Warning

Warning to all those who are about to read the following blog entry. I am not the best at summarizing and it shows. I guess I got a little carried away. The following blog entry is probably four times longer than the average one. It should be read in a few sittings. Sorry.

Uluru at Sunset and Sunrise

So... I realize it's been almost two weeks since I last wrote. I wouldn't even be writing right now if it were not for free internet in the middle of nowhere. Well... not exactly the middle of nowhere. We're in a very small town by the name of Halls Gap. It is a gateway to the Grampians and that is why we are here, we are just going to be hanging out and hiking for a few days. But I'll go back to what has happened in the last bit. As you know, we went on a two day bus tour to get to Alice Springs. The first day of the bus trip was miserable. It was on a twenty-one seater bus, fully booked, and the air conditioning was not really working. We drove 800 km that day. But there was a definite plus, the bus driver had good taste in music. So, although I was devastated when my MP3 player died half-an-hour into the bus ride, it was bearable. Driving through the desert which, by the way, looks the same in the first ten minutes as it does six hours in, feels dry. I found myself constantly worrying if the bus was going to break down. Honestly, beyond Port Augusta, there was very little that would be of real assistance upon engine failure. When we finally got to Coober Pedy, I was horrified when I was informed that the temperature was 48C! It was cooling off because it was seven at night, but it was really hot. The next day was much better. Upon arriving to Alice Springs, we realized a few things. There were a lot of flies. Seriously, masses. People we wearing fly net to keep them from going in there mouths, ears, eyes, and noses. Life without a fly net is terrible, but I decided that I would be strong (more like I submitted to personal torture). Something in my head told me that if I didn't wear a fly net or repellent, I was somehow above the flies, I was becoming a stronger person. I really don't know if I've changed, but I'd like to think the flies now try to avoid me because they sense my powerfulness (I'm sure you're all rolling your eyes by now.). Anyways, we also realized that our hostel was terrible. It was really dirty, connected to a bar, and you had to put a deposit down for any cookware. Plates, cutlery, pots, pans... you name it and you have to pay for it. I can understand, but it just felt ridiculous. I was exhausted and it was late, so my first meal in Northern Territory was bread dipped in nutella and peanut butter right from the jar. Yum. Not bad, but very messy and slightly embarrassing. We got up at 5:00 the next morning to get ready for our next tour. It was also a twenty-one seater bus, but it felt okay. Our driver/tour guide was awesome! She was only twenty-four and so she was a lot of fun to talk to and she actually had energy (which is a change from most of our bus drivers). The first day, we drove quite a bit, making it to Kings Canyon and doing a hike there. It was beautiful. Near the end of our hike, we got to go swimming in a pool in the "Garden of Eden". It felt amazing. Then we drove to our campsite. On the way there, we had to stop to collect firewood. No one was really doing much, so Bretton and I set out to collect as much wood as we could. We got a few big pieces, then ventured out further to get some more. Well, we picked the hugest dead tree we could find and a large branch as well, and started to carry them back. They were too heavy. We were out quite a ways, so we had to drag them all of the way back. When we got back, people looked at us really funny. We loaded the tree and branch onto the back. I realized that I was covered in sweat and dirt and there were flies buzzing all around me. Honestly, sometimes the flies got so bad I felt like I was decaying, they just won't go away! What are they looking for? I only brought the shorts and shirt I was wearing for clothes on this trip, so getting them completely dirty on the first day had not been in my original plan, but you deal with it. Still on the way to our campsite, the sun setting, we see the silhouette of a large rock. Everyone saw it. We all thought it was Uluru and got all excited. Then we found out that it was another rock, our guide called it "Fooluru". It is not really mentioned anywhere, but we were told that the Aboriginals believe to be a cursed place. I find those stories really interesting. Once we set up camp, it was dark, but there was a full moon, so no lights were necessary. After eating supper, we slept. It didn't really feel like it, we were awoken at 5:00 the next morning, we had to drive early into the national park. We drove in and arrived at Kata Tjuta (the Olgas). We did short hike around them, it was really pretty. Then we drove to the Cultural Centre and learned about the formation of the park and Aboriginal beliefs. There was a book there where all the letters people had sent to the centre were placed. They were all confessions on taking rocks or sand from the park. People