Christelle in Australia

November 07, 2004

Refreshing Swim at the Dawn Fraser Baths

This morning I got up and it was another bright sunny day! I had breakfast, read Internet news, had a shower and then I felt like calling home. I phoned my brother in Quebec City. We talked about 20 minutes. After that, I called mom. She helped me figure out something to do with myself... I was really bored! She mentionned a few good ideas including going to the pool. And that's what I did! Thanks mom! At about 12h30 I left for the Dawn Fraser Baths in Balmain. At 13h, I was at the pool! It was a beautiful setting. It cost 3,20$ to get in. It would have been cheaper with my concession card but I had not brought my wallet. I went to the left side of the huge pool and put my things down. I read the information leaflet I got from the entrance: "Our location hosts a tidal flow, saltwater pool." It was more high tide I think because I could barely see the nice little beach, it was submerged. The pool was special as I had not seen one like that before. Actually, it was the first time I would swim in a saltwater pool. I went in the water... it was cold at first but I just went in quickly and then it was perfect when swimming/moving. I came out again and laid in the sun reading a book. Then came clouds... It was a bit colder! When the sun came out again, I quickly went in for a second dip! I liked that it was not too crowded. Although there were many kids, they spent most their time running around, jumping in, getting out and so forth. It was big too so everyone had their own corner of the pool. At around 15h, I left. I walked back on Birchgrove/Macquarie/Curtis Streets (a route suggested by Andy's brother) and saw many nice houses. At home, after folding yesterday's laundry, I noticed I had not faxed my timesheet yet and Monday early morning was the deadline to be paid in the same week! So I went out again to the IP Shop on Darling Street and was back within 20 minutes I think. Then I watched "Seconds From Disaster" on National Geographic channel. It was about the ICE high speed train in Germany derailing with 100 dead and 100 injured a few years ago. It made me think how dangerous travelling can potentially be but also how enjoyable it is! I am glad I have the chance to travel.

November 09, 2004

Made Muffins and Cinema Movie Saved!

Today was a slow day. I watched television, surfed the Internet, listened to music in my room, etc. I also went to the supermarket and bought chocolate chip muffin mix amongst other things. At home, I made these. They are really yummy!! In the evening, after watching Survivor, I left with Andy and his girlfriend to go see a movie. When we arrived in the town centre, there were fireworks that we could hear in the Darling Harbour and see a bit (reflected on building glass). I wanted to see them! Back to the movie... We saw Saved! and it was alright! At about 23h20 I was back home.

November 10, 2004

Illawarra Region Tour with Andy and his Girlfriend

We left at about 9h20. In the car: Andy, his girlfriend, his mother and I. We dropped off his mother at her work in the city and then we were off to Wollongong. We stopped at a lookout a few kilometers before Wollongong. It was a nice view. I was coming back from the toilet when I saw this bird eating the bottlebrush flowers from a tree... I approached slowly and was able to snap a few photos before it flew away. It was very neat! In Wollongong, we went to the Information centre to see what we could do in Wollongong. We then decided to go to the Art Gallery. They had an interesting exhibition of photographs and also other artwork. After we went to the car and drove to the seaside. We had fish & chips (7,60$) and I also got a Sprite (2,60$) and this time I also had ketchup! We ate the fish & chips near the Old Lighthouse. We kept being disturbed by seagulls that looked very hungry!! After my meal I took pictures in the area, the Nun Baths, Flagstaff Battery and the Lighthouse itself. After lunch, we were ready to leave for our next destination. I had leftover fries and was not going to feed the seagulls... I think they should fish their own fish! But then when I was walking with my garbage, looking for a place to throw it out, it opened and a few fries fell out! The seagulls all rushed to eat the food. I did feed them in the end and it was quite entertaining. After we drove to Kiama. On the way there, Andy and his girlfriend would see for example: "26 km to Kiara Blowhole" and would be all excited. I did not know why... We got to the Blowhole. "Discovered by explorer George Bass in 1797, it sprays water up to heights of 60 m. (from a website)" However, it was not spraying any water... So we went to look at the view a bit further away. On our way back to the blowhole, it sprayed! It was so neat! I was determined to take a photograph of the blowhole spraying water! I held my camera ready for 15 minutes before there was another spray and snapped a shot! I was so happy! There was also a nice lighthouse near the blowhole. After, we went through the town of Berry where we stopped to buy drinks for Andy and his girlfriend and I got a Kitkat! Yum chocolate. After that we continued on to Hampden Bridge. It was so special! It looked very out of place with its medieval style but I liked it very much. "Built over the Kangaroo River and opened in 1898, this structure is the oldest suspension bridge in Australia. (From a website)" Then we continued to Morton National Park to see the Fitzroy Falls. "These spectacular falls tumble 82 metres to the floor of the ravine and can be viewed from an easily accessible lookout. (From a website)" That's where we went, that easy to get to lookout. It was very high and I was glad there was a nice and steady barrier to keep me from falling! It was pretty also because of the sun there was a rainbow at the bottom of the falls. Very pretty falls with lots of water, not like when we went to the Blue Mountains and the falls were almost empty. It has been raining a lot though so I guess that's why there was more water. After that we rode through back to Sydney. It was a long drive back and thankfully Andy is a good driver! He had to drive on neat steep and curvy roads with curves like hairpins on a formula one track! It seemed challenging but fun. The scenery along the drive was nice. A lot of forest but also parts for farming. Near the town of Robertson I almost felt like I was driving back home on Ile D'Orleans! The trees looked familiar, there was grass, animals and nice white and yellow flowers. On the way back Andy's girlfriend put a Doves CD on. I had not listened to it for a long while so I enjoyed it. By 19h10 we were back at the house.

