You will never guess!

Only to me could something like this happen. OK, so yesterday I went to the animal sanctuary about 5 min outside of Albury. Oh man, I still can't believe what I'm about to type. OK so at the sanctuary they have heaps of kangaroos just hopping around not in a cage or anything... so it was super exciting when they hopped real close to us when we just stepped out of the door into the sanctuary. i was real excited. and I had a bag of food to feed them right from my hand. So we walked around a bit and saw the fairy penguins and then a bunch of different birds and the emus... then there was a whole field filled with roos. So when I pulled out the food a bunch came hopping over to eat! one big one pushed his way to the front and I was surrounded. the big one put his paws on my shoulders and was looking me in the face. a bit funny I thought. I felt a bit clostraphobic and tried to hold the food bag up and out of their reach. so the big guy with his paws on my shoulders took a swpie for the bag and caught me right in the left eye. OUCH and a half!! I was worried that he had actually cut my eyeball, so I turned around and got right out of their reach. By this time I had what I though was tears streaming down my face. So I went to wipe them. a handful of bright red blood! I was crying tears of blood!! How creepy is that?! It was really scary when I saw it in the mirror. Striaght from a horror movie. So I went and got my eye cleaned out with saline and then the cut on the outside of my eye dapped with antiseptic. So I have a small cut from the claw on the inside of my lower left lid and a small cut on the outer of my lower left lid. Yes, its puffy and blue today... what a great look for my birthday weekend. So yeah, I got punched my a roo and it was a bit scary.

My knee is on the mend and I'm biking with lots more ease today. Doctor said it was fine and yadda yadda yadda. Thanks to all who have sent birthday cards! It sure is nice to know that people are thinking of me while I'm away. This year will be my first ever birthday in autum! So that's exciting.

So have a good ady all and I'll post some killer roo pictures if I get the chance!!

love me

My day today :)

This is me in Rutherglen eating my first Australian pie. It's meat pie (not fruit). And it was REALLY good!

The first winery we stopped at for tasting... Campbells.

Shane, Noni, me, and Beck. Beck's hubby John is taking the picture.

This is All saints, the second winery we stopped at. Looks like a castle I reckon.

Noni and I. We're close to our last glass of the day here...

So today I spent the morning at the young ladies tea with the ladies from church. I was the odd one out. The only non-married member. I didn't have too much to add in the conversations... maybe in another 5-7 years. But not now, that's for sure. But there was some good coffee and snacks, so I was distracted :) Then The group of us went to Rutherglen for pies and some wine tasting. Shane wants me to add that I was very pleasently surprised with how good my eat pie was at lunch today. I've never been wine tasting before, and I guess Australia is the place to do it. All the vines were looking quite dead (it being winter here now and all...) But the wines were mostly good. You get a sheet of paper with the "reccomemded tasting order" I didn't like the dry whites or the uh... some of the reds, and some wines were even too sweet for me! and I do not like ports. But I kept the list and drew smiley faces by the ones I liked, so I'll be able to show mom and dad when I get home. So Beck's husband was some sort of medical guy in the army a while back. He was interested in the details of my knee and the "recovery" process thus far. His recomendation is to see a doctor. My knee was feeling pretty buggered after all the walking today... but before that it has been very hot to the touch. around the scrape isn't red or inflamed so I didn't think it was infected... but Noni was even surprised with the heat coming off that knee compared to the other... So she's graciously volujteered to take me to the doctor tomorrow. So I guess we'll get this straightened out. i've been icing lots and the swelling has coe down probablt 50-60% from what it was on wednesday. But Noni reckons it may be red around and I'm just too brown to tell! lol. I dunno about that.. but not to worry. I'll keep you posted with the results of the doctor visit.

love me

happy birthday Julie!

Thank goodness I was wearing a Helmet!

These are my pants. Yes, that is a hole.

This is my hand... Nice bruise on its way on my elbow...

