Life in Sydney

Hey guys,
This week's been abnormally normal - oxymoren and all. I haven't ventured around the city or taken any 5-hour walks. This, of course, is not including Sunday - the technical beginning to the week. But starting Monday, it's been a lot of sitting around, working out, trying to do some work - not that sucessfully - and drinking milk shakes, two of them to be exact. One of the toughest adjustments to living in a big city is learning to cook rather than eat out. I'm a long way from completing this adjustment. There are so many restaurants in this city, so many fast food joints, everywhere I walk there's a fresh aroma eminating from a storefront. Thai food, Chinese food, Japanese food - Sushi! and more Sushi! - Indian food, Mexican food, American food. And did I mention Australia food? It's everywhere. The biggest trap I've fallen into is the cheap - but not necessarily junky - Thai and Indian restaurants. I can simply walk in, order a $5 meal and walk out, without feeling the guiltI usually experience when I eat McDonalds or T-bell (which is usually maybe once a year). For some reason, being the practical person I am, I don't feel guilty ordering a "Thai special," a heaping plate of curry and rice for $4.90 Australian (roughly $4.00 back in the States). My point is, it's not easy to adjust to living normally and practically in another country. Hopefully in the weeks to come I'll adjust and begin cooking for myself, saving cash.

On another note, Mike and I scheduled our spring break trip today. Spring break here is Oct. 7 through Oct. 15. Upon our return, we begin our internships. Mike and I will be flying up the coast to Harvey Bay. From there we will take a guided 2-day, 1-night trip to Fraser Island, the biggest sand island in the world apparently. That should be an indelible experience. From there, we will hop on a bus for a day in Brisbane, a nice, medium-sized city with a river running through it. Then we will bus to Surfer's Paradise, which - no surprise - has some of the greatest beaches on the east coast. Finally, we'll spend a few days in Byron Bay - which also features great beaches, in addition to several other activities that should fulfill my taste for the outdoors. It should be a trip with sundry activities, never letting us get bored of one thing. And it didn't come at a bad price compared to some of the trips others from the group are taking to Cairns and farther north on the coast.

At least I'm saving money in some areas.

Well, I need some sleep. Tomorrow afternoon I head off for a weekend at surf camp. I've gotten mixed reviews from last weekend's participants, but there's one thing I can do: make the most of it. I'll only go to one surf camp in my life. Everyone have a good weekend, root on the Tigers and UM - they'll certainly need it - and I'll be in touch on Monday here (Sunday for you).

cheers,
Jake