Just sitting in the airport

Well hello kids. I'm you know just sitting in the airport waiting for my delayed flight to leave for Cairns (in American English it would be pronounced cans, why the extra R is in there, I can't tell you but I'm no spelling scholar so whatever). Anyways I figured I would give you people a quick catch up on life this past week. Last Saturday was spent at Manly Beach, and I think we did it wrong. After all the hype we'd been hearing about the town, I was soo excited to go. But after falling asleep on the 30 minute ferry ride, the final destination was slightly disappointing, hence I'm chalking it up to us doing Manly wrong. After all we just poked around in some shops and sat on the beach watching out friend attempt to surf a little bit. The beach was ehh, but I bet the shops were good if we would have left the main strip. So that was that. I do still love the fact that you can be in a beach town and a major city with no more than a bus ride. Obsessed, actually would be a better term.

Sunday we had big plans that were ruined by the fact that pure exhaustion set in, so most of the day was spent sleeping and laying out on the roof top deck--hello not a bad way to spend a sunny afternoon. Then we went ice skating--YES ICE SKATING, ON, not near but actually on the sand at Bondi Beach. While the bright orange ice skates were a fabulous fashion statement and the free samples of Lipton chair were flowing, after about 45 minutes of circling the same patch of ice, we were over it. We had a lovely dinner at the Iceberg Club, this super cool place overlooking the ocean/ocean water pool that sides at the oceanside. So that was again another great evening.

Monday was of course 4th of July and let me tell you, just because we are in a foreign country didn't mean we didn't celebrate. I think I celebrated in more patriotic style than I ever have before while at home. We dressed to the nine in these heinous American flag tie front shirts, which we wore all day from the BBQ, to class (why they didn't cancel class I don't know) and then out to the bars afterwards. The amount of people who genuinely asked with enthusiasm if I was really American that night was shockingly amusing. The two local bars decked out in red white and blue, played solid American music and showed the mostly Australian crowd how to properly celebrate an American holiday. So you know, that was fun.

Tuesday was one of my friend's birthday so you know I had to do something has the birthday nut that I am. Given the fact that we don't have real ovens or pans, let's just say the cupcake baking was an experience. Who knew you could just stick a cupcake liner in the mini convection oven sans pan and let it go? I do now.

Other than that life has just been work and paper writing in order to get everything done before leaving for this weekend at the Great Barrier Reef. Tomorrow will be spent on a boat snorkeling and scuba diving (heck yes I'm going scuba diving), then we have some kind of costume party bus event at night, so that should be interesting. Then Sunday will be spent in the rainforest hiking (I think? I mean what else can you really do there?) and then doing this jungle swing thingy. Again, that should be fun.

Updates to come on Monday when I return to Sydney for my last full week in Australia! I cannot believe it's almost over, I'm foreseeing tears on the plane.

until next time, just keep swimming (Finding Nemo quotes will be happening all weekend, sorry to the people living with me)