20 February: North Stradbroke Island

Beautiful sunset!

Robin and sea cucumbers.

Toad fish.

Knee roots

Mangroves from the ferry!

1. We took a ferry to North Stradbroke Island

2. Arrived at the Moreton Bay Research Station, the place we’d be eating and sleeping for the next three days.

3. Had lectures about sand island ecology and mangrove forests.

4. WENT TO THE MANGROVE FORESTS!

Let’s talk about the mangrove forests. We took off from the research station after waiting for the tide to go down and landed at a freshwater creek headed out to see. For the mangrove forests we had to be prepared with close-toed shoes that would stay on our feet…more about that in a sec. We entered a regular forest and then made our way a little bit deeper until hitting the mud flats and beginning of the mangrove forests; the forests grow in between land and the ocean. Rob Elvish is this hilarious older man with a great beard who knows lots about the science world. He showed us around the forests pointing out different species (red, orange, grey mangroves were there I think?) and different root systems (buttresses, aerial, knee, etc). He never ONCE cracked a smile as we were wading through calf deep mud stirring up disgusting sulfurous pockets and making farting noises trying to pull our feet out– he’s been there and done that! In between laughing, holding our breath/noses, and trying not to fall over we saw lots of cute little crabs that live in the mud.

Emerging from the forests we entered the sandy flats the ocean left behind and in the pockets of water saw all kinds of wildlife! We had crabs, toad fish, snails, and clear worms that were about eight inches long slithering in and out of the sand. Even further out we encountered rings of snail eggs, sea cucumbers (which people loved to squirt), a HUGE BLUE CRAB, clams, mussels, hermit crabs, and other little things…all with a BEAUTIFUL sunset as a backdrop. Like I always say, the pictures can describe it better. At one point Rob told us to line up in two rows facing each other so we could see who the better ‘dancers’ were. He told us to stomp back and forth and of course we knew he was up to something. Slowly we began to sink and some people got up to their knees! The fun thing about that was we could move side to side, front to back without falling over! After the hard time of getting out we ventured back to the bus and went home for dinner, tired but thrilled!

19 February: A Night of Firsts

Kaitlin and Jen dancing at the gay bar with Andrew.

The City of Brisbane had such a fantastic idea -- hire artists to paint all their electrical boxes on every street corner. I'm not kidding when I say all the boxes are painted, and in completely different designs, sometimes involving the community theme or street name
(all the way out to the suburbs, too). I love it. I wish I could take a picture of all the ones I've seen.

In preparation for our weekend excursion to North Stradbroke Island class was all about basic ecology…vey basic. So basic I won’t even comment on it.

Because it was a Friday, of course we had to hit the town. A couple days prior people had gone to a backpackers bar called Beetle Bar. Great happy hour, can’t beat it! After some long hours there we started the journey to catch the last 120 bus at 12:40. Too bad Anna ran off down the road and we couldn’t find her (she’s fine she just got a cab to the bus station and made the bus)! For some reason we then ran into an Irish gentlemen and his Aussie friend; then taking them in with my senses, me and the Kaitlin and Jen decided to go with them to another bar. They didn’t tell us until we were within eyesight that the place was a strip club/bar. Setting myself up for my first strip club experience (surprisingly), I was ready for anything. We got in and everything was just dandy, plus…three rounds of jack and cokes, my favorite. But I must set the scene for the different banter going on around me.

First of all, Jen is a virginal lady, an RA at school, doesn’t really drink too much, and is semi-religious with a beard fetish. Kaitlin is an unsuspecting sex maniac with a bisexual streak. I’m sitting in between two polar opposites really, and don’t get me wrong I love both of these ladies and their hilarity. On one side of me, Jen is saying, “OMG, I can feel myself objectifying her as I speak, but she’s so pretty. Oh this is bad.” And then Kaitlin is on the other side saying, “OMG, she’s so fine. Why don’t I come to strip clubs more often?” And then the Irishman is sitting there with his drink talking about how indecent the whole idea of a strip club is, especially as a Protestant man (or as the Aussies say: Prottie). Apparently it was the will of his Aussie friend that brought him there. The whole night read like a film script I swear.

While I was using the bathroom before we left, Jen and Kaitlin met a group of guys outside the venue. One was Andrew and he was this hilarious kid in a wheelchair who decided we just HAD to go to a gay bar with him. Okay, sure. For a Friday night the place was empty but I met some lovely people and we danced aimlessly!

17/18 February: Lawn Bowling, Free Day!

Unsure about this lawn bowling thang.

On Wednesday the 17th, Jen and I went swimming at Anna and Kaitlin’s…pretty much the only exciting thing!
On Thursday the 18th we learned about the demographics of Australia and then Peter took those who wanted lawn bowling in New Farm. I have to admit, lawn bowling isn’t that fun. My phone also took a crapper because of the water damage it sustained on the drenching walk to parliament.

16 February: Queensland Parliament

Kat in her parliament getup.

Wet.

