Australia Aug/Sept 2014- part 3

On the third day we were in Tasmania we did the convict trail and went out to Port Arthur.  It was a relatively long drive but ended up being pretty amazing.  We saw some extraordinary sights on the way, as we stopped at "The Blowhole", "Tasman's arch", and also "The Devils Kitchen".  They are various formations and degradations that the ocean has created over time.

The boards I have a kind of photograph of give very limited if any explanation as to the natural occurrences, I suggest using google if you are interested any further.

 I will add a video* of the "action" soon, in another post.

 I will add a video* of the "action" soon, in another post.

*if it lets me.

Australia Aug/Sept 2014- part 2

Tasmania! 

We left for the airport super early in order to get there on time- which we did in plenty, and then learnt that the plane would be delayed by half an hour at the least.  This was due to fog over Launceston (the destination for this leg of the trip).  Once we finally made it into the air, after being called for over the intercom on a final boarding call... (lets just say there were a lot of "firsts" to this trip).  

We had a relatively non eventful flight, until we were above the top of Tasmania where we were yet again, put into a left hand hold and were left circling Tasmania (I think I counted five times at least!- it was for about an hour.)  With at one point during that time when the Pilot said that it was okay that we're just waiting for 600-1000m of visibility on the ground, and we had an hour and a half fuel left (reassuring until we had been the for an hour).  We had a plane that was coming in from Sydney at the same time ahead of us, which attempted landing once, and at last minute couldn't, then attempt again, and if that wasn't to be had, they were diverting to Hobart.  If that ended up happening (which it didn't) we would have followed a similar path I would think.

The plane from Sydney in front of us waiting for the fog to clear/lift.

Launceston Airport

We got off the plane, finally, and got a car (SUV type thing) to drive around in for the next four days and headed North-ish.  We had no itinerary and were just kinda figuring out what to do as we felt like. Not the way I'm use to doing things, but it worked.  

We ended up in Deloraine where we found an info centre and they suggested a few different place to us.  One being the Marakoopa caves where we had an hours guided tour, with the history and how it was formed.  And then we headed to Trowunna Wildlife Park- which was possibly my absolute favourite/highlight of the trip!  

Marakoopa Caves

At Trowunna, we got to hold a wombat, touch/pat a Tasmanian Devil, feed kangaroos, pet the said kangaroos and their joey's, and shake hands with them too.  We saw other animals but the Tassie Devils, kangaroo's and the wombat were the more interactive sorta ones.

Daniel with the wombat.

Me with the wombat.

Cute Tassie Devil!

Feeding a kangaroo- from the bag of pellets.

Joey.

Me with the kangaroo.

The following day we headed down to Hobart and had a look at the Salamanca Markets, and walked around the wharf and looked around a bit before walking up a MASSIVE hill that overlooked Hobart- pretty amazing sites, pity we didn't know that you could drive up there in the first place! The walk was pretty neat though- and we saw a wild wallaby on the way back down.

Hobart Wharf.

Top of the hill! Looking out over Hobart/ Tasmania.

Australia Aug/Sept 2014- part 1

This is going to be much easier for me to write, and for you to read if I break it up into parts.

On August 27th I headed off over the Tasman, from Auckland to Melbourne for a bit of a holiday (Uni mid-semester break) but mainly to go and visit my brother, Daniel.  Flying with Jetstar I was a little sceptical, but the flights were on time (apart from delayed due to fog coming into Melbourne) and were pretty good flights even if I was bored half the time due to no "backseat" entertainment.  They did offer around iPads at a cost, but I had my laptop to watch a movie on, but only got halfway through it due to motion sickness- hence being bored (even though its only a four hour flight too).

My plane through the boarding gate window.

The plane was due to land in Melbourne at 11pm local-time (1am NZ), we were originally half an hour ahead of schedule due to good tail winds and taking off bang on 9pm (they weren't having to hunt down passengers for once!)  When we would have been landing the pilot said over the intercom that the plane was being put into a left-hand hold getting to circle over the city due to fog on the ground.  Half an hour later we were cleared to land, and disembark.

