Tassie- Day Two

Day 2

Day Two began early with the express intention of getting as far away from the Picked Frog as possible. Unfortunately, I had to order coffee, then there were no take away cups... so I had to chug my latte after it took the guy/hippie half an hour to make it... Anyway, I was just excited to be able to get coffee in the morning. Not having it would not have been good for my traveling companions.
Day Two... what did we do on day two? Oh yes. We had grand plans to drive to Lake St. Claire and the Cradle Mountains. Well, someone (might have been me...) misread the map, and was unable to read the travel guide (because I don't speak or read French) so we ended up at the Cradle Mountains and Lake St. Claire, but not at THE cradle mountain.
Things worked out fine, however, as we walked along some of the trains and observed the trees and various garbage birds who had eaten too much to fly. We then decided to go to Stahan to stay the night. Stahan appeared to be (on the map and in the travel guide) a good-sized town, which was good, because it was a Friday night, and hey, Friday nights in Australia mean drinking. Who am I kidding? Any night in Australia means drinking!
So we arrived to find Strahan, blinked, and lost it again. Yup, the map lied. Apparently, in Tasmania, towns with big dots on the map mean places where more than 500 people live. Stahan: Population 800. Not much for a night life, that's for sure.
We arrived in Stahan early, probably around two o'clock in the afternoon and headed to the beach. I was a bit hesitant to go to the beach, as the temperature was about, oh, maybe FREEZING! But Baptiste wanted to go. And I still felt extremely bad about the whole Cradle Mountain mis-reading thing, that I was like "okay". Besides, what else were we going to do in Stahan? Really.
So we went to Ocean Beach, a 33 km. beach along the west coast of Tasmania, and the most perfect beach in the entire world, I'm convinced of it. I don't know how to describe it... it was just peaceful. Quiet. Fairly un-touched and un-commercialized. It was the kind of place where one could just exist and not have to be anything beyond what they were just then. At that moment. No future. No past.
Perhaps I'm romanticizing it just a little bit. We went and got beer, which was the next logical step and drove back to the beach to watch the sunset. So we sat for a few hours, just drinking beer, not really talking, watching the waves roll in and just... being, I guess.
Dinner was at a fish place on the bay. The great thing about Tas is that no matter where you are, the seafood is fresh. I ordered Fish and Chips, as I was starving for a large quantity of grease and had a hankering for a clogged artery. Anyway, we're sitting there, talking about something, completely exhausted, and suddenly there's a bit of a disturbance at the next table. An elderly gentleman has suddenly lost consciousness and vomitted everywhere. I felt obligated, as there was no one else, to go and see if I could assist the man's wife and cousin (found that out later). I reasoned if it were a true emergency, I was competent enough to manage the situation. Or at least help. Put the man in the recovery position, or whatever needed to be done. Fortunately, such measures were unnecessary, as he regained consciousness, was mentally coherent, etc. and the ambulance showed up.
After that bit of excitement, we went back to our cabin, a small two room sort of trailer behind the local grocery store/petrol station/restaurant/hotel. Seriously, it was that kind of a place. Complete with the woman without three teeth working and air that smelled faintly of old grease and tobacco. The kind of place that was depressing in every way, that artists and extreme optimists would say had "character".
Baptiste and I were just glad to have TV (something to do after it got dark outside) and Loriane wanted to do schoolwork, clearly defeating the purpose of vacation. So Baptiste and I watched "I am Sam"; I made it through without crying. How proud are you? And then we crashed for the night, planning to get up and go early the next morning to the ACTUAL Cradle Mountain, then head to Launceston.

I can't upload any of the pics of the Perfect Beach, but I will work on it!
Cheers!

Tassie- Day 1 (finally)

Tasmania
The Wilderness State

Photo disclaimer: I did NOT wear the exact same thing every day. The weather was slightly colder than anticipated, which is why I am always wearing my "jumper" (sweatshirt). I did, in fact, change my clothes.
Background Info:
I decided about a month ago I wanted to travel somewhere during intersession break. I was not particular about Where I wanted to go, the main criteria for determining the location of my travel being the cost of the plane ticket. My friend, Baptiste, is as addicted to traveling as I am, found plane tickets to Hobart, Tasmania, for $138.00 round trip... so I said, "Hell, why not?"
We later invited our friend, Loriane (also French) to accompany us. I think we invited other people to discount the cost of the car (more people=less money for each) and to dispel any awkwardness that may arise from being a single guy traveling with a girl. But anyway. I'm getting off track...

