due to the problems with this website i have reloaded all the photos on the new website,
http://sklar.shutterfly.com
it is much easier to manage. i will be posting my pictures on there for now. hopefully this won’t cause problems!! let me know if you are having trouble.
New Zealand was absolutely unbelievable!!! I had a fabulous time… I am going to post two links. The first is the itinerary for what we did. The second link is a link to another website I created for you guys to more easily view the pictures. I heard that going through the pictures on this blog wasn’t very easy, and since i took almost a thousand pictures in New Zealand I decided I would post them elsewhere so you guys can flip through way faster! Enjoy!!
http://www.connections.travel/files/documents/7000/27599_JNZ7R-7-Day-Southern-Explorer-Reverse-0910.pdf
http://sklar.shutterfly.com
Saturday to Sunday we took a trip down through the Great Ocean Road which was absolutely spectacular and by far the most striking thing I have seen in my life. We started out at a beach and got surfing lessons as a large group. We were given wet suits and boards and practiced on the beach in groups of six. Then we went out for about two hours and tried to catch waves. I was able to get on my knees but couldn’t stand up because it is so hard!! After surfing we ate lunch on the beach, and got back on the bus and went through the beautiful drive around the ocean which looks like its taken from a movie. It was a long windy, road with a cliff just over the edge with oceans, hills, farms, and animals. We stopped along the way to take pictures of scenic overlooks. After this, we ate dinner in Apollo Bay where our hostels were. We sat on the beach and went to a lounge to socialize. The next morning we ate breakfast at the hostel and drove to see the twelve apostles in Port Campbell, along with a Gorge, and others. It was so much fun and was
one of the most amazing experiences I have had.
On Friday we took a day field trip to the Botanical Gardens in the city. We first arrived at a shrine and memorial commemorating soldiers from WWI. Afterwards, we had an aboriginal tour guide who discussed their culture, along with guiding us through the gardens explaining the plants and animals significance in Australia. We also sat in a circle and had a ceremony much like the kind the aboriginal tribes have. I learned much more than I expected about Aboriginal culture, and of course it was such a peaceful walk.
My friends have some fun pictures of us that I’m putting on here so I can keep them documented!
Two nights ago, a few of my friends were up in the loft watching a movie and we felt the room shake. It was as though there were an intense thunderstorm- which there wasn’t. It lasted 15 seconds or so and we ignored and forgot about it after it passed. We came to find out the next day it was an Earthquake that hit a 4.6 on the Richter scale! There were no injuries or damages, but we did feel it.
Last night we went to the Crown Casino in the middle of the city. It was beautiful – similar to MGM Grand in Foxwoods. Many shops, restaurants and slots. I have some pictures of the casino – the king sized crabs, and the city at night. Enjoy!
Here are a few pictures with friends and things that I have to add. The croc pictures are here too!
Classes have finally begun! The first class I had, was my “exploring contemporary Australia” class. It was considered a big lecture but compared to Buffalo– quite small. It seems like a great class. You learn about some history and current events about the nation, as well as field trips with the group to explore some nearby cultural landmarks. The most shocking thing was the professor. He was extremely lively and excited about the class. He began asking us questions on Australian facts and if someone guessed correctly, he rewarded you with a beer!!! He ended up giving out a six pack to kids around the class for getting correct answers. As if I hadn’t known yet – I knew then I was definitely not in America. My other classes seem pretty good, a linguistics class, and a drugs, crime and society class. Both seem interesting, and I still have a psych class on Thursday!