had realized it was wrong and sent it back. Some people went into detail, listing the bad things that have happened to them since they took the rocks. One story was just a list of health problems. Many of the people felt terrible and just wanted things to go back to normal, it was really interesting. A main theme in the centre is on Uluru (Ayers Rock). Uluru is a very spiritual place to the Aboriginals. They ask that you do not climb the rock. Most people do a base walk around Uluru, which is what we did later. But many seek out to climb it. To me, you look at the past of the Aboriginals and white men. Just like in Canada, the Aboriginals here were oppressed. Many people were killed and there were also many attempts at assimilation. Finally, years later, the Aboriginals have their land back (the national park that we were in). I would not have blamed them if they kept it to themselves and isolated themselves from the rest of Australia. But no, they have decided to work with the government and the park system to allow many people to see Uluru and Kata Tjuta. They want us to come and to learn about their culture. To share in the beauty of the park. The fact that they even allow us to come into their land after everything that has happened is enough reason for me to not climb the rock, to follow their wishes. To climb the rock would be extremely disrespectful to the Aboriginals. Many people die every year attempting it. To my relief, the climb was closed at the time we were there. That night, we watched the sunset at Uluru and then went back to camp. At 4 AM, we were up again to watch the sunrise. It was gorgeous. I don't believe I'm saying this, but it was actually really cold. The wind was blowing and the air was cool. Everyone was wearing scarves and sweaters, but I just wore my shorts and t-shirt. I was freezing, but something about me being Canadian and being in the desert in Australia made me tough it out. That morning, we did a walk around the base of Uluru. We got to see some Aboriginal paintings and different ceremonial places. It was really cool. Something about being there, it was so big! I don't know how to describe it, it is so many people's dream to visit Uluru before they die. It was never really a goal of mine, but being there, I felt completely humbled. Like I didn't deserve to be there. I know Uluru is a big rock, but it is not just that. You would have to visit and it is personal, but it is so much more. It meant a lot to me. That day, we drove back to Alice Springs. It felt good to be back. We were so exhausted, but we went out for supper with our tour group and it was a lot of fun. We made some good friends in that group. Over the next couple of days, we hung out. There were so many Aboriginal art galleries there, it was beautiful. I definitely spent too much money. Then we took a free didgeridoo lesson. I loved it. It is so different than anything I have ever done before, yet very similar. After the half hour lesson, Bretton and I stayed for an hour longer to practice, we were quite into it. A few days later, it was time to go back to Adelaide. I'm not going to say I enjoyed it, but the twenty-hour bus ride was not nearly as bad as I thought it would be. It actually went by pretty fast. We spent a couple days hanging out in Adelaide. Sorting out scholarships. Writing essays on vacation feels completely wrong, but I just have to suck it up and do it. Now we're in Halls Gap. I didn't even expect to be here. We've been struggling to find bus companies that drive along the Great Ocean Road, so we had to book the first thing we found. We took the bus all day today to get to a place called Stawell. I think Aussies are against pronouncing consonants, because they pronounce everything weird. Stawell is not pronounced like it is spelled. You pronounce it "Sta-el". Whatever. When we got there, we looked into getting a bus to Halls Gap. We really didn't want to spend a night in Stawell, it was small and there were no hostels, which would have meant an expensive hotel. But we were able to catch a bus with just enough time to run to the grocery store to stock up. As usual, I bought way too much. When I don't know when I can next buy food, I just panic and buy anything I can get my hands on. Turns out the bus was a school bus, so we got to ride here with a bunch of fourteen year olds. What a great age. Upon arrival, we were welcomed to our hostel by the owner. He showed us around and helped us out with everything! He was so nice! I asked him if he knew if there were any pianos nearby. Expecting a "no", I was surprised when he phoned his friend up who owns a local restaurant/bar. Apparently it is totally okay for me to play, even when customers are there. I went into town to find it (on the hostels' free bikes) and went to the wrong one. But there was a baby grand piano there and the lady told me that I can come back tomorrow and play. For a small place, things are really working out. I am truly happy right now. We're hiking to the Pinnacles tomorrow, I'm hoping that they are not the same as the ones in Thames, but we'll see. But things are good right now. I am so happy!

