Holothuria Scabra

If anyone has ever seen a sea cucumber also known as Holothuria Scabra you will know that they barely move, look similar to rocks, are endangered, burrow under the sand, are filter feeders, AND in the end...no one really cares! But you can make that judgment for yourself with the help of these pictures of the "miraculous species themselves." My day today is consumed with a 6 page research paper on the "Holothuria Scabra" Sea Cucumbers. After an extraneous weekend at Stradbroke Island researching and hunting down the things (that hardly move) I now get to spend a lovely Wednesday afternoon inside collaborating all our work into a paper. Lovely. BUT I will be taking a break to go running down to Southbank and back (about 8 miles) with Kaydee as training for our half marathon coming up. Another note: I have, in four days, watched through season four of Sex and the City. I had never seen all the episodes and have become addicted along with two of my friends. However, I DO NOT approve of Carrie not choosing Aden. What an idiot! He is perfect! Since when is it all about the chase and wanting one thing when you don't have it and wanting another when you do? However, in all of this ramble I am not claiming to be immune to the game...I'm guilty as well. Whoever invented this whole "fishing sport" of "catch and release" is to blame.

"Everything happens for a reason. People change so you can learn to let go. Things go wrong when you can appreciate them when they are right. You believe lies so you can eventually learn to trust yourself. And sometimes things fall apart so they can better fall back together."

----Last night we had mexican food night: tacos, salsa, and QUESO. Thank you Elise Hull and Chelsea Hart for sending me velveeta and rotel...my cravings are finally satisfied. And to think...half of the people here have never tried queso? I might never be able to live anywhere but Texas.

Also, change of plans for this weekend. We will now be staying in Brisbane for the weekend to enjoy the Riverfire Festival and going to Byron Bay next weekend. Now I have more time to prepare myself for the experience on my bucket list: SKYDIVING.

Since I have been not doing well with my training/eating as well as I should for the upcoming half marathon in Melbourne (October 10) I will be keeping track daily on here since I seem to have a binge eating problem...so don't mind my notes at the bottom.

Marathon Training

Morning: Granola bar

Afternoon: Teriyaki chicken sandwich

Night: Orange and granola bar

(all water)

Workout: 8 miles; 3 hill sprints

Brisbane ("Brissy")

My base in Australia is the sunshine city of Brisbane located in the state of Queensland. I absolutely adore everything about it...I live in the suburb of Taringa which is only about 10 minutes outside the downtown city scene. I live in Altitude apartments right across from the train station that takes you absolutely anywhere in Queensland. The entire city of Brisbane winds around the Brisbane River and has 7 bridges that cross it (all very unique).

The highlights of Brisbane thus far: Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, Southbank, Botanical Gardens, Mountain Climbing at Kangaroo Point, University of Queensland, Downtown area of Brisbane, and Mount Coot-tha

Let me start with Lone Pine. First of all it has an all natural feeling. My favorite parts thus far are the kangaroos, koalas, and sheep dogs. The kangaroo reserve in the sanctuary is the largest section and is an open area with about a hundred kangaroos, wallabies, and emus. There is no path to stay on, fencing to stay behind, or rules. You can sit, stand, or lay next to any of the animals while also feeding them. I have been to many zoos (as my family knows) and have never been to one with a privilege like this. Lone Pine is the first and largest koala sanctuary in the world and the only place you can "cuddle" a koala...but don't get too excited because it will cost you. To hold a koala it is about $15 and you only get to hold them for a few moments while having your picture taken...but still an amazing experience regardless. Lone Pine also has hundreds of birds that you can feed, dingos, platypuses, crocodiles, wombats, an array of snakes, and of course one of my favorites sheep dogs and their sheep. There are various shows throughout the day for different animals in the sanctuary. If you haven't seen sheep dogs at work then you need to add it to your bucket list. The sheep dog show was spectacular...the dogs were quick and way too smart. They moved the sheep across the field, through gates, in pens, and over bridges. Also, fun fact: there are two types of sheep dogs. One type actually herds the sheep and the others then move the sheep throughout the pen by barking and actually hopping on top of the sheep and balancing on the gates enclosing them. My favorite of the dogs was named Jim (my dad's name) who was one of the oldest of the sheep dogs and the sneakiest. In conclusion...Lone Pine is an experience and so fun...to the point where I bought a semester pass, leaving me to my number of visits so far at 3. Nerd? I think yes.

