I am back from Sydney and I absolutely LOVED it! I am much more of a city girl than an country girl and Sydney was the perfect get away for me from Sippy Downs. Like the last post I will give tips for what to and not to do while in Sydney.

1.      Paddy’s Markets –

Paddy’s  Markets is the worlds oldest markets that house a lot of tourist and art collectables for relatively cheap. If you are looking into buying a lot of little things for under a price range for friends or family, this is where you should go. Also, they have a lot of knock of brand bags for a decent price as well as some small food places including fresh produce. There are two markets: Haymarket and Flemington. I went to Haymarket which is on the corner of Hay and Thomas. The location is easy to find since it has PADDY’S MARKETS on the building in different spots. To get to the markets, depending on if you are bit outside the city vs. inside, you can take the 378 bus. For tourists outside the city take the bus. Students, the bus should be 90 cents, but make sure you tell them and show your student pass. If you are staying more inside the city it’s an easy walk. The Haymarket is open Thursday through Sunday from 9:00 am to 5 pm, so plan accordingly.

2.      China Town –

To anyone who has been to New York’s China Town, do not expect ANYTHING like it. Sydney’s China Town was a very large disappointment to me and the people traveling with me. However, it is a block away from Paddy’s Markets and since China Town is extremely small and only consists of food places, you can hit the market and then go to get some good Chinese food.

3.      Sydney Tower and Skywalk –

As a landmark location, the Sydney Tower and Skywalk was a cool location to go and see. As a whole, once you’ve been to the top, took a walk around, and got a few pictures, there isn’t much to do after. However, we went on a rainier day and this worked out perfectly and watching the clouds come in was very cool. When buying tickets present your student card, you will get a discount!!

4.      Sydney Opera House –

I saw the opera house for the first time at night and after had no interest in seeing it in the day light because the illuminating lights made it more beautiful than any structure I have seen in Australia yet. The night lights of the opera house and beautiful view of the Sydney Harbqur Bridge mixed together made a perfect first night in Sydney for all of us traveling. We were not able to take a water fairy because lack of time but I have heard wonderful things and encourage everyone to try. When I go back in two weeks this will be something I encourage my family to do. However, if you are looking to get food after seeing the opera house do not expect good, fast, or decently priced food. For three people we waited over an hour for two salads an a plate of pasta to have the server write down the incorrect pasta dish. We had to go to McDonalds after. It was not a nice last dinner in Sydney.

5.      Darling Harbour –

Darling Harbour consists of more restaurants, piers, and smaller shopping spots than Sydney Cove (where the opera house is). Once again it is beautiful at night but on my opinion the opera house is better. Do take a look around though, the Sydney Aquarium is here as well as some really nice places to eat. When we did order food in Darling Harbour the servers were much more polite and we did get the food we ordered in a descent amount of time.

6.      Oxford Street –

If you’re looking for more high class shopping boutiques Oxford Street is the place to go. However, Oxford Street also has some of the best food we had in Sydney. There a quite a few little cafes that have great deals for a budget where you get a lot to eat. Also, on a nice warm day the patio seating is wonderful to watch people sip a cup of coffee with friends discussing the day’s plans. Book stores and clothing stores line the street and as a whole it feels like a cute little arty community. For night life there are many clubs however I didn’t go to any so I cant tell you what to go to or what they are like. BUT there is an awesome comedy club with known Australian comedians located on Oxford and Greens. Thursday is two for one mixers and Monday has three comedians for $10 entry fee.

7.      Kings Cross –

If you are researching where in Sydney NOT to go then your question has been answered: Kings Cross. Although ok during the day, Kings Cross is known for drugs and muggings so stay clear at night.

8.      Taxis vs buses  vs walking –

Depending on the group you are with, you can walk any where in the city without any trouble. Although we stayed in a hotel about twenty minutes out of the main city we were still able to walk from Paddington to the Sydney Oprah House in about an hour. The buses are frequent but to come early! So if you are looking at this option make sure you’re not only on time but early. Taxis from the opera house to Paddington cost us about $13 on average which is a deal compared to taxis in Sippy Downs.

9.      Key tip –

As what deals you can get for being a student! We saved a descent amount of money by asking random places if we could get a deal which really helped. Look for things that say “concession prices” this means student discount!

Hope these tips helped everyone. Sydney is an amazing city and I really loved it. I will give more updates about the city after I go back in May. Happy travels everyone!

