UC Girl Exploring Oz

Spending a semester in "the lucky country." Yes I do actually have school work as well 😄

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MELBOURNE 🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺

Just in case any of you were wondering, the correct “Aussie” way to pronounce Melbourne is “Melbin”. Weird right? I still don’t think it’s as weird as Cairns being pronounced as “cans” though. Remind me again why I love the Aussie accent so much? 😂

A few weeks ago I got to go to Melbourne. It was kind of a last minute trip but I’m glad I did it! Melbourne was beautiful though quite a bit colder than Sydney because it’s winter 😅

During my trip in Melbourne I got to walk around the whole city and see the iconic graffiti street, tour the Great Ocean Road to see the twelve apostles, visit Philip island to see the penguin parade, and go to a cafe where you pour hot chocolate into a beaker full of fairy floss (cotton candy). I also met several great people along the way who made the trip even better!

Abby xx

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5/9/16

Amanda and I’s 21st birthday at Steve Irwin’s Australia Zoo!!

Little bit late but here’s how Amanda and I spent our 21st birthday 😊 We went to the Australia zoo which out of all the wildlife facilities I’ve visited in Australia, it was definitely the most beautiful. We spent a lot of time with the kangaroos and fed them, saw a baby rhino, giraffes, Tigers, lemurs, wombats, and probably more! And because we were in Queensland I finally got to hold a koala 😁😁 As you can probably tell in the picture, they have a death grip with their claws 😂 It was still extremely adorable and another thing I can cross off my bucket list!

And of course we had to go and get a drink (even though being in Australia 21 didn’t mean anything). We went to the Hard Rock Cafe in Darling Harbor because it is the only place in Australia that I’ve found to make Shirley temples….aka the best drink ever 😋😋

I’m gonna try to catch up with the few blog posts I have left since I leave in 11 days! 😱

Abby xx

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5/6/16

I’ve gotten kind of terrible at keeping up with my blog 😅 sorry about that, but here’s an update!

My second visitor arrived! I picked Amanda up from the airport that morning and the funniest thing happened…we were wearing the same shirt! I had this weird feeling when I got dressed that morning and thought how funny would it be if Amanda was wearing her Maui Nix shirt too 😂 Sometimes we do a lot of weird twin things. Later that afternoon we flew to Brisbane for our birthday weekend!

Our first stop was North Stradbroke Island which I think we both agreed was our favorite. We took a ferry across Moreton bay to get to the island. Then we went to a place on the coast where you could see dolphins and occasionally sharks 😁😁😁 (we only saw Dolphins but still awesome).

Then we went into town and did a coastal walk which was absolutely beautiful. The water was such a pretty teal color.

After that we headed to a hotel where we had lunch with a view of the ocean. We were right by Cylinder Beach so once we finished lunch we walked down and laid out towels out to lay in the sun for a bit.

Our last stop before heading back into the city was Brown lake. It gets its name from its color which is caused by all of the tea leaves that fall into it. It was so calm and the water literally looked like tea.

Abby xx

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I’ve gone to the Blue Mountains three times now so I’ll compile all my trips into one post with some of my favorite pictures 😊

The first time I went was to scenic world with AJ, Chris, and Rose. It was a foggy day but it made the views look very mysterious. We spent the day hiking there which including walking down Giant Stairway and across the valley to the world’s steepest railway. We also rode on the skyway from one side of the valley to the other which was very cool.

The second time I went was a three day trip with my outdoor education class. I was a little nervous at first because I’m not a fan of ‘roughing it’ but it actually wasn’t too bad. I learned a lot about myself on that trip. I knew from seeing a friend’s photos from the trip before mine that there was a point where you could crawl through a small cave. And before going I thought that was something we had to do which really scared me because I’m claustrophobic. However, when I got to that point I decided to give it a try. I was nervous when I got to the end because it got a little smaller but I made it out in one piece! I also learned that it doesn’t matter how much I’ve been working out in the past year, it’s still really difficult to hike up steep hills when you’ve already been walking for 3 hours 😂 it was fun though and I got to meet a lot of great people.