Adelaide, Heat Waves, Flooding, and World Nutella Day

Hey everyone! So... you would expect that I would be well rested and relaxed from staying in Adelaide for almost a week now, but no. The weather is insane! It has been over forty everyday since we got here! It was 43 today! Apparently over thirty people in Adelaide have died from the heat. Usually when I hear about heat waves, they don't really concern me because they are so far away. I am in the place where people are dying from the heat, I feel the same heat! I've averaged about six litres of water a day since we got here. Anyways, Adelaide is a nice city, we're in the north-east, so we've taken the bus to city centre a few times. I've read before that there are separate roadways for busing and that is what they have here. It is much like a railway, but for buses. There are concrete tracks with ruts for the bus wheels, it is called the O'Bahn. We've been doing some trip planning. It's funny that your plans can come full circle in just a few days. Here's what happened. We originally planned to go up the east coast and go to Ayers Rock via Brisbane. Once we got here, we realized that Adelaide is much more direct, so we decided to go to Ayers Rock from here and then go up to Cairns and make our way down the coast. I don't know if you've heard, but in the north-east of Australia (Queensland), where Cairns is, there has been major flooding. There has been a hurricane (I think another one is coming) and some areas have received two metres of rain in one day. So... the south of Australia is experiencing extreme heat, and the north is experiencing extreme rain. So... needless to say, it is not possible to get to Cairns. Get this... it was on the news that a car actually hit a crocodile. That is insane! It's too bad, we were getting really excited about going north earlier. It wouldn't be the wet season yet and we were going to get our dive cards at Magnetic Island. If we wait until May, it will be jelly season and we'll have to dive in special suits. Anyways, now our plan has returned to the original. We're still going up to Ayers Rock tomorrow, but we're coming back to Adelaide, then going up the east coast. That's just the way it will have to be. Anyways, for those who don't know, February 5th was World Nutella Day! To celebrate, I bought a 750g jar of Nutella, yes, the real thing. I ate it on everything: crepes, bread, baguettes, with a big spoon, and on these apples we picked off of someone's tree. Needless to say, between us two girls and the other two guys we're staying with, there is about a quarter of the jar left. It's been a Nutella fest, but has been amazing. Tomorrow we are headed up to Coober Pedy, an underground village. Then we're heading up to Alice Springs. In all, that is a twenty hour bus ride. And bad news, my mp3 player is not charging. It will probably die within the first two hours. From Alice Springs, we're taking a three day tour to Ayers Rock, the Olgas, and a few more places. After, we're going to do a bit more hiking in the area. It should be good, but I don't think the weather is going to be any cooler in the desert. It will probably be hotter. I have never felt heat like this. It just radiates off of everything, you can't get away from it. All of the bad things I've ever said about air conditioning I take back. It is a valuable resource that makes life bearable here. Anyways, I'll talk to you guys in a few days. Since we have to come back to Adelaide, our bus time will clock in at over forty hours in a week. Ouch. Would I receive a series of groans if I said that I miss snow right now?