In Brisbane there are different parts of the city to go depending on the type of activity or environment your mood calls for. There are the outdoor shopping malls that are blocks long within the city that have all of the top Australian and international brands and it boasts really good restaurants and relaxing bars. Just on the outskirts of the city is the entrance to the Botanical Gardens that wind their way down the river. They overlook the harbours, cliffs, and city horizon. There are countless number of plants and paths to walk and have large grassy areas dispersed through the gardens where you'll find people reading, sleeping, studying, or simply displaying too much affection with their significant other. My favorite plant so far is a tree (the name I have yet to discover) that is HUGE and has branches that grow down to the ground from the top and replant themselves? It is a sight to see. (Picture above) Just down the river is the area called Southbank. It has plenty of shops, restaurants, running paths, grills to cookout, the wheel of Brisbane, and on weekends the late night markets which I am determined to attend at some point or another. Southbank is classy and beautiful. At night you'll see more than enough couples walking hand in hand and it is lit up to perfection to set a romantic mood. The grills in Southbank are very sheik with their metallic look and bright blue lighting underneath. The wheel of Brisbane lights up at night and overlooks the entire city. Also within Southbank is the Brisbane Beach. Man made and with pool water for anyone who likes a more clean day out in the sun. It is beautiful with white sand a clear water and extends out to the bank right before the river begins and the city is its background view on the horizon. A really cool part of Southbank is its miniature "water park" with fountains that pop from the ground, waterfalls, and sculptures that have water falling and spurting from all angles and cascading down their edges. Only a mere ten minute walk down the river from Southbank are Kangaroo Point Cliffs where we have been mountain climbing. And let me tell you, anyone who thinks it looks easy is absolutely WRONG. My first climb up consisted of my legs shaking uncontrollably, arms completely worthless, and my adrenaline at an all time high. My body strength was no where in shape to climb the 90 degree angle cliffs and my fear of heights didn't help the situation in the least. All in all I loved it by the end of the night, learned how to belay, tie sufficient knots, and had a memorable experience. I never made it to the top (about 3/4 of the way up) but was proud of myself regardless.

The city and surrounding areas are stunning during the day and hold more activities than I have yet had time to do but during the night it changes into a whole new playing field. The night life here in Australia is a bit different than my experiences back home in Austin or Fort Worth. One point being the boys. Not exactly what the majority of us pictured and not well mannered on personal boundaries or taking a hint--NO. Some of the places that we go most often here are the RE, Regatta, Down Under Bar, The Victory, and The Valley. They are all similar except the RE is more of a chill bar that actually holds potential for conversation. The others are all wild and crazy and The Valley is most like 6th Street back in Austin where bar hopping is continuous throughout the night. The biggest downside to Australia's night life (aside from the boys who have earned the name "Creepsters") is that drinks are at least triple the price of any drink in the states. Aside from that, dancing is fun, drinks are tasty, and the friends around me are genuine.

Just outside, Taringa and the city is Mount Coot-tha. It is the Blue Mountains of Brisbane (definitely not as cool though). There are trails to hike up and down and restaurants at the top. Advice: Go at night and have hot chocolate. It's beautiful and the city of Brisbane at night is vast and intriguing. I have been at night and during the day. My night trip was a casual date and my day trip was with a group of friends. During the day we hiked many of the bush walking trails, one being Slaughter Falls. The falls were a disappointment due to the current "drought." But it was fun and we hiked all through the mountain and climbed through the brush. Next time I'd really like to hike the Aboriginal trails.

Last but not least, where I spend the majority of my time in Brisbane is the University of Queensland. Fun Fact: It is the number one University in the country. So I am honored to be able to attend. It is beautiful and reminds me of the castles in Harry Potter. It is huge and consists of huge lecture halls, the Great Court (huge grassy area in the middle of the school to lounge and relax in the sun), shops, restaurants, a gym, tennis courts, a track, pools, and in the back of the school trails that lead to the Brisbane River. Classes are similar to those at UT but most are smaller (UT: about 400 in an average class, Queensland: 100). On campus we have two lakes that have all the Australian birds: ducks, ibises, kookaburras, and in the lake is a hybrid fish that we think is half eel and half snake. There are hundreds of these things that come out of the water when you feed the birds. Also, in the back of campus there is a rainforest that is very pretty and right next to the Green Bridge that crosses over into the city. Here at UQ I am taking 4 classes (equivalent to 18 hours at home): Australia's Terrestrial Environment, Australia's Marine Environment, Australian Art History, and Journalism. All of my classes are really interesting and have a medium work load. My two Australia classes (Terrestrial and Marine) have field trips where we go to various parts of the country and research the environment. We learn all about the country, it's plants, animals, and history. Australian Art History is rather boring for me but has it's ups. My teacher is really cool though and is a constant cheerleader in my training for the half marathon in Melbourne in October. Finally, on campus my favorite thing about the buildings are that they have tiny little head statues that are scattered throughout the archways in the Great Court. They remind me a little bit of Marley from the movie Scrooge. They are all very different but cartoonish and most are comical.

