Animal Adventures

During the busy week, we scheduled some different trips to check out some Australian wildlife; one to the aquarium and one to a nearby wildlife park called Featherdale.  I had been living in Sydney for over a month at this point and I still hadn’t been to the aquarium, which is only 15 minutes away in Darling Harbour.  Since the weather looked to be gloomy, we figured an indoor activity was needed as well.  It turned out that the Sunday weather was actually quite pleasant, but we still kept our plans to go to the aquarium, adding in a scenic walk down to the harbour in light of the beautiful weather.  The weather here is such a mystery and I always seem to dress inappropriately.  There I was in a sweater and jeans with the sun shining down intensely, while the day before I was in a tank top and drenched in rain; there’s just no way to tell.  I was tempted to buy a Darling Harbour souvenir t-shirt at a nearby shop, but was unimpressed and not willing to spend the money.  Instead, I stubbornly stuck it out and continued on our walk to the nearby aquarium.  

There’s not much to report on the actual events of the aquarium – it was your typical glass cases filled with exotic fish and marine life.  Not that I didn’t enjoy wandering around and looking at all of the pretty fish fish, I just don’t have much to write about it in my blog.  We spent a few hours admiring the Australian marine life and learning a little more about some exotic species. We did, however, get a chance to use Allison’s awesome Nikon camera.  I was quite disappointed when I arrived in Australia and found out that my photography class had been cancelled because I was really looking forward to using it here in Australia.  I didn’t think I would actually take it out and use it on my own, but as it turns out, I’m using it quite often and getting some great shots.  We got some cool pictures of Dugongs, an animal that might interest you readers back home.  This massive blob of an animal looks similar to a manatee, but is slightly different in that it has a tail similar to a dolphin and it originates in the southern hemisphere.  Other than that, it’s still as ugly looking as you would imagine.   They seem to be pretty popular here though, a huge advertisement to see these exotic creatures being the main attraction plastered on the side of the building.  

After wandering around the aquarium for hours we spent a half hour in the gift shop, sifting through random, useless souvenirs that we might need.  At this point, I was starving and looking forward to some lunch.  I was really excited to get a hamburger today– it’s been way to long.  I was pleasantly surprised with my decision and ate my food in a matter of seconds.  While this meal might have been a success, I must say that the food here is pretty much disappointing me most of the time.  I will acknowledge that I am a picky eater, but a lot of the food here is just odd or different.  The cheese is not normal (in colour or taste) and neither is the milk – I don’t care what anyone else says (Luke).  The grocery store is an adventure in itself, as a search the aisles for something I actually might like.  I’m desperately missing a home cooked meal by dad at this point of the trip, along with some of my normal favourite food items and brands. Enough complaining - back to Sunday’s activities; after the aquarium and lunch, I left the group to go to the library and work on a group project for illustration (yes, possibly the first mention of homework yet).  While my focus these days might not be on school, I am trying to keep up and actually get something accomplished during my time here.  My classes here are much different then what I am used to back home.  I have two big projects in each and that’s it, no smaller assignments in between.  The teachers are also very vague in their explanations and expectations for the course projects and goals.  I am used to rules, guidelines, and specific requirements while they seem to be more focused on individual creativity and freedom.  While I could see how this would be beneficial, I am finding it to be very frustrating as the semester continues on.  Anyways the presentation is on Obama, go figure I come to Australia to report on politics in America.  I have noticed that they are pretty obsessed with our new U.S. president here in Australia, as I have heard way more about Obama then their Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd.  It’s quite funny I think, but I guess it’s easier to report on something I am somewhat familiar with so I’m not complaining.  After a few hours arguing with our bossy group mates, Jenna and I left the library annoyed and frustrated.  The presentation was complete, but we were not happy with the way they insisted on putting it together. We quickly realized there was no use in fighting with them; hope all goes smoothly!

