So I have yet to post my pictures during my time abroad. I plan on posting them on Picasa in the next few days so please be patient.
For those who have followed my blog, I was supposed to have two guest entries (my sister Angelique and Alex Cantu) that never actually materialized. I understand that life happens but I also want to share some of these funny stories, so I will make back-logged blog entries for my sister's visit during March and Alex's visit during May. I will rely on pictures taken during these trips to trigger key events.
Stay Tuned.
Monday, July 27, 2009
My Last Month in Melbourne
I extend warm greetings to you the reader and I marvel if you actually checked my blog (only because it has been fairly inactive). So when I last left you, I was about to make an inward journey of retreat for a few days, so let me begin with that experience.
I was blessed with the opportunity to make a four and a half day silent retreat at Campion Center for Ignatian Spirituality. This retreat went for eight days, but due to scheduling I could only attend the second half. This was only my second silent retreat but I gained a lot out of it. You spend a lot of time in prayer and reflection, when you are not doing that, you either eat, sleep, or walk around. So basically you get a lot of time to pray and look at your life. I would highly encourage anyone thinking about a silent retreat to do it because it will yield great fruit for you. That being said the first few days in silence take some getting used to. I have a respect for those individuals who undergo St. Ignatius' Spiritual Exercises which are usually done during a month long silent retreat (you do get a few break days, but still impressive). This retreat allowed me to reflect on my time in Australia, prepare for the immediate future, and strengthened my relationship with God. So all and all, it was a fruitful experience.
Once the retreat wrapped up, I had three days of ultimate frisbee at the Southern Uni Games. We (the Melbourne Uni team) had a good time together. Out of seven competing teams, we ended up in third place. I think one of my best decisions came at the end of day two. The weather had been just plain ole nasty for the first half of the day with rain, cold, and wind dominating the frisbee pitch. By the end of the day the weather had become quite pleasant and the only remaining sign of the morning's weather was a huge mud pit in the center of the pitch. So obviously, I decided that it would be a great idea to lay out and bid for a disc into the hug mud pit. So I ask one of the guys to give me a low disc over the mud. I run, went horizontal and grabbed the disc, then belly flopped into the massive mud pit. I stand up and my whole front side is covered in mud (some mud even snuck into my compression shorts). It was a thing of beauty, but too bad it didn't even count for a point.
A lot of players at the tourney were pretty darn good at frisbee and I was really impressed by their skills. I had a good time playing ultimate this past semester but I do not think I will pursue it that much once I return to the states.
So the day after the frisbee tourney finished, I jumped on a plane to the Northern Territory. Our flight from Melbourne to Alice Springs (in the NT) was delayed by three or four hours so spent some time in the airport bookshop perusing one of the books. I use our to describe our camping group which included 7 people in total: 2 Aussies, 1 French, 1 German, 1 Turk, 1 Mauritian, and 1 Yank (me). So needless to say, we were quite a cosmopolitan bunch.
*Quick Context* For those unfamiliar with Australia, over 90 percent of the Australian population lives in a crescent on the east coast (include the cities of Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane). The Northern Territory occupies the central and north central portions of Australia and is sparsely populated in comparison. Pretty much the entire region is desert. *Concludes briefing*
Once we land in Alice Springs (in the NT), we hire a rental car and half of our group makes the four hour drive out to Uluru (aka Ayers Rock). We rock up late and the campground office is already closed (around Uluru you have to camp in established campgrounds or risk a hefty fine). We wake up early to catch sunrise at Uluru so when we left the campground, the office was still closed. Once we get to Uluru, the sunrise is just beginning and within a span of 30 seconds, the rock goes from dark orange, to glowing orange because of the sun's rays. It was quite a sight to see. Other things to mention, Uluru is a HUGE rock in a place where it is flat as far as the eye can see (not including Kata Tijuta aka the Olgas). Uluru has great spiritual significance in the Aboriginal culture so many people take offense when people climb it (our group did not climb). We then hopped in the car to drive to the Olgas (another rock formation but this one has multiple parts and is much more intricate). Due to time constraints, we could only view the formation from a few kilometers away and then head back to Alice Springs to get our transport to the beginning of the trail.
