Of Hot Tubs and Rainforests

Yesterday was nothing special, until about dinner time. Basia, Kaitlin, Sunniva and I headed out to Cafe Bond to grab some dinner before a night of film and hot tubbing. Although, it's technically called a spa here, but we won't go into details. On the way out, we snatched a few photos of the gorgeous night sky. A passerby shouted out that there was to be a Lunar Eclipse at 9pm. I was so excited! I'd never seen any sort of eclipse before. So we hurried up and grabbed some grub, ran home and watched a movie, then set out for the spa. It was amazing to sit in the glorious bubbles and gaze at the stars, and as we sat we saw the beginning of the eclipse. It was slow, but beautiful! Attempted some photos but..well, I don't have a fabulous-night-vision camera, so it just looks like a white blob ha ha. Amazing though!

I laid on my back with my head on the stairs of the spa and my legs hanging on the outside. Sounds awkward, but amazingly comfortable. And as I stared up at the thin clouds, the clear stars, and glorious moon, I realized just how lucky I was to be in that place, with three incredible ladies, at this time in my life. I could not have asked for anything sweeter.

Today we headed up Tamborine Mountain, which is in the heart of the Hinterland rainforest, which is the biggest sub-tropical rainforest in the entire WORLD! How amazing. I needed to go for a journalism project, to cover the annual Scarecrow Festival with photos and interviews. But the six of us drove up, thanks to Aussie friend Ben, a few hours early and hiked through the rainforest. I've been on more hikes than I can count, but nothing as different than that. I forest of palm trees and vines? Definitely not like home. It was exactly the wake up I needed! I feel like this country has been calling to me to come explore, and I've just become too comfortable with my school routine that I ignored it. Seeing mountains again, clinging to dear life while Ben threw us around the curves of the windy mountain road, the fresh humid air blowing in our faces...exactly what the doctor ordered. Again, I could not have asked for anything sweeter.

Ben is also helping me to pick up more Aussie lingo, so that I may better blend in once all of the crazy Americans get here in September. He said he'll fit me with the perfect accent. He's my professional teacher ha ha!

Enjoying every minute! Living life like it was meant to be lived.
Love!