That's a wrap for today but this weekend we are thinking of going to Byron Bay to relax on the beaches and...be prepared...skydive...

We'll see how all that turns out, but if we end up staying it is the Riverfire festival this weekend where there will be limitless fireworks over the city, games, and markets. So either way this weekend should be fun if I can just get through this test and 6 page essay on Sea Cucumbers.

One last note though: Before I came here I watched a Discovery Channel episode with my dad on the Brisbane River and its bullsharks...no one here seems to be as distraught about this as me. Many of my friends go wakeboarding on Sundays. I have yet to try it but may get the courage to at some point. But my first day in the city I got on a CityCat (ferry) and it had a warning article published about the river's "bite" and told all about the bullsharks. There are an average of 500 of them in the river and they are one of the most aggressive sharks. There hasn't been an attack in years...BUT I'm a magnet for disaster.

Welcome to Australia

I have officially been in Australia for six weeks now. The feelings of home sickness come and go but I haven't felt the "culture shock" that UT had advised me to be "inevitable." Australia reminds me so much of the United States...we all speak the same language (just in sexier accents), eat the same food, drive the same cars, have the appearance of the American culture (very diverse), and honestly have the same sense of humor (thank god for the continuing sarcasm). This trip started out with alternate motives to the normal desires to travel, experience a new culture, and be independent...and it has turned into more than I could have hoped for. Australia has brought parts of myself that I thought had lost in the past year. I finally feel like myself again...the feelings of loss and sadness have faded. This trip has been and will be the experience of a lifetime...

So far we have been to the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Stradbroke Island, and Sydney.

Our first excursion to the Gold Coast was an ideal weekend trip that included a group of friends from our home-sweet-home Altitude apartment complex. We went along all the beaches, my favorite being Snapper Rock in Coolangatta. The shops and restaurants were located right along the beaches, perfect for the ideal "car less" international college students. Surfer's Paradise was the ideal tourist spot. It has unlimited activities and an ongoing list of theme parks and entertainment. Our hostel was called Surf N Sun, nice but interesting, and solely fulfilled its purpose as a place to sleep. By nightfall we had enlisted for a "bar crawl." If unaware of what this entails, WELL THEN you will just need to go on one. This particular event had a little under 200 people traveling from bar to bar in a group with the chosen stickers on each person's shirt either being yellow: horny, green: single, or red: in a relationship. Some being clever decided to mix and match to keep the mystery alive. At each bar free drinks of beer or wine were served and various "sex game" competitions were held. Fact: I go to the University of Texas at Austin (number one party school in the nation) and have never blacked out...sooo being in Australia with the drinking age at 18 I decided to make my night most memorable by setting the goal to reach the stage of blackout. Success. So there is no more to say about the antics of the Gold Coast. All in all beautiful, very touristy, and uncountable options of entertainment.

Our second attempt in experiencing the essence of Australia was our trip to the Sunshine Coast. Girls trip only. A group of 6 of us endured the two trains and a bus to get to this oasis of beaches. We stayed in a really cool hostel called Halse Lodge. It had a bar, large sitting areas, a computer lab, and plenty of interesting people to meet. The particular area we stayed in was called Noosa Heads (so far my favorite beach). Unlike Surfer's Paradise it is tranquil and intended to meet the feelings of being in the natural environment. The entire area surrounded the beach and had all of the shops and restaurants all within walking distance of the beach. We ate twice at a pizza place called Zachary's Gourmet Pizza...it was amazing. But advice: do not try to wear flip flops into the bars or clubs because they will NOT let you in--nice shoes and heels only. An early night sleep was on the itinerary for me and an early morning to see the sunrise. The following day had a stunning sunrise over the beach for my three friends and I who braved the early morning. The whole day was filled with eating icecream and sleeping on the beach until our 2:00 bus came to take us back our lovely town of Brisbane.

