Haley Hansen
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ITINERARY Australia-Boomerang 2007 Day 1 Greeting fellow Ambassadors in departure city before boarding international flight to Sydney, Australia. Day 2 Lose a day as you cross the international Date Line en route to Sydney, Australia. Clear Customs and prepare for the money exchange for your arrival destination. Day 3 G'day mate! Welcome to Australia, the land down under! Today, your flight arrives in Sydney. Sydney is the largest city in Australia, and the capital of New South Wales. This city is uniquely set on the natural harbor of Port Jackson. Begin your adventure with a visit to the site of the 2000 Olympic Games, located near Homebush, the geographical and demographic heart of Sydney. You will explore the Sydney Olympic Park grounds and Telstra Stadium, where the opening and closing ceremonies were celebrated. Swim the Aquatic Centre, and then learn more about this magnificent city. Finally, go beneath the sea at the Sydney Aquarium and discover marine life, before dining at the Aquarium restaurant. Day 4 Exploration of the city begins with a walk around Farm Cove and a group photo at Mrs. Macquarie's Chair. Lady Elizabeth Macquarie, wife of a famous governor, used to sit on a stone bench to rest and admire the view, while awaiting news from home via the tall ships entering the harbor of Port Jackson. This promontory boasts fabulous views of the Sydney Opera House and the Harbour Bridge. Then learn about Australia's national gemstone, the opal, during a visit to an opal establishment, where you will experience a cutting and polishing demonstration. Enjoy a water cruise, with Sydney Harbour as your backdrop, as you learn more about it's amazing history. Have lunch with rock and roll at the Hard Rock Café, amidst its fascinating collection of music memorabilia. After Lunch, is Hyde Park Barracks and discover what life was like for the convicts in Australia. Later, take a guided orientation of the majestic Sydney Opera House complex. The visually intriguing structure houses an Opera Theater, Concert Hall, Playhouse and one of Sydney's finest restaurants. It has become one of the city's most internationally recognized landmarks. Tonight dinner will be served at a restaurant over looking Darling Harbour. Day 5 North to rural Mangrove Mountain. Today is all about challenge, excitement and energy! Get ready for a day packed with adventure and personal growth. through interactive and challenging workshops led by the "Full On" team, you will have the opportunity to learn leadership skills, set personal goals, and step outside your comfort zone. You will also conquer FEAR by flying across a lake via zip line or completing an outdoor adventure course! Later, take some time to reflect upon today's activities and your personal achievements. Day 6 Say goodbye to New South Wales and head to Canberra. This city was selected as the capital of Australia in 1908 because it was diplomatically situated between archrivals Sydney and Melbourne. Ironically, the American landscape architect, Walter Burley Griffin, won an international competition to design the plans for the city. The name Canberra is based on an aboriginal word meaning "meeting place," and appropriate name for a capital city. You will spend time exploring the fascinating National Science and Technology Centre called Questacon. Questacon holds over 200 hands-on displays, in six galleries. Next, see Australia's newest Parliament House, built for the 1988 Australian bicentennial. The Parliament House is rich in national symbolism, crowned by a 266 foot, architecturally stimulating flagpole. Later, a behind the scenes guided orientation of Australia's Old Parliament House, where you will learn more about Australia's system of government and political history. Day 7 Start your day with a visit to the Australian War Memorial Museum. The Memorial's national collection of written documents and artifacts reflect Australia's contribution to armed conflicts all over the world. The original idea behind the museum was to set aside a place in Australia where families and friends could grieve for those buried in places far away and difficult to visit. Also, it contributes to the understanding of war itself. Afterwards, head back to Sydney to board your flight for Darwin, in the Northern Territory. Day 8 Explore the Northern Territory Museum and East Point Reserve, for opportunities to discover both the history of the area a well as Australia's military role in WWII. Have a close encounter with a crocodile at Crocodylus Park. did you know that crocodiles have outlived the dinosaurs by some 65 million years? They are believed to have originated 200 million years ago, and survived what killed the dinosaurs. After your crocodile