November 11, 2004

Fourth Floor Collapse Concert

Today was a day to stay inside! It started to rain really hard in the end of the afternoon, with thunder and lightning also! Andy had given me two Fourth Floor Collapse CDs to listen to during the day to see if I wanted to join him at the concert in the evening. I listened to the CDs while surfing the net and enjoyed the more recent one but less their older material. After dinner, I decided to join Andy at the gig. We left for the Annandale Hotel at 20h or so. His mother would record The Apprentice for me at 21h30 so it was perfect! It was 10$ to get in. The first band was Future Primitive. They came on and played good music, sounded a bit like John Butler Trio. I liked the special things they used to make the music, the guy left on the stage. It was only their 3rd concert. Then came Forgotten Army. They had a cello player which I thought would make it sound neat but in most songs when the cello was used, you could barely hear it. They did nice music too though, talented for their age. One song sounded just like a Muse song would sound. The singer seemed to be a control freak. The piano was not working and then he was just pissed the rest of the show it seemed! He also almost walked off stage and quit when the outro-intro thing they had planned did not work because the guitar would not work. I thought he was making it worse by saying that everything was shite... Then the audience really believe it is shit and then you doom yourself! I went to the bathroom and when I was washing my hands, the girl in there started to talk with me, asking who I'd come to see, etc. I told her I was here with a friend that liked Fourth Floor Collapse. She was surprised Andy was not from Perth (where the band is from, far away on the West coast of Australia and we are on the East coast)! Then it was Fourth Floor Collapse. The singer really scared me in the first song. He has freaky expressions when he sings like he is about to die and then starts to sing with a huge smile on his face. Freaky! I imagined them being older than they were from just hearing the CD. From the 3rd or 4th song on, I liked their set a lot. I guess that it took me a few songs to get comfortable with their music/style. After the show I went to get the setlist from the singer on stage. Andy said they played the 2 songs he wanted to hear so he was happy. On my way out, I saw the guitarist who was on the left side of the stage and said "Good show!" and he replied thanking me. We got back home around 0h and at 0h10 I was in bed. I was glad I decided to go to the concert.

November 12, 2004

Preparing Dinner for Guests

Today I stayed at home. I watched the recorded Apprentice double episode and then helped Andy's mother with preparing a dinner for guests (her niece and friends). I went to the supermarket to get the missing ingredients to prepare lasagna, canneloni and salad. I went outside to take photographs up-close of the Jacaranda tree, the nice purple one. I also submitted my request for financial aid for uni in January online and phoned my mother so she would complete her part of the request. I prepared the things for dinner while Andy's mother tidied up. I also helped her make a oven potato bake dish by cutting the potatoes. The guests arrived and I think they enjoyed the meal. After that I helped with cleaning up the dishes. Then in the evening I watched the Muse live DVD with Andy, well more than halfway through anyways. I was tired so I decided to go to bed and watch the rest later. At 23h30 I was in bed but it was hard to sleep because I was thinking about Monday and the trip and I was excited.

November 13, 2004

Laundry, TV Movie & Packing

This morning I got up at around 9h30. Outside it was a bright and sunny day but the winds were really high! The tree branches were almost blowing away it seemed! I read the news on the Internet and checked my email. Later after my shower, I did some laundry, just one load. I then watched a movie on Hallmark channel... it was a long one, stretching from 12h to 15h30! It was called 5 Days to Midnight and it was an alright movie for television I guess, but with a stupid ending as always! Then I checked the Internet again and saw that there had been an accident right near my house in Montreal... Well one street away, at a bus stop where I sometimes take the bus! I looked at different websites to get more information about the accident. One report said they had not seen an accident like this, of this scope, for a few years in Montreal. After that I went to my room to pack for Monday and did things like recharge batteries, get papers organized, etc. I can't wait for Monday! Just one more day and then I leave! So tomorrow I have to go to the bank to take out some money and then I'm all ready I think!