Day 1
Our plane left at an ungodly hour, which is probably why the tickets were so inexpensive. To put it into perspective, i think that any hour before noon can be considered ungodly. Thus, even if the flight was supposed to depart at 11:59 a.m., I would have considered it too early. On the plus side, we decided to fly out early so we could have more time in Tas to explore before flying home. I live an hour outside the city and we had to be at the airport and check in half an hour prior to departure; therefore, I was up at 5:30 a.m. (!!!!) in order to meet Baptiste adn Loriane for the 20 minute walk to the train station at 6:30, catch the train at 7:00, and arrive at the airport at eight, check-in and fly out at 8:40 a.m. So it was a bit of an early morning.
The flight was uneventful. Shocking, I know. You'd expect a two hour flight from Sydney to Hobart to contain something wonderful... but it didn't.
We arrived in Hobart, claimed our luggage and picked up our rental car, a new-ish Hyundai Accent. We would eventually name him Henry and he would become our constant companion and friend. *Sigh* how I miss him!
We drove immediately to Hasting Cave, just south of Hobart. Hastings Cave is one of several large caves located in Tasmania,reputed to among the largest and best in the world. Unfortunately, they failed to impress me. Although the cave formations were beautiful and amazing, the tour was less than stellar. Instead of providing useful information about anything, the woman just walked us up and down slick stairs. I took pictures anyway, like a good tourist.
We drove back to Hobart to find a place to stay. It's been getting dark earlier and earlier, so by 5:30 p.m., we were driving in the dark. I was in the backseat, completely and happily oblivious to what was going on in the front seat. My apathy was spurred along by the fact they were speaking French. Turns out Loriane is not the best at giving directions. Every time I looked out the window, we were on the same street, but I could ahve sworn we'd been driving, making turns, etc. Ah well.
We finally found a hostel. But being so ridiculously tired, we took the room without seeing them first. THIS IS NOT A GOOD IDEA!!!! The Pickled Frog (we didn't get a clue from the name) was a little on the old and dirty side. The floors slanted, the showers were beyond scary (internal shudder.) And we shared a room with three people we didn't know. Not such a big deal, except when someone snores. Loudly. All night.

Going to Tasmania

Hey everyone!

Just a quick note, as it is late and I have to be up in about four hours so I can get ready to go!

I am going to Tasmania for five days to do a bit of touring. More on that when I have time and get back! (Monday, April 30)

Cheers!

Virginia Tech

VIRGINIA TECH SHOOTINGS AND (A BIT) ON AUSTRALIAN FIREARM POLICY
The recent shootings at Virginia Tech have caused at of questions to be raised as to the prudency and wisdom of America’s gun laws, as well as questions regarding previous shootings, especially Columbine. Australian gun laws are very strict compared to those of the United States. Basically, it’s extremely difficult to get a gun; the general populous does not have access to firearms and most Australians do not view this as an infringement on their rights. As I understand it, Australians believe that their gun laws make Australia a safer place to live, decreasing crime rates and incidences of violent crimes, including murder and robbery. The overall safety of their nation is more important than their right to bear arms.

However, it is important to understand that the right to bear arms is NOT part of their constitution. The ability to purchase, own, and carry firearms is NOT an ingrained part of their culture, constitution and way of life, as it is in America. Despite all of the evidence supporting stricter gun laws in the States, the basic argument is that people are concerned that removing or limiting their 2nd Amendment rights will lead to restrictions of other rights. Whether this is the case, or if America truly has an addiction to violence and the need for control in the form of guns, is unclear.

According to my Calfiornian friend, if no one (with the exception of law enforcement and the military) had guns, it would be a good thing. Her opinions differs greatly from mine due largely to our cultural backgrounds. In Montana, guns are an ingrained part of our heritage and lifestyle. Taking them away would destroy a large part of our culture. Theoretically, anyway. Without guns, we would lose one of our largest outdoor activities, hunting. If you want to look at it from an economic point of view, removing guns and therefore hunting would also decrease the amount of money the state makes annually in tourism and hunting fees. Because (most) Montanans have been raised around guns, gun safety is a large part of our education. We are well-equipped to handle and use guns in a safe and competent manner. Accidents happen when people do not follow basic gun safety guidelines, like pointing the gun at someone or failing to make sure the gun is unloaded before transporting.