A bit of a cut on my knee...

Actually, my knee is really sore. Yeah, it was bound to happen. My mode of transportation is a bike... and you have to fly over the handle bars sometime right? Today I was riding from Thurgoona to the visitors centre I've been volunteering at. Today we were supposed to be touring around to all the different visitor type places near Albury. Thurgoona to the centre is quite a ride and only crazy people like me do silly things like that. Since I was on a bit of a time limit, and just like going fast... I was going pretty fast. Australia uses round-abouts lots for their intersections. I was pretty scared of these when I first started riding around but now they're super easy... I'm not too hesitant. Well, today the car infront of me looked like it was going to go into the roundabout... so I didn't slow down. Last minute they decide to stop. So I had to stop or I would run right into the back of them... top speed! So I breaked.. and yes, pushed the right side a bit (maybe a lot) harder than the left. The right side controls the front tire. So I went flying over the handle bars. One minute I'm speeding down the road... the next I'm flying into it. First impact was my knee, then elbow, hand then head. I was wearing my helmet and you can't really see where I hit my head, but if a bruise does come.. I'll be sure to post the picture. My shoes both went flying off and I was in shock. There was a big truck driving along behind me and he stopped in time, thank goodness. The driver comes rushing out and helps me up and to the side of the road. then he grabbed my shoes for me. Next thing I know another guy driving a ute who was heading in the opposite direction was running over and grabbed my bike for me. The guys were really nice and I was shaking a lot. so the guy in the truck left after he was convinced I was ok. The guy with the ute asked me where I was headed and turned his ute completely around and loaded my bike on the back. a few minutes later we were at the centre and he was loading my bike off the back. wow, was I ever thankful for these helpers! I went inside the centre and asked my manager to help me wash up becasue I was still shaking quite a bit. Since the centre is run by volunteers... they're all pretty much retired ladies... it was like attack of the over-protective mom times 12! lol. I was sitting in the back room getting washed up and handed tissue to dry my tears and wow. so the head manager walks in and says "hows my champ" before he even sees the blood from my knee. When he clues in, he was such a help too! So I went along with the tour anyways (i was really looking forward to it). I'm fine. My knee is actually really sore. It's not so much stiff, and I'm sure there will be a mother bruise tomorrow... but seriously! when I crouched down to put socks on when i got home I was nearly in tears again! hoaky nelly! but since I biffed a good one on my bike last summer I know the secret of taking pain killers. So I'm not sure how I'll go with the bike riding tomorrow... good thing I don't have class... and Roz (my manager) told me to take it easy tomorrow and not to worry about coming in. Yes! a whole day for homework! Anyways, I thought mom and dadio would love too see my pictures. Have a good one!

love me

PS. The spiders in Queensland are mutated... JUST HUGE!!!

That is my hand and a very big spider just outside to door to our cabin at Cape Tribulation.

Marcey and I floating down Eli Creek on Fraser Island. I am on a child size floaty ring. Yes, I am cool. and check out that hat!
The two dingo's walking through our camp site on Fraser Island.
The Easter "Bilby" Robyn had waiting for me upon my return "home". Apparently Australia doesn't have bunnies. (check out the tail).
The random surfing camp that I sneekily took a picture of when I was climbing over slippery rocks and falling off them into the oacean... uh, only one pant leg got wet. Anyways, there's a fire there and a bunch of surfers sarming up waiting their turn again on the waves. That will be me when I grow up.

And here I am being a fisherman. Check out that fish! Dunno what it is, but I'm sure it was good... too bad I don't eat fish. This is on Fraser Island again. Ocean fishing... that's the life! (nice hat, eh?)

Marcey and I in the Cairns lagoon... how rotic *sigh*
My friend the Walabee in the car park to wineglass bay, Tasmania
some crazy rainforest tree roots!
ruins of Port Aurthor, Tasmania
Cheers Ed! Queensland beer while sailing the Whitsundays!

