So without further delay, here are the contents of my camera from the past six months. In case you don't know, I am kind of bad about taking pictures. Total number taken, 551.
Just copy and past the following addresses into a web browser and you are set. Cheers.
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/sredir?uname=gerard.deffenbaugh&target=ALBUM&id=5370789294313494401&authkey=Gv1sRgCLjsvfzm96XqpAE&feat=email
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/sredir?uname=gerard.deffenbaugh&target=ALBUM&id=5370920240962110017&authkey=Gv1sRgCO-L08_L_tilbQ&feat=email
Monday, August 17, 2009
Sunday, August 16, 2009
The Lost Blog: My Sister's Time Down Under
I invite you to step into my time machine… Well it would be quite nifty if I had my own time machine but alas it is only a figment of my imagination. But I can invite you to sit down (most of y’all are probably doing that bit already) and to join me in a retroactive presentation of “G’s Lost Times with Angelique and Alex in Oceania”. As an avid reader of this blog you will know that during my time in Australia, my sister Angelique came to visit me in March and my high school friend Alex came to visit me in May. The original plan was to have the guests write an account of our adventures and then post it onto my blog. Well, life has a funny way of changing plans so I will now recap these two adventures below. Most readers will most likely hear these stories in-person soon enough, so what is your motivation? I write the following so that ten years from now I can read this account and travel back in time.
Stardate March 2009. I am running around the airport starting to panic a little bit because I have lost my sister in a foreign country halfway around the world. That is really an inappropriate description of the situation because I never found her in the first place. There has been some mix up because I forgot to write down her flight information and I thought she would need to go through customs in Melbourne. Unbeknownst to me, she had flown into Sydney and cleared customs at that fine city. So my mind flashed back to our skype conversation two days prior, where we established our default rendezvous point. So I proceeded to that point and waited. Within minutes I see my sister walking towards me, so I spring up and nearly tackle her. Her flight had some delays and she had come into a different terminal in the airport, but she also remembered our back-up plan and acted accordingly. Life point, back-up plans do in fact have a purpose. So begins our adventure.
Once we get back to my apartment, I give her the grand tour of my apartment complex and then she takes a few hours to just relax/nap. Later that night we go around my apartment complex and I introduce her to some of my friends who also live in it. We have an early night because the following day we fly out to Sydney for an extended weekend trip.
We touch down in Sydney and hail a cab to take us to our backpackers. We check into our shared dorm room and then get a map of the city. We explored for a bit, then swung by the grocery store to pick-up provisions. We had worked up a sizeable appetite and the large pizza we ordered never stood a chance. In the middle of the night my sister wakes me up because she can’t sleep, so I mumble something and go back to bed (in case you don’t know, I sleep like a rock). In the morning we go down stairs to eat breakfast and my sister looks like she didn’t a good night of sleep. As soon as we walk out of the door to begin the day, she says she wants to change accommodation. She didn’t feel comfortable sleeping in the same room as strangers. So I ask her to give it another night and she how she feels. She has another bad night of sleep, so we have to search out a private room for the two of us. After some internet searching she finds a new place and so we move later that day. I think it is safe to say that Angelique does not do backpackers very well. Let’s move on to the highlights of our exploration.
Sydney Opera House: It is a daring feat of architecture and engineering. We took a guided tour of the Opera House and saw almost every nook and cranny in the ole place. We decided to buy tickets for a theatre production later that evening. We have a bit of time before the show begins so we choose to go to the Royal Botanical Garden which is right next door. Two words, fricken sweet. Since these are not that descriptive, let me try another approach in painting a picture in your mind. As we reclined in the plush grass, we gazed out into the blue waters of Sydney Harbor. I look to the right and see a large pack of seagulls trying to fight for food scraps. I look to the left, and I see a wedding party taking pictures beneath shade of a nearby tree. The bride and groom have beaming smiles on their faces, in spite of the oppressive heat of the midday sun beating down.
