Checking things off my bucket list!
I can't believe that my time in Australia is almost over! We just finished our 4th week here and I've almost crossed everything off my Australia bucket list. Here are a few of my favorite things that I've done so far:
Blue Mountains Hike
During our first week in Australia, we had an excursion to the Blue Mountains for a beautiful hike. I love nature and the outdoors, so starting out my study abroad trip like this was amazing. Everything was so breathtaking; the trees, the waterfalls, the views; everything! I had never seen anything like it before. We had a guide to walk us through the trail and he explained that they are called the Blue Mountains because the eucalyptus gum trees discharge a fine mist of oil from their leaves, and when the sun reflects off of it, they look blue at a distance.
I've been dreaming about going to Australia ever since I was little, so of course one of the things on my bucket list was to see a show at the Opera House! As a group, we went to see an Aboriginal dance performance called Bennelong. It was a moving experience. Not only did I get to visit the Opera House, which is amazing on its own, but I got to learn more about Australian history and culture in a unique way. Visiting here was everything I hoped it would be and more!
I love watching sports at home, so I knew I wanted to visit a stadium in Sydney. A couple friends and I went to an Australian Football League (AFL) game one night. We weren't sure what we were getting ourselves into since AFL is not the same as American football or soccer. But a nice woman sitting next to us at the game explained it to us! The best way I can describe it is that it's a combination of soccer, football, basketball, and volleyball. Each team has 18 players on the field at one time and they try to score in between the 4 posts at the end of the field. They can either get 1 or 6 points depending on which posts they get it between. Everyone at the game had so much spirit for their team; it was a sea of red and white and more enthusiasm than I have ever experienced at an American sports game. The Sydney Swans won 101 to 59 against St. K.F.C.
Those are a few of my favorite things I've experienced in Australia so far, but I still have a few more things to check off my bucket list before I leave next week! Everything has been wonderful and I wouldn't change this experience at all. I still can't believe I'm here in Australia, a place I've always dreamed about visiting, all while studying abroad.
Blue Mountains Hike
During our first week in Australia, we had an excursion to the Blue Mountains for a beautiful hike. I love nature and the outdoors, so starting out my study abroad trip like this was amazing. Everything was so breathtaking; the trees, the waterfalls, the views; everything! I had never seen anything like it before. We had a guide to walk us through the trail and he explained that they are called the Blue Mountains because the eucalyptus gum trees discharge a fine mist of oil from their leaves, and when the sun reflects off of it, they look blue at a distance.
Bondi Beach
During our second week, a majority of us went to Bondi Beach. Even though it's winter here, there were still a decent amount of people in the water! Bondi was especially cool because of the art work surrounding the beach, the shops, and of course, the gorgeous views of the ocean. It was crazy to think that this is the same ocean I always see from California, but now I'm seeing it from the other side of the world. It felt like a little piece of home being at the beach, as it was so similar, yet so different from home.
Show at the Sydney Opera House
Breakfast with koalas
My absolute favorite animal is the koala, so of course it was a must to see one while in Australia! As a group, we signed up to eat breakfast with the koalas at Wild Life Sydney Zoo. As a part of the package, we got to explore the full zoo, get breakfast, and take a picture inside the koala enclosure. I was beyond excited when it was my turn! It took everything I had to not steal the koala and take it home with me haha! I also got to get up close to kangaroos when we were walking the zoo. They are very friendly animals, so we were able to walk right through their enclosure and pet them. One even gave me a kiss! I knew I'd get to see some exotic animals while here in Australia, but I never dreamed that I would be able to get this close to them! Finally being near a koala and getting a kiss from a kangaroo will always be one of my favorite parts of this trip.
My absolute favorite animal is the koala, so of course it was a must to see one while in Australia! As a group, we signed up to eat breakfast with the koalas at Wild Life Sydney Zoo. As a part of the package, we got to explore the full zoo, get breakfast, and take a picture inside the koala enclosure. I was beyond excited when it was my turn! It took everything I had to not steal the koala and take it home with me haha! I also got to get up close to kangaroos when we were walking the zoo. They are very friendly animals, so we were able to walk right through their enclosure and pet them. One even gave me a kiss! I knew I'd get to see some exotic animals while here in Australia, but I never dreamed that I would be able to get this close to them! Finally being near a koala and getting a kiss from a kangaroo will always be one of my favorite parts of this trip.
AFL Game
I love watching sports at home, so I knew I wanted to visit a stadium in Sydney. A couple friends and I went to an Australian Football League (AFL) game one night. We weren't sure what we were getting ourselves into since AFL is not the same as American football or soccer. But a nice woman sitting next to us at the game explained it to us! The best way I can describe it is that it's a combination of soccer, football, basketball, and volleyball. Each team has 18 players on the field at one time and they try to score in between the 4 posts at the end of the field. They can either get 1 or 6 points depending on which posts they get it between. Everyone at the game had so much spirit for their team; it was a sea of red and white and more enthusiasm than I have ever experienced at an American sports game. The Sydney Swans won 101 to 59 against St. K.F.C.
Those are a few of my favorite things I've experienced in Australia so far, but I still have a few more things to check off my bucket list before I leave next week! Everything has been wonderful and I wouldn't change this experience at all. I still can't believe I'm here in Australia, a place I've always dreamed about visiting, all while studying abroad.
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