However, as previously stated, the major issue surrounding gun control is infringement of our Second Amendment rights. Should anyone be able to get a gun? Does everyone really have that right? Clearly, due to current gun laws, there are limitations on who can own firearms and what kin of firearms they can own. Unfortunately, it’s difficult for the Federal Government to pass laws governing firearms because the need and use of firearms is so varied across the United States. Alaska and California both have a “need” for guns for protection; in Alasksa, the protection is from animals and in California, the protection is needed from other people.

It’s interesting to attempt to research how violent crime rates in the United States and Australia compare. Although it’s apparent crimes involving guns are hugely more frequent in the U.S., it is not clear what the differences in violent crimes actually are. Does having no guns actually decrease the probability of being a victim of a violent crime? So Australians don’t have guns. Does this mean the chances of getting stabbed or mugged increase or decrease? Is there no direct correlation?

Although I am from an area of the U.S. where gun use and ownership is common, events like the Virginia Tech shooting bring to light the dangers and possible lack of prudence in allowing civilians to own guns. I am of the opinion that if the government were to impose stricter gun laws, it may decrease the incidence rate of spontaneous acts of violence involving guns, but would have little to no effect on the rates related to premeditated crime (including murder, armed robbery, etc.) If someone really wants to get a gun, they will find a way. I am willing to assume significant proportion of guns are obtained illegally anyway. What would stricter guns laws change?

Group Work

G'day everyone!
Technically, it's morning here...which means I should be in bed. But seeing as I have a HUGE project due tomorrow (worth 40% of my final grade) and one partner in the group decided to wank off and not do her part... I am still awake, trying to fix things so I don't fail. That's the worst part about group work. There's always that one person who doesn't do their part, creating more stress and work for the other group members.

Anyway.

A quick update on my life from the last week. xa

I haven't done anything but study. naturally, that's an exaggerated statement meant to make me sound studious and motivated. It's mostly true. I have been doing a lot of uni work (homework) because this week is midterms. Essentially. Of course, all the test and projects aren't actually called midterms, but that's what it amounts to. So I'm totally stressing. It's okay tho.

This week I plan to look for a job. There is a shopping center about fifteen minutes walk away, so I'm thinking I wil apply to several stores there. It's hard to say who is hiring right now, especially since I'm only allowed (by teh Australian government) to work 20 hours a week, and I have no experience in healthcare. There are a few semi-local hospitals hiring, but it is very difficult for me to get places, as I don't have a car and public transportation kinda sucks. It's nice that there IS public trans. but it is unreliable and often only gets you part way to your destination; the trains are very slow. So it's impractical for me to continue working in healthcare when I can work somewhere closer.

Wages for working here are significantly higher than in the U.S., as is the cost of living. Assumably, they are porportional. For example, I pay $149 AUD per week in rent, while in the U.S. I paid $180 a month. However, I was only making $11.00/hr, where the base wage for most jobs here is somewhere around $14.00/hr. The "base wage" for jobs includes jobs like McDOnalds, or retail at one of the shops. I would really like to work at a coffee shop, as there are several at Macarthur Square, including the very American Starbucks, but as is the case with most college towns, many positions are filled immediately following the commencement of university in the autumn.

As an interesting note, the term "Fall" used in reference to a season is very American. The rest of the English-speaking world refers to the season following summer as "Autumn."

I will detail my fun-filled weekend at some later point, probably when I am not supposed to be preparing a massive presentation. Last weekend invovled the World's Scariest Club and a trip to the beach. Actually, that's all there is to the beach story, but the world's sketch-iest club, 209, deserves a blog of it's own!

Good on ya, mates!

Where I live!

This is where I live! This is my room, from the doorway. there is a bathroom directly to the right... Actually, it's the biggest room on residence. Probably because it's totally wheelchair accessible.

And this is the living room... where we all hang out and watch really fun Aussie TV. Big on game shows here. And swimming. I've had to watch a lot of swimming...and Pirates of the Carribbean (They're watching it right now- again)

And the kitchen. Can't be bothered to figure out how to get the image rotated, so I guess you'll just have to move your necks around a bit to have a look!

