Cairns & Great Barrier Reef (January 5 - 11)

Cairns (pronounce 'cans') was Matt and I's final major stop in Australia. After our arrival at Northern Greenhouse (our hostel), we decided to grab breakfast. We ate at Lilly Pad Cafe, which came with a high recommendation from our hostel receptionist. We were not disappointed, I was treated to arguably the best breakfast burrito of my life that came in an American sized portion, not to mention that it was reasonably priced. The remainder of our first day was laid back. We thought we might see a movie, but turned around and left to the sound of $17.50 AUD. That was for a matinee... Instead, we chilled at the hostel and watched Elysium. A disappointing film that had an intriguing plot, but was poorly executed. The remainder of the night was uneventful with the exception of meeting our roommate whose lung exploded from a scuba accident the previous day, which was reassuring since we were about to begin our diving course the following morning...

The next morning, Matt and I were picked up by Pro Dive Cairns, which I would highly recommend for anyone planning on traveling to the Great Barrier Reef. Everything was first class, efficient, and flawlessly communicated. I had no concerns by the time I got into the water.

Blah, Blah, Blah, paperwork, quizzes, fun facts, film study, exams, and classroom work completed! It consumed a few days, but was well worth it. In between those days, we did happen to spend one of the nights on the Esplanade playing beach volleyball followed by an excellent Italian dinner at Little Ricardo's. I also spent a few hundred dollars on my snorkeling gear, which fits me perfectly and as long as I take care of it should never need replacing. Best of all, no more water seeping into my snorkel mask.

Our final night before boarding the boat to spend the next few days on the Great Barrier Reef, Matt and I attended a two hour presentation. Garreth, a South African marine biologist, does research on the reef and does a nightly presentation called "Reef Teach". He tells you about the wildlife you may see at the reef and where to look for specific species of animals.

Now to the Reef! Enter slideshow...

Stingray: "Anyone see me?"

Everywhere you look there is an ongoing competition for your attention: coral of all colors, trigger fish, anemone fish, reef sharks, stingrays, giant clams, sea turtles, eels, cuddle fish, Moorish idol fish, puffer fish, barracudas, nudibranchs, and many other species that overwhelm your viewing pleasure. Over the course of three days, Matt and I did nine dives and one snorkeling session. On the boat all we did was eat, sleep, and prepare ourselves for the next dive. It was surprisingly unclaustrophobic spending three days straight on the boat. By the end of the trip, we both had received our Open Water certifications, which means we can dive up to 18 meters for the rest of our lives.

My favorite story from the boat trip took place during the night dive, which is normally reserved only for Advanced Divers. However, we were fortunate to be included and it provided us with a much different experience than diving at the reef during the day. At night, reef sharks would swarm the boat making the thought of entering the water increasingly alarming, but I brushed these thoughts aside and jumped in...

The boat radiated light and I was able to see reef sharks and barracudas almost instantly after entering the water. I was taken aback by how peaceful it was diving at night. You are given a flashlight and are able to see the wildlife that is moving freely during the day hiding beneath coral looking up at you with terror at night. Matt and I were also fortunate to see several giant sea turtles resting in their caves over the course of the night dive. We were able to see them with a special red flashlight that makes them visible, but doesn't disturb their rest. One of which was as big as a tabletop, it was simply massive. Our instructors estimate that sea turtle to be 150 or more years old.

Nearing the end of the dive, Matt and I headed up to the surface where our group circled up to do our safety stop. As we circled up, a few sharks began circling our group until one moved to the center of the circle. All of a sudden I felt something swim between my legs, hitting the inside of my thighs while I watched the shark instantaneously follow whatever went through my legs. The shark was bigger and stronger and knocked me back in the water. I remained surprisingly calm, but couldn't help thinking "Is this a shark attack?" I thought remaining still was my best option so I refused to move until I counted to ten. Once I felt comfortable moving again, everyone in the group surfaced. I was greeted with "WOW!!!", "That was so cool!", and "I wish that would have been me!". My response was "Well, it was a different experience for me." I was elated to have such a close interaction with a shark and it not be life threatening. Immediately after removing myself from the water, I knew that this story would stick with me for as long as I live.

Our scuba instructors: Lisa (Left) and The Perry Roos (Right)

I have to take a moment to mention one of the most ridiculous individuals I've ever met, The Perry Roos. Over the course of our scuba course, Perry became a folk hero to Matt and I. His unique speech pattern of using "yea" as a space filler is celebrated on four continents. Example, "We're going to get off the boat, yea. Follow the rope to descend, yea. Get to the bottom, happy days!" His statuesque body and ability to do a Captain Morgan pose in any situation are worshiped throughout Australia. In all seriousness, Perry was a friendly and helpful guy who left Matt and I with a lasting impression.

