So what did i learn in these 4 short weeks?

I learned that the Sydney Opera House organ has 10, 100 pipes.     I learned once again that traveling with someone else can be hard and it tests your patience.  Especially for me who is so used to doing things on me own and doing what I want.  Maybe it’s my job or just how i travel.  Agnieszka is a lot like me in that we’re both very independent and so have very strong views on subjects and desires to do certain things; things the other person might not be so into.  Giving into the other persons wants over your own is necessary in a travel buddy as it is in any relationship.  Or better yet, try to find something in their activities that you could find fun so that you can do something together.  But sometimes, you also need to be assertive about what you want and get the other person to try it, they might like it (ahem, tubing 

That being said, sometimes, you need to get away from each other and do your own things.  For instance, one night, Ani went to a party and I went roaming about Melbourne to see the sites and read about the history.  She’s not so into history, and I’m not as into partying as she is.  As long as you are both cool with it, traveling will be much nicer.  And that’s what a vacation should be: fun.  I feel like Dr. Phil.

I also learned how to play the drums, or rather how to copy what Phil did on the drums, god help me if i could remember any of the riffs we played, but it was really cool.  Wish i could go there and take his classes.  I saw the smallest penguin species in the world without paying $20 admission and found out that kangaroos don’t like rain.  I was given further evidence that Captain Cook, although his legend presides from New Zealand to Alaska, mostly fumbled through his career with almost nothing but will and gusto; naming an island based on your equipment malfunction does not a good captain make.  I learned that Moke’s are like a rollercoaster for the road and hella fun to ride in and 6k up a hill on a bike is really hard.

Oh, and I learned how to paint properly and now need to do a lot more of it.  All about primary colors: red, yellow, blue and a base of purple.  Block out your object first in purple, then do the background, then put in the color.  Only use white as a shade, never use black.    Fresh pineapple is good.  Planning is a good thing, do it whenever you have the chance, but leave yourself open for randomness.

I learned i can be kind of sulky when i don’t get my way.  Is that lame or am I as a human being allowed to do that?  Oh wait, that may be too gay.  Please tell me oh internet. I learned that Australia is much more expensive then the States right now, but it’s worth it not to have to tip or calculate tax.

I learned crocodiles can jump up to 10 ft into the air to get food.  They can grow over 18ft long and can snap bone with a blood curdling crack.  And when they get injured or scarred, their skin turns into this beige mooshy looking surface.  I was given further information on how dumb American tourists can be.  Exhibit A: “Where are you from?”  “Australia.”  “You speak very good english for being Australian.”  (yeah I know, wow.)  Exhibit B: Headline- “American Tourist drives car into croc infested river.”  She thought the boat ramp was a cross road even though there was no road or ramp on the other side.  She swam out of the river just before crocs started showing up to see wht happened.  idiot.

Darwin has only two seasons: wet and dry, the temperature not changing much between them.  In the dry season you can swim in some springs and rivers as we did, in the wet season, they are croc infested.  Bogans are hic australians which you can find at pubs in towns like Noonamah and Humpty Doo.  I also learned that kangaroos growl.  Katy taught me a lot about Auzzie rules football and she and Gregor cleared up some Tour de France issues I had.  I learned how to drive stick with my left hand.

But most of all, I learned that I must go back to Australia.  There is still so much left there to see and do.

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