After our break in the Royal Botanical Gardens, we take a hike to the Sydney Harbor Bridge to take in an eagle eye view of the Opera House and the harbor. From our vantage point on the bridge, we see swarms of boats beneath us whose passengers where enjoying the calm waters of the harbor. We snapped a few pictures and headed back to the Opera House. Once we arrived, we sat down on one of the many benches and enjoyed a picturesque sunset. After that we headed into the Opera House for the evening’s show. For the life of me, I can not remember the name of the show (and I forgot to keep the ticket stub), but it was one of the best productions that I have ever scene. The total cast numbered two, one man and one woman. They directly engaged the audience at the beginning of the show.
Exactly one minute into the production, a couple entered the theatre and tried to discreetly make it to their seats. The male actor calls out: “You two who are trying to sneak in, why are you late?” So they have a brief discussion with everyone in the audience listening in. Two minutes later, another couple comes in late and the same scene plays out. So the male actor then invokes the audience to rise and start clapping when the next later comers entered the theatre. Five minutes later, a couple wanders in and to their surprise, the entire audience rises to their feet and welcomes them with a wound of clapping. The actual show was also a masterpiece. The male and female actor each played multiple roles and did a masterful job. I will consult with my sister to see if she remembers the name of the production.
Other trip highlights include the Star Wars Exhibit which was on display at the Powerhouse museum. So if you, the reader, have any interest in the Star Wars saga then this exhibit would have made you wet your pants. It included all the original models of the Deathstar, x-wing, and all other space craft. The exhibit also had every original costume (including Darth Vadar and Chewy) as well as the original Yoda puppet (before Yoda went digital). It was pretty much a Star Wars fan’s paradise and I took my fair share of pictures. I think one of my favorite pictures was the one that featured Angelique and me next to a storm trooper. Classic.
Two other highlight I want to mention are the Sydney Aquarium and Bondi Beach. We choose to explore the Sydney aquarium when the rain rolled in one morning. It was a smart play on our part, because the aquarium is obviously covered and hence we would not get wet (we had our thinking caps on). As soon as we walk into the actual aquarium, a photographer snaps our pictures and tells us that they will be available when we are preparing to leave. So we wandered around the aquarium for a few hours and then decided to head out. In the gift shop, we saw our tourist picture from earlier so I decided to outsmart the system. I take a picture of our picture and not only save team Deffenbaugh twenty dollars, but still get the memories associated with the aquarium. It was a flash (no pun intended) of brilliance.
I also wanted to mention our adventure at Bondi Beach. Australia has some of the most stunning beaches on this planet, and Bondi Beach is definitely one of the tops in Australia. The water was a crystal blue and the sand a striking white. I decide to go for a barefoot run on the sand. I start off running in the loose sand far away from the water and I last a few minutes until I play the stretching card. Since my legs were now on fire, I decide to run by the water. I run along the water for thirty minutes and then run into the cool waters of the ocean. Eventually we decide to head back but as luck would have it. We board the wrong bus and get lost in the outer suburbs of Sydney. Eventually, we got a bus to take us back to Bondi. Then we boarded the proper bus which took us back to town.
So this is a snapshot of my sister’s time in Australia. I was blessed to share this time with her halfway around the world. Thanks for coming out sis.
Until next time dear reader…
Stardate March 2009. I am running around the airport starting to panic a little bit because I have lost my sister in a foreign country halfway around the world. That is really an inappropriate description of the situation because I never found her in the first place. There has been some mix up because I forgot to write down her flight information and I thought she would need to go through customs in Melbourne. Unbeknownst to me, she had flown into Sydney and cleared customs at that fine city. So my mind flashed back to our skype conversation two days prior, where we established our default rendezvous point. So I proceeded to that point and waited. Within minutes I see my sister walking towards me, so I spring up and nearly tackle her. Her flight had some delays and she had come into a different terminal in the airport, but she also remembered our back-up plan and acted accordingly. Life point, back-up plans do in fact have a purpose. So begins our adventure.
Once we get back to my apartment, I give her the grand tour of my apartment complex and then she takes a few hours to just relax/nap. Later that night we go around my apartment complex and I introduce her to some of my friends who also live in it. We have an early night because the following day we fly out to Sydney for an extended weekend trip.
