New Website!

WE'VE MOVED!!! 

No, not countries silly goose! I've finally taken the plunge and upgraded to a real, professional website!

Find all my future travels at: https://theartoftravel.squarespace.com

(Here you will also find more of my photography)

Hope you guys enjoy the new site as much as I am!

Four Day Outback Adventure

Yes everyone I did it! I went into the Australian outback! This is one of those places in Australia that is a bit expensive to get to, so up until I booked it I waffled as to whether or not it was worth spending the money. For perspective, I'm pretty sure my ten day trip to Sydney cost the same as this four day one. But for the record, it completely was worth it! Such a unique experience.

I asked around and found that Mulgas Tours was pretty universally recommended, so I booked a three day, 2 night, outback camping adventure. On either side of this tour I had a small amount of time in Alice Springs.

Day 1: Arrival

I flew into Alice Springs, and got into the little desert town in late afternoon. I spent this time primarily stocking up on things I had left at home, and also on water (sooo much water).

Alice Springs kind of reminds me of Radiator Springs from Cars, it's got that same lazy, tumbleweed feel to it. There's a "river" that runs through the middle of town. The air quotes are necessary because about 95% of the time the Todd River is dried up. The locals say that if you see the river flow three times then you are considered a local. Unfortunately, it did not oblige while I was there, so I am officially just a visitor.

The hostel I stayed at had a bunch of hammocks out back, so I shook off the wariness of travelling with a book in a hammock. I missed the memo that everything closes super early in town, so by the time I was hungry, the only thing open was McDonalds. Ah well, I'm on vacation right.

Day 2: Tour Begins!/Uluru/Field of Lights (it was a busy day!)

Mount Connor

My Mulgas' tour guide Rachel picked me up right out front of my Hostel, bright and early, to get ready for the long drive out to Uluru.

Before I arrived, I was under the impression that Uluru was just outside of town. Turns out it is more like 500 km, so we had a bit of a road trip ahead of us. When we were about an hour and a half into the trip we saw this (see picture). 

This is not in fact the iconic Uluru. This is Mount Connor, or "fooluru" as our tour guide Rachel calls it.

Bonnie and Me

Just after Mt Connor we were dropped off at a camel farm to entertain ourselves while Rachel went to pickup the rest of our group (22 in total). That was just enough time to bond with my new friend Bonnie the Camel.

With the tour bus now full we continued to the main event. Uluru.

Uluru essentially a large, flat mountain in the middle of the outback. It carries quite a lot of significance for the Aboriginal people of Northern Territory.

Uluru at sun sets

Currently there is controversy surrounding Uluru, because of the issue of tourists climbing it. The reason why this is so strongly discouraged is because the various routes up Uluru are significant to specific aboriginal ceremonies. For example one could be a becoming a man ceremony, another for becoming a woman, etc. And these are meant to be kept completely secret except for the people involved in the ceremony. So, when people who are not part of the tribe see these sacred places, it is sharing some of the deepest secrets of the aboriginal people without their consent. I personally did not climb, but there were unfortunately still a steady stream of people heading up the side.

As an alternative to climbing, we were able to do a base walk around Uluru. It was still quite spectacular. One of the most surprising parts was how many plants there were. I don't know about you, but when I think outback, I think of nothing but red dirt for as far as the eye can see.

From there we went to a lookout spot to take in Uluru at sunset. It was quite cool to see how much the rock changed colour. From a vibrant red/orange to a purple colour. This was also an opportunity for the group to get to know each other a bit more. And as you can see by the picture, we all got along quite well.

Me and Julianna from Brazil

After dinner, Julianna (Brazil), Emily (Melbourne), and I took a shuttle to go see a local art exhibit that was going on called "Field of Lights". Click here for a brochure explaining the exhibit in full. It was essentially thousands and thousands of hand blown glass with LEDs inside to give the illusion of a field of flowers. And it was spectacular. Particularly because the milky way was out when we went, so the sky looked like the inside of a planetarium. I've never seen something so breathtaking before. Unfortunately the stars didn't show up very well on my camera, but just try to imagine it.