 

This week held even more animal encounters with a trip to Featherdale Wildlife Park on Wednesday.  This trip included a 30 minute train ride along with a 10-15 minute bus ride, but it was definitely worth it all the hassle.  This quaint wildlife park was small and peaceful, a perfect place to play with kangaroos and pet koalas.  The maze of cages and habitats twisted and turned every which way, with new and interesting creatures around every corner.  Birds of every colour flew and bounced about, while tons of kangaroos hopped around eating food right from your hand.  I had already seen kangaroos and wallabies in Cairns, but Luke’s friends were very excited for their first encounter.  The animals were so cute and friendly; we probably spent a good hour taking pics, petting, and feeding them.  There was much more to see after the kangaroos play area, including Tasmanian devils, dingos, and wombats.  It was quite the exciting/educational day as we learned about different Australian wildlife and their backgrounds.  I found featherdale to be much more pleasant than a crowded, busy zoo; we were able to wander, relax, and enjoy the day without the battling the annoying crowds.  As I said we spent a whole lot of time taking pictures, so here are a few good ones to better show you what I’m talking about.

Really big crocodile

2 kinds of kangaroo and an emu fighting over food, along with some pigeons

Dingoes!!

Mama and baby kangaroo

The emus were viscous!

Surf's up

After living in Long Beach for three and a half years and passing up a few semesters of 6am surf class with Jenna and Maggie, I figured it was time to catch some waves.  Luke’s visitors brought the perfect opportunity to work up the courage to test out surfing.  What better a time and place then in Sydney, Australia?  I have to admit that I was very nervous to get out there and try it; the images of ten-foot waves, along with giant great white sharks played over and over again in my head.  It didn't help that my dad reinforced this image the day before when I informed him of plans to go surfing.  In the end, however, his scare tactics did not discourage me from participating in the surf adventure.   We met up with the tour group in front of a local hostel where we loaded into vans and set out for the perfect secret surf  location, Boat Harbour.  After the hour-long trip (during most of which I was asleep) I was immediately relived to see the gentle waves and open beach on what couldn’t have been a more perfect day.  This peaceful beach was the perfect place for a timid beginner like myself.  After lathering up in massive amounts sunscreen to protect my previous irresponsible sunburn, and then squeezing into a sandy wetsuit, we were all stoked to get out in the water to catch some waves.  The  instructors had a different plan in mind...lessons on popping up in the sand for 30 minutes; this was a wonderful exercise in a wetsuit and 80 degree weather. After perfecting our stance on the board, we made our way into what I would call freezing water (most normal people would say it was a pleasant temperature but I am much more dramatic as you may know).  Anyways, after getting used to the water and heading out to where the waves were breaking, I was ready to give it a go – this is easier said then done.  As Brendan has pointed out numerous times in my life, I am the weakest person he knows; after trying to paddle on my board towards the shore, I realize he might be correct.  My arms are way too weak and little to get me anywhere in time to catch a decent wave.  Luckily the “beginner” boards we were using were extra big and buoyant, making it possible to stand up even without paddling in or catching the wave at the perfect time.  After a few minor spills into the water, the instructor came over to give me some more tips.  Of course he made it sound super simple and eliminated the challenge of paddling by pushing me into the wave, but this time I was actually able to stand up and ride the wave in.  I couldn’t believe I was doing it as I wobbled unsteadily and looked towards the sandy beach.  It wasn’t exactly pro surfing, but I honestly didn’t think I would be able to stand up at all so this was an accomplishment in itself.  It wasn’t as easy the next few times without the help of the instructor, but I still successfully stood up a couple more times.  Even with a few spills and some embarrassing wipe outs, we were all laughing and having a great time.  The boys seemed to be regretting their no wetsuit decision after getting a rash from the waves, but stuck it out anyways.  We went in for lunch on the beach and a quick rest before getting out there for the afternoon session. After a few more hours of attempting to grab the perfect wave in, we wrapped things up and went back to the jeep to make the trip home.  The 4WD Jeep shuttled us from the parking lot to our spot on the beach in two trips the first time, but this time the instructors thought we could all squeeze into the back of the it, thus eliminating a second trip for them.  These instructors were your typical laid back surfers without a care in the world, and this seemed to be the perfect job for them. I’m sure they made a nice chunk of change at the end of the day after charging us each $80.  Anyways, the crammed ride back to the lot was quite an experience as he swerved back and forth along the beach, splashing in the water every so often while we bounced up and down and held on for our lives.  He also had a trailer full of surfboards that shook uncontrollably, and barely seemed to keep up with the crazy driving.  It was about half way there that one of the boards inevitably flew out and hit the sand hard a few times before coming to a rest.  The driver slammed on the brakes and laughed about this mishap, that is until he realized it was his favourite board that we had lost.  Apparently it had a few scrapes and dents, but it was his own fault for driving like a maniac though.  When we got back to the parking lot we filed into the vans to make the hour-long trip back home.  After a long day, we were all pretty exhausted and took advantage of the trip home to get some much needed rest.  We had worked up quite the appetite, and the simple sandwich lunch hadn’t exactly held us over for the whole day.  So when we got back home we made plans to shower and then meet at Broadway Café for some happy hour pizza and drinks.  Broadway Café always seems to hit the spot after a long day and we were all looking forward to some pizza.  We ended up severely disappointed after waiting an hour and a half with no sign of food.  When this place gets busy the service takes a plunge and the customers take a major hit; this Thursday night seemed to be just that case.  We questioned our server and he assured us that it was on its' way, but 30 minutes later we were still starving and crankier than before.  It was only then when we threatened to get up and leave that the servers took any interest in feeding us and brought our pizzas out one at a time over the next 15 minutes.  Needless to say, the quality of our food was not up to par, as I'm sure they were rushed and poorly made. Our typical pleasant evening at Broadway was stressful and disappointing…what a bummer.  By the time all of this was done, we were all a little upset and ended up calling it a night.  Broadway, you’re letting us down! 