I'm Done with Randoms

Sure, it's fun to have guys around... to feel attractive because there is more than one guy interested... but I'm not really that girl. I can't just flit from guy to guy and "have fun." Let's face it: If I weren't so relationship phobic, I would be a relationship-only girl. In fact, I'm thinking about taking that leap anyway.

Tim wants to date me. And to be honest, I kind of want to date him. As in "bf/gf". I know. Weird. Amber, if you're reading this you should be solidly freaked out. What the hell is happening to me?!!! Relationships? You must be joking... but I'm not.

I also can't get past the idea of feeling like it's not fair to any of the guys to be seeing or dating or whatever you want to call it all of them at the same time. They really all are very nice buys, and I don't believe anyone deserves to be played. Which is wehre I'm heading, if I continue to see all of them. So I've decided I'm going to jump and give Tim a chance. If it doesn't work out, i will be hurt and it will suck, but it's a risk I (eventually) have to be willing to take.

So we'll see how it goes. I'm really dreading having to tell Brett that I can't see him anymore as anything other than friends (yes, I probably will use this line). And, unfortunately, I have to do it today, because he wants me to meet up with him in the city, something I can't afford to do, monetarily and I won't risk losing Tim. If Tim found out I was "dating' other guys, he would be gone, I have no doubt about it. And I don't want him to go.

So there it is. My confession. I'm letting go of Randoms and sticking with a Particular. FYI- if people are not randoms, they are particulars. And Tim is becoming a Particular.

No worries, though! I won't fall in love. I don't fall in love. Love is like a four-letter word. It just shouldn't be said unless you really really mean it. And I'm not sure I'll ever mean it. But that's a whole different story/psychological self-evaluation through blogging!

Hope everyone is well and thanks for stopping by!

Harbour Cruise and Random Key

Last night I went on the Harbour Cruise, an event planned by the University. Basically, a ton of people got on a boat, drank a ton of alcohol and danced as the boat moved around the Harbout. Honestly, I forgot to look out the window, so I'm not sure if it was even a good view. But it was fun... I keep spending way too much money, especially on taxis to get home... although last night it wasn't my fault. Really. I trusted a friend to help me get home, and he did, but it ended up costing me about $100 (AUD) to catch a cab from where the last train stopped.

Anyway, as usual, things got interesting due to a Random. And, Madeline, no, they do actually have names; I'm just writing them to try and protect their identities. And in case anyone who knows them might actually be reading this! (Check the end of this blog- I'll put in a key.) The Random from last night was actually a reoccurring random. Two (or three?) weeks ago I went to the Roxy in Parramatta, where i met two randoms, Randoms #2 and #3. Random #2 I've seen since then... and Random #3 turned up last night. Weird huh? Well, nothing happened, as far as I'm concerned. We danced (he's a good dancer.) and then he rode the train part way with me and called a cab.

I wasn't originally supposed to take train home, but the boat had to dock early due to a medical emergency, so the bus that was supposed to take us home wasn't due to arrive for another hour. So, given that, I decided to take a train as far as i could before I called a cab. In retrospect, I should have taken the Night Rider and saved myself heaps of money. I know what to do now, I guess. Life goes on. Anyway, Random #3 was very helpful and it's always nice to have someone who knows the city a bit better than I.

Here it goes... the Key to Randoms (with statistics):

Random #1

Brett Hughes, 26 years old. 6'1", about 90 kg. He is a financial analyst for a firm in Sydney. Originally from a farm north and west of here, he has a brother and a sister. He currently lives in Epping, a suburb of Sydney with two roommates.

Random #2

Tom Reid, 19 years old, 6'0", in his second year apprenticeship as a carpenter. He lives near Parramatta, which is about an hour north of Campbelltown. Blonde hair, blue eyes.

Random #3

Robert. About 5'10", brown hair, blue eyes. Obviously, I don't know a lot about him. He's an engineering student at the Penrith campus and in his first year, which means he's probably a bit young... but he's a good dancer. He enjoys playing water polo and drinking.

Random #4

Tim Parker, 22 years old, 6'3" 85 kg. Tim has a degree in Physical Education and will graduate with his second degree (Bachelor of Education) in July. He currently plays soccer for a local club teams, but hopes to pursue a career in soccer. Blonde hair, blue eyes.