Website: http://www.aqwa.com.au/
SHARKS! duh-da duh-da duh-da...
Australian words for the week
Chewy -> Gum
Sunday, April 26, 2009
AQWA: Aquarium of Western Australia
AQWA was pretty cool, I went with Angiolina. We did lunch in Hillary's Boat Harbour at The Breakwater which was a pretty nice place, food was good and so was the view and the weather. Then off to AQWA with full stomachs, so many cool things like Cuttlefish, Jellyfish, Salt Water Crocodiles, Nemo (Clown Fish), Tortoises, to mention a few...I'm just going to post a bunch of small pictures because I can't decide..they're all so colourful.
Website: http://www.aqwa.com.au/
SHARKS! duh-da duh-da duh-da...
Slideshow of all photos...
Australian words for the week
Website: http://www.aqwa.com.au/
SHARKS! duh-da duh-da duh-da...
Australian words for the week
Sydney! Blue Mountains
We went to the Blue Mountains on April 18th, it is a day trip from Sydney which started bright and early. Their was lots of hiking involved but the views were pretty awesome. Got to see some Kangaroos, eat some meat pies and see the famous Three Sisters.
Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Sisters_(Australia)
A kangaroo chewin' on grass...If it wasn't obvious.
Some bush and dirt.
You NEED to zoom in on this. This was a HUGE ant.
A cool flower..I thought.
The famous Three Sisters...
The Aboriginal dream-time legend has it that three sisters, 'Meehni', 'Wimlah' and Gunnedoo' lived in the Jamison Valley as members of the Katoomba tribe.
These beautiful young ladies had fallen in love with three brothers from the Nepean tribe, yet tribal law forbade them to marry.
The brothers were not happy to accept this law and so decided to use force to capture the three sisters causing a major tribal battle.
As the lives of the three sisters were seriously in danger, a witchdoctor from the Katoomba tribe took it upon himself to turn the three sisters into stone to protect them from any harm. While he had intended to reverse the spell when the battle was over, the witchdoctor himself was killed. As only he could reverse the spell to return the ladies to their former beauty, the sisters remain in their magnificent rock formation as a reminder of this battle for generations to come.
Funny enough, they are eroding as I write this and will eventually be gone...
Slideshow of all photos...
Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Sisters_(Australia)
A kangaroo chewin' on grass...If it wasn't obvious.
Some bush and dirt.
You NEED to zoom in on this. This was a HUGE ant.
A cool flower..I thought.
The famous Three Sisters...
The Aboriginal dream-time legend has it that three sisters, 'Meehni', 'Wimlah' and Gunnedoo' lived in the Jamison Valley as members of the Katoomba tribe.
These beautiful young ladies had fallen in love with three brothers from the Nepean tribe, yet tribal law forbade them to marry.
The brothers were not happy to accept this law and so decided to use force to capture the three sisters causing a major tribal battle.
As the lives of the three sisters were seriously in danger, a witchdoctor from the Katoomba tribe took it upon himself to turn the three sisters into stone to protect them from any harm. While he had intended to reverse the spell when the battle was over, the witchdoctor himself was killed. As only he could reverse the spell to return the ladies to their former beauty, the sisters remain in their magnificent rock formation as a reminder of this battle for generations to come.
Funny enough, they are eroding as I write this and will eventually be gone...
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Sydney!
Sydney is the largest city in Australia. It has a population of 4.34 million and covers 12,145 km2. It is 3970km from Perth where I am studying. Sydney is the 15th most expensive city to live in the world. I wasn't as impressed as I thought I would be, I actually liked Melbourne a lot more. Don't get me wrong, Sydney does have it's features, but it felt like a really big city, everything was very busy and the transit system is very dirty. Maybe I'm just being spoiled in Perth.
The first night I got a really bad taste of Sydney, some aboriginal was pretty rude along with the transit worker who couldn't speak loud enough because his chin was in the way. We met up with our flatmates and Anand's peeps and that improved the situation.
Website: http://www.sydney.com.au/
Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sydney
Kangaroo! You eat it rare or else it's too chewy. Pretty tough meat. I would pick an Alberta Steak over it anyday! I Love Alberta Beef!
The first night I got a really bad taste of Sydney, some aboriginal was pretty rude along with the transit worker who couldn't speak loud enough because his chin was in the way. We met up with our flatmates and Anand's peeps and that improved the situation.
Website: http://www.sydney.com.au/
Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sydney
We stayed at the Wake Up! Sydney Central hostel. We got a 2 bed room for Anand and I to share, it was fine but I think I'm over the age of hosteling it. Even though we had our own room the atmosphere just wasn't for me, not to mention that I think the place was suffering from a mold problem or something like that. I guess you get what you pay for. Hotel next time!
The morning after we arrived we did the Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb! It was pretty awesome. It was opened in 1932 and weighs 39,000 tons. It's span is 1,650 feet and the summit is 440 feet above mean sea level. It didn't feel that high but we were secured to the bridge and there were stairs. The view was amazing. We couldn't take cameras up, so this is the only photo we have - the rest is memories.
The Sydney Harbour Bridge at night from the Circular Quay. Notice the lights out? They've been like that for over a month.
Janina, Me and Anika checking out the Opera House.
The Opera House!
Our shadows on the Opera House!
A pool of water at Darling Harbour, the city in its reflection.