Why I "Love" Airports

Hey everyone. It hasn't been long, but I happen to have some time on my hands. We're in Adelaide (yay!) and there is a sort of heat wave going on. It is 38C! And it isn't supposed to cool down for the next week. I would love to do some looking around, but it is just too hot. So here's the whole story on how we got here. We slept in the airport last night. By sleep, I mean lay down on the hard ground and try to get some rest, unsuccessfully. I think I slept maybe two hours at max. The rest of the time, I listened to music, took notes on Australia, wandered around, and read my book. Also, I spent half the time being jealous of Bretton, somehow she slept for a good amount of time. At around 4:00 AM, I woke her up and we checked our backpacks and waited to board. The flight from Christchurch to Auckland was so short. Basically, you reach the maximum height, then you start descending again. But it was so cool, I could see Mount Taranaki from the plane. It was so gorgeous! Being back in Auckland was nice, but short. I kind of wish we could have spent a few days there and then headed to Adelaide. I think I wasn't ready to leave New Zealand, I was just starting to really love it. Although, I was happy to say good-bye to our roommate in Christchurch. Very strange, Bretton walked in on him putting sunscreen on his back with a knife. He always said really weird things to us, once asking "Did an exercise coach come into our room this morning?". Ummmm... no. Oh yeah, I forgot to write on my blog last time about something that happened in Kaikoura. I was relaxing, reading. I went to sit on this hammock, with a great view of the ocean and town, I wasn't really paying attention. I sat and flipped over on my back. Big deal, right? I'm the only person that saw. Not. Since there was such a good view, people could see me as well. There was a whole restaurant of people sitting outside who saw me. They were all pointing and laughing, so embarrassing! Anyways, on the way to our gate, I spent all of my remaining New Zealand money on chocolate. I only have 10 cents left now. Then we boarded for the four hour flight to Adelaide. I was so hungry and was so relieved when the served breakfast. I watched two movies: "Rachel Getting Married" and "The Secret Life of Bees". It was pretty relaxing, but I was still totally wiped. So, we had to fill out our customs cards. I have always believe in being completely honest. This came to haunt me today. I am always afraid that if I don't tell the complete truth, they'll somehow find out and I will get reprimanded. Anyways, we go up to the counter and they look at my sheet. The lady asked, "Where are you staying in Adelaide?" Well, through a friend at church (thanks Rika!), we set up accommodation with her relative. So, I emailed him a couple of times and we set it up over the internet. Anyways, I said, "With a friend of the family." (just easier to say) I had paused when I said it and she looked up at me. "Is he meeting you here?" "No, but he's picking us up from Tea Tree Plaza Interchange." "Have you ever spoken to him on the phone?", she probed. I said, "Well, I've never met him, but I've emailed him on the internet to set it up." That did it. She gestured us through the gate and I thought we were free, but another lady came up to us after speaking to our customs officer and said, "Can you two please just come over here?" I was thinking, random check. They always pick me, but whatever. Stay calm. She asked us many questions. The first question was, "What is your relationship," she gestured at us. We looked at each other and said, "we're just friends." She didn't seem convinced and kept on probing us with questions. She asked us what we were going to do in Australia, if we were working, what we did in New Zealand, how much money we had, how we made the money back home, and how old we were. I was freaking out at this point, trying to hide the fact that I was shaking. That would look pretty suspicious, I think. Then she said, "So, this friend, how do you know him?" I explained again how he was a relative of a friend from my "church". I emphasized "church", hoping she might clue in that it was okay. She turned to Bretton and said, "Have you been here before?" Bretton said, "yes." "Do you have any 'friends' you met then?" She emphasized 'friends', as if everything we had said was a big lie. Bretton shook her head. After a bit, she asked, "So this isn't any internet dating thing?" I was shocked! "NO!" She finally let us go after getting his phone number. In speculation, I think she thought that we were lesbians who were prostitutes back at home (how else would we make the money to go to New Zealand and Australia?). We were meeting this guy that we met off the internet as part of the prostitution ring. I was so worried! I think I said a variation on the same story because I was scared and wasn't thinking straight, and they took it as lies. When they asked his name, I was so scared, I paused for a minute. Then I quickly said, "Ben". At that point, I couldn't have even told you his last name. It sounded like I had to pause to make up the name. Anyways, in hindsight, I think I could have made some better choices with my words. And in the future, I am staying at a hostel, not with a friend of the family! And still, after that, we had to have a biological inspection of our hiking boots. Then this lady asked me all these questions regarding my ownership of everything in my backpack and searched it. She found a tomato that I forgot about and had to seize it. Luckily, I was not reprimanded for that. So, upon leaving the airport, I felt thoroughly questioned and stressed out. We sat on the bus and forgot to validate our tickets. The bus driver was annoyed when we tried to and couldn't put it in the right way. But now, we're in Adelaide in an actual house! It is so nice! And Ben is so nice, he made us crepes for lunch! It feels so good to be in someones home again, it's been a while. We plan on staying here for around a week, just to plan out our trip. Also because Melbourne is about five degrees hotter, and I am not prepared for that. I've already drunken four litres in six hours. Now we're just staying inside. We're going to watch the tennis match between Roger Federer and someone else tonight, they're playing in Melbourne. That is insane, they must be roasting! Only cold food from here on out. Salad. Anyways, that is my experience thus far. I hope you have enjoyed listening to my blatant stupidity. I also hope that you are able to understand what I wrote. I think I'm still pretty freaked about what happened, it may be hard to grasp what actually happened. At any rate, there is a sixty degree difference between the temperature here and in Canada. Yikes! Happy heatstroke everyone!