This tour was a "roughing it" tour, no glamping to be found. So after dinner we set up "swags" (sacks that go over your sleeping bag to keep you warm) around the fire, and went to sleep right under the stars. Just like a cowboy



Day 3: Kata Tjuta (Aka Valley of the Wind)

Day two began with waking up at 5AM to catch the beautiful sunrise over Uluru. This may be the first time ever, that the pictures actually do the real thing justice. We all huddled up with each other in our sleeping bags, and watched the sunrise over the outback. A perfect start. Thank goodness all my friends on this trip were also morning people so it was not too painful getting up so early.
The pictures we got were too good, so I'm going to go ahead and fill the next little bit with pictures (hope you don't mind).

Julianna

Me :) 

Emily

Okay, enough ogling you guys, back to the adventure! 

Valley of Wind

Day two was all about seeing the Valley of the Wind. For all you anime fans, I sadly did not see Nausicaa there. But it did look something like the movie! Here's me doing my best impression of the movie (for those who haven't seen it, Nausicca flies around the valley of the wind on a hang glider)

The valley of wind is a series of rounded domes with 36 peaks or "heads". The areas is known as "many heads" by the aboriginals, (anything above three is known as "many").

This is another sacred place to the aboriginals with many legends and stories surrounding the mountains. Most of which are kept secret within the aboriginal tribes. 

At the top of the hike we were all given the traditional Austrlian tea cookies (Anzac Biscuits), and left to take in the many views.

The rest of day two was spent relaxing by the campfire and taking in the stars. I feel like when I get back to Canada I need to spend more time in remote places, I could have stared at those stars for many more nights than we got. 

Day 4: Kings Canyon Rim Walk

I'm not sure that I mentioned this earlier, but currently all my friends in Melbourne are getting hit with the next wave of flu season. Right before I left I visited my sick friend, and threw caution to the wind by hugging her. So needless to say I was getting steadily more and more ill throughout the trip (sleeping outside in 0 degree weather is apparently NOT how you get over an illness!).

So by day three I was looking a bit like death. To the point where Rachel our tour guide made me promise not to pass out on the 7 km hike. Which I thankfully held to.

Top of Heart Attack Hill

The beginning of our hike was a nice little thing called "heart attack hill". Well if that doesn't just set the mood I'm not sure what will. The rule of heart attack hill, is you're not allowed to have a heart attack until you reach the top because that's where the defibrillator is, and Rachel was not about to run up the side of a mountain, even if it is to save your life. Fair.

Thankfully we started the hike with the worst of it. The rest of the rim walk was decently flat and quite pleasant. 

There were a few other lookouts, but none quite as stunning as the first. 

Towards the end of the hike is a memorial to Zoe Woolmar. She was a backpacker who lost her life when she slipped and fell attempting to take a photo at the edge of the canyon. I considered not including this story in the blog, because I like to keep this a cheerful place. But the story and the details (which I will not include here) have really caused me to pause. 

I am a pretty avid rule follower when it comes to safety. I like to do daring things, but only in controlled environments. And in those situations I look to the guide to know what is safe and what is not. In Zoe's case she was listening to the guide and yet still experienced tragedy. I often take for granted how easy it is for life to be taken, and I think Zoe's story is an important reminder to always be discerning for yourself what is safe, and weighing the risk/reward. I don't want to live life in fear, or stop from having fun. But I do and will continue taking safety seriously, because Zoe's story doesn't need to be repeated.

Thankfully in our group, we all took this story to heart and were able to have a fun tour without taking unnecessary risks. 

Kings Canyon was the last stop on our tour. We headed back to camp to pack up, and then half of us were headed back to Alice Springs; while the others were headed to "Bush Camp". A one night, no running water, no toilets, no electricity camp. As fun as that sounds, I rather enjoyed my shower when we got back to Alice.

A couple who had been on the tour were staying at the same hostel as me, so we went out for dinner together and got in one last campfire chat before heading to bed. 

I feel like this trip was so transformation. I feel so relaxed and rejuvenated despite it being a pretty physical trip. I think just being so surrounded by such majestic and magnificent natural wonders, it really makes you realize how small you are. It puts all your trivial worries into perspective. I am so grateful that I live in a world that continuously takes my breath away. Thank God our creator is such an artist!!

I hope you guys enjoyed a little wildness. Next up is New Zealand!! I get back around October 11, so watch for it October 12 or 13 :) 

Until next time!

Shannon

Ten Days in Sydney

I had initially planned to go to Sydney in the summer time when I could take advantage of their gorgeous beaches. But when Hillsong Conference is there in July. You go in July.