Darling Harbour!
View from Swetta's balcony in Bondi Junction. We stayed with her for the weekend, thank GOD. I had enough of that hostel by then.
Ribs at Hurricaines Grill & Bar in Darling Harbour. I highly recommend them.
Anika and I at Bungalo 8 where we tried to all go clubbing. Anand didn't get in. We weren't there long but it was fun!
Kangaroo! You eat it rare or else it's too chewy. Pretty tough meat. I would pick an Alberta Steak over it anyday! I Love Alberta Beef!Slideshow of all photos...
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Sydney! Bondi Beach
I didn't get a chance to fight any sharks at the famous Bondi Beach, but it was a decent day. A bit windy, but what can you do. I can tell why it's so popular for surfing, as well as shark attacks..if I was a shark I would look for food there too.
About Bondi Beach
It is about one kilometre long and receives many visitors throughout the year. Surf Life Saving Australia has given different hazard ratings to Bondi Beach in 2004. While the northern end has been rated a gentle 4 (with 10 as the most hazardous), the southern side is rated as a 7 due to a famous rip current known as the "Backpackers' Express" because of its proximity to the bus stop, and the unwillingness of tourists to walk the length of the beach to safer swimming - such as us...
The south end of the beach is generally reserved for surfboard riding...oops. Yellow and red flags define safe swimming areas, and you are advised to swim between them.
There is an underwater shark net shared, during the summer months, with other beaches along the southern part of the coast.
On average, each year, Lifeguards rescue about 2,500 people and they even have their own television show in Australia!
Website: http://www.bondibeach.com/
Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bondi_Beach,_New_South_Wales
Slideshow of all photos...
Australian words for the week
About Bondi Beach
It is about one kilometre long and receives many visitors throughout the year. Surf Life Saving Australia has given different hazard ratings to Bondi Beach in 2004. While the northern end has been rated a gentle 4 (with 10 as the most hazardous), the southern side is rated as a 7 due to a famous rip current known as the "Backpackers' Express" because of its proximity to the bus stop, and the unwillingness of tourists to walk the length of the beach to safer swimming - such as us...
The south end of the beach is generally reserved for surfboard riding...oops. Yellow and red flags define safe swimming areas, and you are advised to swim between them.
There is an underwater shark net shared, during the summer months, with other beaches along the southern part of the coast.
On average, each year, Lifeguards rescue about 2,500 people and they even have their own television show in Australia!
Website: http://www.bondibeach.com/
Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bondi_Beach,_New_South_Wales
Oh! I did read the sign...
Me with the beach in the background...I had to state the obvious.
Me with graffiti that resembles me..well atleast the colour of shirt I was wearing.
The south end of the beach with Icebergs hotel in the distance.
Slideshow of all photos...
Australian words for the week
BTF -> Between The Flags..is where the lifeguards will save you.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Melbourne! Great Ocean Road & The Twelve Apostles
This place was amazing! The drive was about 3.5 hours from Melbourne with a stop in Apollo Bay for lunch. The views along the Great Ocean Road are amazing.. so many nice beaches and cliffs to stop and take in the scenery. There are a ton of photos in the slide show, as well as some cool videos.
Website: http://www.greatoceanrd.org.au
Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Twelve_Apostles_(Victoria)
How they were formed
The rock stacks are the temporary remnants of a retreating limestone coastline, under constant attack by the sea. Cliff faces are being eroded at the rate of about two centimetres each year.
Photos
Read the sign..haha
Anand and Falen
What am I doing?!
I'm taking a Helicopter tour at the Twelve Apostles!
There are 3 videos in the slide show of the flight!
View from the air!!! Pictures don't do it justice. Look in the slideshow for more.
146km drive on the Princes Highway to get back
Map
Slideshow of all photos...
Website: http://www.greatoceanrd.org.au
Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Twelve_Apostles_(Victoria)
How they were formed
The rock stacks are the temporary remnants of a retreating limestone coastline, under constant attack by the sea. Cliff faces are being eroded at the rate of about two centimetres each year.
1. Cliff face erosion
Wave action erodes the cliff face,
leaving harder rock as headlands.
leaving harder rock as headlands.
2. Caves & arches
Waves eat away the rock at sea level, forming caves on each side of the headland. The caves eventually meet up, forming an arch.
Waves eat away the rock at sea level, forming caves on each side of the headland. The caves eventually meet up, forming an arch.
3. Stacks formed
Over time the arch collapses into the sea, leaving a rock ‘stack’.
Over time the arch collapses into the sea, leaving a rock ‘stack’.
4. Further undercutting
Further undercutting by waves, and opening up of vertical cracks in the rock by rain and saltwater, gradually reduce the stack to a low platform or reef.
This occurred spectaculary in 2006 making world-wide news.
Further undercutting by waves, and opening up of vertical cracks in the rock by rain and saltwater, gradually reduce the stack to a low platform or reef.
This occurred spectaculary in 2006 making world-wide news.
Photos
One stop along the way to Apollo Bay.
Read the sign..haha
Anand and Falen
What am I doing?!
I'm taking a Helicopter tour at the Twelve Apostles!
There are 3 videos in the slide show of the flight!
View from the air!!! Pictures don't do it justice. Look in the slideshow for more.
146km drive on the Princes Highway to get back
Slideshow of all photos...
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