Queen Victoria with the crest of England and...can you spot Big Ben? Original stained glass put in to show the role of Westminster in the Australian parliament system.

Members only, but we entered anyway.

Ohhhh man, I have never been so wet as I was today. During class, Brisbane began to receive insane thunder storms resulting in flooding and the highest rainfall in a day in over eight years. Well, knowing my luck, we got to walk to the Brisbane Parliament building…IN THE POURING RAIN! Luckily, I was wearing my bathing suit top and dry fit shorts so at least I wasn’t in uncomfortable wet clothes like some people. The parliament building was cool, as cool as a government building can be I guess. I had a leg up on Westminster parliamentary procedure and whatnot from learning about it in London. The House of Representatives chamber looked just like the House of Commons except instead of the walls and such being emerald green, they were eucalypt gum tree green – haha!

15 February: First Day of Class in Brisbane

Today was nice; the group had our first day of classes at the GED office. The lecture was about Australia and its relation with the world (basically it’s Asia-phobia) and different wars that have formed its national identity. Key words: World War I; Gallipoli, Turkey; ANZAC (Australia New Zealand Army Core) legend. If you want to know more just ask. After class I headed to the library for some more free wifi and then Robin and I joined Anna and Kaitlin on the route to their house so that I could dye Anna’s hair and put two skunk-like stripes in Robin’s hair with Anna’s leftovers (Robin is a crazy boy with short hair so it’s pretty easy to cut off if it’s too hideous). Everything worked out fine and it was a great time.

Getting off the bus home (aka my homestay) I was quite excited about a dinner of buttered chicken. Jen, Raylene, Peter and I had some good conversations…mostly the host parents talking about themselves. I find they both really like to talk about their lives, past present, future – but they don’t know anything about me except what they already could gather – I have an Irish first name, I’m from Michigan. I think that’s about it. Oh well, they tell great stories. Then Jen and I watched Into the Wild, which just so happens to be a great movie…except I was so exhausted that I passed out on the couch before the end.

14 February: Valentine’s Day at The Fox

Feeling disoriented and disgruntled in a new city, Jen and I had no idea what to do on this Valentine’s Day. People were putting plans together but we weren’t really in the mix so we found out that Anna and Kaitlin lived on one of our bus lines just a six minute bus ride away! We knew they had a pool so I called up Anna and it was a go, Valentine’s Day swimming. Later in the day, I get a call from Kat and they’re at a bar called The Fox for $2 steaks and a Valentine’s Day hang out. Alright, we’ll head downtown and meet up with them. It ended up being pretty fun. All my peeps were there and I guess they started drinking at 4:00pm, meaning they were already pretty drunk by the time the four of us got there. We danced the night away and although it didn’t feel like a traditional Valentine’s Day, it was great and I was with friends.

13 February: Thank God for Free Wifi

This morning, after a good 13 hours of sleep, I was greeted by Peter with the words, “Well look who’s finally out of bed and ready to do great things today!” I was indeed. Because we have no internet at our house (a good thing and a bad thing, to be sure) Jen and I went to the State Library of Queensland where there’s unlimited and free Wifi. Thank god, some free internet. After spending a good four hours or so online, we headed home and put on the movie “Perfume: The Story of a Murderer”…a period film murder plot with an interesting olfactory twist. I highly recommend it.

12 February: In Brisbane to Meet the Homestay Parents

The Brisbane River

Brisbane from afar.

Safely in Brisbane, the ladies and I went to the GED office (Global Education Designs, the company running our program) as a place for everyone to meet their host families. Before they met us we took a bus to a viewpoint to get oriented with the city (see pictures). My host family is comprised of Peter and Raylene Kleineberg. Raylene picked us up and the first thing we heard about were her five children. For dinner we had a tasty curry or beef stroganoff option. Just what I was craving, too!

Let me tell you a little bit about Peter and Raylene. Raylene is a very down to earth and motherly Kiwi (meaning she’s from New Zealand). She came over with her parents to Brisbane when she was 12. She likes home improvement tasks and talking about her children and current affairs; she’s 57 and a retired nurse among other things. Peter really is a crazy German, originally from Hannover, who came over to Brisbane to stay with a friend and then he met Raylene when she was 16 and he was 26! They were married a year later and he barely spoke English so she had a hand in teaching him. Although he and Raylene go back to Germany once a year, he’s lived in Australia the last forty years of his life. He wears his speedo around the house and when he does wear a shirt, it’s an easy breezy flannel that hangs open bearing his chest. By profession he’s an architect, but a retired one at the age of 67. I think my favorite thing about him is his love of telling us Australian slang and his laugh is a cackle so we (Jen Schildmeyer, my LC host sister) hear him laughing all the time and it warms our hearts.

...and unfortunately, I don't have a picture of them yet!

10/11 February: Beach Days in Byron Bay

One of the graffitied Wicked vans with a bed that a person could rent and sleep in around town. This one happens to have the Beatles.

