then on it will feel like a Sydney summer! We are all ready for the beach! We are going to plan lots of trips before school starts on March 2nd; we are thinking a wine tour this weekend, perhaps a trip to Melbourne too, whatever we can do! 

I was able to get my Aussie cell phone today so feel more connected. I feel so comfortable here, I haven't had any culture shocks or jet lag really, and I am just trying to enjoy every second I have here! I joined a great gym yesterday and a few of us are going to a guts and butts class soon then have dinner then go out! 

I will post some pictures soon!

Welcome to Sydney!

Today is my first full day in Sydney. I arrived yesterday morning after 22 hours of flying. It was actually a great flight. I had season 2 of Dexter which definitely kept me entertained and I managed to sleep a lot. Before I knew it we were landing in Sydney! I flew with Justin who is also from Miami and living in Uni Lodge so it was nice arriving with someone. At the airport, Alice and Kirsty met me and drove Justin and I (in a car filled to the brim with all our luggage!) to our new home for the next 5 months. Alice and Kirsty were so nice, got me all set up in my new room and even made my bed for me! I cannot thank them enough. 

So far, everything I have experienced about Sydney I love, and it hasn't stopped raining since I got here, but it doesn't even matter. It feels a lot like England, and everyone is so nice. I am living right across from another girl, Lauren, who also goes to Miami, which couldn't be better! Very convenient. There are 5 of us in total from Miami and everyone is so nice and we get along great! 

I was able to set up my room and get comfortable yesterday, and today will get things I forgot and an Aussie mobile too. Orientation for the University of Sydney starts tomorrow, so I get to see the campus which I have heard nothing but great things about. I am very excited and just so happy to be here!