Kiss Me, I'm Irish

St. Patty’s back home is a pretty big deal as we all know; a day filled with shamrocks, green beer, Irish pride, corned beef and cabbage, and all day/night celebrations.  Us American tourists thought our St.Patricks day might get overlooked here in Australia, there were no leprechaun displays at the mall or shamrock shaped cookies at the grocery store  We figured it wasn’t celebrated here like it was at home.  We did find a harbour cruise for the Tuesday 

evening of March 17^th and thought it would be the perfect was to celebrate.  When the day came closer we did, however, realize that St.Patrick’s Day was celebrated and all the nearby bars in the area we participating.  Good news for us considering the cruise only went until 10, with plenty of time for bar hopping after.  The cruise left the harbour at 7pm, with dinner and drinks included for the 3-hour tour.  Dressed in our best green outfits, we arrived just in time to find a sea a green waiting outside the boat, and let me make it known that this group of people was made up of mostly American tourists/study abroad students.  Apparently, most of us kids from America had the same idea.  We all shuffled onto the boat, eager and excited four our dinner and drinks.  What we saw next was quite disappointing, endless stacks of warm pizza waiting for us and 2 drink options lining the tables in front.  This wasn’t exactly the dinner and drinks we had anticipated for $60, but oh well.  With a few slices in one hand and a drink in the other, we went outside to catch some awesome views.  It was a really nice night and the sun was about to set on the water in front of us. The boat left the harbour and made its way under the bridge and past the opera house.  