The lighthouse is at the top of a national park area that I didn't make it up to :[

10th: stroll around cute Byron Bay, hit the beach from 3:00pm to 6:00pm, gooned it up with the tipi mates and four other LC friends staying at the Arts Factory

11th: Today was a complete beach day. Byron Bay probably has one of the best beaches I’ve been to since my time in Australia. Instead of loose sand, all the sand is compacted from the tide coming up so high…which I love as I don’t get sand all over me. The only thing I wasn’t a fan of was the highly salted water. The water in Sydney was more brackish, but getting Byron Bay water up my nose was heinous! Not to mention the sea fleas or baby jellyfish that were stinging me. Oh well, the waves were awesome.

Anna and I took off from the beach together and cuddled in a hammock telling each other stories and then met up with some people at Cheeky Monkeys to get some cheap eats. I had fish and chips this time, classy! It was a pretty chill night as we all had to get up early and catch buses to Brisbane so we finished up some goon and Jack, Kat and I laid in the hammock until the wee hours of the mourn chatting amongst ourselves and telling life stories. Good times.

9 February: Arrival in Byron Bay, The Arts Factory, Cheeky Monkeys

Ginger Kat and her ginger feet.

Anna going for a rest in the tipi.

Kat reading her dragon book and Jack sleeping, of course.

Baby Jack sleeping.

Boarding a bus at 7:10am in the morning to Byron Bay, we finally landed in at 11:30am surprisingly on the same bus as Spencer and Ben our dear friends from LC. They happened to be on the bus overnight from Sydney totaling a 12 hour ride. I am certainly glad we separated our journey into two different chunks. In Bryon Bay we’re basically staying at a hippie resort called the Arts Factory. Guess where we get to sleep? IN A TIPI! So the plan was for the three of us to meet up with three of our LC buddies (Lauren, Jack, Chris) to complete a six person tipi. We all checked in together and settled in. The place was a little bit of a cliché (I’ve never seen so many dreads in a half hour, let alone over three days…even at Lewis & Clark!). There was didgeridoo making, a bush tucker walk via Cockatoo Paul (who was crazy), hammocks, and the smell of weed everywhere. I have to admit though, the place was pretty cool. There was a free shuttle bus into town, a café with DELICIOUS food morning, noon and evening, pool tables, swimming pool, volleyball court, multiple computers for internet, a huge kitchen, and a camping/tent community. Vegging for awhile we then made plans to go out.

We had heard from an Irish guy in Coffs that a place called Cheeky Monkeys had cheap happy hour and cheap food. Although the name was a bit dodgy, we went for it. To our surprise everything was super cheap! There were five dollar plates of a lot of things. I got poutine as a hadn’t had it since the last time I was in Canada and oh how I love it, and for five dollars why not! The other specials were five dollar margaritas and eight dollars jugs. I like it here already! We had a good time except for me being in flip flops and falling down the same set of stairs two times and then off of a table. Typical Caitlin, but I’m fine rest assured!

8 February: Horseback Riding in the Rainforest with Friends

Getting off with wobbly legs.

MAVERICK!

Eucalypts

Kat having a grand time.

Paradise

A lion and a puppy; South African flavor.

So excited to go riding!!

The big day in Coffs Harbour: HORSEBACK RIDING IN THE RAINFOREST!!!! Waiting outside Aussitel, Kat, Anna and I met with the owner of Valery Trails Ranch. He was a really nice older guy from South Africa; he, along with his wife and son, started the ranch eleven years ago when they came over and they give several horseback riding tours on their trails per day. He drove us about 45 minutes outside the city first on a high way and then into the beautiful rainforest, mountain area where the ranch was located. The pictures say it all really. We hopped out, were awed, signed paperwork, put on helmets and then were taken to our horses!

Mine was Maverick and he was a champ…except all he wanted to do was make me lean over in the saddle so that he could eat grass. Anna had Mickey and Kat had Maximus – such fitting names for horses. Along the ride we got to trot, canter, and at one point Maverick wanted to pass everyone else so he took off in a gallop! It was so exhilarating. It kind of made me wish I was a sheep herder in the bush riding around on my trusty steed. At one point, the rain was pouring down and it was glorious. We were in a rainforest where it’s supposed to rain. OH, because of flooding the previous day we also got to ford a couple rivers and turn around on a couple trails because of fall trees. Getting off the horses was pretty hilarious. All three of us felt like old ladies; the knees were quiiiiiiite tight.

Getting back to Aussitel, we ordered Dominos pizza through Aussitel at a discount price. $8.00 for a 12 inch. Then, to cool off and get the horse and rain smell off of us we went for another swim. Deciding we had to be productive because it was our last day in town we walked a half hour to the city center, went looking for embroidery thread to make friendship bracelets at a shopping centre, stopped at the Coffs Harbour Hotel to get some tasty Strongbow cider, and then went back home to eat pizza and make bracelets. The end!

P.S. Tire (as in the wheel) is spelled "tyre"