Study Abroad Blogs – 2010 – September

I had an amazing day yesterday going to the Great Ocean Road. I even got my wish to go with Australians. Unfortunately I didn’t see any kangaroos; just a lot of road signs warning of kangaroos. I did see breath taking views of the ocean and coast. The road through the forest and along the ocean felt like a roller coaster at times with all of them turns.

I woke up very early at six to get to Footscray Station where I caught a V-line train for the first time. The seats were much better than the Metro trains. I got my first real look at the Australian countryside while on the train. Australia is very flat and you can see very far into the distance.

I got off at Melton station where I met up with Jo and Cassie. We all got into Cassie’s boyfriend’s rather attractive slightly-off-gold coloured car. It feels a bit weird sitting on the left in a car and not being in the driver’s seat. I also had to restrain myself when we were making right hand turns because it feels like you are turning into oncoming traffic.

The first stop on the Great Ocean Road Trip was Torquay to check out the surf community. I will be going back next weekend hopefully to go surfing for the first time. I went to a Rip Curl shop and then to a Quicksilver shop. I bought two quicksilver shirts; one of which I’m wearing as I write this post. Expect to see these shirts in future posts photos.

We went to the beach where I took my first swim in Australia. It was freezing. There were some people surfing at the beach. I was very jealous but we didn’t have time for a surf lesson.

Our first big stop was at the Otway Fly in the Great Otway National Park. Below is a photo of me on one of the walkways high up in the trees, the photo is taken from a taller lookout.

We were walking through the forest when a pair of velociraptors surprised us…they looked like velociraptors anyway. I think they were more scared of us than we were of them.

The last stop was The Twelve Apostles. There’s not much I can say other than it’s a stunning sight.

We only got lost once; which was on our way driving back. Instead of ending up back a Melton station we went to Werribee Station. It all worked out in the end.

So I have been without internet for a while now, and let me tell you, it feels pretty good to not rely on technology once and a while. For the last four days I have been traveling Italy with my Siena Italian Studies group to Pisa, Viareggio, La Spezia and the Cinque Terre, and finally Lucca. Mostly we just walked until our bodies couldn’t take it anymore and then ate until our stomachs were more than fully satisfied. The food was incredible, and I’m pretty sure we were supplied food or a hundred instead of thirty.

In Pisa, of course, we saw the leaning tower- and yes, it does look the same as it does in postcards. Except a bit more real and a bit more surreal at the same time. Apparently not that long ago, the town made an attempt to stabilize the bottom by putting heave weights on one side and inserting cement into the base. As the tower is built on sand and as underneath that sand there is water- the plan didn’t really work and there was a mandatory evacuation of all surrounding houses just in case of collapse. Now, and again, the tower is stable- but it is also still leaning.

La Spezia and the Cinque Terra was my favorite part of the trip. We began by walking the “Via del Amore” trail which runs along the coast and has the most amazing view. The walk itself was not far, but with the amount of times we stopped in awe, I am sure we were there for at least an hour. After this less intense hike, a few other students and I decided to take the train to Vernazza to try out another path. It turned out to be the most “real” hike I have ever been on- there were little to no railings to protect you from falling hundreds of feet into the oceany/mountainy abyss. We even were forced to traverse across a waterfall- and by forced I mean were really excited to see if we could survive the current. The air was incredible on the mountain- I actually felt healthier just being up there. I am starting to realize why Italians are known for living “La Vita Bella.” With the unavoidable exercise that comes with walking the hilly streets of Siena, with the inevitable digestive health that comes with eating only organic food, and with the promise of beautiful scenery wherever I go, I am starting to loose my American need for efficiency and opt for a more relaxed and more enjoyable way of life.

Via Del Amore

Great Ocean Road

Via Del Amore e La Vita Bella