Great Ocean Road

In my attempt to balance school readings and assignments, a social life and traveling, updating my blog always seems to find itself at the bottom of the priorities list. For that I apologize. But I have been getting up to some fun things on the weekends, which are always long because I don’t have lectures on Friday! And that’s the kind of thing, or at least the kind of thing I think you want to read about.


One of the weekend trips I’ve been on this month is a road/camping trip down the coast of Victoria along the Great Ocean Road. The Great Ocean Road is a narrow highway that hugs the southern coast of Australia and rivals the Sea to Sky in terms a sheer beauty. It's one of Australia's biggest attractions, right up there with the Barrier Reef and Ayers Rock.

On Friday afternoon a small group of us packed up two cars and left Melbourne with no real itinerary or idea of where we were going to stay for the nights that we were on the road. The Great Ocean Road stretches about 250 kilometers and has lots of small surf and beach towns scattered along the way. Just as an interesting side note, the road was built by returning soldiers of the First World War providing them with employment, and now serves as a memorial to these soldiers. The main attraction of the road is by far the Twelve Apostles, which was really the only destination that we all wanted to see.



After stopping to take a bunch of photos at multiple lookout points along the way we began to search for a suitable campground the set up base camp for the two nights. We ended up staying just outside a town called Apollo Bay, a sleepy beach town about midway along the road. The campground we stayed was called Skenes Creek. It was on the beach and there were hardly any other camper there making it seems as though we had a private stretch of coast to ourselves. We set up camp pretty quick because it was overcast and we didn’t want to get caught in the rain. Fire, Dinner, Laughing, Bed, that is a quick summary of the evening.

In the morning we got up and went into town for some breakfast then headed out for the Twelve Apostles. The second day of the trip the weather was perfect. It was cool and the sun was out, optimal driving conditions. After a couple hours of driving down the most magnificent road I have ever driven down we got to our destination. The Twelve Apostles are giant limestone stacks that jut out into the ocean formed over thousands of years of waves smashing into the coast and eroding away the land. They aren’t actually twelve towers anymore since they are constantly being eroded day after day. Regardless, they are absolutely spectacular, especially on a sunny day, and I found myself taking the same photo over and over again.

After the Apostle we drove just a few more minutes down the road to check out Loch Ard Gorge and some other coastal viewpoints of the Apostles. Loch Ard Gorge is a small bay enclosed by towering cliffs that can be accessed by tourists. At the entrance of the bay is narrow gorge, no more that 30 metres wide that channels massive amounts of water into the bay creating a suction-like force. We all hung out at the beach for a couple hours and explored the cliffs and caves in the area and went for a swim. Probably not the safest place to swim, but I’m still here, and when else am I going to get the chance to go back the Great Ocean Road, maybe never.

It’s difficult to describe the Ocean Road, as it’s a sensory experience that one must actually physically do to understand. For me, the Great Ocean Road is what I expected Australia to be like. You have the sun, surf and sand. I suppose pictures do a better job at describing than I do.

Getting away for the weekend and driving down the Great Ocean Road was relaxing time to get away from the demands of school, and I couldn’t have asked to go with better group of people than I did. I definitely looking forward to more trips like these, and I’ll try and do a better job at keep the blog up to date.

The Long Week

This past week has been packed with heaps of activities and has been one of the best university experiences I’ve ever had. O-week has been an awesome experience and even my best photos and attempts at blogging don’t seem to capture the spirit the week. The last eight days or so have been jam-packed with activities put on by the halls for first year and international students. It’s designed to introduce new students to each other through a series of entertaining and sometimes awkward activities, which force us break out of our shells. Not really a problem for me, or the other international students since we’ve already been living at Uni for over a week. However, O-week was different than the international orientation because I finally got to meet native Aussie’s and really start to experience the laid back feel of Australian culture.

The week started off on Sunday with a photo scavenger hunt in Melbourne’s CBD, central business district. The objective was to familiarize ourselves with the transit system and core landmarks of the city. People were split up into teams and given a list of photos that needed to be taken involving famous places and activities. During the scav hunt we all met for lunch at a pub where we had a few beers and expressed our Farrer Hall pride. While filming the interpretive dancing component of the scav hunt my camera was accidentally dropped on the cement… RIP. But don’t worry, I already got the replacement and there is no shortage of pictures. The scav hunt ended with everyone meeting in one of Melbourne’s many parks where we had pizza dinner.