Of all the stops we made along the way in Australia, this was the most challenging to explain because it was an adventure into a unfamiliar underwater world. In fact, I don't want to explain it because I hope that all of you are someday able and will take the opportunity to see this natural wonder of the world that is beyond description. At the same time, be aware that the Great Barrier Reef has lost over 50% of its coral cover in the past 30 years due to rising sea temperatures. Make sure to do your part and promote a healthy planet because a world without our natural wonders is one that is troubling to imagine.

Thank you to my close Indo buddy, Matt Phillips, for making our trip unforgettable. These memories will last forever!

Sydney (January 4)

After another long night spent in an airport, Matt and I arrived in Sydney. Navigating the subway system proved to be convenient and easy to follow once we figured out the route we wanted to take. We disembarked at the stop closest to Sydney Harbor to make our way across the Sydney Harbor Bridge and of course check out the Sydney Opera House. We stopped briefly at a cafe for an excellent bacon and egg breakfast, where Matt made a friend with whom he was kind enough to share his water.

Then, we made our way across the bridge to take in the view...

View from Sydney Harbor Bridge

Panorama from a pylon on the Sydney Harbor Bridge overlooking the bay

The views were excellent and we decided to pay a little extra to enter one of the pylons to get a more aerial view and snap a few panoramas. Prior to the bridge opening in 1932 there was a ferry that shuttled passengers across the bay to connect both sides of the city.

View from the pylon

View from the pylon

Our next stop was the Sydney Opera House and our guided tour, but first we strolled along the bay seeing street performers and vendors galore!

Sydney Opera House

Matt and I being tourists

Sydney Harbor Bridge

Squeezing in a workout...

Now for the tour:

Interior of the Concert Hall

Coming into the tour I had no idea of the uniqueness nor controversy that surrounded the construction of the Opera House. The Danish designer and architect, Jorn Utzon, had been selected in 1957 as the winner of an international design competition. Interestingly, his design was initially disregarded for not meeting all of the qualifications of the competition, but was ultimately selected when a new city official decided to go through all of the entries. The work began in 1958 with Utzon directing the construction. The initial budget had been for $7 million dollars and a completion date of January 1963. Given Utzon's unique design, many of the worlds leading architects thought it impossible to build such an ambitious structure that presented the amount of design challenges of the Opera House. Due to increasing costs and scheduling overruns, Utzon was forced to resign in 1966 when the city of Sydney refused to continue paying his salary.

The project continued under the direction of a specially appointed Executive Board. The facility officially opened on October 20, 1973, ten years after its projected completion date. Its final price tag was a whopping $102 million dollars, which was $95 million dollars over-budget.

 

Internal view of the shell ribs that hold the structure together and allow it to have its unique shape

Utzon Room 

In an attempt to reconcile with Utzon, the Sydney Opera House Trust commissioned Utzon to refurbish one of the smaller rooms in the Opera House. It was made precisely to Utzons specifications and oversaw by his son. He designed the tapestry located at the back of the room. The redesign was completed in 2009 shortly after his death in late 2008. After Utzon's forced resignation, he never returned to the Sydney Opera House.

I found it to be a compelling narrative, that someone who has designed one of the most distinct and recognizable buildings in the world and Sydney's most iconic structure was forced to resign. And as an additional slap in the face they give him a tiny closet like side room as compensation for his efforts. If your ever in Sydney take the tour.

Following our tour, the remainder of the day was spent walking through the Royal Botanical Gardens and killing time window shopping until we met up with our hosts Samir and Shampee. You can see me checking out this sweet Chicago Bulls hat that I regretfully didn't purchase. On a side note, all Australians seem to be Bulls fans. Everywhere we went, Bulls jerseys both old and new were seen. I felt like I was walking around Chicago during the summer.

Matt and I met Samir and his wife Shampee in downtown Sydney where they took us to Star Bar for a few rounds of drinks and some excellent conversation about both my principal Anba and politics in Singapore. Samir was a former employee at my school in Indonesia and close friend to my principal. We laughed a lot and were able to relax before an outstanding Indian meal in the Indian area of Sydney. They were incredibly gracious hosts that let us stay overnight at their apartment before we headed off on the final leg of our Australian journey. We shared a bottle of Panton Hill Chardonnay Liqueur that we purchased outside Melbourne and soon fell asleep.