The end of Adelaide is looming! Only two weeks left in this city before I go on my final explorations lasting five weeks. It wasn’t long since I posted my last blog, but exams season has begun so I’d better post it now rather than when the pressure peaks! We’re nearly in mid-November: Summer in Adelaide is December to February, but still we’re now entering relatively constant thirty degrees weather. It’s probably appropriate to start the blog by discussing Adelaide, before I get onto my latest crazy travels. I’ll start with the English department, for those who are interested in studying English here. English literature at Adelaide is really, really good. It’s also very enjoyable- the modules vary a lot, and cover unique subjects like the representation of Aboriginal Australians, the study of issues in film, religion in the Renaissance period, and autobiographical writings. You get a couple more contact hours than Southampton, and they similarly encourage you to consult your seminar tutors for advice and feedback. Here’s some pictures of my Student halls which are $140 per week. They’re not University halls, they’re owned by a separate company, but they’re quite decent for the money.
I was going to go to the Outback a while back but have decided to give it a miss- after all, I am going to many other places anyway. It’s coming up to the exam period now. I have an exam on the 14th of November, and one on the 18th. I got my 2500 word take-home exam in on Friday, despite being ill. The remaining two exams are two to three hours, are difficult and will require much revision in addition to the studying I have already done. But it feels very good to have completed all coursework. I finish my exams on the 18th, and then have five days to prepare for my travels. On the 23rd I go to Bali with a South Korean friend. We are spending one week there, before I fly to Sydney that same day. From Sydney I fly to New Zealand, then back to Sydney, Canberra, Port Lincoln, Adelaide (for Christmas), Dubai, London and then catch a coach to Bristol. All trips are booked, including flights and accommodation, and I’m eagerly looking forward to them!
I got back from my latest trip a couple of weeks ago. I went to Cairns, way up North in the state of Queensland. It takes about three hours to fly there. From the airport, I started walking to a hill which was reviewed highly for the great views. Within ten minutes I had already seen a crocodile warning beside a bridge above ‘Saltwater creek’, which was quite disconcerting! They have plenty of crocodiles, jellyfish, sharks and snakes in Cairns. The temperature was perfect- I didn’t actually check the weather forecast but I reckon it was a solid thirty degrees or more every single day- you could feel your arms sizzling so I’m a bit sunburnt now! I climbed the hill and got a great view of the airport and the coast jutting out of the mainland. I then went to Cairns botanic gardens, which were less colourful but more tropical than Melbourne botanic gardens. Next I went further down ‘Saltwater Creek’ and ‘Freshwater Creek’, where, despite the numerous crocodile warnings, many Aussies and tourists were nonchalantly strolling right by the water’s edge. I was a little more cautious myself! It was a really nice area, and was followed by a walk down the esplanade; a coastal walk with stunning views out to sea. I then checked into my backpackers – 90 dollars for almost a week – less than £50! People say Australia is expensive but honestly, if you take the time to look for cheaper options, you will find them.
The next day I arose bright and early for a two day rainforest tour. The driver was aboriginal, and knew so much about the history of Cairns, the Daintree rainforest (which is one of the oldest in the world), and had many stories to tell about the areas we explored, and of course, the crocodiles. He drove about twenty of us to the rainforest, which was dense with amazing trees, and we spotted a rare bird in her nest, and a lizard on a tree. The next stop was our accommodation- a youth hostel in the heart of the rainforest, which had shacks like those you see on survival programs on television! These were the ones we slept in- it was a great experience. That afternoon I met a couple of girls and we walked to a creek, a waterhole, and several magnificent beaches with backdrops of the ocean, palm trees, and mountains shrouded with mist. After meeting my other roommates, I awoke at 6am the following morning. I was the only person in the pool when I got there, and swimming in clear blue water surrounded by rainforest was a great start to the day. I then walked to another beach in the hope of spotting a lace monitor. These lizards apparently enjoy scavenging food when tourists have picnics in the area, but unfortunately I didn’t see one. I did, however, see two crocodiles on a ferry tour later on in the day, and this was a major highlight!
