Theory #1: Toilets flush in the opposite direction as in the US.
-Conclusion: No evidence to suggest the validity of those statement because every toilet that I’ve come in contact with has water that flushes from all sides and no water ever spins, just goes straight down. Side note: Every toilet has 2 buttons so that you can conserve water according to what waste is being flushed. Reason #1 that I believe Australian’s have got it all figured out.
Theory #2: Australians are the nicest people on Earth and are super friendly.
-Conclusion: Honestly, until today I would have called this false by all counts. In the Aussie defense, until today the only contact I had made was with people working in the travel industry- people at the airport, bus drivers, etc. Today I was blown away by the sincere effort made by numbers of people to help Lauren and me when we looked like sad and lost puppies trying to make our way across the entire city from Bondi Junction. We’d still be on a bus somewhere if it weren’t for them.
Theory #3: Kangaroo meat is delicious.
-Conclusion: Absolutely wonderful. Despite my 2.5year-long vegetarian diet, I had multiple requests for me to try it before my departure, so I did and was blown away! I only had a small couple of bites but that was enough for me to know how great it is. An interesting fact about kangaroo meat is that it is the leanest red meat in the world, with little to no fat. Also, kangaroo is not farm bred, only caught in the wild, so it is 100% organic and not injected with hormones. For those who think that eating kangaroo is cruel, try to identify them as the Aussie version of squirrels. Apparently they’re everywhere, but I have no chance of seeing one unless I get far from the city.
Theory #4: Australians are crazy alcoholics.
-Conclusion: Although it is obvious that the Aussies love their drink and the culture absolutely supports the use of alcohol as a social lubricant, the level of craziness is not as high as expected. Australian bars are extremely strict and do not promote drunkenness in the slightest. This makes no sense to me, being that the point of a pub is to sell drinks, but if you stumble or slur your words in the slightest you might find yourself scooped up by two security guards leading you towards the door in haste. Luke, you wouldn’t last two seconds in these bars. Your caliber of dancing might get you an express pass to jail. Do Not Pass Go, Do Not Collect $200!
Saturday, February 14th-
Ask anyone, Valentines Day has never been my favorite day of the year, but it was easy to enjoy because every day is great when you’re in Australia! Despite the unrelenting rain and the fact that the sun has yet to come from behind the clouds since my arrival, I was able to enjoy my time. One thing that I have noticed about Aussies is that people in relationships are more outwardly happy than the average American couple. It has been hard to find a couple that is not showing affection or fighting and I wonder if there is something different about the way people treat relationships down under. My cynicism holds me back from being quick to believe in the passion that has been shown, but it has been rather convincing- especially on Valentines day. I intend to investigate this further.
Alexis was our tour guide for the morning as we trekked across the city to Rose Bay, where she is currently staying. We got off the bus at Circular Quay (pronounced “key”), found a deli where I got best veggie sandwich of my life, and sat at the edge of the harbor where we ate and watched boats and ferries hustle through the water from one side to the other. To our right was the Opera House and to the left was the Harbor Bridge. Sitting in between these two world-renowned landmarks stirred a feeling that I cannot explain, but it made this all feel a bit more real. The rain continued on so I held off on taking any photos, because these views deserve to be preserved forever with a beautiful blue sky and sun in the background. My time here is pretty lengthy, so I intend to do these sights justice by waiting for the perfect shot. We then caught a ferry through the harbor to Rose Bay where we got ice cream, let Alexis change, and hopped another bus to Bondi Junction, a busy shopping area. Once we made it back to our hostel, we did a quick change and got picked up to go to dinner with the nicest family I have ever met. They cooked us a traditional Australian BBQ complete with lamb chops, grilled chicken, kangaroo, seasoned potatoes, and a fresh salad. Because I am vegetarian, they cooked me a salmon steak that was absolutely to die for. For desert we were served a traditional summertime desert that was a sugary bottom, thick whipped top, and covered with fruit and a drizzle of honey.
Aussie dinner and desert to die for.
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