Day 7: rain rain go away

So apparently, there's a one hour time difference between New South Wales (Sydney) and Capital Territory, and apparently, even when my phone is set to update time from satellite, it doesn't. So when I got up & showered at 7 & wondered why everyone else seemed to just be sleeping thru the free breakfast time, it was actually 6 & I was actually an idiot.

When it WAS brekky time (after 45 mins curled back up under the blanket), I ate pancakes & then decided I'd try vegemite.

VOM-IT.

It tastes like something you're not supposed to eat, like it should have the mr. yuck poison symbol on it. Its salty & strong with a very beer-ish aftertaste. And coffee wouldn't wash it away; I had to eat some peanut butter toast to get the taste out of my mouth. *shudder*

I really like the people on this trip - I get on really well with the 4 other girls: 2 Brits Rosie & Amy, Swiss Sondra, and German Sarah. They're all traveling solo & they're all about my age. Perfect! I think they're staying in Melbourne for a bit too so that will be fun.

Then we took a ski lift up Kosciusko Mtn, the tallest in the continent. We couldn't go up to the very top bc the trail was snowed in, but we did walk halfway up the peak & had hot chocolate at the highest restaurant in Oz.

It was beautiful. Got into a snowball-throwing competition with a giant Barvarian guy & lost miserably. Sank in the snow up to mid-calf. It was fun.

I never expected to see snow here! Thanks chick, again, for your thermals. :) it is SO cold right now & raining for the first time since I've been here. It worries me bc I definitely am not wearing enough layers & didn't pack much in the way of cool or wet weather clothes & it will probably be very cold at night in the red center too. Think I might need to buy a fleece & squeeze it into my bag somehow. :(

Now that we're off the mtn, its pretty rainy & miserable. We have to resort to "plan C" for the day bc we can't do the regular bus itineraries in this rain. Can't see much out the windows but its all farmland anyway & just more of what I saw under blue skies yesterday. It feels like the bus is gonna rattle apart on these dirt roads.

Drove past the famous Snowy River. Got out in the rain to search for platypus but no luck. Went on a rainforest walk, which was beautiful, but between the incessant mosquitoes & the ever-worsening rain, it was hard to enjoy it. Sigh.

Finally got to lakes entrance & the sun came out. Really, sun, really?!!? Now???? Saw black swans on 9 mile beach & then the rain started pouring & it was back to the hostel we went. Had a great time hanging out with the Germans & Swiss; learned a German drinking song amongst all the wine (including my box o wine, which they call "coon".) Now its time to fall asleep to the soothing sound of rain.

Today I'm so happy & grateful for:
~ experiencing different weather here
~ free blankets
~ trying new things

Xo! n.