The Many Adventures of Ben (and Megan and now Laura): 6/10/07

Well we are nearing the end of our jounrey here in Australia (we leave for the land of Kiwis on Wednesday), so I thought I would jott down a few of my thoughts on each of the cities that we have been to. I figured you all have only been privy to Ben's point of view, so changing it up a bit would be nice. Anyways Im too lazy to post pictures, and you already get the gist of it from Ben...well here we go in 3...2...1...
Brisbane, Queensland:
Hostel:The first hostel we stayed in, Valley Veranda would have been very nice had it not been for a room mix up, and a sewagey shower. The next hostel, Palace Backpackers was amazing! It was right in the center of town and had a great staff.
The City: The city itself was nice, although it took time to grow on me.
Highlight: the Australian Zoo, they actually let me touch the animals.
Surfer's Paradise:
Hostel: The Islander, nice and we had our own bathroom and shower which is a big plus, great location.
The City: The city is one big tourist resort, very young and very hip. The beach was beautiful, with alot of beautiful people on it, the water on the this side of the Pacific is nicer.
Highlight: Leaving Surfer's for the Hinterlands. Tree top walking is fun, plus rainforests kick ass ( i know my vocab is off the highest quality).
Hobart, Tasmania:
Hostel: Hobart Hostel, great hostel, very small, felt like we were staying at a friend's place.
The City: I absolutely fell in love with the city, it was green and beautiful and never rained during the day, only at night. The only problem was that the city shut down once the sun fell, which was around 4:30...seriously...no one in the streets after 4:30...I think they have a problem with vampires.
Highlight: Our tour to Port Arthur which took us through parts of Tasmania that we otherwise would not have been able to see. Plus there were ruins...i like ruins...therefore i like Port Arthur. And our tour guide was amazing, very personable.
Adelaide, South Australia:
Hostel: Backpack Oz, I thought that Hobart Hostel was great, this one was even better. Everyone would come down to the commons room, which was like one big living room and watch TV or movies together. It had a very homely atmosphere, with alot of young interesting people from all over the world.
The City: The city was perfect, not too small yet not too big, and green! I like green. It rained on us alot, but it wasn't too bad. Adelaide Univeristy is beautiful, and so are the botanical gardens.
Highlight: Making friends and the hostel, and the Barossa Valley Winery Tour. Mom, Dad i got you a bottle of wine....all I have to do is not drink it...
Kangaroo Island, South Australia:
Hostel: Old Farm house converted into bedrooms, kitchen, and living room. Greatest thing ever!
The Island: The Island is absolutely beautiful, so much wild life and beautiful scenery. We got to see some amazing coastlines, crazy rock formations, the Australian Sea Lion, the New Zealand Fur Seal, the Little Penguin, wallabies, kangaroos, and tons of very pretty birds. We also got to go on hikes, explore caves, and just have an all-around good time.
The Highlighht: The whole trip was just one big highlight, but I think the best part was the people we got to experience this with. Our tour guide was so much fun, more like a friend, same with other people on our tour. Since we got to spend three days with them, they became more like friends rather then just people yet another tour. Oh yeah and the food was amazing.
The Great Ocean Road Trip:
Yes, we rented a car, we had some trouble getting out of the city, but once Ben started driving all was better. I never quite got the hang of driving on the other side of the road, and I continually turned on the windshield wipers rather the the turn signal.
Hostel: Nope for three days and two nights there was no hostel, just our car.
The City: We passed through lots of cities, Flagstaff Hill which was a recreation of an 1800s maritime village, tons of crazy rock formations, and beach side towns. Too many to list.
The Highlight: Actually making it to Melbourne in one piece, it was an adventure and quite a fun one too.
Melbourne, Victoria:
Hostel: Urban Central, its big, and new which is nice, but just mostly big.
The City: The city is crazy, it reminds me alot of New York. I'd like to catch a rugby or football match so we will see. We kind of just want to take the next couple of days to just relax since the next leg of our trip is going to be a busy one.

Well, that is it for now, sorry if it was a reiteration of what Ben has already said. We are happy and healthy and excited for the next country. Ok im running out of time...byes!