The third time I went was with my sister. I took her to Wentworth Falls because of all the places in the Blue Mountains I had been to, that was my favorite. And not just because there’s a cafe by the train station with the best hot chocolate ever 😉 it took us about a half hour to walk to the lookout from the train station but it was worth it. It was extremely windy that day so when we made it to Wentworth Falls, we were getting sprayed with water 😄 but because it was so windy and basically blowing the waterfall back up, there was a rainbow going down it and it was absolutely beautiful. That was definitely my favorite day at the Blue Mountains.

Abby xxx

Ps. I forgot to mention the best hot chocolate place 😱 It's called Il Postino's and it is seriously the best.

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4/3/16 Oh hey! I went to my favorite place in Sydney again...Watsons Bay! I brought AJ here because I wanted him to see my favorite place in the city and as a bonus, The Gap has amazing views of the ocean, the city skyline, and Manly beach! As per advice from some patrons AJ had at the bar before he left, we went to Doyle's to get their famous fish n chips! (Aka the only kind of fish I will ever eat 😂). And of course since we were only 2 minute walk from one of three (that I know of) Starbucks' in ALL of Sydney I made us stop there 😁 And AJ took a picture of me in my 'natural habitat' 😂 he's not lying...That truly is my home away from home and I miss it. Soo many updates in one day! Keep looking out for more 😊 Abby xx

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3/31/16 Behana Gorge. If I'm being honest I was a little nervous about this day from the moment we decided to do it. I had trouble even climbing the blowup rock wall at my senior after prom 😂 Needless to say, the thought of abseiling down a cliff (ok it was only like 15 meters but still) into water really scared me. But I did it! And it was amazing! Though the water was absolutely freezing when I got into it 😅 So of course I thought abseiling would be the scariest part. Nope. We also had to jump off a rock into water in order to keep going down the gorge. Let's just say this was only my second time rock jumping (the first being at Norris Lake) and it wasn't any easier than the first 😅 Sky diving/bungee jumping is definitely not happening for me (you're welcome mom). One of the best parts was going down this rock slide into what they refer to as the washing machine. You literally slide into the water and the current takes you around the rocks. It was like a natural water slide! After abseiling down a smaller rock face we had a nice lunch and some free time (I sat on the rocks and sunbathed like a crocodile while AJ went back in the cold water 😂). Thanks Behana Days for an awesome day! Abby xx

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3/30/16

Mossman Gorge, Daintree Rainforest, Port Douglas Wildlife Sanctuary, and Cape Tribulation.

The day started with a walk through the Port Douglas Wildlife Sanctuary where you are basically in the animal’s habitats. It’s not like any of the zoos back home. We could walk right next to some sleeping Wallabies and pet/feed the kangaroos. Of course you couldn’t walk next to the crocodile because that just wouldn’t be safe 😜 but it was interesting to see all the animals so close!

Though we couldn’t swim in the water, I really enjoyed Cape Tribulation, it was absolutely beautiful! I stuck my toes in the water and it was probably the warmest ocean water I have felt in a very long time! Such a peaceful beach!

Up next is my exciting first time abseiling!

Abby xx

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3/29/19

Almost a month late but I’m blaming it on the fact that my laptop won’t let me edit the GoPro videos I got while scuba diving 😒

On AJ and I’s third day in Cairns we went scuba diving and snorkeling with Tusa Dive. Personally, it was my favorite part of the whole trip.

I was pretty excited to go scuba diving since I never had before. AJ and I were the first group to go and once we were geared up we hit the water. We had to hold onto a rope so the instructor could test each of us and make sure we knew the three most important things while we were under water. For this we only went under water about a foot and looking down to the bottom of the ocean really freaked me out. I had to remind myself to stay calm while I was breathing heavily. I thought that I wasn’t going to be able to continue because I was having a mini panic attack but once the group was ready to go I said I was fine and started the decent. To my surprise it actually got easier to calm my breathing the further we went from the surface! Unfortunately they don’t allow you to bring your GoPro on your first dive but it was still absolutely amazing! We got to swim around for about 25 minutes during which I apparently missed seeing a sea turtle 😑 but I did see Nemo!!