Aussie Home

Well, I have been invited to Shane and Noni's for mother's day supper tonight. We're having it today instead of tomorrow because Sunday night is the last Alpha night. Noni called to invite me with the excuse that "I'm part of the family". That was a nice surprise to hear. Put a smile on my heart.

Yesterday was Friday, no school, Anne's sleep in day. NOT this time!!! Colleen called me from school (where she was) and I answered my phone from bed (where I was). She was very excited to invite me over for lunch. Just because. lol. So I got up and did the things I was planning to do in the arvo (afternoon). But didn't have time to get to the big sale to buy myself some long pants pjs! (yes, it's autum here... and COLD!) and since I was planning on studying in Australia for a semester, I was planning on being hot for a semester. But no matter, because when Colleen came to get me, our other friend Megan (from the states), had ditched to go to Melbourne for the weekend. So Colleen and I had a very girlie day full of shopping at the sales and eating out. It was very nice. Then it was back to her new house to watch a movie and wait for her sister to get into town. She up for the weekend frim Melbourne. After she got here we painted our nails and made ourselves supper. Then we "got ready" for a night out on the town! ( this will make it my second one since I've been here). lol. I had colleen dressing me from her closet and adding makeup to my face... it was really rather funny/fun. So we went out to Paddy's the Irish pub. The girls were busy watching for "dingo's" (their slang for cute guys). I got side tracked by the footy match on tv. big game Geelong vs. St. Kilda! I'm going to miss footy when I get back home. So next up, we went to Bended Elbow and left very quickly after some cowboy tripped over us to feed us some of his best lines. we were not flattered and made a bee line for the doors. Next up is Albury's most happening place to be! the Globe. There's two different dance floors on the same level, with two different types of music and dancing. we stuck to the side with the more funky fun type and we had a ball!! three "dingo's" joined us and the 6 of us just had a blast. it's always a hit when ppl hear i'm a Canadian from "Canadia". Anyways, it was real great to be one of the girls out for the night looking fine and feeling better.

So I'm off for the dinner. Thanks for the early early birthday card Julie!!

Keep me updated on the happenings back home! I love hearing all about it.

love me

little bit of home in Albury

so yesterday I felt like I was at home. Julie called and it felt like I was sitting on her couch just chatting like we always do. I also got a letter from my favorite Anne. I always love hearing your adventures Anne! and it is ok that you only met one surfer... because you know me and now I'm a surfer! lol! Thanks so much for the sticker too... probably the coolest thing ever!

wind and rain

wow, so I went back up the the alps for a geology field trip. It was a gong show. Well, just really funny. It was like we were on a tour of the Great Ocean Road or something. We were climbing in and out of the bus like no other. jump off here listen to someone talk, get back on, jump of here, listen to another person talk, jump back on. the thing that made it funnier was that we were in the apls and it was cloudy and RELLY windy. If you think saskatchewan is windy, you haven't been in the aussie alps. and! the best! we were supposed to go to some loggin site but out bus couldn't get there due to bad road conditions... we had two huge boxes of hard hats that we had been lugging in and out of the buss because they blocked the door... we needed to wear them for the logging deal. so since we can't get to the site, we had out talk on the road. so we're all standing in the middle of a gravel road with hard hats on listening to some guy talk about loggin in the alps adn the affects on the environment. he's trying to point out to us the different veiws but it's SO cloudy that we can't even barley see the guy talking! it was so funny. yeah. so then we go back to howman's gap for our supper. after supper we are all bussed up to Falls Creek (population 38) to the pub. yes, school field trip we are taken to the pub. anyways, here i was introduced to a falls creek drink by the "snow maker". lol. this tall burly grey haired 26 yr old guy who operates the snow making machine in ski season was exceited to show the university girls a new drink. it was rather funny. red bull with yabba blah blah in it... yeah, i dunno what it was called. anyways, the next day was the same thing. in and out of a bus in increddible winds where our fingers were too cold to take notes and we're huddling on a patch of grass listening to david watson talk about how native snow gums adapt to the winter conditions. so funny. but we did get to see some very incredible views of the alps again. i didn't take my camera... and it wouldn't have helped.. the batterites are still dead and the memory card is still full. so yeah.

