NSW; Reading break, May 2009, East Coast Australia

About a month ago now I moved.  I now live in Merewether, Newcastle, NSW, 2291, just 3 short blocks to the beach and with two very interesting blokes who keep me busy when I am not already into everything else!I am still enjoying university which keeps me very busy, but not too busy in that I haven't been able to get up to my usual adventures!  The coarse is very interesting and I feel as though I am learning heaps each day, which is great.  The insane amount of essays and readings which seem to be at times overwhelming have a way of coming and going in spurts (or maybe it's just that I cram sometimes....) while still allowing me to enjoy my time here and explore a bit.

Noby's beach, probably the best one:)

My first vehicle in Australia, Honda Jazz, or Fit as we call it in Canada

The first house I lived in while in Newy!

Newy!

I have really gotten into scuba diving and am just fascinated with how gorgeous the ocean is each time I go.  I joined the University dive club and am now the treasurer of it (yes, people who didn't even know me actually voted for me), which is also keeping me busy with planning fundraisers and regularly partaking in dives.
I took all of the below photos while shore diving from various spots around Newcastle.

This past week I had 10 days off and headed up the coast on a road trip.  I left with a Canadian backpacker who was travelling through Newcastle on her way to Coffs Harbor.  After dropping her off and spending the night in Coffs, I went diving the next day and ended up meeting a group of Canadian divers who I wound up camping with that night.  The following day I headed north towards Byron Bay where I stayed for two days for Bluesfest and again was fortunate enough to meet some amazing people.

 

Half way through the week I headed South where I slept along a gorgeous beach, woke up to the sun rise and went for a swim in the ocean before heading to South West Rocks where I went on my most amazing dive yet! Definately the highlight of my trip. We were 10 km off shore on a boat where we dove 30 meters down. We had to swim around a group of sharks to enter a cave which was pitch black.  With our flashlights the dive master and I found our way through, 20 meters in we headed 10 meters up where there was an air bubble, 20 meters below sea level! It was pretty neat! but it was the turtles and various fish in the cave which I found most exciting.  In the cave there was a turtle which I was later told was approx. 100 years old!  It's shell was bigger then me!  Fascinated with the turtle I turned to find my dive buddy and accidently wound up stepping on a shark! ha, if I can step on one's head and not be attacked I am no longer worried of seeing them in the ocean swimming about!  It didn't do anything at all! In fact I wouldn't have even known it was down there had it not moved!  Afterwards we swam through spools of tropical fish in the gorgeous 25 degree water which offered a 15 meter visability!  The below pictures are compliments of Susannah McLennan, an awesome woman from the dive boat who generously invited me out to her place afterwards.

 

The photos below were taken by my dive buddy on the Cave Dive.

While on the boat I got talking to a man who turned out to be a criminal lawyer in the area.  He and his wife Susannah invited me back to their place for the night which was really nice. We shared a great meal and a few drinks over interesting conversation.

The following day, they lent me their kayak for a few hours.  I went up the narrow river and back and then after we said good bye, I  headed up the highway where I went for a hike in the rainforest for the remainder of my day!  Life was great! and then I headed back.  But not before seeing a camel on the side of the highway half way!

Since, I have been working on essays and assignments and basically just paying for my week and a half of not doing any school work, but it was worth it and when given the chance I will do it again.

The weather here has been cooling down a bit as we head into winter, which I am told lasts until September! But rest assured, winter here means 15-20 degrees celcius, so it is basically like a cold summer day in Canada, except like in Canada, I have noticed the days have begun to get shorter which kinda sucks, but I really don't think I can complain.  Australia is treating me well and I am happy to be doing what I am.

I hope all is well with everyone! 

My second and current vehicle in Aus.  Much more functional for my road trip lifestyle