Australia

Hey guys
Hows life? Its pretty good here. Yesterday Ruth and I drove out to Glen Helen, Standley chasm and Ellery. Glen Helen and Ellery are water holes along the Finke "river". The chasm, well is a chasm. None of the rivers actually have water in them over here, they are just river beds, that rarely flow. It was pretty out there. We went for a swim in the "resort" swimming pool (It was more like a dodgy Arkansas motel). We didnt swim in the water holes though because the water was a bit rank and stagnant. So we got a bit burned and ate our picnic lunch out there and headed back. Last night Ruths roommate - whose room I'd been using came back - and I didnt know she was coming, so of course I had the room in shambles! I felt really bad, so I quickly cleared everything out of there. Then last night I went to their bible study thing again. It was alright - kind of different to be going to one again after a long time. Last night was a full moon and I saw the rabbit in the moon! Since its in the southern hemisphere you see the moon at a differnt angle and you can see both a rabbit, and a different face in the moon, its really trippy! I'm really tired from the heat alot over here even though I'm doing a lot better in it than when I first arrived. I spend my time watching a lot of Alias and the OC (thanks Ruth for hooking me on them!) and eating too much (yeah I think I've put on a couple pounds...ugg) and pouring beer. Its kind of boring some of the time but it is a mental break. Unfortunately it gives me time to be a touch homesick. This being V-day (which isnt really even celebrated over here - after Christmas they go straight to selling Easter bunnies) I just wanted to say I love you guys! Take care, hope all is lovely in your corner of the world!

Hey all! I got a job! Can you guess what it is from my title? Yeah I'm working as a bartender, pouring beers and stuff. It is surprisingly kind of fun - sort of like my job at DQ, but the products are obvioulsy a bit different. They had a really good house cover band playing there last night too. So I'm making a few bucks to support myself - aka, buy a return ticket home (yeah...havent gotten around to that yet...) Not something I ever pictured myself doing, but its interesting. All is well down under, hope all is well wherever you are at...

Hi all I'm still alive and well. Thanks to all who remembered my bday and wished me well! I'll fill you in more later, but I'm doing well! Love you all, Kaity

Ok, I'm back. I found a net cafe (I was getting in the way at Ruths work before!) However, there is no AC or fan in here and it has got to be at least 100F outside, so therefor hotter in here! Ahhh!! So I'm not sure how much more I'll actually write or how coherent it will be. I'm not sure exactly where I left off. My birthday was on Sunday. It was rather uneventful but it was ok. I really dont feel like it was my b-day since I was missing the snow and frostbite (which was replaced by blazing heat and sunburn!) That day I went to church, out to lunch, laid around watching the OC, ordered Indian "take away" as they call it here and had chocolate cocktails. Overall not a bad day. Monday Ruth and I went shopping some to spend my bday money, but didnt find much and went to her parents house for a bible study thing. Yesterday we went swimming in her rents pool and did a bunch more nothing. The heat is kind of draining...thats my excuse anyway I may have found a job but I'm not saying yet because I havent started and dont know if I'll do it for sure. Tommorow I'll go to train in and I'll let ya know after that. Sorry this episode is rather tame compared to some of the past ones! But it is kind of a nice change. It is nice to be in one place doing nothing for a little bit. I may extend my stay here if I do like this job, for my sanity and my wallets sake! I hope all is well with all of you! Again, thanks for the bday wishes - I'll take you up on all the cake when I get back!