I'll break this trip into two sections because it feels like two separate trips. First and foremost is Hillsong Conference which was Tuesday to Friday, and second is dedicated to the highlights of Sydney. HC was held in the Qudos Arena, which is in the Olympic Park on the edge of town. It was therefore necessary to make two parts to the trip, or else spend endless hours on public transport.

Part 1: The Conference to End All Conferences

HC-Qudos Arena, Day 1

In my short time attending Hillsong, I have noticed there is nothing these people to halfheartedly, and conference was no exception. I alluded to it in a previous post, but this lineup was stacked with unreal talent.

We had four prominent keynote speakers: Louie Giglio, Earl McClellan (not great-grandpa Earl!), Singapore's sweetheart Joseph Prince, and Bill Johnson, who turned out to be the best surprise in the bunch. There were AM and PM sessions where one of the big four would speak; and then afternoon sessions that would either be filled by "masterclasses" (smaller group sessions about specific topics), or a guest pastor/Brian or Bobbi Houston. And as if that wasn't enough, for each session we would be led in worship by THE Hillsong United and THE Hillsong Worship. They were so excited to be performing that rumor has it Hillsong United cracked the stage during a particularly energetic version of Echoes (oops!). It was absolutely electric from opening to closing! 

Melbourne City Campus-Last Day

I have far too many highlights from this conference to begin to list them here, but I will take a moment to highlight how superb of a speaker Bill Johnson is. He is the senior pastor at Bethel Church in California, and up until this point I had never heard him speak before (on the way home from Sydney that changed drastically, pretty sure I had four messages under my belt before leaving NSW). This man held the attention of 30,000 people (mostly under 30 year olds) so well that I swear you could've heard a pin drop in the pauses. Bill kept saying such profound statements, that it would take a solid minute for it to really sink in. Then the thought would be met with a chorus of "so good!", "wow", etc. If you haven't heard him speak before, I highly recommend it!

Words can't explain how it feels to be in an Arena of 30,000 from all parts of the world, all singing to the same amazing God. It was quite literally Heaven on Earth.

Part 2: Sydney- Tourist Time!

Day 1: Harry Potter and the Sydney Opera House

After my week at conference, I was a little worried everything else would fall flat in comparison. But me being the little trooper I am, I persevered! No amount of post-conference blues would keep me from being a full on tourist.

After moving all my things from the AirBnB to the hostel downtown, I scooted over to the Opera House (yes THE Opera House), for a showing of Harry Potter with full orchestra, dreams really do come true people!
The opera house was actually quite cool. I overheard a bit of a tour on the intricacies of  how it was built, but between you and me I was too blown away by the architecture to absorb much of it. I did however learn that whenever the Prime Minister comes to visit, he gets to stay in the most expensive house in Australia which sits across the harbor from the Opera House. (Not too shabby!)

After leaving the show, by pure dumb luck I ran into one of my Melbourne pals who was still in town, and we grabbed a quick bite of Thai before going our separate ways. Very jealous that she got to take the train while I had naively opted for the night bus. Turns out that buses are not very comfortable to sleep in, who'da thunk it! But that story is for Tuesday night and we're still on Saturday!


Day 2: Hillsong-Mothership Edition

By Sunday there were only about 3 people left in Sydney from my crew at Hillsong Melbourne. Thankfully though, the cream of the crop was left, all of who were game to mission to Hills Campus. For being based out of Sydney, Hillsong is very far from Sydney. It took about 1H 15M to get there from the city centre. But it was all worth it for the following moment:

So when you get to Hills campus there are several buildings, the one we were waiting in turned out to be the wrong building, thus causing us to be a touch tardy to the service. The auditorium they were using looked very much like a movie theatre, so when we entered we opted to stay in from for the worship and then find our way to our seats. On this particular Sunday, we had the privilege of  Louie Giglio guest speaking, and yours truly stood right next to him during worship. At the end of worship, the pastor told everyone to say "hi" to your neighbours, and Louie (obviously dazzled by my singing abilities) turned to me to shake my hand. BEST "turn and greet someone" EVER.

Louie (or Lou as I call him now that we're besties), delivered a predictably outstanding message. Before heading back to the city, I did a little exploring of Hills and discovered roast chicken dinner are available for purchase out front (sold!). Now that's doing church right, they bring the festive special to you!

