It seems like yesterday I was arriving in Sydney, Australia; however, I have already completed half of my time abroad. With the temperature warming up, two of my friends and I decided to embark on an adventure of a lifetime. Since we wanted to explore Australia further, we decided to tour the East Coast for “Mid-semester Break.”
Day 1: Following our last class before break, my friends and I flew to Brisbane where we would meet our tour group the next day. Upon arrival, my friends and I explored Brisbane and stayed in an exquisite Airbnb with an infinity pool on the 92nd floor. Both the apartment and pool had fantastic views of the city.
Day 2: After a lovely stay in Brisbane, my friends and I traveled to the Roma Street Bus Station and met the other exchange students who were on our trip. With our bags stowed beneath the bus, our tour group headed to Noosa Beach where we received surf lessons from the locals. Let’s just say surfing is much more difficult than it looks. After several attempts, I was able to ride a wave and made my way to the shore. The thrill of finally succeeding at surfing is something that I will never be able to forget. Following our surf lessons, we headed to lunch and later traveled to our accommodation for the night.
Day 3: The next day, our tour group boarded modified 4wd buses and headed to Fraser Island. To get to the island, we had to take a thirty-minute ferry ride. When we arrived at Fraser Island, the buses drove along the beaches and dunes where we spotted two Dingos in their natural habitat. After an hour drive on the beach, we headed further off-road to Lake Makenzie. There, my newly acquired friends and I enjoyed swimming in the pristine crystal-clear water. Later, we boarded our tour bus and traveled twelve hours overnight to Airlie Beach.
Day 4: After our twelve-hour bus ride, the group boarded two speedboats that traveled at 60 km/h towards White Haven Beach. While on the boat, we observed the spectacular scenery of the Whitsunday Islands. Once we arrived at Whitsunday Island, we took pictures with the “Most Instagrammed Tree” in the world. And yes, I have already posted a photo of me with the tree on Instagram. We then hiked to various lookouts along the island, sailed to White Haven Beach, and went snorkeling. During our last stop, I had a little accident. I lost my footing and hit my chin on the metal railing of the boat. I busted my chin open and ended up in an immediate care center. The wound required two stitches. Although I may have ended up injuring myself, I had a blast with my new friends and exploring the Whitsunday Islands.
Day 5: A day after my injury, we headed back to the Wharf and boarded a private yacht. Due to my injury, I was instructed not to get my stitches wet for the next forty-eight hours. As a result, I remained on the ship while others jumped off and went swimming. Although I was unable to participate, I had a fantastic time sunbathing on the yacht. Also, I could not pass up the opportunity to represent my fraternity, Tau Kappa Epsilon, on Spring Break. Following our stay in Airlie Beach, we boarded our tour bus and headed north to Townsville. After our four-hour bus ride, we grabbed our luggage, headed to a ferry, and traveled to Magnetic Island where we would be spending the next two nights.
Day 6: Throughout our trip, every hour was planned for us. However, this was the day where we could do whatever we pleased. As a result, a group of my friends and I rented a 4wd jeep and explored the island. Our first stop was the Fort Walk. On our walk, we saw Koalas sleeping in their natural habitat, World War II Bunkers, and the rest of the island from its tallest peak. Following our descent, my friends and I made our way to a local beachfront restaurant famous for their fish and chips. The food was impeccable. Once we had finished our lunch, we headed to the historic shipwreck that is just off the coast of Magnetic Island. During low tide, one is able to walk through shallow water to the shipwreck. During our walk, my friends and I discovered two starfish and a sand dollar. After exploring the wreck, we got back in our rental jeep and explored secluded beaches. Most notably, my friends and I ended our day by watching the sunset from West Point Beach.
Since my Mid-semester Break is only halfway over, I will summarize the second portion of my trip in my next blog post. Fingers crossed that I do not end up further injuring myself. Till next time.