We touch down in Sydney and hail a cab to take us to our backpackers. We check into our shared dorm room and then get a map of the city. We explored for a bit, then swung by the grocery store to pick-up provisions. We had worked up a sizeable appetite and the large pizza we ordered never stood a chance. In the middle of the night my sister wakes me up because she can’t sleep, so I mumble something and go back to bed (in case you don’t know, I sleep like a rock). In the morning we go down stairs to eat breakfast and my sister looks like she didn’t a good night of sleep. As soon as we walk out of the door to begin the day, she says she wants to change accommodation. She didn’t feel comfortable sleeping in the same room as strangers. So I ask her to give it another night and she how she feels. She has another bad night of sleep, so we have to search out a private room for the two of us. After some internet searching she finds a new place and so we move later that day. I think it is safe to say that Angelique does not do backpackers very well. Let’s move on to the highlights of our exploration.
Sydney Opera House: It is a daring feat of architecture and engineering. We took a guided tour of the Opera House and saw almost every nook and cranny in the ole place. We decided to buy tickets for a theatre production later that evening. We have a bit of time before the show begins so we choose to go to the Royal Botanical Garden which is right next door. Two words, fricken sweet. Since these are not that descriptive, let me try another approach in painting a picture in your mind. As we reclined in the plush grass, we gazed out into the blue waters of Sydney Harbor. I look to the right and see a large pack of seagulls trying to fight for food scraps. I look to the left, and I see a wedding party taking pictures beneath shade of a nearby tree. The bride and groom have beaming smiles on their faces, in spite of the oppressive heat of the midday sun beating down.
After our break in the Royal Botanical Gardens, we take a hike to the Sydney Harbor Bridge to take in an eagle eye view of the Opera House and the harbor. From our vantage point on the bridge, we see swarms of boats beneath us whose passengers where enjoying the calm waters of the harbor. We snapped a few pictures and headed back to the Opera House. Once we arrived, we sat down on one of the many benches and enjoyed a picturesque sunset. After that we headed into the Opera House for the evening’s show. For the life of me, I can not remember the name of the show (and I forgot to keep the ticket stub), but it was one of the best productions that I have ever scene. The total cast numbered two, one man and one woman. They directly engaged the audience at the beginning of the show.
Exactly one minute into the production, a couple entered the theatre and tried to discreetly make it to their seats. The male actor calls out: “You two who are trying to sneak in, why are you late?” So they have a brief discussion with everyone in the audience listening in. Two minutes later, another couple comes in late and the same scene plays out. So the male actor then invokes the audience to rise and start clapping when the next later comers entered the theatre. Five minutes later, a couple wanders in and to their surprise, the entire audience rises to their feet and welcomes them with a wound of clapping. The actual show was also a masterpiece. The male and female actor each played multiple roles and did a masterful job. I will consult with my sister to see if she remembers the name of the production.
Other trip highlights include the Star Wars Exhibit which was on display at the Powerhouse museum. So if you, the reader, have any interest in the Star Wars saga then this exhibit would have made you wet your pants. It included all the original models of the Deathstar, x-wing, and all other space craft. The exhibit also had every original costume (including Darth Vadar and Chewy) as well as the original Yoda puppet (before Yoda went digital). It was pretty much a Star Wars fan’s paradise and I took my fair share of pictures. I think one of my favorite pictures was the one that featured Angelique and me next to a storm trooper. Classic.
Two other highlight I want to mention are the Sydney Aquarium and Bondi Beach. We choose to explore the Sydney aquarium when the rain rolled in one morning. It was a smart play on our part, because the aquarium is obviously covered and hence we would not get wet (we had our thinking caps on). As soon as we walk into the actual aquarium, a photographer snaps our pictures and tells us that they will be available when we are preparing to leave. So we wandered around the aquarium for a few hours and then decided to head out. In the gift shop, we saw our tourist picture from earlier so I decided to outsmart the system. I take a picture of our picture and not only save team Deffenbaugh twenty dollars, but still get the memories associated with the aquarium. It was a flash (no pun intended) of brilliance.
