I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to see The
Great Barrier Reef while I was in Australia! I wasn’t sure if I would be able
to make it there, but thanks to study week, I was able to fit it in! Andie,
Jenny, Haley, Alexandra and I left Friday afternoon to head up to Cairns
(pronounced Cans). We took trains planes and automobiles to get there. After
arriving at our hostel, we got settled before going out to a nice dinner in
town. We made sure to get back pretty early because we needed to get plenty of
rest before the big day.
Saturday we were up at 6:30 a.m. getting ready for our
snorkel adventure. We rented two underwater cameras to document our experience.
We then got on a bus that took us to the marina. We boarded our Passions of
Paradise boat that would take us out to the reef. I enjoyed coffee and muffins
on the two hour ride to the reef. Everyone was prepped with stinger suits,
masks, snorkels, and sun block (or zinc in my case). When we finally arrived,
we had a briefing session on the proper way to snorkel, where we could go, what
we could touch, etc. I think most of us were just ready to get in the water at
this point!
We were all so excited and jumped right in! I saw so much
beautiful sea life in the reef; coral, stingrays, rainbow fish, jellyfish. It
was really relaxing and enjoyable. We took our time making our way to the
beach, taking lots of pictures of course. We then rested on the beach while
regaining our energy to continue snorkeling. Around 12 p.m. we got back on the
boat and refueled with a delicious lunch. The boat then departed and took us to
a second location.
We had perfect weather. The water was clear and it was all
so beautiful and fascinating to see. We stayed there for another two hours
before heading back the marina. I went up to talk to the captain of the boat
for a while, and he let me drive for a few minutes! I’ve driven my dad’s boat
many times, but this was still very exciting. The day went by so quickly. We
were on the boat from 8 a.m.- 5 p.m. but it flew by. After walking around town,
we returned to our hostel to shower and freshen up before dinner. It was a fun
last night in Cairns and it was sad to say goodbye.
That was my final big adventure in Australia, and it was one
of the best. I am so grateful for the many opportunities I’ve experienced
during my time abroad. I feel so blessed to have been able to go on such
wonderful adventures, and to be able to spend a semester abroad in such a magnificent
country. I go home in 11 days, and even though I will be spending most of my
time studying, I will still make the very best of every last second I have
here. I am still hoping to make it to the beach at least once more before I
have to go back to the winter weather in Ohio. The last four months have flown
by, and I still can’t believe my semester is nearly over. I will miss the
friends I’ve made here dearly, but I know we will all keep in touch. I am
looking forward to going back to Elon and seeing everyone at the end of
November. This has been a semester I will remember and cherish for the rest of
my life, and I am so thankful for this experience!
Aussie Aussie Aussie, Oi Oi Oi!
Tessa
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