So begins two weeks of trekking in the desert and no showers (I had one "bath" but we will get to that in due time. We got to the trailhead on thursday afternoon and spent the rest of the day exploring the nearby area. We went to bed fairly early because we planned to to due a late night hike to the summit of a nearby mountain (Mt. Sonder). We awoke at 3am and left camp thirty minutes later to begin the ascent. We left our packs at camp and only took up food for breakfast. There was a full moon which allowed us to make the 3 hour journey without the assistance of moonlight and everyone knows that hiking by moonlight is just sweet as. We got to the summit a bit early so we had to wait for sunrise. It was cold and windy and as soon as the sun fully rose, we were happy to get down out of the wind to a warmer area. Still, it was a sweet way to begin the hike and it proved to be the first of many breath-taking sunrises/sunsets.
*Author's Note* I only took pictures during the second week because I wanted to conserve battery power on my camera and I am just lazy like that when 6 other people are taking pictures of the exact same thing. And yes, I do have everyone else's pictures if you are interested. *End of note*
During the first week, our days were fairly easy in terms of mileage. Most days we did between 7-11 miles and we were finished in the early afternoon. We had plenty of time to chat and cards were used quite often. Dan, the resident German, introduced us to Sheep's Head which is the most complicated card game I have ever come across. If you want to learn, I need for you (the reader) to find two other willing individuals. We had a blast and the first week went by quickly.
Due to schedules, 5 group members had to go back early so they left me and a mate to complete the rest of the track. Our last day as a big group we came across Ellery Creek which is a well-known swimming hole. So I figured after a week on trail that a bath would do me good. So I strip down to my boxers and run into the water. Big mistake, it was probably the coldest water I have ever been in and I have been in some cold water. I lasted about ten seconds before I ran onto dry land, just the thought of it makes me shiver.
The second week also flew by, we had some long days. Our longest day was 17 miles when we had to cross between the two mountain ranges over flat and quite boring terrain. Our hardest day only lasted 6 miles but it began with a steep ascent, then steep descent, then a super-steep ascent (barely a trail most of the time).
Along the trail, there were some great look-outs and gorges to take in. The only real negative thing were the flies... On a bad day we would drop our packs and fifty (no exaggeration) flies would swarm around you. Flies became our new best friends until sundown when they went to bed (thank goodness for night time).
We saw a fair bit of wildlife. Lizards, birds, wallabies, dingos, and kangaroos. So we had a few run ins with dingos. Dingos can smell food from a long way out so you need to hang your packs otherwise you will part with your food. Our second to last night, a dingo rocked up to camp and started walking around, we made some noise and scared it off. When we went to bed, dingos started howling.
*Update* Most nights I slpet under the stars because there was little fear of rain, I had my tarp in my pack just in case *Cessation of update*
So I was in my sleeping bag with one of my trekking poles next to me trying to get some sleep. Then I hear a dingo growl about a meter and a half from me. It was the start of a long night. I was thankful when it was finally time to break camp and start hiking. The following night (which was out last on trail), more dingos came into our camp. At this point I was tired from the night before and thought, I can't be bothered to worry about dingos. If they are going to attack me, so be it but I won't provoke them and I am going to get some rest. I slept pretty well for the rest of the night.
When we finished up the trail and got back into Alice Springs, we went to the supermarket for food and i had an out of body expereince. After being in the desert for two weeks, all the lights, sound, and commotion of the supermarket felt surreal. In spite of this, I purchased food and my first meal back included: half of a chicken, a litre of milk, a bar of chocalate, an apple, and a banana. It sure did hit the spot. The next day we flew back to Melbourne, and here I am now.