The views were beautiful and the atmosphere on the boat was exciting and full of fun.  As the boat made countless loops around the harbour, people were drinking down countless numbers of drinks simultaneously.  I paced myself and only had a few of the mixed pink concoction they were handing out.  By the end of the trip though, there were plenty of people stumbling down the ramp, making their way to the closest bar.  A group of us decided to meet up with some people down at The Rocks, a close by strip of bars along the water.  Some of them took a cab, while some us decided to walk.  With all the chaos and commotion, however, we lost each other and did not end up at the same bar.  Luke’s friends from Massachusetts did not have a phone, so this posed a huge problem. We wandered down the streets and into a few bars in hopes to find them, but they were nowhere in sight.  Two cab rides later, we were back at Unilodge where we found the two of them waiting for us.  It was a whole lot of confusion, but at least everyone made it home safe.  It wasn’t your typical St.Patrick’s Day, but nothing seems to be typical here in Australia, which makes things even more interesting!

Enjoying Sydney

What might have been a dull week, full of school, various projects, and a few trips to the mall, was actually quite exciting when Luke’s two friends form Massachusetts showed up on Saturday with high hopes of exploring Sydney.  Being comfortable in our new city, we were more than ready to play tour guide and plan a few exciting adventures for the upcoming week.  I know I’m behind on my blog, but I’m catching up and this week sure had LOTS to blog about. First up on the list was dinner at Sydney Harbour - what was on the menu…your typical kangaroo and crocodile meal with a side of potatoes of course.  This was not my idea, but Luke had been talking about trying kangaroo since he first got to Australia and his friend Anthony seemed to be just as enthusiastic about the idea.  Before dinner we thought we would show them Sydney 

(and I mean ALL of Sydney at once) from the famous Sydney tower, a building that stands 1014ft high in heart of Sydney with 360 views of this beautiful city.  With the sun just setting, and the lights from all the buildings shining bright, the view was breathtaking.  I quickly grabbed my camera to take a few pictures, but of course it died soon as I turned it on (you might understand my frustration if you recall that this camera is brand new and the battery should last a while….o well, I guess I’ll have to be more careful and check it out before I leave next time).  So, back to the tower and this amazing view; Luke had his camera handy and a full battery, but that didn’t seem to help much either considering the darkness and the glare of the windows didn’t create the best set-up for any amazing pictures.  After the camera troubles, we were able to take in the views for ourselves, look through a few of the telescopes and really appreciate this beautiful city we are living in.  I did not need a picture to capture anything I felt when I stood that high and looked down that far or out in the distance.  We spent some more time circling the viewing platform and then listened to our growling stomachs and made our way into the oddest shaped elevator I’ve ever been in, and I had plenty of time to take in the space as the ride down 1000 feet too quite some time.  We left the tower, but I’m sure this won’t be our last time here; we bought unlimited 3 month passes, so we’ll be back for a morning or afternoon view.  The night was warm and the walk down to the harbour was quite pleasant, except for the fact that I was very hungry at this point; we were all hungry.  

Wolfies Waterfront Grill, Sydney Harbour

We had reservations at Wolfies, which was right on the water, but if you could see Sydney harbour and the restaurants lined along the water, you would have been just as lost as us when searching for the right one.  We tried to find a map, but ended up walking until luckily we stumbled upon the twinkling lights and quaint setting of Wolfies Grill; it was a beautiful restaurant and a beautiful night to dine outside with views of the opera house and the bridge.  

The view from our table

The fancy menus and atmosphere aren’t exactly what we’re used to, but we went with it and pretended we knew what we were doing when we ordered an appetizer and a bottle of wine to start.  This was the first time since being here that we’ve actually had a real server like the one’s we’re used to at home, nothing like the 6 or 7 servers we have when served at Broadway.  It was nice to have an attentive person look after us during a meal for once.  When searching the menu, I did come across the kangaroo/crocodile combination plate, but was to weary to order it all for myself; we all know how picky I can be and I thought I might not like it.  So, typical me stuck with a chicken dish and decided to just try a bite of Luke’s meal instead.  While I might not have been as adventurous as I would have liked, I was too hungry to end up with something I wouldn’t like.  When our food arrived, I was definitely satisfied with my decision and ate every last bite of my chicken PLUS two bites of Luke’s plate, one of the croc and one of the kangaroo.  While they were not terrible, I was not that impressed with either.  The crocodile tasted like rubbery chicken that came from the water and the kangaroo just tasted like tough steak, but not as good.  Luke and Anthony loved their exotic Australian meals, but I was completely happy with my decision and also proud of myself for at least trying both.  After leaving the restaurant (and actually tipping, which is different for us too) we found some dessert we were a little more used to, 30cent McDonalds cones that I know I’ve mentioned before.  The night was still warm, but we were a little tired so we caught a bus back home; we had to get some rest, there was plenty more planned for the week!