After our first dive, we switched to snorkel gear and went back in the water. We saw so many rainbow colored fish and I loved it because the colors were so beautiful!! We snorkeled for a while and even saw a reef shark sleeping at the ocean floor (don’t worry mom, they said you’d have to stick your arm in its mouth and provoke it and it still might not even bite you 😜) We snorkeled until I swear (even though AJ doesn’t believe me) a jellyfish stung my hand. I thought there was a hair caught in my fingers so I shook it and felt the sting so I looked and saw a long blue tentacle and shook it more until it was gone. We got back on the boat and my fingers were a little red but after about 10 minutes there was no sign of a jellyfish sting hence why he doesn’t believe me 😅

We had lunch while the boat when to a new dive spot and then AJ and I went back in and this time I had my GoPro and we got to dive for about 35 minutes. Scuba diving is honestly the most fun thing I have ever done. I absolutely loved it and I hope I get the chance to do it again sometime!

Up next is the Daintree Rainforest and Cape Tribulation!

Abby xx

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3/28/16

Our first tour in Cairns was of the Atherton Tablelands with Barefoot Tours. We started off at Lake Eacham which is an insanely clear lake in the crater of an extinct volcano. Then we went to Dinner Falls, the water was quite refreshing (it was so cold but we had to jump in for a picture so there was no backing out 😂). Then we stopped at Mchugh lookout which has an absolutely breathtaking view of the Atherton Tablelands. I almost felt like I was back in Germany with what it looked like. After that, we stopped at the famous Milaa Milaa Falls which is used in the herbal essence commercials. Because of this we obviously had to have a lesson in hair flipping which was entertaining. Our last stop was The Crater and Josephine Falls. The Crater is about 58m of foliage and then the water is 75m deep. It was completely still and when our guide Brett dropped a rock down, it took forever to hit the water and when it did it was extremely loud. He guide said the surface tension of the water at that distance was like concrete 😱 Josephine Falls is a little waterfall that makes a natural slide. I’ve always been amazed by waterfalls and one being a slide makes it even better 😄 it was like a smaller version of Slide Rock in Arizona 😊

Abby xxx

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3/26/16 The day finally arrived for my brother AJ to visit me in oz!! Not only did I get him but also a suitcase full of my favorite foods thanks to my mom 😊 After we stopped at my apartment to eat lunch and drop his bags off we headed to Bondi beach. We got some gelato from Gelatissimo (my favorite) and sat on the beach for a few hours. Then we went to Mad Pizza eBar for dinner because I hadn't had any pizza since I left home! It was pretty good but they're all about thin crust in oz and I'm a fan of lots of pizza crust 😋 We had an early morning the next day to catch our flight to Cairns. Even though we kept forgetting, it was Easter and my mom packed us Easter bags that we opened before we left. They were full of lots of candy and for me Reese's chocolate bunny because those are my favorite! Abby xxx

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3/26/16

Last Sunday I went on a field trip to the Royal National Park for my learning in outdoor education class. I have never really gone hiking before so I was pretty optimistic about the trip and even though the rain and wind came at us from every angle for half the hike, I still had a great time! It was an 8k and I never got tired 👊🏼

I am still absolutely amazed that the country just ends with cliffs and it’s ocean as far as the eye can see. It is truly a beautiful country.

We started our hike in Bundeena and ended in Wattamolla. We had lunch on Little Marley Beach when there was somewhat of a lull in the rain. We walked off the beach to find some trees to eat under and it literally felt like I was in a jungle (I was eating a banana too so I’d have fit in with any monkeys 😜).

I’m really looking forward to our Blue Mountain camping trip in a few weeks! For now, I’m headed to Cairns in the morning with AJ!!

Abby xxx

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3/19/16

Very busy Friday but one of the best days I've had since I got here. Even though I had to wake up at 5:45am it was worth it to have breakfast with koalas and a tour of the Wild Life Sydney Zoo. I got a selfie with a koala, pet a Joey (baby kangaroo ☺️), saw lots of other animals and made some new friends! Though it made me nervous not knowing exactly where to go/how to get there, I once again navigated the city alone and made it where I needed to go (after literally walking in a circle at least three times 😂)! It was a great morning and I was even able to stop at Starbucks by the train station on my way back home!

Later that evening I went to the rugby union game for the Waratahs vs the Highlanders. The game was a lot more intense and exciting than the rugby league game and the Tahs were doing really well towards the end but unfortunately didn't pull off the win. On the way back home some friends and I wanted to finally get a Nutella donut from Donut Time but unfortunately they were closed 😔 So I got chocolate chip gelato instead ☺️ Tomorrow I go on my day hike at the Royal National Park so you'll get another update soon!

