Off We Go, and On With the Trip!

I guess you can say I’m sort of a city girl. There’s just something about the sound of my shoes against the pavement (or preferably, the cobblestones), the rush of the darting across the busy streets, the sound of the honks and the thrill of the idea that thousands of others around you are just as exhilarated by the endless opportunities of the day as you are. And, of course, there’s the standard afternoon Americano in a classically chic café to break up the excitement.

However, to fully appreciate who we are, and test our boundries, sometimes a girl’s just gotta get outta town; and in this case, I got way out of town.

In fact, this whole trip to Sydney is based on a two week trip into the small towns of Australia, and the Travel Itinerary took us into the towns that show the heart, history, and heritage of the Aussie people. During the two weeks, we visited 12 towns in 14 days: Braidwood, Beechworth, Benala, Bright Glenrowan Milawa, Omeo, Boydtown, Eden, Tilba, Tilba Tilba, and Bermagui. I’m sure you haven’t heard of any of those places. But frankly, most Australians I’ve encountered hadn’t the faintest idea where they were, either, so “no worries.”

As the bulk of the travel writing program, this trip took eleven college students out of the city of Sydney, and into the small inland towns, where no traffic lights could be found. Saying goodbye to our wireless internet and cell phone reception, we put the fast-paced American kid mentality to rest, and traded our iPhones for a pad and paper to work on uncovering the secrets, the sounds, the sinners and saints of the real towns of rural Australia.

Now, even though the description of the programme says, “From the ocean to the Outback,” we never really hit “The Bush.” I didn’t see any tumbleweeds, but I saw a whole lotta other things you can’t find in Sydney. Because each day was jam packed with things to see and do, stories to find, people to interview, and delights to behold, I will give you a top 5 list of my favorite moments on the way, and I hope that in doing this, you can share in my appreciation of being taken out of my element, and being thrown into a world of investigative journalism, timeless folklore, songlines of the old, and fresh paths of the new people in a very rich, hidden world somewhere Down Under.

1. Feeding the Kangaroos on Pebbly Beach

After being cooped up in the mini-bus for about 5 or 6 hours as we moved toward our first destination, Braidwood, our driver, Sean, tackled the hills and vales that seem to lead to nowhere, and dropped us on a beach that existed beyond a valley that I’m pretty sure no one would be able to find again. With the dirt roads covered in detour signs, and the heights and drops getting bigger and deeper, the bus ride was both thrilling and a bit nerve racking. However, with Sean’s skill, and Sharon, our wonderful professor, and Cal, our fantastic program leader, we arrived on Pebbly Beach to find the surprise of the day: feeding wild kangaroos on an unforgettably gorgeous beach at sunset. Fun facts of the first day: Kangas like ice cream cones. Kangas hop real fast. Kangas have sharp nails. Kangas box you real fast with their sharp nails to enjoy their ice cream cones. However, all and all, we had a perfect ending to the first day with these friendly mascots, and to be up close and personal with such a legendary icon (and with such soft fur!), we couldn’t have been more delighted to be out of the city, and into the real life Australia.

2. The Lolly Shoppe, outside Braidwood.

Old fashioned candy store filled with everything from flying wafers, chocolate covered pineapple and jars that extend to shelves beyond my reach. Oh, and it was connected to a homemade pie shop! Affordable and delectable. Need I say more?

3. Ned Kelly Country: Braidwood, Beechworth Benala, Glenrowan.

For our literature course, we’ve been studying the questionable hero of early Australia, Mr. Edward “Ned” Kelly. “Who?” you may ask; but the story is worth telling, exploring, questioning and retelling throughout the generations as one country discovers the history of their own Robin Hood. During our travels, we went to Kelly’s main land marks for courthouses, battles and brawls that moved Victoria one step closer to freedom. We talked to the locals about the legends and truths, and tried to find out for ourselves which cowboy hat Kelly should eternally wear: the heroic white, or the devilish black. Overall, the landscape sung to tunes and harmonies of the Irish spirit all along the way, and bits and bobs reminded me of a land by the Atlantic Sea, the one of my own roots, as well as many Kellys, Murphys and O’Donnell’s here…

4. Hothham Heights.

The astonishingly gorgeous ride up this unbelievably beautiful mountain would be enough to make anyone with a slight fear of heights squirm…but I made it. Hotham Heights had a ski resort on top, and a whole lotta land underneath. With breathtaking views into the valleys and off the daringly dangerous drops, this two hour journey was the perfect way to start the journey to Eden.

5. Whale Watching in Bermagui

This marked my fourth or fifth whale watch, and my first whale spotting! Hooray! I saw about 6 Humpback whales, a slew of seals, and when we got to the destination of Montague Island, I also saw some penguins, up close and personal! A great way to see the sparkling shores of Australia, and some of its precious wild critters.

Other Highlights:

Visiting the house of the ever-inspiring writer (and one of my personal favorites), D.H. Lawrence. This is where he wrote his book on Australia, “Kangaroo,” which I have found to be unfailingly relatable and enjoyable on this journey Down Under.

The Sea Horse Inn, walking the shores, frolicking in the sands. The pictures speak a thousand words for this luxury hotel situated on a private beach, overlooking the mountains and gems of the Sapphire Coast.

Boydtown and Eden: Also on the Sapphire Coast, just totally impressive views with a mix of nature, history and best of all, relaxation along the way of our rigorous 14 day academic trip. Laugh if you want, but we visited 12 towns in 14 days, and conducted interviews everywhere we went. Scouting for stories, making them work and discovering the secrets of the land definitely entitles us to a sunset on the beach!

And last but not least, sunset in our last town of the trip, Bermagui.

Thanks for reading, and I wish I could do this trip more justice. As I write articles for the stories I found, I would be happy to send some around if you want more of a journalistic approach on the ins and outs of trekking through the nooks and crannies of Eastern Australia.

As Always (and with a renewed love of the land),

Happy Travels,

xxx