Trips, trips and more trips!

I apologize for the length and lack of humor in the following post. Occasionally, it is necessary to actually let people know what's going on!

Today I took the jump. (I married a kangaroo! ZING!) I had been deciding for a few weeks on whether or not to book a big spring break trip. All of my roommates had booked a 16 day, $1600 trip all the way up the east coast. (Because marriage is called taking the jump, and kangaroos jump...okay, it was clever in my head) I didn't think I could afford it, but after some careful re-budgeting and some help from mom and dad, as well as finding out that 5 of my other American friends are going, I signed up and put a deposit down today. I am absolutely amazed at the stuff they pack into this trip. One way is about 1500 miles...Google maps lists it as 1 day, 8 hours of just driving! All the bus trips are overnight, with the exception of one, so the bus travel doesn't take up any of your day.

Here's the itinerary I was handed.

26th September - Depart from The Brewery on Greyhound at 8:50PM.
27th - Arrive at Byron Bay 7:35AM. Surf lessons start at 8AM! Free beer, discount meals afterwards.
28th - Sunday morning. Free breakfast followed by more surf lessons. Free dinner.
29th - 7:35AM bus departs for Hervey Bay. Free BBQ.
30th - Up early for Fraser Island briefing and instructions, then dumped on the island with camping equipment, food, and a 4x4 for three days of self-guided wandering.
2nd October - Return to Hervey Bay on the Ferry. Overnight bus departs at 8:25PM
3rd - Arrive Airlie Beach - 9:05AM
4th - Picked up for sailing trip, sail the 74 islands for 2 nights
6th - Return to Airlie Beach, bus departs 8:05PM
7th - Arrive Cairns, 6:05AM
8th - 7:30AM - Scuba diving at outer barrier reef
9th - 6:55AM - Pick up for Cape Trib day tour, return at 6PM
10th - 6:40AM - Pick up for day trip, whitewater rafting. Return 6PM
11th - Skydiving. I've gone solo before, but don't hold a certification, so I am not able to jump alone down here. 14,000ft tandem jump.
12th - My flight from Cairns departs at 6:05PM, arriving in Sydney at 10PM, where I catch the train back to Newcastle and arrive home around 12:30AM.

Needless to say, I'm pretty excited!

But that's not all!

This weekend, as part of my program (call it a field trip), I'm going up to Sydney for a weekend of whathaveyou. I will unfortunately be missing the first rugby playoff game, but it appears I am not eligible to play, as I joined the team after 30 June. We're heading up on Friday, climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge on Saturday and then enjoying a night on the town. Sunday is open as of now, I think I might try to head over to Sydney Olympic park and play a round or two of disc golf.

I'm home for a weekend...second rugby playoff game.

Home for another weekend - bye week for rugby, no plans.

Then comes the second field trip. We're going to the Blue Mountains, which is a good 5 hour train ride away. We'll be arriving on Friday, I guess there's some aboriginal interaction and absailing (rappelling) planned for Saturday. I hear they start you off at 5 meters and work up until you chicken out...10 meters, 20, 30, 45, 60...hehe. (Unfortunately, this is the weekend of rugby finals, but I can't play anyways.)

I think the weekend after that when I depart for the spring break trip.

I return on Monday, classes start on Monday. On that Friday, I'm going BACK to Byron Bay to play in a rugby tournament. It's an invitation-only "social" tournament. From what I understand, social tournament means that the team goes to the bar between matches, between tries, halves...if you're not holding a rugby ball, you had best be holding a beer!

It's going to be a busy couple of weeks!