North West WA

So for my second break I went on a road trip where we went from Perth WA to Coral Bay and Karijini WA. Unfortunatly, my camera broke at the beginning of the trip, so I have stolen these pictures from friends...

Our first stop was my favorite lookout: Castle Cove

Then we went to Monkey Mia, where the dolphins came right up to the shore

Next we went to Coral Bay, one of the best places to snorkel on the Nigaloo Reef. I swam with a  turtle and a manta ray!

After snorkeling, we went to Shell beach where literally the beach was made of shells

The next morning we went to one of two places where you can see the first signs of life from land. These are called Stromalites. 

Then we drove east to Karajini National park, one of the most beautiful parks I have ever been to.

I really liked this trip because I got to see some great spots in WA, and I am so glad I had the chance to visit all of these beautiful places!!!

Thailand!

So for my first break I went to Thailand. We went on a GAP tour which was amazing. We first landed in Bangkok where we went to the floating market, an orchid market, and a train market.  Here is the floating market.

We then went on a night train to Chiang Mai and stayed there for a couple of days. We went to multiple temples and historic sites. We also went to Tiger Kingdom. Tiger Kingdom is one of the only places in the world that allows customers to take pictures with tigers. Here is one of my favorites. 

After our day in Chiang Mai we traveled up north to a trekking path and stayed in Hill Tribe Villages for a couple of days. During this time we rode elephants and went down a river on a bamboo raft.

 

All in all it was an incredible experience. Thailand was completely different than anywhere else I have ever been. I would recommend GAP Tours for anyone that is traveling and wants a unique tour experience!

Classes

Classes are very different here. Each week I have a lecture from my professor, and then a lab or tutorial with a smaller group later in the week. I do not have any exams until the final exam. The final exam is worth over 50% of the final grade. The other major aspect of the final grade is a paper. In the States, students have many more opportunities to raise their grades. Right now I am working on the end of the year papers which are due two weeks before the final exam. Wish me luck!

Wine Tour

Yesterday was our Winery and Brewery Tour Day where we went to three breweries and three wineries. We also went to a chocolate factory and had some free samples. Here are some of the day’s pictures:

Cairns

Well, I made it! Internet here is very expensive so I will not be able to post very often.

I first stayed for a couple of days at Cairns, where I went snorkeling at the Great Barrier Reef.

I met some Koalas and Kangaroos (the Koala picture wouldnt upload).

I held a Python!

We also went to the Rainforest which was absolutly beautiful.

This experience has already been so rewarding. I have met people from around the world already, and have been able to work with people from many different cultures. I'm very excited to start school, and meet even more people.

Before Departure

Hey! My name is Meghan O'Donnell and I am about to study abroad in Perth, Australia!  Wish me luck!!