I just got back from Cairns, Australia which is where the Great Barrier Reef is located. It was amazing! I was there with a friend from Sunday to Friday and we had a very good time. Here is a collection of tips I learned while there of places to and not to go.

1.      The Night Market - The Night Markets is a really cool area that has a lot of tourist shops that have fun stuff for cheap but opens at 4:30 pm to 11 pm. The actual Night Market itself is small but has little areas set up inside by local artists that bring their work and sell it for reasonable prices. This is the area that I focused on when I was shopping for friends’ gifts to bring home. They have very good prices on hand painted digery doos, art work, and boomerangs. Around the Night Markets is a huge area of tourist stores to shop at that have very good prices as well.

2.       Places to eat around the Night Markets - The street behind the night markets, Esplanade street, has more restaurant types of places. I recommend La Pizza Trattoria Bar Café on the corner of Esplanade and Apline Street. They have the BEST pizza in Australia. It has been very hard to find a good pizza place in Australia and this by far was amazing. If you’re not in the mood for pizza go to Esplanade street or the food court of the Night Markets and you will find seafood, Italian, Chinese, and Thia food.

3.       Places to Go in Cairns

o       Green Island –    Green Island is located 45 minutes off the Great Barrier Reef and is known for its Tropical Rainforest on the island as well as beautiful water and amazing underwater sites. I went with Great Adventures on the Green Island Eco Adventure that brings you to Green Island and departs at 3 different times. This way we were able to have plenty of time on the actual Island. While on Green Island you are able to enjoy activities such as scuba diving (which is what I did), snorkeling, sea walking, glass bottom boat tours, helicopter flights, and parasailing. Green Island was absolutely beautiful and was by far my favorite activity we did on our trip.

o       Snorkeling –  For a day activity we went with Wavelength Marine Charters to the Great Barrier Reef. If you plan on staying in Cairns keep in mind that Wavelength, and most snorkeling day trips, are located in Port Douglas which is about an hour ride from Cairns. However, most snorkeling places do have pick up and drop off buses. Wavelength was a good snorkeling place to go through because they pick you up and drop you off, there is no more than 30 people on a boat, you get tea, coffee, and lunch, and they take you to three different snorkeling areas. During the second location you are able to go on a long or a short swim with a snorkeling expert who shows you different things on the reef as well as takes pictures of you snorkeling.

o       Hot Air Ballooning –  Hot air ballooning was a really fun activity. The company I went through is Hot Air and is located about 45 minutes from Cairns but once again they do pick you up and drop you off. We were picked up at 4:15 am and shuttled to the location. Typically there is two groups, one who flies out first while the other group tracks the balloon in the bus. This sounds kind of lame but it was really fun! Also when you go up in the balloon there is typically always another ballooning company going up from the same location at the same time. This was kind of cool because when you’re in the air you’re able to watch the other people launch around the same time. We were only in the air for about a half an hour but it was enough time. While up in the air the guide points out and explains things and you can look for any kangaroos. After its all done you help the company take down and put away the balloon. When everything is done they bring you for champagne and breakfast then take you back to your hotel. Typically they said you are dropped off by 10:30 am so you are able to do this if you have a later flight that day.

o       The Reef Casino – This is an activity we did because one day it was raining and we didn’t want to be stuck in the hotel all day. We only took $2 with us but had a lot of fun just hanging out and playing the penny slots. For someone who’s never been a casino before because of an age limit or just has never been in one it’s a fun activity if you don’t have tons of time to do something or bad weather.

4.      Tips of things NOT to do

o       The Wildlife Dome – The Wildlife Dome is located on top of the Casino and although it sounds entertaining its very boring and a waste of money. If you have nothing to do for about half an hour and want to spend no more then $25 then go. You don’t need more than an hour because it is very small and there isn’t much to see. However I would not recommend it.

5.      Booking or making reservations - One thing my mom was wondering is if you needed to book things before you went to Cairns. On my personal experience, you do not need to make any reservations before being in Cairns. I did set up my snorkeling day a head of time but I realized this was only if you are worried about getting a spot on the boat. Personally I think it is better to wait till you can see the weather plan. Otherwise we went around, collected a lot of brochures, and then called the day a head of time which worked out very well.

Hope people found these tips helpful! I really did have an amazing time and I really recommend going to Cairns. I will be in Sydney for the next five days but I plan to update in this tips format again. Happy holidays everyone and happy travels!