Day 3: Blue Mountain Trek

Inside Trudy the Trusty Van

The next morning I had to get up nice and early at 6 to catch a tour heading deep into the Blue Mountains with Coast Warriors Tour group. The blue mountains are so named because the large amount of eucalyptus trees that populate the forest. give off eucalyptus oils that reflect the blue sky. Thereby making the mountains appear blue.

I went solo for this one, as by this point all the Melbonites had returned to the mothersland. Luckily though I quickly tacked onto a group of fellow solo travelers and we ended up spending the whole trip in our group. There was Martha (England), Lorraine (Ireland), and James (Northern Ireland). Such a fun group of people. We hit it off so well that after the tour we ended up getting dinner together.

A lot of our team bonding moments came during the hike. Our tour bus stopped a few locations on the way to see kangaroos, and also to see lookouts over the blue mountains. The longest portion of the trip was the stairway on the cliff-side. I'd estimate there to be somewhere in the mid hundreds of steps to the bottom of the cliff. Every time we thought we were done, BOOM another flight. But at the end of the stairway to heaven, was a gorgeous waterfall, and a not-too shabby view.

When we had all gathered enough mental and physical power, we did the hike back up the millions of stairs. That was a true testament to how much more I need to workout. At least Martha and I were at the same fitness level!

At the top of the stairs our tour guide had prepared a delicious BBQ lunch for us, including the option to try a kangaroo filet. Kangaroo's are grossly overpopulated in Australia, so not to worry, this was a sustainable meat source! That being said, I think I'll stick to beef, kangaroo is a bit tough for my tastes.

From there we took the tour bus (Trudy), back to Sydney with one more stop on the way to see the panoramic view of the valley. It was amazing, but a bit dizzying (particularly when Martha noticed the cars at the bottom of the cliff). Thankfully for us, our tour guide was a better driver then them, and we made it back in one piece.

Lincoln Lookout

Day 4: Bondi and G'Bye

For the last day I couldn't do a ton, mostly because my muscles had voted and decided we should not exercise that much ever again. But also because I had to catch the night bus back to Sydney, and therefore did not want to wander too far.

So with a train card with still a hefty balance on it, I decided to nip out to Bondi for a bit. It was far too cold to swim, but I've heard it's a pleasant place to walk around. Unfortunately, the aforementioned train card slipped out of my pocket during the first train, leaving me $25 lighter. But determined to not let it ruin my day, I tightened up my laces, slapped on a smile, and hiked the rest of the way to Bondi and then back to the city. My muscles were not very pleased...

Bondi was a nice enough beach, but I think it's just one of those places you need to see in the summer. The arctic wind coming off the ocean has a way of cutting through all the layers of clothing, quicker then I (a proud Canadian, and endurer of the cold), would like to admit.

 So unfortunately Bondi turned out to be just a quick walk by the ocean, and then back to the city I went. I suppose that just means I'll have to go back when the weather is more pleasing!

Bondi Beach

Well Sydney, as much as I enjoyed our time together. Melbourne is still the best city in Australia!

Stay tuned, at the end of August I'll be heading into the outback! Look for the post August 26 :)

Heart for the House

Hi all, I just wanted to take a moment to talk about the amazing things that are happening in Australia. Tonight at Hillsong we had Mega Prayer night in anticipation of Heart for the House this coming Sunday.

Heart for the House is our opportunity to go above and beyond normal giving, to see Hillsong churches planted across the world.

Hillsong is a special place. Jesus is in that house, there is no doubt in my mind. The impact of this Church on the 19 countries (and counting), that there has already been churches planted is immeasurable.

In a time where the world seems to be a continually desperate and lonely place, I think there is a need for the Christ-centered community that Hillsong is bringing. There is a reason there's already over 80 "rooms" (campuses) of this house. I firmly believe that the call of this church is to spread wide, and be as accessible as possible. In order to do that however, there is a financial component to it.

If you are in a place to give financially, there is a website Here. If you are not in a place financially to give, please pray boldly for this church. In the short time I have been in Australia I have seen how powerful prayer can be, and I know the more voices we have raised, the further this house will stretch.

Coming off of such a powerful night of prayer and worship, I couldn't help but spread the news a little further. So incredibly grateful for all of the friends and family who have helped position me into a place of passion for Jesus and his church. The best is yet to come :)

Acts 2:42-47

42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

Life in Melbourne

Sorry to break it to you guys, but I don't have any big trips coming up until July (Sydney!!). So in the meantime I thought I would give you a little insight into my life in Melbourne.