I also wanted to mention our adventure at Bondi Beach. Australia has some of the most stunning beaches on this planet, and Bondi Beach is definitely one of the tops in Australia. The water was a crystal blue and the sand a striking white. I decide to go for a barefoot run on the sand. I start off running in the loose sand far away from the water and I last a few minutes until I play the stretching card. Since my legs were now on fire, I decide to run by the water. I run along the water for thirty minutes and then run into the cool waters of the ocean. Eventually we decide to head back but as luck would have it. We board the wrong bus and get lost in the outer suburbs of Sydney. Eventually, we got a bus to take us back to Bondi. Then we boarded the proper bus which took us back to town.
So this is a snapshot of my sister’s time in Australia. I was blessed to share this time with her halfway around the world. Thanks for coming out sis.
Until next time dear reader…
Monday, July 27, 2009
Pictures and other Posts
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.
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.
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...
Monday, June 29, 2009
I am a Slacker
Ok, so the title line says it all... I admit to being a blog slacker, guilty as charged. Now that we have settled that point, on to business. What have I been up to this past month.
Well, since you ask. I have completed my studies down under. I officially finished on the 16th of June. Classes were not too challenging but I really got into a few of my final papers, strange I know. For my economics class, I wrote on the effect that small arms (hand held weapons like pistols and rifles) have on development. I spent a lot of time just reading so that I would be able to write intelligently on the subject. In my sociology of religion class, I looked at the effects of liberation theology on the universal church. One day I would like to read the original spanish writings of the latin american liberation theologians. This is a long way off, but I am working towards it.
I have been working on my spanish (which is now only a 3 out 10) via rosetta stone and spanish music. My vocabulary is slowing expanding and my grammer has a long way to go, but I have definitely been putting in the study hours this past month. I know that a fair number of my friends speak spanish, so when I get back I will approach and perhaps try to bribe you with food, drink, chocolate, or (insert whatever i can bribe you with here). I will be away from technology for almost all of july, so my meager accomplishments will slide from lack of use.
I have also been able to do a fair amount of reading. Right now I am half way through two really engrossing books. Globalization and its Discontents by Joseph Stigletz which looks at the policies of the US government, IMF, and World Bank with developing countries. Also, The Ascent of Money by Niall Ferguson which is a history of finance that incorporates major historical events or movements. I know I am letting the geek in me shine, but both are really interesting subjects to me.
I finished up my internship at Crossfit Victoria, glad to help them out with work and glad to get some more experience as I go to enter the job market next year. I have really enjoyed the community at Crossfit Victoria and will miss the people when I return to the states. Speaking of returning to the states, I will fly back on july 31 and arrive on july 31. Typo? I think not. i am flying against a 15 hour time difference so I actually leave Australia and return to the US on the same calendar day. Trippy I know. Then, the next day I fly out to meet my family for vacation in florida. I have a tough life, I know.
So what I am doing for the next month? Well, in two hours I begin a silent retreat for 4 and a half days. Just time alone with me and God with no distractions. After that, I have three straight days of frisbee. Our uni team is playing in the Summer University Games aginst other uni ultimate teams. After that, I take off to central Australia to see Uluru and then hike for two weeks. Then I come back to Melbourne for a few days before I fly back to the states.
Keep me in your prayers. Ciao.
Well, since you ask. I have completed my studies down under. I officially finished on the 16th of June. Classes were not too challenging but I really got into a few of my final papers, strange I know. For my economics class, I wrote on the effect that small arms (hand held weapons like pistols and rifles) have on development. I spent a lot of time just reading so that I would be able to write intelligently on the subject. In my sociology of religion class, I looked at the effects of liberation theology on the universal church. One day I would like to read the original spanish writings of the latin american liberation theologians. This is a long way off, but I am working towards it.
I have been working on my spanish (which is now only a 3 out 10) via rosetta stone and spanish music. My vocabulary is slowing expanding and my grammer has a long way to go, but I have definitely been putting in the study hours this past month. I know that a fair number of my friends speak spanish, so when I get back I will approach and perhaps try to bribe you with food, drink, chocolate, or (insert whatever i can bribe you with here). I will be away from technology for almost all of july, so my meager accomplishments will slide from lack of use.
