The best weekend ever so far

Although I regret starting this blog 2 months late, I am excited that my first post will be about a very exciting weekend.On Saturday I spent the whole day on Magnetic Island.The Aussies call it Maggie Island.They have cute nicknames for everything:]

Addie, Laura, Katlin, Rumen and I went together.We started our day off really early.We had to leave JCU by 6:20AM in order to catch the 7:10 ferry but we realized later that it was pretty early.It was only my second time on a ferry but I didn't get sea sick at all.The weather was very calm for the most part.Not as treacherous as the waters off of  LA's San Pedro pier when I left for Summer Conference at Campus by the Sea.It was a really short ride and as soon as the boat anchored, our bus to Horseshoe Bay arrived.It was a really short ride also so we ended up getting there an hour and 45 minutes early.It was alright though because we had to sign some forms and look for helmets,etc.

I was a little nervous about horse riding mainly because I was the only beginner in my group of friends.Also, my most recent memory of horses is when a pony bit my friend's arm at a farm fair.She wasn't threatening it at all but it bit her.I also got paranoid because I remember watching a Full House episode where Michelle fell off a panicked horse and got amnesia even with a helmet on!I was even more worried when I was told I would ride a horse named Cluey.I started wondering why one would name their horse Cluey...perhaps because it is Clueless???I felt a little better when I found that its name was spelled with a K not a C.Maybe it was an Australian term of endearment?haha

Well when we started riding, I was still very nervous.And then we started trotting and I felt like I would fall off Kluey.I later realized I was supposed to be pushing against the stirrups for balance.I didn't fall at all.Thank God!Then we were supposed to get our horses to Canter which was supposed to feel less turbulent than a trot.I couldn't hear the leader talk about how we were supposed to get the horse to do this so I didn't get to which I really regret but then again I'm the type of person that takes a while before I get comfortable enough to try something new.I was ok with just walking and trotting my horse.Then we got to ride our horses in the ocean!I held onto Kluey so tightly.Thank goodness they don't have nerves connected to the hairs along their backs.We spent 10-15 minutes in the ocean and then we had to start walking/trotting back.The whole time I was thinking about how it would be so entertaining to have my own horse.Unfortunately I don't think a nurse's salary would allow me to do that.And I was also thinking about how if I hadn't taken a chance by deciding to go on this adventure, I really would have missed out.

After the horse ride, we walked over to horseshoe bay for lunch.It was a little expensive (I paid 9.50 for a veggie burger and 1 dimsim).At first I thought I ordered a dim sum because I'm used to seeing that on menus.I had never heard of a dimsim but apparently they are really popular in Australia.After lunch, some really wild rainbow larakeets aggregated on this man wearing a speedo(haha).Shortly after, more Rainbow larakeets swarmed that area.We went over to try to get a picture and they were vicious!haha.Well not really but they were undaunted by humans.They perched on all parts of our bodies.Even Addie's chest!

After that adventure, we took up a suggestion by one of the ladies at Horseshoe Ranch and went hiking along The Forts.She told us we were guaranteed to see a  koala there and we did!