As with all trips abroad my trip to the land down under started with a drug sniffing dog. The dog went up and down the rows of people who have just travelled for 16 hours to get there sniffing everyone. Yes I truly feel sorry for the dog. I know after my 24 hours of travel I would not have wished sniffing me on someone I wanted to get revenge on. At any rate, I passed the drug sniff test but definitely not the human sniff test.
Then the fun began, I failed the initial screening because they had one question “have you been to a rural area or a farm in the past 30 days, including contact with any farm animals”. I struck out right out of the gate. Anyway they asked “did you wash your shoes off good”. At that moment I had yet another reminder to always listen to your wife who before I left suggested that I wash off my boots instead of just beat them together. Anyway she was right and they had to go through my luggage and they took my boots to a magical secret room where they were eviscerated, probably just washed in water and that was good but I was then on my way.
The train was great. I love traveling on a train. It is nice and smooth with a lot of room. I could stand and stretch as well as put my feet up and enjoy the scenery. It was a great trip. I got to Newcastle and found the University. I was proud of myself, I got on the subway to the center of Sydney then another train to Newcastle and made it to Newcastle by 11. On the way I asked some people on the train about getting to the University and one was going there and said she would show me the way. Once on the university campus there is a shuttle that goes around which I got and they took me to the Family advocacy center. One of the students riding the shuttle was a kid from Aubern who was doing a study abroad semester here. I dropped off my bags and headed to my Hostel.
When I got off the train at my stop I was walking behind a guy who was wearing a university of Wyoming hat. I asked him why and he said he had lived in Aspin Wyoming for a couple years. As I listened to people talking on the train and while I walked around it was clear that there were a lot of Americans here. The other thing that was clear as I left the train and began walking to my Hostel was that I was going against the grain. After about 10 blocks of wondering why I seemed to be running into everyone that I was walking on the wrong side of the sidewalk, yes I’m a slow learner. You see not only do they drive on the left side of the road here they also walk on the left side of the sidewalk. The other thing is in the states there is a standing rule when you are meeting someone on the street head on you both go right and all is well. I had half a dozen times when I met someone I went right he went left and we were right back where we started. Then we do the dance back and forth to see who is going to go which direction. At any rate, it was clear that I was not catching on to something until I figured this out. Then things were back in sync. I did notice however, several groups of obvious tourists walking on the right side and making traffic go around. I even noticed this one the running trail.
Anyway, I finally got a shower and felt ready for the drug dog to come back. I went for a run and had a great run. While running out on a dyke a wave splashed up over the dyke and totally covered me. I asked someone if the waves were normal and they said no. for some reason they were in rare form today. It was like nothing I’d ever seen. They were about 20 feet tall and the spray when they hit the bank was amazing.
I went into a store that was selling aboriginal artifacts and found out that it was a center for aboriginal research. I’m going back tomorrow to do some reading in their Library about family traditions for the tribes in this area. I’m excited.
I love a good roach coach or street food vender as much as the next guy but one I never want to try is a sushi roach coach. Raw fish in a box in the 90degree weather. Scary
So I went on a walk and there were all these parrots flying around. if you zoom in on the bird you should be able to see how colorful it is.
Home Sweet Home
I am now sitting in Hogwarts Griffendor house common room, surrounded by 20 somethings that are who are drinking coffee by the picture full. If any of them sleep tonight I will be amazed. In reality a Hostel is the closest thing I’ve ever seen to a hippy commune. Everyone acts like they are family here even if you just go here today. Shared bathrooms, shared private showers (there is a room with a bunch of shower rooms that lock so you get privacy but there all crammed in a small space, but it is appropriate, nobody’s running around unclothed). In fact it is the calmest bunch of 20 year olds I’ve ever seen. One group is right now playing the game of Life, another playing cards, another ping pong and another watching a home building show. Remarkably it is a very comfortable environment, not anything like a spring break scene. I feel really comfortable. The one thing that is normal is they are all eating pizza. Tonight was pizza night at the Hostel so they ordered pizza for everyone that wanted it. Tomorrow is b-bcue night. Bummer I’ll miss that. Oh well.
I survived the day without sleeping so I am ready to hit the bed and I am sure I’ll sleep well tonight. It is 3:43 in the morning in Nebraska right now.
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