I can’t believe it’s already February!

I’ve been here in Sydney for 3 weeks now, and I’m finally starting to get comfortable navigating my way around the city. I mostly rely on the buses to get me where I need to go, but I do find myself taking the train a fair amount. I’m beginning to learn the stops and understand how the different parts of the city piece together, and I’m not feeling like so much of a tourist anymore. Yet, its comforting to know that if I do get a bit confused, Google Maps is always just a few clicks away!

My weekdays are starting to fill up with class and work, so the weekends are becoming something of a treasure. In fact, this past weekend was the highlight of my trip thus far.

We went to the Blue Mountains, a program excursion that influenced my choice to study abroad here in Australia, and the trip absolutely surpassed all my expectations.

The day started out chilly, with a light rain and thick clouds hovering amongst the mountains and the valley below. However, by late morning, the sky started to clear and the fog faded away. The unveiling of the sandstone cliffs and dense forest surrounding us was absolutely breathtaking.

We spent the day hiking, exploring the rainforest and chasing waterfalls. There were so many fascinating plants that are native to this area of the world. In fact, there are over 90 different types of Eucalyptuses alone! We took breaks throughout the hike to learn about Aboriginal culture, and we even heard a few dream stories!

It was an amazing day, but it was far too short. There’s so much of the park left unseen! Luckily for me, public transportation takes me right into the mountains.