I want a pet Kangaroo

Well...let's see. It's 1145 AM Thursday June 3rd. I'm currently in Melbourne. Let me flashback to Tasmania...

we left for Tasmania friday night after we visted Hyde Park Barracks in Sydney and did a group project at the Sydney Records building. (we had a convict and had to look up all the info about him we could find. microfilms are crazy difficult to navigate through. glad i live in the age of computers.) We stayed at "The Old Woolstore Apartment Hotel" obviously, it used to be a woolstore. we visited some markets in Hobart and the museum of tasmania. It was rainy on that saturday (typical) and it was SOOO COLD IN TASAMANIA!

Saturday night Daniel, Jordan, Kathryn and I went out in Hobart to this club called the observatory or "O-Bar" it was interesting to say the least, and EXPENSIVE. People on the trip were joking about how Hobart could have any kind of night live but they around 250000 people...which is more than little rock (not that night life is big there...but the river market is pretty fun).

Sunday we left for Port Arthur, which was originally a Penal Settlement. It wasn't really what I expected, it was all pretty much in ruins because a bush fire had gone through it decades ago. Tasmania is a really pretty place, though. Beautiful landscapes.

On our way to port arthur we stopped at the tasmanian devil sanctuary. There we saw tasmanian devils getting fed and fighting and then we went over to the kangaroo area where you just stand around and hangout with a big mob (think that's the correct term) of them! Best part of the trip so far. We also stopped by viewing areas of like Devils Kitchen, and a blow hole and more views of the pacific.

Pictures from Tasmania!

Hike through the blue mountains was AMAZING! And we had all 4 seasons while on the hike. It was a long hike and kinda hard in places. We even were walking along only 2 foot wide cliffs! Here's some pics from it!

JP gives everyone a shout out. Alex almost fell off a cliff. Kathryn saved his life and then ripped her leggings.

Australia!

I'm in Australia! been here since sunday morning! 15 hour plane ride was not nearly as bad as I thought it'd be. Sat next to a friend so it made the trip sooo much better! ONly slept for about 2 hours on the flight.

Yet to see a sunny day! Apparently Australia's been in a 7 year drought...couldn't tell from these past few days. It was torrental (sp?) downpour all day! We were supposed to hike the blue mountains today, but postponed for tomorrow (thursday)when the weather SHOULD be better.

Went to Manly Beach our...first? night here. I'm in love with manly! Favorite place thus far. Gorgeous views of the pacific, beautiful homes!

The group is great, everyone appears to get along, although there is a lot of segregation between the boys and girls while eating meals...getting better though. In the airpot the group thinks I have a real southern accent...they need to meet people from Wynne arkansas or benton/bryant. ha

Oh, it's cold here too. It may be australia...but it's cold. I haven't taken many pictures because of the weather! Rain does not make for good pictures. I have some, and we'll be back in sydney at the end of the trip.

I don't have time to post photos so I'll do that when I have free internet at a place besides mcdonalds.

check back soon!

Australia!

Tomorrow starts my adventure!

I leave for Los Angeles tomorrow morning for a 2 day "class" at the hotel with my group. We then leave for Sydney at 1030pm on Friday! I'll arrive in Sydney at 645am on Sunday. I skip Saturday. It's a 15 hour flight! eek! I'm taking iPhone and my iPOD, a book, magazine, and laptop. I hope that's enough entertainment. :/

Keep checking back for updates! After I leave each city I'm going to try to post pictures on facebook and a few on here in order to keep them ordered and not forget what's what!

If you're also interested you can see what I'm doing on twitter. twitter.com/clairesbears you don't have to login or anything either, just go to that link and you'll be able to see what I'm doing!

I absolutely cannot wait for this trip to start! It's a once in a lifetime opportunity and I'm so thankful for being able to go! Also if you have skype add me there too, then I can talk to y'all on the phone from australia! clairemckinney501

talk to y'all soon! also, if you want anything, SERIOUSLY, leave a comment or email me!

Fundamentals of Engineering

Tomorrow I take the fundamentals of engineering exam. an 8 hour test.

freaking. out. just hope i get a good nights sleep.

and that I remember everything from the last 4 years.

Headed to the Land of Oz

I'm sure you have all heard, from my dad or facebook page, that I am in fact going to AUSTRALIA this summer!

I'm studying abroad with a group form the University of Virginia. I will spend about a month down under.

I'll start in LA for a couple of days of lectures, then off to sydney, then hobart, then canberra, then melbourne, and then back to sydney, then i'm going on a extra excursion to cairns where i will go to the great barrier reef!

We booked my flights tonigt and I'm more than excited! It's less than two months away! that 14 1/2 hour flight will be terrible! but so long as i don't get LOST on some weird island in the south pacific, i'm good. When I return to the states, I will have arrived 2 1/2 hours before my flight left in Sydney! (i leave sydney at 1045AM and arrive in LA at 645AM on the same day.)

It'll be a crazy busy summer...after Australia I have about 10 days then I more than likely have to go to summer school to do fall schedule conflictions and then in August, my sister and I should be going to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Orlando

I'll blogging, skyping, and tweeting from the land down under, so get ready!

Snow

I'm sitting at my desk, looking straight out my window at a pretty heavy snow fall.

The forecast changed in the last hour. 100% tonight, tomorrow, and 80% tomorrow night! 1-3 over night and after it's all done up to 11 inches total! (probably not us though...)

Recently, while talking with a friend, I determined I would have no problem moving somewhere up north for awhile. Especially while I'm young. If I work for Garver and they continue their expanding and open a further north office, I think I'd be the first to jump on it.

My friends ask me where I my constant love of snow and winter and cold weather come from. I have no idea, guess it was just the way I was raised. Helps I've been lucky enough to have gone to colorado almost every year of my life.

If Fayetteville public schools close I have no classes tomorrow. I might call into work...especially if there's a lot of snow on the ground. I'm still in college, not wasting a snow day at work! You don't really get those much when you graduate.

I wish I had a fire place and a couch in my room, and a porch light. Guess I"ll have to do with my bed and a street light!