 

     

 

Sunburn and rainstorm in the same day....only in Australia

When my friend Julia asked me if I wanted to go to an all day concert on Saturday, I was pretty stoked.  When I heard Taylor Swift and Coldplay would both be included in the line-up, I was even more excited.  We got up way early Saturday morning, eager to make our way to the Sound Relief concert in Sydney.  There were two Sound Relief concerts, one in Sydney and one in Melbourne (pronounced Melbin here…just to let you know); all proceeds for these 2 events go to the Red Cross Victorian Bushfire Appeal and Queensland Premier's Disaster Relief Appeal.  The Victoria bushfires and Queensland floods have taken the lives and homes of many; these victims are definitely in need of a little support and hope.  These concerts helped to raise over $5 million dollars, all of which would go directly to help those victims. The day was sure to bring laughter, enjoyment, great music and most of all hope; hope that things will turn around for those affected by the disasters.  This seemed to be the overall theme for the day, as we could see when we made our way our way inside and after many touching words and tributes throughout the day.  The entire stadium was filled with screaming fans and

overwhelming excitement. Coldplay was the opening band, putting on an awesome live show that really got the crowd pumped for the rest of the day.  We were in the grass area “B” but I was determined to sneak into “A” for a closer spot and a better view.  The chances of this happening seemed very slim, as security for this event was extremely strict and not willing to make any seating exceptions.  

After watching several daring people get tackled by 2, 3, or 4 security guards, my section B seating seemed to be just fine.  I did get a little lost in the commotion and excitement at one point when a member from Colplay ran right in front of me and I jumped up, but was immediately pushed back by one very mean guard; I guess he was just doing his job and trying to keep everything under c ju ontrol but I was not impressed with his methods of doing this, and found myself quite upset and bothered by his rude behaviour.  I got over this in about 2 seconds when they began a new song and I became even more enthralled with the music.  When Coldplay finished, I was in the mood to sit down and relax a bit during the next few bands. We got some water and popsicles and found a spot on the grass to sit down and take a rest.  The beaming sun was quite draining, even at this point early on in the concert.  They had some pretty cool Australian bands playing and even though I had never heard any of the music before, I was still having a great time.  I spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing in the sun and impatiently waiting for Taylor Swift’s performance, which was scheduled for 5:30.  It wasn’t until about 2:30 or 3 when I realized that my skin had been frying in the sun all afternoon.  I made an attempt to apply sunscreen at this point, but who knows what good this did.  At about 4:30 we went to look for the best standing spot for the 5:30 show.  Apparently Taylor Swift is just as popular here as she is in the states because people were crowded around chanting here name, almost as giddily excited as me.  In all of the commotion, I didn’t even realize the enormous rain cloud looming over us…that is until the heavy raindrops began to stab my burnt skin.  It was as if all of the sudden the skies had opened up as they began to pur down the coldest, largest rain drops I have ever felt in my life – it was so crazy!.  I have never seen anything like this before.  I found myself shivering, laughing, and screaming alongside everyone else in the crowd.  We looked to each other in amazement and confusion, wondering what the fate of the rest of the concert would be.  We stuck it out a few more minutes until the rain slowed slightly and the sun broke though the gloomy rain clouds.  Eventually it stopped completely and the sun was shining brighter than ever; it was as if this rainstorm had never happened.  After one more short performance,  Taylor Swift ran on stage singing You Belong With Me, as the entire stadium followed along with her.   In the middle of the song she had a costume change and appeared in a shimmering gold dress, almost perfectly matching the new rays of sun shining down.  She sang 4 songs in total, including a couple of my favorites, Love Story and OUr Song.  I am so glad the show continued and I was able to see her perform live; I have wanted to for some time and what better place then Sydney, Australia!  The concert was until 11pm that night with some other Australian bands I had never heard of, but with soaked jeans and painful sunburn I wasn’t exactly in the mood to stick around and enjoy anything else.  I admit I was being quite cranky, but I was uncomfortable and drained from such a long day.  I arrived home just in time to hear more rain pound against my window, but listening to it from the comfort of my cozy bed was much more enjoyable this time around!  The concert was amazing, despite the horrible sunburn I would have to deal with for the next couple of days!