We made it to Ruths house. She stays in a flat it town and her parents live on the outskirts of the huge city of Alice Springs, population 27,000. The landscape is a bit different here - mostly desert, no more lush rain forest here! Its dry and really hot here. So lets see, 2 days back where I left off, Ruths sister, Joy made us a lovely dinner of chicken parmesana. I met Ruths mom and dad, one sister, Canadian exchange student, etc. and they are all really nice people. I also got to see Bek! (She also worked at Mihaska with Ruth and me.) Then yesterday Ruth went to work and I went shopping and out for lunch and coffee and stuff with Bek and her sisters and friends. Its so wierd to see Bek and Ruth after so long, but also "heaps" cool! Aussies say "heaps" of everything. The last day has been an ongoing lesson in Aussie. You would think that since we all speak English we would understand each other but its not so! Yeah, anyway, then last night I went camping "out bush" or "out Fink" with a bunch of their friends. It was quite the experience. Basically they just drive out into the bush, sort of near a place called Fink motorbike race track aka "out Fink" and then just set up camp. They don't use tents, they use swags which are these canvas bag things that zip over a mattress and you sleep under the stars and flies. We had a fire and some of the guys cooked up "sausages" (Australian version of an Oscar Meyer hotdog but with a bit different spice) and pork chops. Then I went for one of the scariest rides of my life in the back of one of the guys truckbeds. About 10 of us were in the back holding on for dear life while he flew over the "woops" (bumps) in the Fink track..and all over the bush. It was pelting rain and we were all covered in red mud. It was fantastic We sang stupid camp songs and overall had a good time. I didnt sleep much - I think I'm allergic to smoke because my nose was stuffed all night until the fire went out. Then I woke up a few short hours later to flies buzzing overhead. In the morning we hiked around a bit and then headed back. Today I wasted most of the day away napping and watching movies. I'm currently back at Ruths mum and dads house on their net again. We are going swimming in their pool and having a cake for my b-day Woot! Ugg, I'm geting so old. Oh well, I'm still young at heart. Take care all, ttfn

The past 2 days have been incredible. On Tuesday Ruth and I went for our reef tour. I got the deal of the century/once in a lifetime blessing. We got up early and boarded the "Supercat" boat. We signed our lives away and answered our health questionairres and then went through the scuba diving orientation talk. Then they informed Ruth that she couldnt go because she checked yes that she has athsma. So that was a big dissappointment, good thing Ruth is so good natured she didnt get too down. She went snorkling instead. Meanwhile I got all suited up and went for my first dive. It was absolutely terrifying for the first 60 seconds while I adjusted to the idea of breathing through my mouth while underwater. Then it was just awesome! I saw all kinds of amazing colored fish, giant clams, sea cucumbers, corals, etc (all that stuff from the little mermaid!) That dive was about 25 minutes. Then we zate lunch and snorkled a bit and then went to the second location. When we reached there the scuba guide asked me if I wanted to go for a second dive that afternoon. Then Ruth brilliantly asked if I could use her first dive that she wasn't able to use, so I didnt have to pay for it! Amazing! So I went for my second dive. And since the georgeously handsome scuba guide took a fancy to me , I got a really long individually guided second dive for about 45 minutes and got to see and touch all kinds of sea creatures! I can't describe how amazing it was. I would love to take all the classes and become a certified diver! That night we went and had some drinks and watched an Aussie horror flick with our new friends. That was Tuesday. So then yesterday we went for a drive all around the Cairns area and went to some waterfalls and a coffee plantation. It was really cool to see where and how coffee is grown - and get a caffiene buzz tasting all of the coffees! Our last stop was Crystal Cascades. It was about a half mile hike out to it and we were exhausted and boiling hot. We decided to have a little swim in our undies, it was quite refreshing and good fun. We had to climb down a rocky hillside to get there but it was worth it. There are supposedly about a dozen waterfalls all aroudn the area but we only found 3 of them because the all the maps and road signs are dodgy. Anyway we had fun. We went out dancing last night at some kind of sleezy backpackers clubs, but we had fun. Today we packed up everything, shopped a bit then caught our plane. It was the first time in my life that I boarded a plane by climbing steps from outside, it was kind of wierd! Sean, Ruths boyfriend picked us up at the airport. Hes a really nice guy, he seems kind of goofy and funny - he and Ruth are good together! Now I'm at Ruths mum and dads house and we are about to have some dinner. Thats all for now, I shoud go be social and talk to them! Later!