Shannon in all her polo glory

 I'm absolutely in love with this city, I've only been here a month and a bit, but I feel so at home. Last Friday, I started working, and that solidified this feeling even more. Once you start seeing the true side of the city (versus all the tourist hype), you really start to understand why it is that people love Melbourne. Yes the cafes are amazing, and there are endless activities within the city; but its really the whole vibe that makes you want to stay. It feels like a more relaxed Toronto.
 Until my last bit of paperwork goes through, I'm only allowed to working Private hospitals. But this has been quite insightful into the two-tier health care system. Patients that I have had are not as acutely ill, they have need to be in hospital but don't require the same level of care that I'm accustomed to at home. The overall pace of private is much more relaxed. The most surprising thing is that all the charting I've done so far is paper, which I'm not so much a fan of. It irks my organized self and my earth-warrior self to have so many sheets of paper floating around. I've heard most other hospitals are on the electronic system though, so I'll let this one slide. Best part of the hospital I've been at for my first few shifts is the free espresso machine. Absolute life-saver.
The other half of my life is Hillsong. I know megachurches sometimes get a bit of a bad wrap for being over produced and inauthentic. But i couldn't disagree more. I've been attending Hillsong since the first week here and the community there is more welcoming and personable than any other church I've ever experienced. Mikaela has accused me, in a lighthearted way, of being a little addicted to church. Today is Friday and I've spent nearly every night this week at a church event. Everything Hillsong puts on is done with such purpose and carried out so well that I just can't get enough. The reason I scheduled my Sydney trip for July is to attend their annual conference, its like Christmas in July. We're currently working on a plan to sneak Mikaela away from YWAM for a week, any suggestions would be welcome. The invite is open to everyone though, Louis Giglio is speaking... just saying.
I wish there was some magical way to have Melbourne closer to home. But not to worry, I think the call of Timmies is still strong enough to get me back to Ontario eventually!
And to all of you who keep asking: No I have not met Australian Prince Charming (....yet). ;)

Three Days in Tasmania

A quick little background to why this mini get away happened:

I have been living in Melbourne four about 3 weeks at this point, most of which has been spent running around and filling out paperwork for my job. Because it's taking so long for the final stage of my registration approval, I haven't been able to start working yet.
Last Tuesday I received an email informing me that my registration has at last been approved! So I quickly emailed the agency I was working with, only to find out that they wouldn't be able to start orientation until next week (May 6).
Now, anyone who knows me knows I don't handle being bored very well. Another five days of waiting around did not seem too appealing to me. So on Wednesday night I somehow pulled together a three day trip with a flight leaving early the next morning. Because of the short time between planning and leaving, I had no expectations for Tasmania. But boy oh boy is it full of treasures!

Day 1 in Tasmania: Hobart

Hobart

I arrived in Hobart at around 1030 in the morning on Thursday, and was greeted with the most gorgeous air ever. I don't care what anyone else says, island air is just different.

My first impression of Hobart is that it reminds me a lot of the Canadian East coast. Not only the landscape, but the people. Everyone I interacted with was super kind and helpful.

The downtown of Hobart doesn't take very much time to wander around. So after a quick tour through the Tasmania Art Gallery and Museum, I continue to wander down to the Botanical gardens.

Royal Tasmania Botanical Gardens

The Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens stretches approximately 34 acres, and is home to a variety of gardens, and seemingly endless kinds of plants. It being the beginning of winter here, many of the gardens had begun to be prepped for winter. But those that remained were absolutely gorgeous.

The rest of the day I mostly spent wandering around the shops, and chatting with my roommates at the hostel.

 Day 2: Bonorong Sanctuary, and MONA

  Just north of Hobart is the wildlife sanctuary Bonorong. Unlike a zoo, the animals in a sanctuary are there due to illness, injury, or are for some other reason unable to return to the wild.

Tasmanian Devil

  It was an absolutely magical experience getting to feed the kangaroos. The ones here are so used to humans that you are able to feed them from hand. (It should be noted that those animals with potentials of leaving are kept separate from humans). The only exception being the wombats.

