Even though today was our last day, we made the most of it in a pleasant, beautiful, little town called Kuranda. It felt like we were going back in time to the Wild West, the sun was shining, the sky was a perfect blue, birds were chirping and the grass was swaying. We're waiting at the train tracks and then this train unlike any other I've seen pulls up and the first three cars and covered top to bottom in Aboriginal symbols and illustrations with many bright colors and designs, it was beautiful. Then, the rest of the train looked like an old westernized train, it was so quaint. On the inside, there were rows of big, long seats facing each other, the ride up the mountain was so peaceful and pleasant with the windows open, warm air blowing in your face, a few times some of us dozed off with smiles on our faces. We passed waterfalls and huge mountains and forests, you'd hear "ooohs" and "ahhhhs" constantly. Some of the scenery was too beautiful to even capture on camera, especially the waterfalls, I have the mental image engraved in my mind, the sight, the sound, the movement of the water, it's something you have to see with your own eyes. We then arrived in the cute, little town of Kuranda full of little eateries and shops with handmade and authentic clothing and trinkets, you could see the Aboriginal influence in everything. After some shopping and eating we took a short tour through the rainforest, saw some of the oldest and tallest trees in the world, and learned a lot about the nature of the rainforest.
Afterwards, we got to see Aboriginal creations stories and performances, they were amazing. The Aboriginals would re-enact and imitate animals, like kangaroos, and for a moment you feel as if you really are looking at an animal, not a person. After the shows, we learned how to throw boomerangs and spears! It is a LOT harder than they make it look, but after that, I am determined to hone my skills, so when I visit Australia again (and I will), I can show them I can do it too!
Top 10 in Australia and New Zealand:
1.) The Great Barrier Reef - It was so breath-taking seeing all this underwater life up close and personal, and seeing the way every species cohabitated with one another. It really puts the environment in perspective for you, it makes you want to strive to protect something so beautiful.
2.) Rangitoto College - These kids changed my life in just a few hours. I never would have expected to have such a close, rapid connection with people who live on the other side of the earth, with a different culture, being complete strangers, they were still teenagers, and it really taught me that no matter where you come from, we're all still the same. We're all still capable of loving one another. They were so kind. I actually cried as we drove away from the school.
3.) Rotorua - Despite the rotten smell, this town was so beautiful and so rich with history and culture, it really made you appreciate their values and lifestyle. I got to see what was probably the most beautiful sunrise...ever, one morning in this beautiful town. I also met some really friendly people locally here, like the waitor, Leighton, at the burger restuarant.
4.) Whakarewarewa- I just absolutely fell in love with the Maori culture. I've never been into a village that's still inhabited with the native culture, and it was really amazing to see the beauty and really learn about the lifestyle of the Maori, currently and about their history. The thermal springs and geysers were a real beauty to see too.
5.) Cairns - This small town was so cute and even though we were only here for a short time, I loved it. I can't believe it was winter, it was 80 degrees and sunny, we got to go the pool and shop around. It felt like a summery town, so easy going and laid back, the people were also so friendly. On our last day, we experienced a gorgeous sunset.
6.) The Sydney Bridge - Wow. What was supposed to be maybe a 20 minute climb was around 3 hours, the view of Sydney from so high above was absolutely amazing. I'm not afraid of heights, but we were really high, it was insanely windy, but that didn't stop us. We took pictures, laughed, admired the aerial view, it was definately a worthwhile experience. My legs were so sore afterwards though.
7.) Luging - Not many people could say they've done something like this. Go - carting down a mountain in New Zealand. I zoomed down that mountain probably faster than I was supposed to, but the adrenaline rush was exhilirating, one of the funnest, craziest things I've ever done. We also met many nice people while going up the lifts who wanted to hear about America, and they told us about life in New Zealand.
8.) Sydney Wildlife World - I love animals, especially ones you don't see around often that are only found in a specific country. I've never seen a live kangaroo or koala up close before, and the fact that I got to pet a koala was awesome! They are so docile and soft, it was funny seeing the different personalities. Some of them just slept, some just ate, and the younger, rambunctious one, ran around and tree - hopped.
9.) Kuranda - Seeing natural beauty that was around in the prehistoric times was awesome! It felt like we had traveled back in time and were in Jurassic Park while we were in the rainforest! The town of Kuranda seemed so cut- off from mainstream and westernized life, it was a town of it's own and that's what I love about it. It was it's own culture - untouched and unique.
10.) Sydney - This city is teeming with life, it is gorgeous, especially at night with the light shows and the performances that come on. Sydney has so much to offer, the bridge, the Opera House, Wildlife World, the cliffs, whale watching, I can see why a place like this would the capitol of such an awesome country. You can never be bored in Sydney.
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