Summer in January
Summer holidays in January – rarely together in a sentence unless it is January and you are wishing it was summer holidays. While we were enjoying our new space in Coonabarabran, we also recognize that it is summer holidays and this is the significantly longer period of time off from school so we better make the best of it.
Road Trip
We planned a road trip to Melbourne and Canberra to see the countryside and these two significant cities. While we had the route generally plotted out, we decided to be reasonably spontaneous. The benefit is that we weren’t really held to a schedule and could poke along, or go further than we originally planned. The downside is that we often scrambled last minute for accommodations and could easily spend a frustrating hour on the mobile looking for something reasonably priced with good reviews.
Melbourne was suffering a heat wave when we were there. Temps hovering around +42 so we were indoors or in the car most of the time. The Australia Open was on at the time and we had a hard enough time walking in that kind of heat let alone play world class tennis. Unbelievable how those athletes can perform in such heat. We made use of the annual passes we purchased in Sydney to visit the Melbourne Aquarium then drive around the city.
Winnipeg is a pretty multicultural city with a good selection of ethnic restaurants. Melbourne, from what we saw, was like Winnipeg on steroids. It wasn’t unusual to have 5 restaurants in a row from five different continents, or at least, different ethnic origins. A new dream of mine is to spend a year in Melbourne and try out a different restaurant each night. Given the price of food here, it probably isn’t going to happen.
Popped out to Philip Island to see the Penguin Parade. My thoughts about a cozy intimate experience with these exotic birds were shattered when we pulled into the enormous parking lot with tons of tour buses and swarms of people moving toward the ornate interpretive center. We moved past the gift shops and snack bars down the boardwalk to the bleachers set up beside the water and waited for the penguins to arrive. No photos allowed but this YouTube video basically shows what we saw.
It was afterward when most people had left that the real experience began. We got up close and walked up the boardwalk beside one particular penguin – Carlen tells of the experience in his blog, so I’ll leave it at that. I must say, when all was said and done, it WAS a worthwhile experience and I did come away feeling like I did have that intimate experience with those amazing little birds.
Great Ocean Highway
Amazing sights but a nerve-wracking drive in the “hearse”. Stopped at Seafarers’ Getaway (-38.729447,143.698486) and LOVED it – smaller facility overlooking a great sand beach, two bedrooms with a living room and kitchenette. Laundry right next door so we put a load through while we sat on the patio watching the waves. Had a little wade at the beach even though it was pretty windy and a little rainy. Glad we did as a pod of dolphins were cresting above the water just out from us for a minute or two. Just a bunch of dorsal fins, really, but it was still pretty amazing to see and contributed to the whole, “holy cow, we are in Australia!” emotion. It’s also much cooler here, very comfortable and completely livable. Hoping to get out onto the beach for an hour before we have to check out thankful that the temperatures are above zero and the water is in liquid state.
We made a few stops along the trip: one at SOMETHING for a walk through the rain forest. Spectacularly large trees with complex root systems you can stand inside, enormous ferns and small palms. Another stop was at the Cape Otway Lighthouse Drive where we saw about a dozen koalas here and there sitting in the trees enjoying a nap or a snack.
Great Alpine Highway
Drove the Great Alpine Highway after backtracking back to Melbourne and on through to Eden, a coastal town we’re stopping in before heading to Canberra. It is a much wider road and the twists and turns much more manageable than the Ocean Highway. The scenery was no less spectacular. The enormous trees perched on high red banks looked positively ethereal enveloped in mist and back-lit with the sun. There were low clouds in the valleys and the rain made the air fresh and delicious: imagine cedar (they weren’t cedars, but the smell was similar), bergamot, and eucalyptus carried on a cool but humid breeze.
Social Media
One of the apps we are using is 4square; users check-in to places and can then search nearby attractions, restaurants, and accommodations. Many times you can see reviews, patron’s photos, and recommendations. We’re also using it as a way to keep track of where we have been and what we have seen along the way. The GPS also tracks our route, so I’m thinking at some point in the future we can mash-up our photos, the 4Square data, and the GPS track into a Google Map to supplement our own written records and memories of the trip. Also appreciating Facebook to connect with people back home and with our exchange partners to see how they’re enjoying the Winnipeg winter. Twitter has been good for connecting with the Aussies in my professional learning network.
Reflections on Place and Time
Feeling a little guilt/envy about missing out on the coldest winter in a long time back home. I do love severe weather and the challenges it brings. Always a bit of an adventure. Always enjoyed early Canadian prairie literature like Settlers of the Marsh. Easy to sympathize but hard to comprehend the struggles of carving out a life and a living from the raw climate and uncut prairie. Am anxious to learn more about early Australian settlers and their experiences.
Thinking about school too – as a student my course in Education Policy began a couple of days ago so I’ve been studying the syllabus and getting my head wrapped around the course obligations for the next 16 weeks. As a teacher, I’m a couple weeks away from spending a bunch of time in the classroom getting oriented and prepared for the coming term. As enjoyable as this experience has been so far, the deep learning is ahead.