George, the driver, picked us up at midday and we drove to a river in Cape Tribulation. The name comes from Captain James Cook, who, according to the driver, experienced much tribulation when his ship ran aground. But it was previously called Kurangee by the aboriginals. We jumped aboard a ferry on a crocodile spotting tour, and within fifteen minutes saw a saltwater crocodile. It was much more impressive than seeing one at a zoo: you get a sense of the awesome power of the creature; being about four meters, and being able to get so close to it. We saw another one within five minutes on the opposite bank, before travelling to Cow Bay beach and then Mossman gorge, which has a water hole that I and several others swam in. Finally, we headed back to Cairns. The whole rainforest trip, including accommodation but excluding food, cost $144 (about £75). And this is what I mean when I say that Australia is really not that expensive if you look around. Yes shopping is a bit more costly than in England, but as long as you’re not in Sydney or Melbourne, you can find relatively cheap options. It’s certainly worth preparing as you will save a lot of money and then be able to travel more.
The following day (Saturday), I took a bus to Mission Beach: an expansive sandy shore between Cairns and Townsville, and spent the day relaxing. On Sunday I went to Fitzroy island, a paradise island which takes an hour’s ferry ride from Cairns. The breeze on the top deck was certainly refreshing, and upon arrival, I took a guided kayaking tour around the island. The leader of the tour showed us how to eat the bum of the green ant, which, when bitten, squirts out a sour juice which surprisingly tastes really nice. We then did some paddle boarding and snorkelling, where you can spot vivid coral and numerous extraordinary fish. Finally, Monday was spent on two more sections of the Great Barrier Reef. This was the main reef trip, and cost $240. The ferry took us to some incredible locations, and the crew provided breakfast (egg and bacon rolls, fruit platters), lunch (chilli-con-carne, salad), and afternoon snacks (wine, cheese and crackers).
It was a terrific day- we had unlimited snorkelling, and I also opted for two scuba dives. I had never dived before, but I swim quite a lot at home, and was fairly confident. The first dive lasted twenty minutes. Although it was interesting, it was also somewhat problematic. Although I saw a lot of reef life, the mask fogged up and there was pain in my ears due to the pressure. However, I was the only person onboard the vessel who opted for a second dive, and so on this second attempt it was just me and the instructor. It was much easier to get to grips with everything this second time round, and I enjoyed it so much that I’m very tempted to do a diving course later in life. I saw clownfish, clams, sea cucumbers, colourful coral, and other rare fish including ones up to almost a meter long. This was possibly my greatest experience in Australia to date, although I have many more to go. If you ever come here, make this a priority!
I have discussed Adelaide more in previous blogs, but I will return to it because it is where I spend the majority of my time. After all, trips only take up a small percentage, as I am primarily here to study! To start with, the University of Adelaide has a really great reputation. There are three main Universities in Adelaide- Flinders University, the University of South Australia, and of course, the University of Adelaide. This makes the city a really great place for students. Adelaide University is the third oldest University in Australia, now 140 years old. It’s also a member of the ‘group of eight’, which is basically the Australian equivalent of ‘Russell group’ Universities.
Secondly, the facilities are also brilliant- printing is very easy, they top you up with 18 dollars and that lasts for at least a hundred sheets. Scanning is simple; there are enough computers, numerous lockers, countless resources, study books, learning support and staff. Finally, the social life and sports facilities are great. There is free table tennis and table football within hub central, the hub of the University. They have counselling services, tour guides, a very informative orientation week, many international activities and a very vibrant and dynamic university union. The sports facilities are fantastic- I got a gym membership for 3 months for just $65, and there is always plenty of equipment free. They have book shops, snack shops and travel shops on campus, free barbeques almost every week, and meals and cultural events provided on Fridays for international students.
So that’s about it for this blog! I will be busy revising every day till the 18th November. Following that, I have five days to prepare for my travels before I commence my trip to Bali. Then I travel more around Australia, go to New Zealand, Dubai, and then land back in London to refamiliarise myself with good old England. There’s no place like home, and I think that by that time I will have seen plenty of amazing sights in Australia and beyond, so I imagine I’ll be perfectly content to return. During my travels in December, which last about a month, I won’t have enough internet access to post a blog. So I hope to conclude this great adventure with a final blog in early January, shortly after my return to England, which will hopefully summarise my journeys around Asia and Australasia.
