The Train Ride

We made it to Melbourne! It was a long trip, which started at Casino-- beef capital of Australia. We took a 12-hour overnight train to Sydney, and then about 30 min after getting to Sydney got on an identical 12-hour ride to Melbourne. Long trip. But Melbourne is very beautiful and trendy and warm and nice and full of bikes and trams. We are staying at the Nunnery Hostel and today spent the afternoon at that sustainability festival -after having 3 hours of class at the central library. The festival was great and I had an inspiration for my ISP project which I spent 2 hours hearing about at the festival. They are called transition towns, and they are started to be worked on over here. I would look into how they work, how they are set up, what are the challenges... maybe go stay for a week or so talking to people. Here is a website: http://www.transitiontowns.org/ Anyway I am very excited about this idea and I think I could make it work! And the movement in Australia is just trying to get going so I think they will be excited by anyone doing research on them and will be happy to help out. So that is the new goal.

Tonight the plan is for me, Epps, and Michelle to try and locate the Melbourne Synagogue for Shabbat to experience some Australian Judaism. I hope it works out! Judaism failed in Byron Bay, turns out they don't hold regular srevices or anything, just not enough people. And we are free to roam all day tomorrow and Sunday, when we get on the 'Spirit of Tasmania' ferry for our overnight trip at around 8pm. We heard the ride over is on one of the 'roughest stretches of water in the world'! Should be interesting. So that's about it from here! I am trying to add a few photos now on Facebook, I will add the link here verrrrry sooooon

ALSO! The Orion's Belt constellation is definitely upside down from here! That's how I know that I am in Australia. And this is who I sat next to on the train: http://www.odt.co.nz/your-town/dunedin/35710/rotary-award-city039s-039pen-man039, he even gave me two pens!

Ok, these pictures are taking forever to upload. Hope this works: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2071894&id=9803563&l=ef1a1