Although mostly fun and games, we did have our first day trip to Sydney on Saturday, July 24th. We started out at the Natural History Museum, followed up with the Botanical Gardens, and ended at the Opera House. Most of the trip was educationally focused, giving us the opportunity to identify plants, animals, and rocks that will become second nature to us by the time we leave Australia. However, it was a great chance to see Sydney for the first time, and allowed us to spend a lot of time as a full group.
 |
| Sheila and I made friends with a diprotodon |
 |
| cockatoos! |
Unlike the ugly pigeons and crows that roam the streets in the US, you can see some of the coolest birds on the streets of Australia. Even just outside my dorm, you can see tons of parrots, magpies, and this one bird that sounds like a crying baby (thanks world…). While at the Botanical Gardens, we got very close and personal with a group of cockatoos, and a little too close and personal to some fruit bats.
 |
| Botanical Gardens |
On the way home, a bunch of us sat next to some very nice Australians on the train, who told us a bit about Wollongong but asked even more questions about America. I think they mostly just appreciated that not all Americans are obsessed with Justin Timberlake. Overall, the trip was a great start to the semester.
Fun fact: Australians don’t actually say shrimp on the Barbie. They call shrimp prawns, so it's unclear where that saying actually came from.
love the fun facts. miss you! -molly
ReplyDelete