I have also been able to do a fair amount of reading. Right now I am half way through two really engrossing books. Globalization and its Discontents by Joseph Stigletz which looks at the policies of the US government, IMF, and World Bank with developing countries. Also, The Ascent of Money by Niall Ferguson which is a history of finance that incorporates major historical events or movements. I know I am letting the geek in me shine, but both are really interesting subjects to me.
I finished up my internship at Crossfit Victoria, glad to help them out with work and glad to get some more experience as I go to enter the job market next year. I have really enjoyed the community at Crossfit Victoria and will miss the people when I return to the states. Speaking of returning to the states, I will fly back on july 31 and arrive on july 31. Typo? I think not. i am flying against a 15 hour time difference so I actually leave Australia and return to the US on the same calendar day. Trippy I know. Then, the next day I fly out to meet my family for vacation in florida. I have a tough life, I know.
So what I am doing for the next month? Well, in two hours I begin a silent retreat for 4 and a half days. Just time alone with me and God with no distractions. After that, I have three straight days of frisbee. Our uni team is playing in the Summer University Games aginst other uni ultimate teams. After that, I take off to central Australia to see Uluru and then hike for two weeks. Then I come back to Melbourne for a few days before I fly back to the states.
Keep me in your prayers. Ciao.
Monday, May 25, 2009
My Month of May
Salutations my dearest reader. I know the moon has almost completed a full cycle since the last blog entry, so it is time to bring you up to speed. Let me begin by saying that the past month has gone by in a blur/whirlwind/at light speed (insert your favorite description if you don't like mine).
During the last few days of April and the first week of May, I actually did a bit of uni work and prepared for the coming of Mr. Alex Cantu (a high school buddy). Let me pick up the narrative on the 9th of May as myself and three others pile into a car at 8am on Saturday to drive to Lerderderg Park to begin an epic weekend experience. Why would four people wake up so early on a Saturday morning? The answer is simple, rogaining.
So the next question that pops into your head is what the heck is rogaining (I try my best to anticipate the needs of my audience)? Well, it is basically orienteering on steroids. Teams are given contour maps with labeled checkpoints (different values based on distance from start, accessibility, and visibility) and a time frame. The object of the game is to get the highest score possible(we had electronic bracelets that recorded our presence at each checkpoint). Rogaining (also know as "the all night sport") is the brainchild of former Mountaineering Club members from Melbourne University.
Our car rocked up at 10:30ish to Lerderderg Park, and we quickly set up our tent to have a quick lay down. I forgot my manners, I need to introduce you to my team. I spent the weekend with Rob Wu, a student from Berkley, and Sean Coyler, a jovial spirit from UVA.
At 11, we got our maps and began to plan our course for the next 24 hours. This particular rogaine had two time divisions, roving 15 and 24 hrs. The roving 15 means that teams get to choose 15 out of the 24 hrs to be on the course. The 24 hr division is pretty straight forward, you can be on the course for 24 hrs. Since our team was full of rogaining neophytes (Rob had complete one prior rogaine, while myself and Sean had not yet experienced the greatness that is rogaining) we opted for the conservative 15 hr time division.
We mapped out our proposed route for the next 24 hrs and built in time delays (because they will inevitably happen). We grabbed a quick bite to eat and then headed to HQ which consisted of two tents and a barn. After a 5-10 min speech, the gun went off at high noon and our adventure was underway.
We took off jogging for our first point. As luck would have it we missed our first completely and realized it a bit too late (woops). We decided to press on for the next point. Our contours told us that the next point was at the intersection of the three "waterflows" (there was very little actual water anywhere on the course). So I volunteered the great idea of walkign along the "waterflow" to make sure we hit the point. Well the good news was that we hit the point, the bad news is that it took forever to get through growth in the "waterflow". One big point, stick to the trail as much as possible because it is much much faster.
We spent a total of 10 hrs on the course the first day. We improved significantly and hit the rest of the points that we had mapped out. Our team decided to minimize the amount of night navigation we would do because it is a bit more difficult to navigate when you can't really see. We got back to HQ at 10, ate, then passed out.
