yoga

So recently I've been doing loads of yoga and helping out at the ashram. Theres always plenty to do some I'm usually pretty busy. I'm learning lots of new things at this place which is cool and just doing loads of yoga like I said. Not much else to report really.

ummmmmmmmmmmmm

Yeah so I'm now staying at an Ashram which teaches meditation and yoga. Its really cool and I'm learning lots of yoga. Today I did 3 hours so I'm nackered. Its really good for you too, its like a combination of tai chi and stretching. The people that run the place are all really friendly too. Its pretty good.

I spend a lot of my time cleaning the place and cooking and a few other odd jobs usually end up doing 3 - 5 hours or something a day. If there are lessons we do those and do the work after so its good. Its a different experience and I'm learning a lot.

Today I woke up at 7am and had a shower and stuff had breakfast. Cleaned up for an hour, then took part in the easy yoga class which lasted 1 and a half hours. I then took part in the general class which is a bit more intense than the other which lasted the same time. I then cleaned up so more and watered the plants.

Its also Chinese new year today and because I'm staying in China town I'm going to check it out. They have big festivals with lion dancing and stuff down the streets. It doesn't start until 10pm but I have tommorrow off so its ok.

Previously

So last Friday I left Bundaberg and spent 3 hours waiting for the bus at the bundaberg coach station because it broke down. So I didn't get to Cooroy until about 6 o clock. Its very hilly around there and it kind of reminded me a bit of Derbyshire it was very green.

The people I was staying with were called Jos and Kaye and they were part of a permaculter thing. So they grew their own vegetables and made their own dairy and such. So its like a self sustaining place. All the localcs kind of trade with each other for vegetables, fruit and such. I learn a lot about herbs and cooking and various other things while I was there. All of which were very interesting.

They also had a baby chick which was almost like a human because it was an only chick. So it kept following me and would let you pick it up and try and fly on you and sit on your shoulders and things so it was very cute.

Whilst I was there I helped to make a compost here and made a garden bed ready for planting as well as a few other things. I had my own caravan to stay in too which was really cool. All in all I had a great time there.

I'm now at Jennies typing this up getting ready to go into the valley for the tai chi, yoga, meditation place. So i'll have to see how that goes. If I don't like it I can always do a runner!

Yesterday

Yesterday I woke up had breakfast went for a run around the block. The I went into the city had lunch again at the same cafe, its awesome there. I had a cappaccino and a milk shake and a ham roll! I then left there and went to the Bundaberg Rum distillery. I cycled there because the family here let me borrow there bike which was awesome. I payed 10 dollars for the tour and you get two free drinks. So I had my tour and my drinks and then cycled home and cooked dinner. Thats about all I did yesterday.

Wednesday

Well the family I'm staying with at the moment are awesome. They are so friendly and welcoming which is great also very helpful. Bundaberg is quite a nice place although most of the people in Baffle Creek will disagree. The main shopping area is quite nice lots of really cool and unique shops and a book exchange which is great.

I arrived on Monday had a look around sugarland which is the shopping complex close to where I'm staying. Lots of shops and stuff too look around. Plus the buses leave from there which is also pretty good but its nothing to exciting, sugarland. Thats all I really did on monday and then met every one else of course.

Yesterday I woke up and went for a run and just a had a little look around the neighbourhood. Then I got ready had breakfast and went to Sugarland and got the bus into the city. I looked around the shops for a while just window shopping. I found some awesome book stores and bought around the world in 80 days by Michael Palin and Sahara by michael Palin, which should keep me happy. I want to buy the hobbit though. I then found a small cafe and got a coffee of some sorts for the fun of it. it was actually pretty good. I then left there and got the bus back to Sugarland and went to the cinema which was opposite and saw Dejavu which was a really good film.

Bundaberg

Well today I'm off to Bundaberg. Glen has to go into the city so hes going to give me a lift which is good. I spoke to the lady on the phone and she seems very friendly so it should all be good. Bye.

The reef

Ok.. So I've been cooking a lot. So far I've learnt how to make Apple pie, Short bread, My own pasta and a recipe. Which is all good. Yay.

Today I woke up at 6am got ready left here at 6.30am to get to 1770 by 7.30. I got there in time and waited. Then I was allowed on this huge boat thing which took us 32 miles towards lady Musgrave. The most southernly point of the Great Barrier reef.

It wasn't the best day to go out because it was windy and a bit rainy. On the way there because it was so bumpy every one around me was throwing up so by the end I felt very sick and was on the brink of vomitation but I restrained. You know why because I'm a man hahaha. Any way once we got there we had tea and biscuits and all kinds of things like that. Well I did any way not too sure about the people that had thrown up.

First thing that we did was too feed the fish. They had this thing that went under water on the pontoon where you could see all the fish. I tried in vain to take some pictures but the glass was all scratched and useless. So I managed to get one fairly decent picture which you shall see later. After that they took us onto the island in a boat with a see through bottom (I can't remember what them call them) so we could see some of the coral and it also took us to lady musgrave. We had a tour around the island, its bigger than it looks. What really sucked is that we weren't allowed to take any thing, not even a small piece of coral. Which was my plan and would of made an awesome souvenir but you get fined 15000 dollars which I can't afford.

They eventually took us off the island back over the coral and then back onto the pontoon for lunch. Lunch consisted of a buffet which was: chicken, ham, beef, salad, potato salad, and various other things and for some strange reason they had some kind of pineapple in cream and mayonaise or something.... So lunch was good. I then went snorkelling around the lagoon for about two hours, which was amazing. You could see all the fish really close up and I saw a turtle. I took lots of pictures with an underwater camera I got for 25 bucks but I need to develop the film first, plus its resusable. That was such a cool experience loads of different fish, I even saw a sting ray but I swam for my life. I snorkelled for a good two hours before I decided it was time to get back on the pontoon for some tea and biscuits.

We then went on a little boat trip to see some turtles and stuff. We managed to find two turtles. It was cool. The turtles lay their eggs on lady musgrave and theres always a population there. After that we went back and I fell asleep for the duration which was good because it was a two hour journey of open water. So all in all very good.

Below are some pictures from the reef and around where I'm staying. woop woop.The bush basherThe houseSome of the landCalfsQuartz mineMagicarp, seakingThe boat and the pontoonOn the IslandSome kind of coralFinally the lady

Ok

Haven't been up to that much really. Had some people over for dinner last night. Some local people, Chad and Donna, both really nice people. Ray cooked thai food for that which was awesome.

Today its been raining all day. So all I've done is read really. Oh and we also had a crack in the kitchen. We made some short bread which is awesome and easy to make and I think even I could make it. We also made apple pie which I'm yet to try because we are saving it for dinner.

I'm writing down all the recipes that I help to make so I can remake them in the future. Glen makes superb mango ice cream so I'm going to steal that recipe and have a go at making it too. At least I'm learning something constructive. Its my new ambition to become a good cook and it will be useful in the future too.

I probably won't update for a few days so most likely that will be my last post from here. Before I leave though I'll put up all the pictures I have and stuff about the reef.