Camping at North Stradbroke Island- Mollusks, 30K, and Bogans

As always, I had yet another fantastic weekend in Oz. I, along with 5 others, traveled to North Stradbroke Island for a weekend of camping. Leaving at 6:30 AM Friday morning, I recieved the usual remarks of how unnaturally happy I can be in the morning (things just don't change, even when I'm not in the states). Carrying our weight in bookbags, tents, and PB&J, we finally made it to the island after a bus, train, and ferry ride. After arriving to our camp site on Cylinder Beach, we set up our tents, using a jar of PB as a hammer. Desperate times call for desperate measures. Below is a picture of the view from our tents:

The first afternoon was spent exploring the area around our campsite. This is when my stupidity takes a large role in the story. Three of us decided to climb some rocks that protruded into the ocean a ways out. The climb there was a bit challenging, but once we got to the end, it was nice to sit, with sharp surfaces sticking into your butt, and enjoy the view. I noticed that the tide was coming in quickly, so I decided to get back to shore. Deadly. Kendra vs. waves & rocks covered with mollusks was an immediate defeat on my part. The waves were a lot stronger than before and countless times I was thrown like a limp rag doll into these boulders that were covered with mollusks (which have become the bane of my existence). When I finally did reach shore, I had a pleasant stream of blood to prove that inanimate objects can overtake someone with a higher mental functioning (or so I thought).

The funny part about camping is that as much as I love it, when I lay down to try to fall asleep, I curse myself for giving up the comforts of modern society. It didn't help very much when the joke of putting the shortest person and the 2 tallest people in the same tent turned into reality. The first night resulted in fighting like they were my brothers, and by the 2nd night, I had resigned to the fact that I would be squished, have my pillow taken, and loose all of the padding that I took to sleep on. But the worst part of all were our "neighbors," the bogans (Australian term for hillbillies). These bogans were the worst things that Australia has to offer. They drink more than I breathe. They swear more than I blink. And they are louder than the idiots who play their bass in the car that it makes the world vibrate. Below is a picture that displays the stupidity in which we dealing with:

Despite getting 0 hours of sleep, 3 of us left at 7:00 AM to embark on a 30K (~20 miles) hike. It was quite an adventure, taking us through all sorts of terrain, with the help of Aussies who stopped along the way and to give us water. The highlights were seeing a kangeroo, a mutant lizard (only way to describe it), a squid, jellyfish, and of course, the breathtaking scenery. We hiked to Blue Lake, which was the bluest lake water I have ever swam in. The remainder of our hike was along the beach, which took forever and a day. The beach itself was a sight to behold... miles and miles of nothing (no people, no buildings, no nothin'). But the miles and miles were the downfall... I thought we would never make it. We could see the point that we were heading toward, but it never got closer. Obviously, we did make it, and it was all well worth it.

Our last day was spent at Point Lookout which may have the potential of having the most beautiful sites I have seen so far in Australia (see below). But despite its beauty, the best part was the wildlife. Initially we saw dolphins, which I was more than thrilled about. However, out of the corner of my eye, I saw this huge animal rocket out of the water and make an enourmous splash. Humpback whales. I just about died. Actually, I screamed. The next 30 minutes were spent watching these whales breach, with an occasional siting of dolphins and a manta ray. Seriously?!?!

Despite having the worst sleeping experience of my life and feeling like I have been ran over by a mack truck, it was a fantastic weekend. And now I'm off to panic over my I/O Psych. midterm and contemplate whether the 1950's in AU were accurately defined as conservative. Peace.