Abby xxx

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3/11/16

I’m gonna start with Wednesday because it was a pretty fantastic day. I had been planning to get my nails done at this salon called I Scream Nails which I’ve been following on Instagram for a few years when I got a notification that they were doing nails for free at Central Park mall which I was already planning on going to! So I went to the Glue Store where they were doing nails and looked around for a bit. They had a DJ and they were giving out free ciders?!?!! Like who does that and at a mall??? It was so awesome. Once it was my turn the girl saw my nails (the ombré I had last week) and was amazed ☺️ I asked her about how she got started working there and I’ve actually been painting my nails longer than she has 😅 I got this super cute cheetah print design and I cannot wait to go to their salon next week to get them done again! ❤️ and of course I had to get my chocolate chip and chocolate gelato milkshake while I was there 😏

Today I went lawn bowling at Gladstone Park with my Australian sports class. I wasn’t sure what to expect but it was actually really fun and the place was so chilled and relaxed. We all wore white at my teacher’s request because that’s apparently what you’re supposed to wear lawn bowling (I felt super classy in all white 💁🏼). The game reminds me of one we used to play in my high school French class.

Abby xx

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3/8/16 I have the absolute best mom ever 😊😊 I came home from classes to an email that I had a package waiting for me! And it was full of some of my favorite things!! Special k granola bars, Jif peanut butter, and club crackers because they don't sell them here. She also sent some nail polish which I always love to get and batteries so that I can finally put up my lights! And what would my room be without colorful lights?! After classes today I went to Pitt Street mall with Brittany to find some 'aussie' style clothes to blend in better. I got some great stuff from H&M and I feel like I belong in the 90s but that's the style here and I'm okay with that! 😜 Alright so a couple days ago I went to my first rugby game and in hindsight I should have googled the rules because I was completely lost the whole time 😅 Unfortunately the team I was rooting for (the Sydney Roosters) lost pretty badly. BUT on the bright side, I got to be in the same stadium that One Direction plays at when they come to Sydney ☺️😁 Abby xxx

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3/6/16 I had a very busy but fun day yesterday! It started off early in order to catch the bus but I went to Paddington Market. Makes me miss my farmers market Sunday's with Michele and Mallory but we'll start back up when I get home 😊 Paddington was beautiful. They had a variety of booths including a jewelry one where I'm bought my new ring (the one on my middle finger). I also had lunch there at a Jamaican place and had a bbq grilled chicken burger which was very spicy so I washed it down with a gelato chocolate milkshake 😋😋 Then we went to the Girvan Waugh Randwick Guineas Day race. My first horse race!! It was awesome. The vibe was definitely posh, nothing like any sporting match I've ever been to 😅 but it was great to see all the fashion people wore. We even bet on the last race and my horse placed second so we won a little bit! After that we went to the Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras parade which was amazing. I love the bright colors of the rainbow so of course that was great but the floats were amazing and I loved all the dances each group had. I went straight to bed when I got back because I'd been up for so long 😄 Abby xxx

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3/2/16 First week of classes: ✔️ As requested by my sister and mom, I took a picture of myself for my first day of school (like back in kindergarten 😊) Well on my first day I figured out my schedule was messed up so that on Wednesday if have to miss the second hour of one class in order to attend another. While I still don't have it figured out yet, I am most likely going to have to take a different class 😅 I was afraid that my classes would be far away from each other but they're actually pretty close! I've already spent a lot of time at the library doing homework (and watching Fuller House on Netflix 😜) Along with starting classes this week, I've been planning what my brother AJ and I will be doing over Easter break. So far we're doing a tour of the Daintree Rainforest, scuba diving the Great Barrier Reef, and touring Lake Eacham!! I'm so excited for him to come visit, only a few more weeks! ☺️ Abby xxx

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3/1/16 - Surf Camp Australia - Gerroa, NSW

Finally had the time to put together the best of my GoPro videos from surfing! (Unofrtunately none of my 180s are on it :/ ). I was pleasantly surprised with how well surfing went considering this was my first time in 10 years and second time ever! I can’t wait to go again soon!

Abby xxx