Sunnies

"Sunnies": Australian slang for "sunglasses."

"Don't forget to bring your sunnies when you hit the beach!"

Highlight of today: finding out that I did well in all my classes. Yeeeea-yuh!!

Indigenous Culture and Learning - 78% H2A
Education in Natural Landscapes - 95% H1
Sport & Education in Australian Society -80% H1
Australian Wildlife Biology - 79% H2A

I know these percentages look really crappy (I bet you're thinking "why is she celebrating even though she has Cs?!") but Melbourne Uni does grades differently. Basically, H1 is the highest grade you can get in a class, and H2A is the next level down (basically a B+ or an A-). Ureshii! XD I'm especially surprised with my Wildlife Biology class, because I thought I totally flunked that final. What a relief.

I'm currently listening to Bob Marley and getting free internet from Peterpan, which is an international internet cafe. I might get kicked off any minute though, so I'll type fast. Weather is warm in the Whitsundays, but not boiling hot (it's really cool at night though). I accomplished one of the things on my Bucket List today - snorkel in the Great Barrier Reef and see Heart Reef. It was an absolutely amazing experience and I can't believe it's over already. I had been dreaming about seeing the Great Barrier Reef ever since I was old enough to watch the Discovery Channel, so looking down from the plane and seeing the famous azure and emerald-colored waters was a very surreal feeling. I wish all of you guys were there with me, it really is a gorgeous place. I took many pictures and some video clips on the video camera, so I'll post those up when I return to Melbourne. The snorkeling itself was a bit of a downer but still very cool. I took around 27 underwater photos of brightly-colored corals, fish, and clams (strangely enough, the lips of the giant clam are probably one of the prettiest objects in the ocean!) I didn't see as many tropical fish as I would have liked though, and you could tell that some of the reef was suffering from pollution and global warming. There were many areas in which coral-bleaching was really prominent and it was pretty depressing. =( The water, though warmer than Melbourne's beaches, was still chilly enough to make me uncomfortably cold after a hour. Fortunately (or unfortunately?) the tour group only allowed one hour of snorkeling in the Reef, so I made the most of my experience.

I have decided that I will now visit tropical places during spring/summer, which are the seasons in which they should be visited in. It is unsatisfying to be walking around in a jacket and long jeans on a tropical island, even if it is only during nighttime. That should never happen. I have also decided that my honeymoon HAS to be in a warm, sunny, tropical place, where I can roll around in white sand and snorkel all day long. There is no other option.

Tomorrow Christine and I will be embarking on a 3 day, 2 night sailing tour around Whitehaven beach and some other Whitsunday Islands. Woo hoo for more turquoise seas and snorkeling! I have decided (I know, I decided many things on this trip) that I will smuggle some of the famous silica sand back home. I brought some ziploc bags just for the occassion and have been planning different strategies for the collecting and smuggling process. It's going to be a very tricky operation, since I will be surrounded by fellow sailors/backpackers/enforcerers-of-the-morally-right. Everyone will be treated as a potential spy and obstacle to the fulfillment of my happiness [eyes dart around suspiciously].

Christine has been suffering from a very bad case of coughs/congestion lately, which is horrible because it prevents her from fully enjoying herself. I feel bad, because I think I gave my cold to her (I myself have been recovering relatively well). Hopefully she gets well soon!