I have two more days in Australia and I will fly back to the states this Friday. My time in Australia went by quickly but it was what I needed on multiple levels. I will have access to my cell phone once I get back, so feel free to ring me. Sorry if I don't answer the first few days, I will be focused on spending time with my family whom I have not seen a while. Look forward to the jet lag...
I was blessed with the opportunity to make a four and a half day silent retreat at Campion Center for Ignatian Spirituality. This retreat went for eight days, but due to scheduling I could only attend the second half. This was only my second silent retreat but I gained a lot out of it. You spend a lot of time in prayer and reflection, when you are not doing that, you either eat, sleep, or walk around. So basically you get a lot of time to pray and look at your life. I would highly encourage anyone thinking about a silent retreat to do it because it will yield great fruit for you. That being said the first few days in silence take some getting used to. I have a respect for those individuals who undergo St. Ignatius' Spiritual Exercises which are usually done during a month long silent retreat (you do get a few break days, but still impressive). This retreat allowed me to reflect on my time in Australia, prepare for the immediate future, and strengthened my relationship with God. So all and all, it was a fruitful experience.
Once the retreat wrapped up, I had three days of ultimate frisbee at the Southern Uni Games. We (the Melbourne Uni team) had a good time together. Out of seven competing teams, we ended up in third place. I think one of my best decisions came at the end of day two. The weather had been just plain ole nasty for the first half of the day with rain, cold, and wind dominating the frisbee pitch. By the end of the day the weather had become quite pleasant and the only remaining sign of the morning's weather was a huge mud pit in the center of the pitch. So obviously, I decided that it would be a great idea to lay out and bid for a disc into the hug mud pit. So I ask one of the guys to give me a low disc over the mud. I run, went horizontal and grabbed the disc, then belly flopped into the massive mud pit. I stand up and my whole front side is covered in mud (some mud even snuck into my compression shorts). It was a thing of beauty, but too bad it didn't even count for a point.
A lot of players at the tourney were pretty darn good at frisbee and I was really impressed by their skills. I had a good time playing ultimate this past semester but I do not think I will pursue it that much once I return to the states.
So the day after the frisbee tourney finished, I jumped on a plane to the Northern Territory. Our flight from Melbourne to Alice Springs (in the NT) was delayed by three or four hours so spent some time in the airport bookshop perusing one of the books. I use our to describe our camping group which included 7 people in total: 2 Aussies, 1 French, 1 German, 1 Turk, 1 Mauritian, and 1 Yank (me). So needless to say, we were quite a cosmopolitan bunch.
*Quick Context* For those unfamiliar with Australia, over 90 percent of the Australian population lives in a crescent on the east coast (include the cities of Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane). The Northern Territory occupies the central and north central portions of Australia and is sparsely populated in comparison. Pretty much the entire region is desert. *Concludes briefing*
Once we land in Alice Springs (in the NT), we hire a rental car and half of our group makes the four hour drive out to Uluru (aka Ayers Rock). We rock up late and the campground office is already closed (around Uluru you have to camp in established campgrounds or risk a hefty fine). We wake up early to catch sunrise at Uluru so when we left the campground, the office was still closed. Once we get to Uluru, the sunrise is just beginning and within a span of 30 seconds, the rock goes from dark orange, to glowing orange because of the sun's rays. It was quite a sight to see. Other things to mention, Uluru is a HUGE rock in a place where it is flat as far as the eye can see (not including Kata Tijuta aka the Olgas). Uluru has great spiritual significance in the Aboriginal culture so many people take offense when people climb it (our group did not climb). We then hopped in the car to drive to the Olgas (another rock formation but this one has multiple parts and is much more intricate). Due to time constraints, we could only view the formation from a few kilometers away and then head back to Alice Springs to get our transport to the beginning of the trail.