We woke up at 6:30 and got on the course at 7am. We took these five hours hard and picked up a few extra points. Good effort to my teammates. Over the course of 24 hrs, we did 39 miles on trail/off trail (estimates thanks to Sean and his string, which can be accessed at seancoyler.com). We won the novice category for both divisions (had a higher score than winners of the 24 novice division), but in the big scheme the veterans smashed us. Overall, a great expereince and it felt good to shake the rust off of my navigation skills.
Alex came in the next day and we had an epic week and a half adventure in New Zealand and along the Great Ocean Road. I am not going to launch into a description of this adventure at this moment, instead I will take the following approach. I will let Alex write things from his perspective and then I will add my own thoughts, comments, ponderings, etc. and this will be posted in due time.
So this post will resume at the 20th of May. I just dropped off Alex who is now bound for the airport and the States. I then go to class (I know, sometimes I choose to actually go to my classes and not skip them...) I spent the next two days catching up on life in Melbourne and a few minor uni assignments. Then another adventure begins: my first ultimate frisbee tournament.
So lunch time on Friday (May 22) roles around and eight of us pile into a suburban for an epic journey. The frisbee tournament is in New South Wales and approximately a 9-10 hr journey by car. So a few funny things happened to me during this window between Friday and Sunday. I woke up early Friday morning with this incessant itch and could not sleep well. I did not think too much of it and went back to bed. This happened a few more times and I thought I had bed bugs in bed. Great, but I will deal with it once I get back from the tournament. As I sit in our suburban during the car ride up, the itching returns and gets worse. My whole stomach is itching and I lift up my shirt and a rash is covering my entire stomach. A few hours pass and the rash now completely covers my entire upper body. I was a bit worried because nothing comparable has ever happened before. When we hit a major town, we stop for food and I go to the chemist to get drugs. I get allergy medication and an anti-itch cream. The rash comes back on and off for the next 24 hrs and then ultimately goes away (praise the lord). The other funny thing is that an ATM ate my money, by that I mean it did not give me cash and deducted it from my balance, still sorting this out with my bank.
But on to the actual frisbeee. I had a good first ultimate tournament experience. We played seven games in two days and got 7th out of 10 teams (had a 4-3 record). We did pretty good considering half our team had never played together before and our competition was wicked good. Good antics and laughters all weekend.
So where do we go from here? Well I have to research and write to papers in the next two weeks (plenty of time). But right now I am off to the Queen Victoria Market to get food so I can cook/eat. Toodles...
PS: I do have a lot of pictures of some my adventures: time in Sydney with my sister Angelique, canyoning over eater break, NZ, and the Great Ocean Road. These will be put up eventually so stayed tuned.
During the last few days of April and the first week of May, I actually did a bit of uni work and prepared for the coming of Mr. Alex Cantu (a high school buddy). Let me pick up the narrative on the 9th of May as myself and three others pile into a car at 8am on Saturday to drive to Lerderderg Park to begin an epic weekend experience. Why would four people wake up so early on a Saturday morning? The answer is simple, rogaining.
So the next question that pops into your head is what the heck is rogaining (I try my best to anticipate the needs of my audience)? Well, it is basically orienteering on steroids. Teams are given contour maps with labeled checkpoints (different values based on distance from start, accessibility, and visibility) and a time frame. The object of the game is to get the highest score possible(we had electronic bracelets that recorded our presence at each checkpoint). Rogaining (also know as "the all night sport") is the brainchild of former Mountaineering Club members from Melbourne University.
Our car rocked up at 10:30ish to Lerderderg Park, and we quickly set up our tent to have a quick lay down. I forgot my manners, I need to introduce you to my team. I spent the weekend with Rob Wu, a student from Berkley, and Sean Coyler, a jovial spirit from UVA.
At 11, we got our maps and began to plan our course for the next 24 hours. This particular rogaine had two time divisions, roving 15 and 24 hrs. The roving 15 means that teams get to choose 15 out of the 24 hrs to be on the course. The 24 hr division is pretty straight forward, you can be on the course for 24 hrs. Since our team was full of rogaining neophytes (Rob had complete one prior rogaine, while myself and Sean had not yet experienced the greatness that is rogaining) we opted for the conservative 15 hr time division.