Mardi Gras - Sydney Style

All week long the hype of Saturday's Mardi Gras buzzed not only throughout the group of us, but also the streets of Sydney.  It was apparently a huge deal here in Australia (one of the largest and most famous Mardi Gras celebrations) and I couldn’t wait to see what it was all about.  And just to clear things up, Mardi Gras is not exactly the same as what we're used to in America; here they have Sydney's Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade, a showcase/festival type event that draws in a huge crowd - this could be interesting.   Friday night brought some frustration and a few tears when my digital camera fell and the LCD screen shattered, so the Saturday festivities were much needed to forget the previous drama from the night before.  I also got a new camera Saturday morning and was eager to test it out and grab a few awesome parade pictures.  After getting a great deal on a new Kodak camera, we spent the rest of the morning doing a little sight seeing with Luke and his friends visiting from Wollongong; the typical trek including the botanical gardens, the Opera House, downtown Sydney and so on. With 80-degree weather and bright blue skies, it was a beautiful day to explore the streets of Sydney.  For lunch we all got kebabs, a very popular Turkish inspired meal here in Sydney (there's at least one kebab spot every block, no joke).  The kebab is a pita/tortilla type thing filled with your choice of meat, sauce, cheese, lettuce, tomato, and all sorts of other stuff, but you might figure that I don’t include anything but chicken and cheese with a little BBQ sauce.  They aren’t my favourite, but they’re interesting and definitely very filling.  

After a little more sightseeing, we stumbled upon Paddy’s Markets, a crazy busy tourist spot filled with souvenirs and Australian goods.  The place has tons of vendors selling a variation of the same goods from one tent to the next.  They have t-shirts of every colour with every famous Australian saying or landmark along with key chains, mugs, artwork, musical instruments, hand made jewelry, fresh fruit and produce, and pretty much anything else you can imagine.  It’s a Sydney tourist’s best opportunity to collect goods for themselves or loved ones back home. I could spend hours here searching for things I may or may not need, but after 45 minutes the mayhem becomes too overwhelming and we exit the underground fair for some fresh air and a calmer atmosphere.  After a little more wandering, we make our way back home to prepare for events of the night.  The Mardi Gras parade begins at about 7 and takes place on on Oxford Street, which is relatively close by. Rumor has it that this event draws in a big crowd and we are advised to arrive early in order to get a good spot along the street.  With this group, however, arriving on time, let alone early is an impossible task.  After some wine and a little mingling, we finally get the group together and catch the bus down towards the parade.  Unfortunately, we are only familiar with the buses that go on our normal route down George St., so this detour to Oxford Street made things a little more difficult.  We got off after a few blocks in the right direction and began wandering the crowded streets of Sydney; tons people were out and all of the nearby restaurants were packed.  It only took a few wrong turns and two bathroom stops to find the infamous Mardi Gras parade we had heard so much about; problem was we could see and hear all of the commotion, but the actual entrance was blocked, forcing us to take a detour into a different parade entrance.  Only slightly frustrated at this point, we began searching for a spot where we could see all of the action.  Again this was easier said then done; the street was completely packed and any chances of viewing were nonexistent at this point.  The people here were cranky and rude, making the whole experience even more unenjoyable.  Luke lifted me up on his shoulders to catch a glimpse and see what all the fuss was about.  I took a few pictures with my new camera and some videos to show those who weren’t so lucky to get a lift.  What I saw was a bunch of half naked people running around, shaking their stuff, and grinding up on each other – not exactly my idea of entertainment.  As a group, we then collectively decided to ditch the parade festivities and find a nearby bar to hang out and possibly salvage what was rest of the night.  We ended up going to Sidebar, an underground spot close by to where we live.  We had a few drinks, but were pretty tired from the days adventures so we went back home shortly after we arrived...so much for the crazy Mardi Gras celebration we had anticipated, but oh well!   

