Solo Adventure

                Today was a nice slow start.  I hung out in my room for awhile, while it absolutely poured outside.  This led to the sound of the rain and birds lulling me to sleep for an unintended 2 hour nap soon after I woke up. Whoops.

                After it stopped raining though, I decided to get some exercise and take a walk to Coogee, which is the next town over, and home to the local beach.  It was about a half hour walk, but it was very manageable since the rain cooled down the air.  I took the main road the whole way there, so I passed all kinds of of beach shops, restaurants, juice bars, and convenient stores, all open-air.  (For some reason there are a TON of open-air convenience stores here.  I’m not sure why, but they’re everywhere.)

                The first thing I did when I got there, of course, was head straight for the beach.  I could tell you about how beautiful it is, but I’ll let the pictures do the talking first.

                Even on a hot weekend, the beach really wasn’t that crowded.  (At least, not compared to the touristy beaches I’m used to.) The people-watching was also awesome.  While hanging out on the beach for about an hour and a half I saw a lot of interesting people.  Some of the most memorable highlights were

• A dude with crazy hair and a metal detector
• A very old, very hairy man in a speedo
• A dad running while pulling his two daughters on a boogie board across the beach
• Two very tan, very naked kids
• Some kids in some very professional-looking wetsuits with mini surfboards
• A family throwing sand at each other and screaming
• A little boy who said “I reckon” about 5 times, which sounded hilarious
• The best dressed kid on the beach, in a dinosaur swimsuit onesie

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                Next to the beach, there’s a whole park filled with people picnicking and barbecuing and just hanging out in general.  The park is on a huge hill and full of walking trails, so I tried some out.  On the trail, I found a shrine to the Virgin Mary.  I’m not really sure why it’s there, but it was pretty.

                While wandering along the trail I stumbled across Giles Baths, which is a natural tide pool right alongside of the beach.  It was a complete surprise, because it’s so well hidden from the main beach, and yet it’s so beautiful!

                The water in the pool is wonderfully clear and perfectly calm.  It’s also apparently full of sea life, but sadly I didn’t get a chance to explore it much, since I didn’t bring a bathing suit on this expedition. L The whole place is just a beautiful little area, and one I can’t wait to explore further.  Below is a short video I took of the waves crashing against the rocks, so you can kind of get the whole vibe of it!

                After awhile spent hanging out there, I decided it was time to go back to the house so I wouldn’t miss dinner.  But before I did that, I decided to walk around and explore the town a little bit.

                I was not disappointed.

                Coogee is a beautiful little beach town; all hilly streets lined with beautiful houses and apartments.  Though the main road is packed with beachgoers and shoppers, the residential streets are so quiet I could’ve sworn the beach was miles away.  (It’s not.  The beach is literally right there.)  While wandering the roads I caught myself fantasizing about living in one of those houses right on the beach…I even took a few pictures of my favorites…just in case.

                Okay, maybe it was a little creepy that I was taking pictures of people’s balconies, but this one in particular just caught my attention with the surfboard and the bike.  This kind of outdoor, beachside life is sort of my dream lifestyle, so I was getting a little excited.

                I got pretty tired from walking up and down all the hills, so I decided to take a bus back to campus.  It only took about 10 minutes and cost $1.30!  Well worth it.

               

                The social event tonight at International house was a board game night!  A bunch of people met up in one of the common rooms, and we played an intense game of Jenga, Uno, and Settlers of Catan.  If there’s one thing that’s universal, it’s that college students love Settlers of Catan.  It was a fun time!  I also got the chance to try a few native Australian foods, like TimTams (delicious candy bars) and Milo (hot chocolate that's not meant to be hot, nor is it meant to dissolve in anything.)  So far, I'm really digging what this country has to offer!

               

                Wow, this is the latest I’ve been awake since coming here!  I guess I’m finally starting to adjust to the time change and dramatic life shift.  Goodnight for now!  Talk to me on Facebook, or text me anytime!