I have one more week to go and then I’m on Easter break! I can not wait!! The first week of break I am going with one friend up to Cairns, Australia to see The Great Barrier Reef. I will be there for one week. After that I come back to my apartment for a day and leave again for a week but to Sydney. Sydney should be an amazing trip because 1. Its Sydney and 2. I have a friend who lives down there that I haven’t seen in over a year and a half.

Another awesome thing that I’m excited for is when my Mom and Aunt come to visit me in May. It will be so nice to see family! Plus its another week to travel and since we are going to some of the same places that I’ve already been ill be able to show them around.

V-Festival is tomorrow and I can’t wait. I love music so I’m just looking forward to being around the music and the atmosphere. Also I got a new camera and I cant wait to take some awesome pictures.

Other than that everything has been ok. School is still kind of boring for me but I rather be bored then stressed. That is one amazing thing about Australia, you are hardly ever stressed. They are such a laid back culture and it does rub off quickly. I have adapted the “no worries” attitude and love it.

I will leave you all with some slang words that we have learned that I find interesting. Happy travels everyone!

American to Australian

Flip Flop = Thong

Thong = Thong

Sweater = Jumper

Bangs = Fringe

Blanket = Duna

Australia = Oz

New Zealand = Kiwi

I am starting to get very excited for the next upcoming weeks! This upcoming Sunday I have a trip with friends to V Festival which is a music festival. This will be up in the Gold Coast and should be a great time because it will be my first festival as well as first time in a hostel and on a train.

Then April 5^th to the 10^th I will be visiting Cairns, Ausralia to see the Great Barrier Reef. This should be an amazing trip and I am so excited to go snorkeling. I have been researching and found a few local markets which deal local art, jewlry, and other small things. I’m hoping to find great deals on gifts for friends.

After I return on the 10^th, I fly out again the 12^th to Sydney and return the 17^th. I have a friend who lives in Sydney with her husband and I haven’t seen her in about a year and a half so I am extremely excited to go visit. Also there is so much to see in Sydney and I just cant wait to be a tourist and take pictures of everything.

Sorry this is so short. This is my bad week for school and I need to refocus on a paper. Boo! Happy travels everyone!

My favorite activity here in Australia is going to the Steven Irwin Zoo. As a normal activity back home I enjoy the zoo, but this zoo blows any other in the world out of the water. Not only is this a fun activity for all ages, it also acts as a wildlife preserve. Knowing this I do not feel like the animals are caged and unhappy but instead they are helping be saved.

The main reason I love this zoo is because of the kangaroos. There is a section dedicated to the kangaroos and wallabies which they hop freely around interacting with each other and the visitors. It is here that you are able to go up to the kangaroos to pet, feed, and take pictures with. Not only do you get to see the kangaroos, you really are part of their habitat. Yesterday when I attended, I saw a new born in his mothers pouch and a smaller kangaroo nursing. I never would have imagined seeing this and to me, it made it an unforgettable experience.

Besides the kangaroos, the zoo also offers elephant feedings, a crocodile show, a learning session with the koalas, and photo sessions throughout the day with different animals. The first time I went I was able to hold a koala, Minty, as well as take a picture with him.

I encourage everyone to go, it is one of the most amazing things ever to lie next to a kangaroo and feed them. For anyone who is interested in going, I do warn you, it is a big zoo and you can’t get everything done in one day. This was my second time going and I still was not able to do all the activities and shows that they offer. The price is not bad, but going repeatedly can get expensive; however, if you know you will be there at least twice, a membership will be your best bet. I did the membership and it has already paid for itself. TIP: go during the week. The first time we went was on a Friday and it was very calm and we were able to do a lot. I did go back yesterday, on a Sunday, and there were to many people there. It was not as easy to interact with kangaroos because of the large amount of families and children.

This is a must if you are traveling to the area or Australia. I have heard not very good things about the Zoo in Sydney; however, I would give this one a four out of four on the star rating scale.

Hope everyone finds this helpful! Happy travels all!

Sorry I haven’t wrote in a while.. its been a busy week with school starting and all.

