Family Visit

The highlight, by far, of this week was going to Ballarat. JUST KIDDING! I was so happy to leave work and see my mom and sister. They arrived Wednesday afternoon safe and sound and I met them at their hotel on Flinder's Street. Just as I was a month and a half ago, they were jet lagged and ultra tired. We caught up and then after buying them a train like I was back in America. They didn't serve water in a jug and the atmosphere was more like America. I know it wasn't a good introduction into Australian dining, but oh well. During dinner they were trying to keep their heavy eyelids open, but I could tell that they were ticket I showed them my "hotel". They were shocked to see how small my room was; but by now I am used to it. Around dinner time we made our way over to Hard Rock Cafe because it seems at every vacation spot that we go to we eat there. It was weird for me to eat there because I felt ready to fall asleep. After dinner they crashed at the hotel room.

On Thursday I went to work while they slept in and explored the city. Us Primers did not join the usual cryptic crossword group and went to the Clayton campus for a little lunch. We had been there once before for Thomas' presentation, but we wanted to see the campus. It reminded us a lot of UCSD; but a lot less hilly. There, they were having an international event and there were some organizations with booths selling food and other things. Heather spotted one that was selling KANGAROO sausage! Because everyone asks us if we have tried it we had to. It tasted a lot like breakfast sausage to me.. but I didn't have much. They are too cute to think about eating!
Then we just went from building to building. They have a Whole Foods place that reminded me of a much more hippie grove or old student center back at UCSD. Then we saw a flier for the science club and so we thought we should mingle with our fellow scientists. :] The funny part of it was that the BBQ was on "Boob" lawn. On the lawn there was a little null that looked like a boob. Pretty funny. The rest of the time we mostly explored the biology and engineering departments there. We checked out their sports field and stuff; it was bigger than RIMAC. That night we went back to the casino and watched Rock star Karaoke. It was really cool. It was just like karaoke but instead of having the background music be off a track, there was a live band playing it. The people that sang were good and there was a lot of classic rock music-meaning I sang along! None of us went up there but who knows what next week will bring!

On Friday I took my mom and Lisa to Queen Victoria Market to shop around. They were amazed to see how big it was and we bought a bunch of winter clothes. They will be handy for me, but when they return back to 80 degree weather, I don't think they will be using them that much! But after we went down Elizabeth St. to an arcade where Haigh's Chocolate Shop is. The arcades are nice and lined with cafes and shops which remind me of Europe. We met Susie, our guide, for the chocolate tour. Yep that's right, chocolate tour. Susie, who is from Melbourne, has been running these tours for 13 years and takes a group of about 10 to chocolate shops around the city while giving a brief history lesson. While talking she gave us a range of chocolate to try and even gave us a little bag to fill up. I felt like it was Halloween, but with good chocolate. She showed us a tea shop that was started by a woman in Melbourne and now its growing internationally. Then next door we went into another shop that had unique chocolates with designs on top of them. Susie would talk to the owners like they were best friends; but I guess after 13 they probably are! Next, we went to another arcade and watched a chef named Kim make chocolates at Koko Black. She talked to us about the process of making different chocolates and gave us a truffle to try. Did you know it takes 3 days to make those things? yep yep. Although most of us had enough chocolate to eat, the tour was not over. It ended at a cafe where we each got to pick a cake to try while we drank a late. I was heaven. When I was little I didn't like chocolate that much, but now its a different story!


The next morning we woke up early to take the V-line train to Ballarat. We met up with other Primers and after an hour on the train we made it to Sovereign Hill. Sovereign Hill is supposed to give you the idea of how the area was during the 1860's when the area had a gold rush. In the town people dressed as though they were in the 1800's and there town with its unpaved streets looked like it too. We took the mining tour and learned about how dangerous life was for the miners. I decided that I will NEVER be a miner. Too scary. But there were other activities like bowling, carriage rides, gold panning, and watching the red coats march through the town. The only problem about Sovereign Hill was that it was FREEZING! I think Lisa and Mom were in shock coming from summer to chilly winds. With their big jackets and scarves they made it out alive. :]

On Sunday it was Open Day at Monash University. This is kinda like admit day at UCSD, but the students are not accepted to the school but are just thinking about applying. We helped to volunteer by telling people why we are here and what we are doing at Monash Uni. We got to wear cool shirts that say Monash and showed the students what at VTC looks like. They had it set up that we were talking to people at the Clayton campus. It was funny; when people came in the room and saw that they were on the screen they got a little camera shy. After I took mom and Lisa down to St. Kilda to show them the beach but it was SUPER windy and cold. We took shelter in a restaurant and made it a short night.

Yesterday while I was at work they went on the day tour the the Primer's and I took to Phillip's Island. They enjoyed petting and feeding the kangaroos and seeing Tasmanian Devils. The weather held out for them and even got to go down to the beach. On Wednesday they will go on the Great Ocean Road tour too. Unfortunately they leave on Friday! Where does the time go? Tonight I am taking them to Stalactites and we are going back to Koko Black for hot chocolate. YUM!