  Wombats, up until the age of 2, are able to be pet with no repercussions for their return to the wild. At age two they enter their "teenage years" and become very territorial and aggressive. Regardless of how much interaction with humans they have had, they will charge at any who come near their den. Even if the human has been taking care of them for the entirety of their life.

  The most note-worthy of the animals found here are of course the Tasmanian Devils. So named because of the bright red colour their ears turn when excited or eating, along with their devil-like scream.

  Many of the animals here are able to be rehabilitated and re-released into the wild. Entry fees to Bonorong allow them tho continue to care for sick or injured animals.

 My second stop of the day was to the world famous MONA museum. Hands down the strangest museum I've ever attended. It is truly one of those places that you just have to experience yourself.
The entire museum is built underground, and feels a bit cave-like. There is quite a few strange paintings, exhibits, et cetera. But the coolest part of the museum is all the different corridors. Like the round house, the neon pathways, the floor to ceiling glass walls overlooking the lake, just to name a few. It has been described as "an adult playground", and I can definitely see why.

After the long day of adventuring, my roommates and I from the hostel went into town for some pretty amazing dessert from Honey Badger Dessert Cafe. Which was as mom would say, decadent.

MONA 

Round House-MONA

Day 3: Mount Wellington

For my final day in Tassie, I booked a bike tour of Mount Wellington through Under Down Under tours. Mount Wellington overlooks Hobart and the surrounding areas, and is tall enough that in the winter the mountain can get quite a hefty dropping of snow, (as per the locals).

The tour begins with a bus ride up to the peak, where we were given a few minutes to have a look around. On this particular day there wasn't much more to see than a dense mist. From there we began our decent on bicycle down the main road. 

There were a few stops we made along the way down, two of which were particularly interesting. First, was the site where the February 7, 1967 bushfire started. This day is known as Black Tuesday in Tasmania. Prior to the fire there were a series of hotels on the slope of Mount Wellington. When the fire hit, half the mountain's forest, including the hotels, were gone within about ten minutes. Looking at the forest today, you can still notice some faded scorch marks amongst the new foliage. 

The second site was in the valley below, a place called "the Female Factory". This was a site that held female and child convicts in the 1800s. For more information on the history of the site Click Here. In Hobart there is a monument to the convicts who served here, including the crime for which they were convicted. Some were even as minor as stealing a handkerchief.  

The remainder of the tour took us by the docks of Hobart, and finally to where we had begun in CBD. Overall a pretty spectacular way to learn some of the history of Hobart, as well as admire the nature around the city. 

Peak of Mount Wellington

I had gone to Tasmania with absolutely no idea what to expect, and I am leaving a fan! Such a beautiful, simple part of the country; but rich in history and adventure. Having only three short days in this state, I've probably just scratched the surface. 

Goodbye Friend!

Mikaela's last day :(

Well I'm officially flying solo in Melbourne. Yesterday my other half left to start YWAM in Townsville. But not to worry, we sent her off in style!
Good Friday was Mikaela's last official day in town. We began our day with one of the most amazing Good Friday services I've been to, courtesy of Hillsong-Melbourne. Coming out of church the city was the most energized I've ever seen. The area where Hillsong is held is full to the brim with churches, and every single congregation was on the streets celebrating, singing and spreading the message. It was a pretty incredible thing to be a part of.
What a way to start the day!
After church we met up with the friend we had made at our hostel, Ndola, and wandered down to the CBD (central business district). There's been a comedy festival going on in Melbourne for the past few weeks, and at town hall they had a free event going on Friday afternoon. Of course Free is our favourite word, so we stopped by for a couple chuckles.

All Canadian Crew
(Mikaela, Ndola, and I)

Last stop of the day was to the FREE Ian Potter museum. We got there with about 30 minutes left till it closed so we had to motor, or risk the wrath of the coat check lady! I will most definitely have to go back when I have a little more time. Probably the most fun exhibit was a techno dance floor that we stumbled upon. I don't know if I personally would qualify it as art, but it was fun nonetheless.
After our trip to the museum, Mikaela and Ndola went for dinner, and I went to, wait for it.... Sign my lease! That right folks, I am officially a resident of Melbourne. But I must say, Hamilton's insanely low rental prices has kinda ruined me forever. Still, nice to be out of the hostel and into somewhere a bit more homey.
This upcoming week is all about tying up loose ends so I can start work. Guess I should also brush up on my uno game, I hear nurses have started playing a lot of cards since I've been off ;)