Daniel met me at the airport and took me back to his fathers house where I guess you could call "base" for the trip as I only stayed there for three nights.  Daniel went to work the next morning and so I spent the day with Irene, she showed me around the local area a little, and went to see the new marina development, the beach, Werribee mansion and the mall.  We had lunch out and spent the afternoon back at the house, where I went for a walk to explore the area and finished watching the movie I didn't get to finish of the plane.

That night when Daniel was home from work we looked up places to go and things to do in Australia and ended up booking flights for 7am the next morning from Melbourne to Launcestion, Tasmania!

Early Morning Beach Walk

This morning I woke up at 4.30am.... Yes, that early, and couldn't get back to sleep.  So at 5.40am when I had had enough of lying in my nice comfy warm bed watching the sky I decided to get up and have a shower and throw some clothes on and head out to Browns Bay beach.

Its morning like this where I wish I was back in Orewa and had a the beach a two minute walk away... as it is now a 10minute drive to the closest beach!!

Looking out to Rangitoto Island

North end of the beach

I got out there at 6.30am when it was still pitch black and went for a walk along the beach and took some photos as I went, there were a couple of other people but not many.  The sun rose at 7am and it became a little busier.  Once the sun was right up I went to find the closest supermarket for bread and milk and well... I went to put the bread in the toaster earlier and found it was mouldy. Yuck! And the milk.. well, can't have a coffee without can I?

About 6.45am

Browns Bay

South end of the beach

Browns bay beach at 7.15am

I plan on going into Uni as soon as the library opens at 10am to finish (hopefully) my essay and sheets to do to hand in on Monday.. well that are due Monday.

Just another uni post...

In the week coming up I have three assignments due, I am just extremely thankful that none of them are on the same day! I have one due Monday 9am, one Friday midnight (I think), and the other on Sunday at midnight.  Weird times as all the assignments that I have done previously have all been due on the Monday at 9am.

I have also found out where I am spending my two weeks on placement.  I have been given my ward, times, charge nurse, and also the other student in my class who is sorta like my partner in a way.  I have my first 40 hour week doing 3pm-11pm Monday-Friday and the second week is 7am-3pm Monday-Friday.  I will be car-pooling with a friend as we have to pay for parking and petrol costs.. so that will at least be halved between us!

Right now.. it is half past mid-night, my flat is extremely loud as there is a bunch of drunk teenagers downstairs.  I feel sorry for the neighbours! I text a friend who is next-door and she had been wondering what was going on... that was two hours ago.  Its getting louder as it gets later.

Its also my 100th post!!!

Semester Two!

Well.... I am already two and a half weeks into semester two, it has been a super busy two weeks as well! I have spent the last two days in the library when I am not in lectures from 8am til 5pm or so writing assignments.. (trying to at least) and doing other work and quizzes for my papers too!

(Oh, and I passed all of my last semester exams/papers!)

I could almost call the library my second home! I did spend last friday in there all day but not to much exactly got done as other nursing classmates came and we sat talking (more like grossing out the people around us) about our experiences and things we had come across within our last placement/ work and general nursey things... As level one of the library is a more group/ able to talk to people study area.. its never quiet, so didn't make us feel too bad!!

Its scary to think there is only three and a half week until mid semester break and I get to go and see my brother in Australia!!!! Super excited!

O-Week!

Orientation Week for Semester Two!

Just a frosty morning walking up to Uni... (I keep wishing it was snow.. but its not!)

O-Week for me is basically just a week of 11am-1pm games and free food, and free all sorts outside of student central at Uni, the main (and official) stuff happens in semester one, but the still have a week of fun activities in the second semester.

Here are some photos from it:

Outside of student central (main cafe/amenities centre (and my science lab block) is the building to the right).

Tayla and myself... with a bunch of ANZ reps... BLUE!