back in albury after the camp i went to anna's the check my e-mail. she asks if i want to go for a drive. so i say ok. we're on our way to the pet shop to buy her 4 cats a new bed. then, on our way, she starts talking about Beechworth. small town about 40 min away. i told her i hadn't been yet and she was horrified!! it's her favorite place she said! so she turned the car right around and when home so she could change out of her joggers into shopping clothes. So we end up in Beechworth, by far the cutest place I have ever seen (again, no pictures). we looked in all the many different galleries in the town, so beautiful!! then we went driving out of town a bit and saw the gorge! who knew there was so much beauty on my doorstep!!! cool rock formations and incredeble cuts into the earth. then we went to woolsomething waterfall. wow. wow. water cascading down differnt tears of rounded rocks and spilling into a lagoon of crystal water surrounded by rock cliffs! how amazing! so that was a very wonderful afternoon. Anna rocks.

now it's sunday and I've had to wait for 2:30 before I could venture out of the house. it was raining cats and gods all morning!! it's still really windy (and took probably twice as long to bike to school), but that means I'll be really speedy on the way home. so yeah. what a funny weekend. i just loved it.

love me.

Back in Albury

Today I'm back in Albury.. ready (?) for school to start. Yes Kristen, the little surf shops in Cairns were very cute and I too loved shopping there. There was also a little market with lots of cool jewlery. I maybe took advantage of that... Went to a very nice church Sunday morning in Cairns. We sang songs that I actually knew! That was exciting. We did end up going to Cape Tribulation and we stayed in some Jungle Villiage. It was really cool. the veiws the frist day were stunning. Really cool where the reef meets the rainforrest. some pretty massive spiders up there. and critters that like to eat bananas... and then sleep in marcey's stuff. next morning it was raining so the veiws were not good. and I didn't bring my rain jacket to the rain forrest... yes I know... you don't have to tell me... but that's just way too predictable. So I wrapped my sorong around my head and topped it off with a giant leaf. I ever tried holding a big branch type thing (imagine the egyptians fanning someone with a giant leaf/branch) as an umbralla... wasn't very good cause the water just ran down to my elbow and I got wet anyways... so picture a black muslem woman with a big leaf on her head... that was me walking through the tropical jungle looking rainforrest with marcey in her also not waterproof jacket. yes, you can laugh now. we saw a suspention bridge that afternoon when the rain stopped and back to cairns for the night. I caught a plane to melbourne and spent the night at Roy's new house! Very big backyard. Krinsten, you really need to come visit. I looked at pictures of Regina on Roys computer. That was funny. Then I trained it home this morning. I was greated with two letters that had arrived when I was gone. Each one, yes, independantly each letter (one from outlook and one from regina) had a tim hortins roll up the rim cup inside!! do my friends know me or what?!!? I was so very excited. both cups said please play again... so we don't have to worry about missing out on a free coffee or anything. Thanks guys for all your comments on here and thinking of me and your prayers. only a few months left until I'm home. I must say I'm excited to be back with all you guys... but today, I'm loving being here where I am. it's a weird feeling.. can't really explain better than that. I also really loved telling all my three weeks of adventures to my mom and dado. i miss you guys.

ok, enough with this sentimental stuff...

tomorrow I'm off to do a geology camping trip and I hear the weather up in the alps is going to be cold!!! brrr!!!! all this 17 weather... I had to get winter boots and wool socks! i hope I can survive the fridgid temps of australia!

ps, my camera batteries are dead. when I get new ones I will post a picture or two... and maybe one of my tan... but don't get your hopes up too high... I'm not really that dark. (hahaha j/k)