Don't get me wrong, I am excited about going home. I'm excited to wake up in my bed again; to have decent tea and crunch creams on demand; to hear Yorkshire accents! I am, however, scared. I'm scared that I'll go home before I've crossed everything off my bucket list. I'm scared of missing out. I'm scared of leaving Australia.
The past three weeks have been, for the most part, fairly routine. I have had a lot of work to do, with at least three assignments per week to complete. Therefore, far too much time has been spent in the library or the city hub for my liking!
On Friday, we took a break from working. We went out for breakfast at Three Monkeys on Darby Street, where I had an amazing corn cake stack with avocado salsa and garlic mushrooms (yum!). The weather had taken a turn for the better, so we spent the afternoon on the beach. After a long summer, the sea is still lovely and warm, and the waves were enormous!
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| Oooof! |
Yesterday was a day I have been waiting for a long time: Groovin' The Moo Festival in Maitland. I got up early, to squeeze in a run before pancakes and (unfortunately) goon for breakfast!
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| Half- banana and chocolate, half- peanut butter and jam pancake! Breakfast of champions! |
It was a beautiful sunny day, as we crammed like sardines into the train, extraordinarily lucky to find seats. We arrived in time to see Matt Corby, who was pretty amazing. In the afternoon, there weren't many acts we were bothered about, so we settled down in the field, occasionally collecting cans to get money off cider from the bar tent. Classy. It was such a summery afternoon.
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| The crowds for Matt Corby |
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| :) |
As the sun set, we headed back to the stage to see Ball Park Music, who were really good, and then await City and Colour. I have been a jibbering wreck about seeing Dallas Green for some time now. Watching him come onto stage, as the sun set and turned the sky gold and pink, was beyond incredible. His set was amazing, although I would have loved to have heard more of his earlier songs from the 'Sometimes' and 'Bring me your love' albums, as well as those from 'Little Hell'.
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| The skies as we waited for City and Colour to start. |
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| <3 |
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| Dallas! |
Once the sun had set, it was bitingly cold, so we set off in search of hot food. The evening's acts included Kimbra and Kaiser Chiefs, who were both really good. We left just before the hypothermia set in, and managed to get the bus home without paying, somehow! It was such an amazing day, and I'm so glad we went.
We also went to a Burlesque night in Hamilton, of which I was a little dubious... We found it on Groupon, and, in the spirit oh 'Hey, we're in Australia!', we went along! It was so weird, and there was way too much back-cleavage... but it was so much fun!
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| Free 'goon-pagne' at the Burlesque night! |
As winter has encroached upon us, the wind is getting chillier. I never expected Australia to be cold when I got here - in terms of warm clothes, I brought a hoodie and a denim jacket and that's it! I went to the beach today, and took a hoodie as a pillow. After half a chapter of being stripped down to my bikini, the hoodie was on. There's not much between us and Antarctica, and when the wind gets up it is COLD. As I write this, I am in bed; wearing leggings, a hoodie, slipper socks and a skiing headband. This is ridiculous!
The group of us have spent the last few weeks compiling a sort of mental bucket list of all the things we want to do before we leave. Some of them are, sadly, unachievable. Watching the sunset over the Bogey Hole is one of my favourite memories of last semester and I'd love to do it again, but the Bogey Hole has now been closed to renovate the steps, and it doesn't look like it will be opening any time soon. Otherwise, it is full steam ahead to fit everything in. I want to go to One Penny Black again, for the best coffee in Newy. I want to go to the Blue Mountains. I want to watch another sunset at the Obelisk; another sunrise at Newcastle Beach.
My time is rapidly running out. Just writing this has taken 2165 seconds off my remaining time here. I still have several assignments - and exams - to complete. But I am determined to squeeze every last drop out of my time here.
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| My favourite morning. |