School is ok, I’m still dealing with the large lecture sizes. However, I did have my first tutorials. My first tutorial was for my reading class. That tutorial is interesting because I do have it with a friend which is nice but instead of focusing the class focusing on what we are reading we are focusing on the creative writing aspect. I don’t understand because the class is suppose to be about novels, its in no way a creative writing course. I’m not sure what to make out of the two other classes I have, a history and an environmental course. I was very excited to go into the tutorials and meet new people. However, I am the only international student in both classes which was actually very awkward. Everyone is Australian and it is some what difficult to understand the teacher but I did meet some nice people. Most of the people I meet in classes but live off campus but that does mean they have a car and I could go visit them.

I love my digital photography class. In a few weeks I have my first project due where I can choose any theme and present it. Basically we are looking at what elements make the pictures good. I really want to post pictures but is it hard because of the wacky internet here and the way the Study Abroad Posts are set up. If I can figure out the uploading on here I will put up my kangaroo pictures.

One thing I am excited for is something called V Festival which the band The Killers is headlinging. It is up on the Gold Coast at the end of the month and it will be my first music festival. So not only do I get to travel but I get to hear some amazing music.

One tip for anyone studying abroad. Check out your bank account charges when using international ATMs! Mine is currently not good and they are doing a lot of extra charges. However, my friend was able to go to a different bank and she has no extra ATM charges.

That is all for now. Happy travels everyone!

Well I have now had my first week of classes. Classes here are much different for me because there could be over 100 people in a lecture hall. Back at home, the limit for people in one class is about 28 people. I know that when my tutorials start they should be smaller and that will help but it is still taking some time to get use to.

I have four classes but only go Wednesday and Thursday which is very different for me. I am use to going to class every day from 10 a.m to 3 p.m. It is nice because I have free time but having so much free time can be hard as well because everyone has classes when I don’t. However, my classes do seem very interesting.

I have a photography class which I think will be fun but difficult. My teacher seems very willing to help because he is so passionate about photography so I think that will help a lot. I also have a science class, Environment and Sustainability. I am worried about that class only because I am not the best with science but it will help that all my classes are pass fail. This way I can just do my best and not worry about the grade part. My other classes should be very interesting. I am taking Chancer to the Romantics for my English minor which should be fun because we are reading a lot of interesting books and then a Gen Ed Course called Global Citizens: A History of Humanity. I am excited for that class because I really enjoy history.

Well that’s all I really have for right now, I will write again after my classes this week. Have a wonderful week everyone!

Hello blog readers! I am sorry for not updating as much as I should but this entry should make up for it.

Places I have visited so far:

I am sorry it has taken me so long to update. As I last said, I was taking a trip to Kondalilla Falls which is a trip into the rainforest and then to The Glasshouse Mountains. It was a beautiful sight and I recommend that everyone take the trip if you have the chance. If you do travel anywhere into the rainforest please be prepared with a water bottle, sun screen, tennis shoes, and a lighter. You may wonder why a lighter is important in the rainforest. Well, when walking back on the trail to our bus someone much further up screamed and we learned that she had a leech on her. Leeches are frequent habitants of the rainforest because of the damp hot climate. A lighter is used when you have one on your skin to remove it. About fifteen minutes later found one on my shoe, and after freaking out and getting my shoe off as soon as possible, I thankfully was ok because it did not start sucking my blood yet.

Visit the Underwater World in Mooloolaba. Two friends and I went and had an absolute blast! They have a seal show which is entertaining but they offer a Seal Kiss. This is only for the first 10 people who are interested and it costs $10. We did this and the pictures turned out so cute! If you are interested your best bet is to sit as near to the concession stand as possible because that’s where they will sell the tickets. It is very worth it.

Homesickness:

Australia is a wonderful and hot place. I am starting to adapt to the weather but since I am from WI, I found it very difficult to get use to the humidity.  I am however dealing with homesickness. I miss my friends, family, and boyfriend very much but with the help of a close friend I have been doing pretty good. It helps to plan stuff for the days you have free to get your mind off things. Every day is easier and I encourage those who are afraid of leaving home because of the fear of homesickness to still take the leap and go abroad. I almost called off my trip because I didn’t think I could handle being away but I am very glad I came.

USC and the Sunshine Coast Tips:

One thing I did not know about the Sunshine Coast and haven’t adapted to yet is that everything closes at 5 pm. I really do mean everything. If you are hungry after 5 and you have nothing to eat, there is a very good possibility that you might not get food because no where is open. Also, Dominoes does deliver but it is not the same as in the states. Their large pizza is smaller than our medium size in the states. It does get dull in the evenings because nothing is open so you do have to make your own fun.