expedition, orientate yourself to the city of Darwin, and find out about the government of the Northern Territory. Day 9 The exploration of the Northern Territory continues! First stop, Litchfield National Park, home of the magnetic termite mounds. Up to 15 feet tall, termites create these mounds to make the most of the sun's heat and the prevailing winds. The park is also known for its spectacular cascading waterfalls. After lunch, visit the Window on the Wetlands Visitor Centre to spot water buffaloes, and learn about the management of the environment. While at the Centre, you will have a chance to help make a difference in the environment by partaking in a service project. then, enter Kakadu, Australia's largest national park, made famous by none other than Crocodile Dundee. Day 10 A birds-eye view of scenic Kakadu, as you take a flight over the park. Gain a grater appreciation of the aboriginal relationship with the land, at a cultural center. Enjoy the scenic cruise on the East Alligator River and venture into the aboriginal territory of Arnhem Land. During the cruse, you'll learn about traditional plants of the area. In the late afternoon, see Ubirr Rock at sunset for an amazing view across the wetlands and escarpments. Many Australian animals are nocturnal and only emerge as the sun goes down. Don't forget to look for wallabies emerging from the spear grass! Day 11 Visit Nourlangie Rock, home of Namargon, who is better known as Lightning Man. Discover Edith Falls, before arriving in the city of Katherine. An important stopping point, it is named after the Katherine River, the first permanent running water discovered in the Northern Territory. Day 12 Head to Manyallaluk, home to the Jawoyn people. Join Aboriginal guides for a walk through the bush to learn about Bushtucker and traditional bush medicines. After a barbequed lunch, which includes a chance to try Barramundi (local fish caught in the area), head north to Darwin. Day 13 Bid farewell to Darwin and catch your flight to Cairns, North Queensland. Cairns is a coastal cosmopolitan city nestled in northern Queensland amid two of Australia's most treasured world Heritage destinations, the Wet Tropics Rainforest and the Great Barrier Reef. A committee chooses World Heritage sites from several nominated locations all over the world, which represent a significant "cultural or natural heritage." Today, you will journey over to the quaint and tropical village of Kuranda, set deep in the rainforest. Explore the rainforest by land and water in a World War II amphibious vehicle called an Army Duck. Additionally, you will learn about rainforest ecology, flora and fauna. get ready for your close encounter with Australia's unique fauna, such as koalas, kangaroos, crocodiles and wombats, at a wildlife sanctuary. Kangaroos and koalas are marsupials as mothers carry and nurture their young in a pouch. There are three main varieties of kangaroos native to Australia. All are capable of growing to heights of 7-9 feet tall, and weighing up to 200 pounds. Crikey! This evening "kick up your heels" to Australian folk songs and learn how to bush dance. Day 14 Journey by water taxi to Fitzroy Island - an island national park with coral covered beaches. Here you will buddy up in two person canoes. Snorkel in the clear water and hike to a picturesque lookout, before continuing you water adventure! Day 15 Cruise to the magnificent Great Barrier Reef, one of the greatest natural phenomena the world has to offer. Stretching over 1250 miles and covering an area of over 135,000 square miles, the reef is the only living thing visible from the Moon! The Great Barrier Reef is rich in marine life, including 1500 species of fish. Observe this fragile ecosystem and snorkel in the pristine aquamarine water. Be amazed by the diverse colors and variety of the live coral. Play with the fish as they dart in and out of their watery wonderland. Semi-submersible boat rides are available to view the thousands of varieties of colorful fish and coral without getting wet. Witnessing life throughout the reef is truly a magical experience! Tonight, meet your home stay family. Be ready to try new things! Day 16 Your home stay continues with a chance to live everyday life in Australia and meet the locals. This is your opportunity to make lifelong friends! Day 17 Say goodbye to your home stay family and return to Cairns. Take it easy this afternoon and catch up on your journals. Day 18 After packing your suitcase for the last time, make sure you have everything you need for the flight, in you carry-on. Board the coach to the airport for your return flight to the United States.
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President Dwight D. Eisenhower
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