A Midsummer Nights WHAT???

As mentioned in a previous blog, we purchased tickets to see Shakespeare’s A Midsummer nights Dream at the Sydney Opera House.  March rolled around faster then we all expected, and soon we were getting ready for the scheduled March 2^nd show.  I was really excited to not only see a show at this famous location, but also see this particular one as I remembergoing on a field trip to see it when I was younger, probably 4th grade.  Anyways, it was a really nice evening and we decided to walk down to Sydney Harbour.  After only a few short weeks here in Sydney, we have realized that the walk there isn’t really as far as we had originally thought.  Since Mondays are my longest day of classes, I was slightly rushed to meet the 6pm departure, but managed to make it just in time.   When we arrived at the Opera House it was the perfect time of day for a few touristy pictures as usual (I’m anticipating approximately 100 picture of the famous landmark during my stay here).  Inside the building we foundcurved ceilings, panoramic windows with a harbour view, and other intricate design elements throughout; it was as big as I imagined, very elegant and impressive.  We made our way inside the theatre, past a few of the lower sections and then up many stairs until we finally reached our row of seats…against the back wall of course.  While these nosebleeds might have disappointed some, I was pleasantly surprised with our view, as we could see the entire theater and stage

 all at once.  

This also seemed the best opportunity to take a few pictures, even though I am sure this was not allowed.  As the room darkened and the members of the orchestra filled the seats that covered the entire stage, I was confused at where the play would take place; it seemed there was no room for actors or set decorations.  After a long (very long) symphony introduction I realized this wasn’t exactly the play version of A Midsummer Nights Dream.  Instead we signed up to see actors in black costumes stand in front of the orchestra and recite the complex Shakespeare language I’ve heard before in many English classes.   I was immediately lost in the quick paced dialogue and confused by the characters hidden within the members of the orchestra.  I desperately tried to pay attention but quickly became confused, losing interest in the whole thing.  I admit I should have done some research on the characters and plot of this interesting popular Shakespeare play but at this point it was too late and I had no idea what was going on anymore.  I forced myself to stay awake though, a difficult task I might add, until intermission when I had Luke give my a brief recap of what was going on and what to expect in the next few scenes.  He pointed out some important characters and a few minor details I had missed during all of the confusion.  This was extremely helpful and made the second half MUCH easier to understand and also enjoy.  While this wasn’t what I had originally expected, I was pleasantly surprised and ended up enjoying my experience at the Sydney Opera House.  After the show we went outside for a few more night-time picture of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House – like I said before, we are getting quite good at the taking and posing for important pictures by now.  It was a beautiful night and the walk home was extremely pleasant; I am really starting to feel at home here in Sydney.  Of course, the night wouldn’t be complete without a trip to McDonalds for the infamous 30-cent soft serve ice cream cones – these have become quite popular in our short time here.  I mean you cannot really beat a dessert like this.  All in all, I would have to say the night was not what I expected but definitely interesting, an experience just like anything else here in Australia.