If you are looking into traveling in Australia and are worried about transportation I am happy to say their public bus system is WONDERFUL. Back home in the states I typically wouldn’t feel comfortable on a bus because they are dirty and a little sketchy; however, here the buses are clean, always running, and very popular with everyone. They are running till about 11pm on most nights and if you do go to University of Sunshine Coast there are three different buses that run back and forth all the time.

Also, if you do move come to USC and are looking at living options, I am very very happy here at UniCentral. It is an apartment complex in which you live with 3 other people, share a living area and kitchen, but then you have your own bedroom and attached bathroom. The rooms are a great size. I live on the bottom floor and I must warn you, there are bugs, geckos, and frogs that like to visit your room. This is a common thing in Australia and I am trying to learn to adapt. I did catch the frog that entered my room at 5:30 am last night and I was extremely proud of myself.

UniCentral is also a very safe place to live. At nights there are always guards watching the gates and talking to the people who enter and leave. You must have an ID pass or be with someone who does have one otherwise I don’t know if they will allow you on the premises. All the gates are locked in which you need your key to get in and out. It is nice and I do feel safe here.

The downfall of Australia is that they are very behind on their internet. For example, at UniCentral you can get a 1 G or 3 G plan for the month. I am on the 3 G and pay around $45 for the month. If you are close to running out and need more before the month is over, you must pay $30 for 1 G. It does get expensive but if you are using it for school and talking to friends from home it is worth it. There is another apartment complex with the same set up across the street from us called Varsity. It is more expensive to live there! Please watch what you are signing up for when you are checking out your living options.

Lastly, there is a small shopping plaza about 5 to 10 minutes away from campus. They do have a grocery store but it doesn’t have much options. The closest real grocery store is 20 minutes away and it can be a hike. I recommend bringing green bags for the travel back, this way it is easier to carry your food home.

Well I think that’s about it for right now, sorry again about not posting as much as I should. I am trying to fix that and start posting more. Once I figure out how to update pictures I will but I do need to be careful because the more pictures I post the less internet I have here (the internet situation can be annoying). Have a great week everyone and happy travels.

Sorry it took so long to update, it’s been a long couple of days. Let me explain.

I took a flight with my friend from GB to Chicago. The plan was to leave from Chicago at 7:10 to fly to LAX so we could meet up with the 4 other SNC students going to USC. However, the plane from Chicago was delayed and did not leave till 9:30. Basically what ended up happening was the flight to Australia was being delayed because we were missing but we were not able to get on it because they were waiting to long and the people commanding the air planes said they had to leave so they could make room for incoming planes. Turns out the incoming plane that they were making room for was the plane I was on so I ended up watching my plane to Australia drive away without me.

There were 5 of us from SNC going to Australia and thankfully we were all together so sorting out the details with the international office was very easy. The people at the desk were amazingly helpful, gave us at least $70 in food vouchers and put us up in the Hilton for two days (because our flight didn’t leave till midnight the next day. This way we could hang out in the hotel and not get stranded in LA).

The one thing I was very grateful for was that I was prepared with my carry on. ALWAYS pack extra clothes, makeup, soap, shampoo and conditioner, or any medication you may need. This is not the first time I got stuck somewhere and I’m sure it won’t be the last.

One thing I did learn when we were checking into LAX for our flight the next day is that there is a weight limit when it comes to your carry on. They told me that it needs to be less than nine pounds. I do not know if this is for just Australia or not but it is something to look into if you are traveling abroad.

When we finally arrived to Australia and got settled into our rooms I found out that none of my power outlets worked, this is why I haven’t updated my blog. As you can see it is working now and I am very thankful for that.

I have my first trip this upcoming Thursday to Kondalilla Falls. From what I understand we are going to a local market area, a shopping area, and the rainforest. I am very excited and plan on taking a lot of pictures. So hopefully I will update Friday or Saturday.

Until then happy travels everyone!

Well, it’s my last full day in here in WI. It’s slightly weird to think about but I am very excited to finally leave and see Australia. I am basically packed, now its just packing the things I use every day. Other than packing I am pretty prepared. I will try to post as soon as possible once I am in Australia. Also, keep an eye out for pictures because I will post as many as possible.

I have had a few questions posted as comments which are great! Thanks for them, I’m glad to see people are reading these posts and they are helpful. Please keep responding with questions and comments, I enjoy reading them.

Until the next posts, happy reading and traveling. The next time I write I will be in Australia!!