last few days in Tassie

So! Almost there! On our last planned day (Wednesday the 20th), we rode 3 hours north to Cataract Gorge in Launceston. Hmmm. We were told that when we got there we were going to take a chairlift (which sounded fun) and talk a walk to Duck Reach Powerstation (which is supposed to be good). Anyway, when we got there, we see that the chairlift is the longest chairlift span in the world! Wow! Well then we realize they just mean from pole to pole, its actually, once on it, the shortest, most rediculous chairlift ever...i've had more fun on ski lifts! Anyway, on their brochure, it says "it is believed (ha! believed...) to be the greatest single span of any chairlift in the world, at 308 meters". So yeah, not so much fun. We got to the otherside (which meant riding over a grassy park thing and a walkway over some water...so we could have walked it if we wanted) and there was a strange little park, with a wishing well and a cafe...and roaming peacocks everywhere...strangest thing ever. We had lunch though, provided to us, at the Stillwater River Cafe, which, i must say, was one of the best wraps I've ever had! Hmmm. Anyway, so we walk around, walk across the suspension bridge that is close to the gorge (which was probably the best part of the day, thats not saying much)...and then we got back on the bus. We were all a little thrown off about the fact that we rode over 6 hours in one day to ride the crappy chairlift...but it turns out the path to the duck reach powerstation was closed because of a rock slide the day before, so that was supposed to be the big activity. Anyway, it was fine because we were all tired and slept the whole way there and the whole way back. So, wednesday was interesting, but the night was fun. Wednesday night is supposedly Uni night, which meant finally, there were some bars open.
Thursday was our last day in Tassie, and we had a free day in Hobart to do what we wished. So! Since being in tassie we had embraced Cascade as being an excellent beer, and had heard lots of reports that tours of the brewery were awesome, so we went! The brewery is really old, and its a ways up Mt. Wellington (the mountain we biked down). Cascade reminds me of Sam Adams...its well respected, quality beer, it has seasonal brews and a hard cider (Mercury) which is very good! After the tour they gave us 'tastes', generous ones, which was great fun. Supposedly some of their brews have won awards in the US...so I'm going to keep my eye out for it! After the brewery tour (which most of our IES group did), about 20 of us met up at the sole mexican place in all of australia (well not really, but close) and had margaritas (happy hour!) and some semi-authentic mexican food. There was hope, the nachos were good, but it was a pretty pathetic showing of mexican food, I don't think they really knew what they were doing. Ahhh well, it was close enough to make me a little bit happy inside!
On Friday we headed back to Melbourne early in the morning. It was strange to feel so happy to be 'home'! It was the first time we'd been away from the city and it made me realize how much the city is home for now! I couldn't wait to eat my own food, sleep in my own bed, go to the market, use my own shower, etc etc. Friday night a bunch of the girls came over and I made crepes! We had a fabulous crepe party send off and then on Saturday morning Claire, Erin, Sarah and Lea headed off for Cairns. Thus began my week on my own!
I was sad not to be going up to Cairns (ie the Great Barrier Reef) with my girls but it turned out to be good. I'd been sick for a while and it really hit me the second week of break. I slept alot, coughed a lot, worked a little, and did some fun sightseeing. I went to the Melbourne Museum (again, i wanted to revisit and none of my friends would ever go with me), I wandered the city, walked around the botanical gardens and a few other park areas. I spent half a day writing postcards it seemed, and enjoyed myself! Australian Idol is always on when I'm at work, so I've become a bit addicted (even though I've never watched American Idol!). So anyway, the second week of break was 'footy finals week' which is equivalent to the week before the superbowl...except the footy final is in melbourne every year, which means its a week of events...which meant that the top 12 australian idol finalists put on a free concert at Federation square one afternoon! A few of my friends who were here and I went...it was pretty funny, lots of pre-teens, tweens and shreiking people. It was a bit overwhelming but good fun! On Friday (the day before the game) there was a big parade in the city, with the two teams and some marching bands and who knwos what else. There were thousands and thousands of people, the streets of Melbourne looked like a crowded NYC, rather than its usual relaxed state.
So! Overall, I had a fabulous spring break! Tasmania was fun, and if it hadn't been planned, i probably never would have gone, so I'm glad I went! I'll probably never go back...but haha, a good trip. I've been back from break for almost two weeks now, and only have 2 1/2 weeks of classes left, which is a bit insane. Classes end on the 27th of October, then I have a week off (an extended Reading Days). Sarah, Erin and I are headed to Sydney for 4 days during the week, which will be awesome! Exams (which run for 3 weeks) begin on the 6th, which means I have two final papers due on the 6th, and then an exam on the 13th and another on the 15th...and then I'm done! On the 24th I'm flying out of here to Brisbane, where I'm going to spend a week around Fraser Island and the Great Barrier Reef. After that week, I'll be in Pomona for a week, St Paul to visit my sister for a week, and then home in Maine on the 12th of December (most likely). Whew. I have almost two months until I'll be home in Maine, which is crazy. Time is flying, and I do'nt want to leave but it will be great to see y'all (for claire and erin) when I get back!
I must be off to class now, but I hope you've enjoyed reading about my trip to Tassie and seeing pictures! Keep in touch, send emails, I miss you all!