We mapped out our proposed route for the next 24 hrs and built in time delays (because they will inevitably happen). We grabbed a quick bite to eat and then headed to HQ which consisted of two tents and a barn. After a 5-10 min speech, the gun went off at high noon and our adventure was underway.
We took off jogging for our first point. As luck would have it we missed our first completely and realized it a bit too late (woops). We decided to press on for the next point. Our contours told us that the next point was at the intersection of the three "waterflows" (there was very little actual water anywhere on the course). So I volunteered the great idea of walkign along the "waterflow" to make sure we hit the point. Well the good news was that we hit the point, the bad news is that it took forever to get through growth in the "waterflow". One big point, stick to the trail as much as possible because it is much much faster.
We spent a total of 10 hrs on the course the first day. We improved significantly and hit the rest of the points that we had mapped out. Our team decided to minimize the amount of night navigation we would do because it is a bit more difficult to navigate when you can't really see. We got back to HQ at 10, ate, then passed out.
We woke up at 6:30 and got on the course at 7am. We took these five hours hard and picked up a few extra points. Good effort to my teammates. Over the course of 24 hrs, we did 39 miles on trail/off trail (estimates thanks to Sean and his string, which can be accessed at seancoyler.com). We won the novice category for both divisions (had a higher score than winners of the 24 novice division), but in the big scheme the veterans smashed us. Overall, a great expereince and it felt good to shake the rust off of my navigation skills.
Alex came in the next day and we had an epic week and a half adventure in New Zealand and along the Great Ocean Road. I am not going to launch into a description of this adventure at this moment, instead I will take the following approach. I will let Alex write things from his perspective and then I will add my own thoughts, comments, ponderings, etc. and this will be posted in due time.
So this post will resume at the 20th of May. I just dropped off Alex who is now bound for the airport and the States. I then go to class (I know, sometimes I choose to actually go to my classes and not skip them...) I spent the next two days catching up on life in Melbourne and a few minor uni assignments. Then another adventure begins: my first ultimate frisbee tournament.
So lunch time on Friday (May 22) roles around and eight of us pile into a suburban for an epic journey. The frisbee tournament is in New South Wales and approximately a 9-10 hr journey by car. So a few funny things happened to me during this window between Friday and Sunday. I woke up early Friday morning with this incessant itch and could not sleep well. I did not think too much of it and went back to bed. This happened a few more times and I thought I had bed bugs in bed. Great, but I will deal with it once I get back from the tournament. As I sit in our suburban during the car ride up, the itching returns and gets worse. My whole stomach is itching and I lift up my shirt and a rash is covering my entire stomach. A few hours pass and the rash now completely covers my entire upper body. I was a bit worried because nothing comparable has ever happened before. When we hit a major town, we stop for food and I go to the chemist to get drugs. I get allergy medication and an anti-itch cream. The rash comes back on and off for the next 24 hrs and then ultimately goes away (praise the lord). The other funny thing is that an ATM ate my money, by that I mean it did not give me cash and deducted it from my balance, still sorting this out with my bank.
But on to the actual frisbeee. I had a good first ultimate tournament experience. We played seven games in two days and got 7th out of 10 teams (had a 4-3 record). We did pretty good considering half our team had never played together before and our competition was wicked good. Good antics and laughters all weekend.
So where do we go from here? Well I have to research and write to papers in the next two weeks (plenty of time). But right now I am off to the Queen Victoria Market to get food so I can cook/eat. Toodles...
PS: I do have a lot of pictures of some my adventures: time in Sydney with my sister Angelique, canyoning over eater break, NZ, and the Great Ocean Road. These will be put up eventually so stayed tuned.
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Microfinance/Microcredit
This is the industry I want to get in to as soon as I graduate (in the last post I spoke about cad/development, but microfinance makes the most sense to me). Most MFI's (Microfinance Institutions) are based on the successful model of the Grameen Bank (started in Bangladesh). The point of microcredit is to empower the poorest of the poor with a loan (which is repaid in 95% of all loans) to start an income generating business. Microcredit combines banking, entrepreneurship, and the social mission of helping the poor help themselves. I got a lot to learn to learn about the models and the industry, but I am excited. Boy howdy.
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