Stradbroke Island: Specific location was Moreton Bay...
This trip was through our University of Queensland and what an experience it was. Beautiful- YES...fun-need I say more than it was an experience. We went to Moreton Bay for research and that is what we did. It was a three day trip that entailed all 7 of our Altitude brigade all bunking together. I would love to use some enthusiastic description with amazing details from day one, but to be quite frank it was little deserving of the words interesting and utterly miserable. It was absolutely freezing, raining, and we were up to our knees as the high tide came in. Interesting accounted for the moments we saw starfish, sea cucumbers, octopuses, soldier crabs, sting rays, and other various sea animals that we found...miserable accounted for the rest. Day two consisted of the work portion of the weekend. Our group: Me, Frankie, Marc, and Jens. Our topic: Sea Cucumbers. Hypothesis: The greater the distances from the shore then the longer the sea cucumber...our hypothesis turned out to be invalid and our findings proved that the size of the sea cucumbers didn't coincide with it's location (at least 100 meters from the shore). Interesting right? Now only to write a 6 page paper on our findings and research...lovely. Day three consisted of a free for all. We went hiking along the beaches on the north side of the island that were gorgeous! We saw whales on the horizon and explored countless tide pools, laid out, and many got in the water and swam for the afternoon. Basically...the trip had it's ups and downs but forced me to pull out of the other various school trips that were scheduled and book another trip over mid semester break to the WHITSUNDAY ISLANDS (on the Great Barrier Reef) with a few friends.

SYDNEY, Australia...an amazing trip to say the least. About ten of our friends went in a group and stayed in the lovely hostel "Wake Up" while I stayed with my friend who is studying there for the semester (Brynn). The plane ride was just under two hours. When going through the airport there was absolutely no security? We never even showed our passports and we were allowed to bring anything in our carry ons and have as many and as large liquids as we wanted...I guess Australia doesn't have terrorism? My base in Sydney with my friend was just outside the city in a suburb called Coogee. It was so cute and collectic. It was situated right on the beach and was just far enough from the hustle and bustle of the city, had the quiet, tranquil life next to the beach, and close enough to go into the city each day or to bar hop. My first night in Sydney consisted of bar hopping in Coogee with Brynn and her house mates. It was very similar to the Brisbane night scene. The next day we started bright and early and went to the Sydney Opera House, Botanic Gardens, Darling Harbour, and then went out to a bar called "UniPackers" that looked over the harbour. The Opera House was everything we thought it would be and more but the word "majestic" fits best. The Botanic Gardens were very similar to those in Brisbane. It was very open with winding paths throughout the couple miles of unique plants and ponds. But most beautiful was that it wrapped around the outskirts of the harbour and had the Opera House as its background on the horizon. The next day we went to Sydney Tower and Watson Bay. The tower was intriguing on the outside as it was a very skinny base with a huge ball onto where we went to look out over all of Sydney. I had no idea that Sydney was so scattered over the harbour and bays but it was amazing to see everything from the top. After our very touristy morning we took a ferry to Watson Bay due to the fact that all other fairies were grounded from the choppy waves and high winds (we had originally wanted to go to Manly Beach). But Watson turned out to be spectacular! It breath taking cliffs, bushwalking trails, and a cute little harbour of sail boats. We really enjoyed it and marked it as a success in "spontaneity." The next day was favorite of all. We went hiking in the Blue Mountains. The morning started early around 7:00 a.m. and went till ABOUT... 7:00 p.m. We went on a guided tour that took us through the mountains, cliffs, and rainforests. We hiked for hours and saw so many amazing things including: The Three Sisters (a formation of three mountain peaks), wild kangaroos, Wentworth Falls, hiked the Darwin trail, bushwalking up the Furber Steps, explored the hanging swamp, weeping falls, hiked through the temperate rainforest, and rode the world's steepest train up one side of the mountain. We also learned cool facts about the lyrebird...a bird that can mimic absolutely anything! Look it up on YouTube if you don't believe me! And when we were on our hike I spotted one! Glroious! The Blue Mountains are 100% recommended to anyone traveling to Sydney. After our long but perfect day I went out for the night with Sydney John. Need I say more. Our last and final day consisted of a walk along the Sydney Bridge, a relaxing afternoon at Coogee beach, a trip to the Sydney Aquarium, and a nice Subway lunch in Darling Harbour. The Aquarium was very informative and had cool walk ways where you could walk under sharks, stingrays, and various fish, but it was not everything I had hoped for. I plan on going back to Sydney to complete the Bondi run, go to Manly Beach, see the Toronga Zoo, and surf for a relaxed and less touristy weekend.

So far this trip has been a dream...I know when I get back to "the states" (as they call it here) I will look back and think it was all a dream. But for now I am residing in this fantasy at:

Erin Redwine
72/35 Morrow Street
Taringa
QLD 4068
Australia