Monday night was Host Scheme, the biggest student run party of the year. Basically the student society rents out a club and provides buses for anyone that goes to Monash. It was insane, and really sweaty. I’ve never seen so many Uni students crammed onto one dance floor. The club itself had five levels each packed with students. Unfortunately, or maybe luckily, I didn’t yet have my new camera so I wasn’t able to snap any photos of the evening. Needless to say it was a great night.

The next event was casino night. Each person was given gambling money, which they could spend however they pleased. At the end of the night floor pooled all there money and bid for items at the auction. All the prizes were kitchen items that could be easily shared amongst the floor. My floor, the Chastity Jungle, won a hand held blender. After casino night a bunch of people hung out in the social room on the ground floor for some drinks. Much to my surprise casual drinks turned into a bumping party that lasted till 3am. In the morning I found out that it’s common practice. I feel bad for who ever had to clean up at the end of the night.

The following night was the beach party, but there isn’t much to tell about it. The college head was supervising the entire event, huge buzz kill, and SAS and MESS two Uni societies were having a beach party of there own, which most people went to. I decided to have an early night and went to bed pretty early.

On Thursday night MRS, Monash Residential Services, rented out Luna Park in St. Kilda for all the halls. Luna Park is a small amusement park along the beach in a trendy part of Melbourne called St. Kilda. It was another somewhat relaxing evening. I did almost get kicked out of the park for taking pictures on the roller coaster after being told multiple times to put my camera away. After the guy was done screaming at me I pretended I didn’t understand English and had one of the RA’s speak Indonesian to me, it worked. Later, we strolled along the beach and walked down to the pier with Melbourne’s skyline lighting the night sky.

On Friday a bunch of the international students went to the Healesville Animal Sanctuary and got a glimpse of some of Australia’s famous wildlife. There were heaps of Australian animals in somewhat of a natural habitat. Unfortunately, in the state of Victoria it’s illegal to hold the animals so I wasn’t able to get as close as I had wanted, mind you kangaroos aren’t that friendly and many koalas are diseased. I did get to see the elusive platypus, which brought me back childhood since I did a report on them when I was about six years old.

The weather has been pretty on and off lately, but on Saturday it was a gorgeous sunny day, so a bunch of us decide to take advantage of this gift and head to the beach. The only beach I know how to get to it Brighton Beach, it’s about a forty-five minute transit. The beach is famous because it’s lined with small decorative beach huts, which can cost up to $300,000 to buy. Just by looking at the houses in the area, that’s probably pocket change for the residents of Brighton. Saturday was also a friends twenty-first so we went to the city to celebrate, took the night bus home…

Also during O-week I joined the Monash Bush Walking and Outdoors Club, which had it’s first hike on Sunday. I was a little tired since I had been out the night before. I’m reluctant to say hike because there really aren’t any mountain in Melbourne or the close surrounding areas. A group of students, including one other international, went trekking in the Yarra Valley to a place called the Warramate Reserve. It was a beautiful park; mostly rolling hills covered with tall gum trees, out in vineyard country. Although it poured literally the entire trip, I still managed to have a great time and the group of us went to a local brewery for a round after the bush trek.

O-week has come to an end and I’ve started classes. I’m having an amazing time. It still feels a bit surreal that I’m here in Melbourne learning to blend in as a local. I guess what I’ve taken away the most this week is to be open to new experience and to plan to learn what you did expect to learn in the first place. Always put on a smile and people will be willing to help out. Sounds like something you parents would tell you but it's been true for me during the time I’ve spent here. And, if you’re thinking about going on a semester aboard or just traveling, go boldly. You won’t regret it.

How you going?

