Days 4-6

After my exhausting trip to the hospital, we drove to Manly Beach. There is actually a ferry that goes to Manly Beach. The irony was not lost on me.

One thing that wasn't lost on me either was the sight of old Aussie men in Speedos. They sure do rock a banana hammock down-under. Our guide informed me that one nickname for Speedos in Australia is "budgie smugglers". Oh, laugh laugh, smile.

The students went surfing in the icy cold weather. As beautiful as the surf instructors... I mean, the ocean waves were, I was too tired to attempt any type of water sport. I sipped a hot chocolate with Tonya while the others hit the beach.


We drove onward to Canberra, Australia's capital. The highlights included a stop to the war memorial, which was breathtakingly beautiful. I could have spent hours there. The tomb of the unknown soldier is one of the world's largest mosaics. Constructed entirely by hand, it took six million tiles and ten years to build. The other war memorials were decorated with red poppies (read: Flanders Field) and it was a sight to see.

The not so great part about Canberra was yet another trip to the hospital for throat swelling. Also, my shower flooded and the steam set off the fire alarm in my hotel room. The hotel manager yelled at me and made me cry. All the boys on the trip saw me sobbing and packing up my things to move to another room. It was, um, slightly embarrassing.

After Canberra, we drove to Aubury-Wodonga for the homestay! The students stayed with real Aussie families (not fake ones) for a family experience. They had an amazing time. We all met up for a family BBQ at a wild life reserve where we fed kangaroos! Crikey!!!!

Next Stop: Melbourne!