Learning the Ropes...literally

I heard somewhere that the best way to make the most out of a study abroad experience is to do something (preferably new) every day. Clearly I took this to heart because after just one low-key day here, I was bored and in need of an adventure.

Technically, it is still O-week (or Orientation Week) here at the University of Newcastle, so I checked out my orientation email to see what I could do today. (After all, I am still just meeting people!)

I came across an event through iLead, an international leadership program here at the UON. It was a Great Aussie Bush Adventure camp with a catered lunch and snacks. More importantly, it was FREE. (Another piece of advice I heard was to never turn down opportunities to make friends or experience things for free.)

So, I signed up last minute, packed a bag this morning, and hopped on the bus at uni for this grand adventure, about which I knew nothing. About an hour later, I arrived at this camp and got started on abseiling (or repelling in American English), a high ropes course, and a high swing.

While I did not get a ton of pictures, I can tell you that I was very slow at abseiling and the ropes course. Luckily, the pictures don't seem to portray that too much.
 Though I lacked the necessary coordination for the first two activities, I had enough of an adventurous and daring spirit to do everything. I pushed on, succeeded (for the most part), and finally, I got to the best part of the day: the swing.

Mind you, this isn't just any swing. This swing is over 16 meters (55 or so feet) in the air. The rest of your team pulls a rope that lifts you high into the air, and then you pull a string to release yourself for an incredible ride.

You fly back and forth in the air until you finally slow enough to come down.

Does it surprise you that I asked to go first? Wow, I loved this.


As we prepared to travel back to the uni, though, I got a huge surprise. KANGAROOS! (Update--the animals I previously saw were wallabies, which are like kangas, but smaller and more stout. For more information on this distinction, follow this link).

Here's the best part, though. They weren't afraid of us humans AND I had my camera. iPhones just don't seem to do the job for wildlife photography. Below are the pictures I got (they are not edited, cropped, or lighting adjusted, as I am on a school computer until my new adapter gets here), so please enjoy!