So begins two weeks of trekking in the desert and no showers (I had one "bath" but we will get to that in due time. We got to the trailhead on thursday afternoon and spent the rest of the day exploring the nearby area. We went to bed fairly early because we planned to to due a late night hike to the summit of a nearby mountain (Mt. Sonder). We awoke at 3am and left camp thirty minutes later to begin the ascent. We left our packs at camp and only took up food for breakfast. There was a full moon which allowed us to make the 3 hour journey without the assistance of moonlight and everyone knows that hiking by moonlight is just sweet as. We got to the summit a bit early so we had to wait for sunrise. It was cold and windy and as soon as the sun fully rose, we were happy to get down out of the wind to a warmer area. Still, it was a sweet way to begin the hike and it proved to be the first of many breath-taking sunrises/sunsets.
*Author's Note* I only took pictures during the second week because I wanted to conserve battery power on my camera and I am just lazy like that when 6 other people are taking pictures of the exact same thing. And yes, I do have everyone else's pictures if you are interested. *End of note*
During the first week, our days were fairly easy in terms of mileage. Most days we did between 7-11 miles and we were finished in the early afternoon. We had plenty of time to chat and cards were used quite often. Dan, the resident German, introduced us to Sheep's Head which is the most complicated card game I have ever come across. If you want to learn, I need for you (the reader) to find two other willing individuals. We had a blast and the first week went by quickly.
Due to schedules, 5 group members had to go back early so they left me and a mate to complete the rest of the track. Our last day as a big group we came across Ellery Creek which is a well-known swimming hole. So I figured after a week on trail that a bath would do me good. So I strip down to my boxers and run into the water. Big mistake, it was probably the coldest water I have ever been in and I have been in some cold water. I lasted about ten seconds before I ran onto dry land, just the thought of it makes me shiver.
The second week also flew by, we had some long days. Our longest day was 17 miles when we had to cross between the two mountain ranges over flat and quite boring terrain. Our hardest day only lasted 6 miles but it began with a steep ascent, then steep descent, then a super-steep ascent (barely a trail most of the time).
Along the trail, there were some great look-outs and gorges to take in. The only real negative thing were the flies... On a bad day we would drop our packs and fifty (no exaggeration) flies would swarm around you. Flies became our new best friends until sundown when they went to bed (thank goodness for night time).
We saw a fair bit of wildlife. Lizards, birds, wallabies, dingos, and kangaroos. So we had a few run ins with dingos. Dingos can smell food from a long way out so you need to hang your packs otherwise you will part with your food. Our second to last night, a dingo rocked up to camp and started walking around, we made some noise and scared it off. When we went to bed, dingos started howling.
*Update* Most nights I slpet under the stars because there was little fear of rain, I had my tarp in my pack just in case *Cessation of update*
So I was in my sleeping bag with one of my trekking poles next to me trying to get some sleep. Then I hear a dingo growl about a meter and a half from me. It was the start of a long night. I was thankful when it was finally time to break camp and start hiking. The following night (which was out last on trail), more dingos came into our camp. At this point I was tired from the night before and thought, I can't be bothered to worry about dingos. If they are going to attack me, so be it but I won't provoke them and I am going to get some rest. I slept pretty well for the rest of the night.
When we finished up the trail and got back into Alice Springs, we went to the supermarket for food and i had an out of body expereince. After being in the desert for two weeks, all the lights, sound, and commotion of the supermarket felt surreal. In spite of this, I purchased food and my first meal back included: half of a chicken, a litre of milk, a bar of chocalate, an apple, and a banana. It sure did hit the spot. The next day we flew back to Melbourne, and here I am now.
I have two more days in Australia and I will fly back to the states this Friday. My time in Australia went by quickly but it was what I needed on multiple levels. I will have access to my cell phone once I get back, so feel free to ring me. Sorry if I don't answer the first few days, I will be focused on spending time with my family whom I have not seen a while. Look forward to the jet lag...
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