After an eventful plane ride filled with layovers and delays I can officially say that I now live in Melbourne. It took over twenty-four hours to get from Vancouver to Monash University. Non-the less I’ve made it here safely on my own and I’m loving so far. I’m living in residents and it’s lively to say the least. My hall is a party hall and my floor specifically has a quite the reputation. Last semester a guy ‘accidentally’ swallowed a fifty-cent piece, the largest Aussie coin, which is bigger than a twoonie and I’m sure he was from my hall. But don’t worry I’m not him. Here’s my mailing address for those of you that care to send mail:

Spencer Dear
124 Farrer Hall
Clayton Residential
Locked Bag 1073
Mount Waverly VIC 3149
Australia

Melbourne is a fantastic city and I can’t even begin to explain how friendly and helpful everyone in Australia is, despite the fact that they all think that I’m American. The last couple days have been packed with non-stop activities put on by Monash Abroad and I’ve met what feels like endless other international students that are here to study and have a good time. I’ve also had to sit through hours of boring orientation lectures, but no one wants to hear about it. So far the adjustment to Aussie life has been going pretty smoothly, due in part to the highly social culture that exists here, but there are definitely some things that are going to take a while to get used to. Here’s a couple of them:

The noises. It’s never quiet. It sounds like your living in a pet store but the volume has been magnified a hundred times. Between the squawking parrots that fight outside my window and the hidden bugs that chirp and buzz in the gardens around campus it’s never quiet.

The sun. I’ve quickly learned never to leave my room with out my sunnies…. my sunglasses. The suns rays are extremely strong, and every time I walk outside of a building and the sun is out I literally go blind. To make things more complicated Melbourne’s weather patterns are on crack, so you never know what you’re going to get.

The roads. Aussies drive on the left side of the road. It’s really confusing and I’m scared to drive. Apparently I walk on the wrong side of the sidewalk and every time I go to shoulder check when crossing I look the wrong way and step out on to incoming cars.

The prices. Just ridiculous. The cost of everything is stupid expensive. A glass of beer in Melbourne CBD is around $12.

The transport system. Kind of expensive, but cheaper than a taxi. The metlink can get you anywhere you want to go and then some. Melbourne has an amazing public transit that includes buses, trams and trains. I’ve taken it twice already to the CBD… downtown. People look at me like I’m crazy when I called it downtown.

Anyways, those are just a few things that I noticed during the first couple of days here. Later next week I’ll have to share more about Australian culture… aka drinking, and some of the sweet activities that I’ve done like Fed Square, Laneways Pub Crawl, Queen Victoria Night Market and the Knott.

Here's an Aussie fact. The Australian emblem has an emu and kangaroo on it because those are the only two animals in Australia that can't walk backwards, and Australia is only moving forward.

No Regrets

Most of you already know, but for those of you who aren’t aware I’ve decided to broaden my educational horizons and participate in a study abroad program through SFU International. Those of you who go to SFU will know that ‘broadening you horizons’ is literally the cliché of the school, but it just seems fitting to use. So, this semester I will be trading in the cloud-shrouded mountaintop at Simon Fraser for Monash University in beautiful Melbourne, Australia, and I couldn’t be more thrilled to embark on this once in a life-time experience. From now until the end of June, five months, I will be living just outside the trendy metropolis of Melbourne in residences, and going to school among other things, namely traveling. It would be impossible for everyone to fit in my suitcase, so instead, I’ve created this blog so you can follow along from home or wherever you are. This is pretty exciting for me, as over the next few months I will be experiencing a whole new lifestyle and learning to adapt and live independently in Australia. There will definitely be lots to blog about and share for everyone who takes the time to read. I will do my best to update the blog as often as I can.

Here’s a little background information about why I’m going on an exchange and why I’ve decided to go to Monash. Basically, school is boring. As much as I enjoying going to school, there are a million other things that I’d rather be doing, like traveling. This being said, school is still important to me and I value having an education regardless of the hundreds of hours spent in lectures, labs and tutorials. So when I found out that SFU had one of the largest exchange programs in the country I literally jumped at the opportunity. What followed was numerous info sessions, meetings, and research, which led me the choose Monash University. I chose the school because I wanted to go somewhere that had better weather than SFU, which is anywhere, and where they taught in English. The obvious choice was to study in Australia. Monash was a great fit because it is close the city of Melbourne, but also because it has an excellent reputation for global research and innovation. The school is ranked as one of the countries top universities and has an undergraduate population of over 40,000! I was nominated for exchange last year and was accepted at the university last month. It has been a long wait and I’m ready to get this show on the road.

I’ve been planning this trip for a long-time and can’t wait to get started, and to share my experiences down under, whether they’re good, bad or just plain embarrassing. There’s no turning back now. I’m proud of what I have accomplished on my own thus far, no regrets.