Dallas was still busy with classes till the end later in the week so he asked if I could come a little later in the week so I decided to do a 3 day trip out to Kangaroo Island.
Kangaroo is a 45 minute ferry ride off of the Fleurieu Penninsula (South Australia). It is a small island most of it being National Park and wildlife. There are a few little towns, they are small like Outback towns except, its not the Outback, it gets cold there! The tour itself was really relaxing, it was focused on wildlife and nature which was awesome. We saw kangaroos, wallabees (they hungout around our cabin), koala's (slept in the gum trees around our cabin), different types of birds, New Zealand Fur seals but, my favourite were the sea lions, they were amazing.
When we went to go see them I thought we were being taken to a sanctuary. We got to the beach and literally before you step a foot onto the sand and take in the sceneray of the ocean with it's rolling waves, with miles of beautful beach all with a backdrop of high cliffs you literally come face to face with hundreds of sea lions. They were everywhere and may I say they had picked when of the best spots. Everywhere I looked there would be groups of them just sprawled out basking in the warm morning sun. Some of the mums were swimming with their pups, other pups cried for their mums, one full grown one actually kept walking up and waking other ones up and walking away to wake up another group. All we did was sit their and watch, I had never seen them before, and to be so close in their actual environment was amazing. I really just wanted to sit their all day and watch them, it was so warm out and I felt so peacful watching them, I was quite disappointed when we had to move on.
We went into caves and hiked to beautiful beaches and sat around a bonfire at night and told ghost stories. "oh look a cricket" says our guide Clancy "I don't know why he is out right now it's not even cricket season. It's footy season!" he was such a jokester, he was always telling corney jokes, and if we were on our bus he would honk the horn twice after the punch line. "Where do bees go use the toilet? The BP station!!" Honk honk.
Even though I had slept in swag the week before I really wasn't up for it, it was quite cold and there was no fire. Two of the other girls felt the same so we decided to sleep in our swags in the cabin...or so we thought. There were so many bugs and we could hear the bats above us and within two seconds our swags and us were covered in beetles. So not having this we picked up our sleeping bags and moved ourselves to the bus, much better. The second night - which I would like to add was so cold I was in two pairs of pants, hat, hoodie and a windbreaker - we didnt take anychances and went straight for the bus.
"Well guys welcome to Australia...have any of you ever been here before" was what Clancy said to us when we got back to the mainland. "Do you guys see those big speaker like things" he said pointing to what looked like massive speakers on tall telephone poles "well it gets really hot here in the summer and the farmers play the animals music. It helps relax them in the heat." We had no idea where he was going this, we knew he was joking but we weren't sure where it was gonna end up "it's true, it helps to relax them and when they are relaxed they are healthier meaning their meat is better. For the cows and sheep they play country...and for the kangaroos they play hip hop" Honk honk.
I had one night in Adelaide and then it was off to Melbourne to see Dallas. A ten hour Greyhound to Melbourne and strangley enough I have nothing to report about the Greyhound!
It was so good to see Dallas, he was really busy with classes and work but the time we did get to spend together was awesome as always. After a few hours sleep (my first day) I went into St Kilda to meet up with Nik (from Drax) and I went back to my old hostel and it felt so wierd one of my mates was still there. After I met up with Dallas and we decided to go to the Peel for one hour, one drink...ya right. We get there and two guys and a really hot chick get turned away at the door "don't worry sweetie you are going to get in" the security guard told me "I dont get it" I said to dallas" I'm in track pants, trainers a singlet, scarf and hat. How come I can get in and they can't. " "It's one hag per fag honey" and then we went in and partied with beautiful (gay) men till some late hours into the night.
I met up with a few friends I hadn't seen. Suzanne (roomie for Cali), Amy (friend from Cali), Aidan (one of our really good mates from the Island) and of course my Dallas. My plan after Melbourne was to go to Sydney to catch up with Ryan and some other friends but, there were some work issues back in Darwin so after five fun days in Melbourne I hoped on a plane and flew back to Darwin to pack up and leave for Bali two weeks early.
And now here I am, my last night in Australia after a year. It is so wierd...I'm a little nervous to be leaving. I have never spent this long in a country other then my own. I have so many friends here that I dont know if I will ever see them again, and there is still so much I havent seen yet. I can't believe my year here has come to an end, it feels like I just got here, it all went so fast but man I gotta say...what a fucking Epic year it has been. I have had some incredible times, met amazing people and made some of the best friends of my life. To all my room 3 girls from St Kilda you were my first Aussie family and Bonnie I miss you heaps we still owe eachother that beer on the West Coast. To the most amazing peopole and place in Cairns-Calypso-Tracey, Jen, Axel, the skydive crew and Doofy. You guys are amazing and always made me feel like I was home whenever I was in Cairns and I am absolutely gutted that I couldnt make it out there for one more night of Agwa Bombs. Tracey you have no idea what your friendship means to me and I will always hold you close to my heart and Doofy, you are Calypso's heart and soul and a big part of that place is going to die when you leave and I am so greatful I got to experience the place while you were there. My little Karumba family, even though I was never happy there it's one of the places I miss the most. My island Donga Family, that was one of the highlights of my year, I was only their three weeks but you all were my world, Aidan and his lover Max, Justine with her counting system, Matty for great talks, Blair for being the best supervisor, Corey for never really knowing what was going on, Graeme for giving us safe bus rides and the best goodbye hugs, Nils for being the crazy German friend that every group has to have and anyone else who I haven't mentioned, those three weeks were unforgettable and are so cherished in my heart. To the Darwin crew - wow, where do I begin. I have had some amazing times but Darwin is the place in Australia that I consider my home, you guys are my heart and my family and I am going to miss you guys heaps. You all have been nothing but amazing to Dan and I and we love all of you. David and Jared just for being who you guys are, Trent for being a great boss and a great friend and Rosie for being nothing but amazingness.
There are a few special thank yous. First is Dallas, you are such an amazing friend. I am so glad this past year I have gotten to spend heaps of time with you, we have had tears and laughs, great nights, one night stands (not together) and amazing talks. I can't picture you not in my life and I am so glad we have managed to keep our friendship after California. If it wasn't for you I would not have done this trip and for that I am forever greatful. I will see you on the Red Carpet.
Ryan, unfortunately we didn't get to seee much of eachother but I am glad we got those two days together in Sydney. You will always be in my heart.
Alex, wow where to begin. We went from living together at a job and being acquantances to being inseperable when we were reunited in Darwin. I am going to miss you soo much. You have become my best friend and my sister , I am so going to miss our talks and man did we talk, we had the best ones. But dont worry, we have that road trip in Canada and we can catch up there.
Dan, my love. I kept pushing you away and you stuck around and now we are engaged and you are my future and I love you so much and am so excited to spend the rest of my life with you.
Last but not least, Australia. WOW what a country. It's so isolated from the rest of the world that basic everyday slangs or laws or so different. YOu almost forget about the rest of the world when you are here. You can have any type of vacation here, beach, snow, tropics, bush, city, Outhback it's all here in this amazing country and man even though I have had some rough times it's been a wild adventure and an epic year. I can't believe my year is at an end but its just onto new adventures. Next stop Southeast Asia!
