trains, busses, taxi's, trams and a wedding!

This morning my alarm went off at 6:45. My alarm is pretty cool. It is Cara singing rise and shine, and give God the glory glory..

After snoozing the alarm for 5 minutes, I got up, had a shower, and got ready for a very long day. At about 8am I got in my car and drove my housemate and I down the station. We got on what was a very packed train. Once on the train this horrible feeling of Oh darnit I forgot my camera overcomes me. Dang!

The train only went as far as Sunbury, and after that I had to catch the bus the rest of the way to Southern Cross. Here started the organised chaos. There were well over 100 people trying to fit on busses, and people were running all over the place getting confused! Finally I got on a bus which went straight down the tollway and into spencer street. We made it in record time!

After briefly working out how to get to Doncaster, I waited for Turtle to get off her delayed train from Ballarat. It seems today is a good day for doing work on the train lines. After greeting her we took a sequence of trains and taxis and found ourselves out at Doncaster. Here we met with the wonderful Mel and Bray. Now the funny thing is, I have KNOWN Mel since about 2003, but I only just met her today! And man, it feels like I have known her for ages! I so wish that I could have met her so much sooner!

After lunch, we all went to the wedding together. The wedding was so incredibly beautiful. I was really struggling to fight back the tears. When I look at them I can't help but smile. I think I still couldnt stop smiling after I left Melbourne. In fact I'm still smiling! eeee!

The whole structure of the wedding was really different to anything I've seen before! And it was magnificent and so.. God honouring!

EEE I can't stop smiling! Guys, if you're reading this - :D

After the wedding Mel, Turtle, Bray and I went and hung out down on the beach for a while. But before we went to the beach we were travelling down the Eastern Freeway when Turtle and Mel point out this bus that reads Organ's Coaches Kyneton. In true South Australian tradition I got what was so funny half an hour later.

Turtle was snapping a photo of this bus when the people actually saw her. The people in the bus began to wave at us, and we waved back. This was going on, along with us three girls in hysterical laughter, they began to make faces at us! Finally we made a sign that said "Jesus loves you", but alas they were turning the corner so we dont think they saw it. But that was ok, because then whoever was driving behind us would see that nice little message! :D

After spending a bit of time at the coast, I caught a tram into the city to catch the bus/train back to Sunbury/Bendigo. I arrived into Spencer St, or should I say "Southern Cross" half an hour before my bus headed back to Sunbury. So I went and bought some half price pizza from DFO - potato and rosemary. Interesting!

I sat at the bus depot and ate my pizza as the crowd for Sunbury increased. After finishing my pizza we were informed that there would be a delay of 5 minutes because one of the busses had broken down. People were really angry and were swearing and getting really angry at the staff. I kept myself calm by talking to random people, usually elderly people. 20 minutes later, the bus arrives, and there are people pushing to get on. It reminded me of the day I quit barracking for the Adelaide crows (long story). I suddenly became pushed between people and was getting squished because everybody was so angry and eager to get to Sunbury. As we left the bus depot, we saw a man waving his finger at the staff.

Somewhere between Melbourne and Sunbury I saw the Organs bus again. Very funny stuff!

We got into Sunbury and got I straight on the train. We sat there for a good half hour waiting for another bus to arrive. Finally, at the time we were supposed to arrive in Bendigo, we left Sunbury. As the train pulled out of the station, the whole carraige cheered.

When the conducter came out to collect our tickets, we learnt that we were waiting there for 10 minutes for an invisible bus - ie, it didn't exist!

Everybody was so angry. Perhaps I didn't care because I had all day. But the thing that annoys me the most is when people complain like this, when pathetic places such as South Australia don't have the luxary of a train that leaves every hour to the capital city! In fact, from Pinnaroo, you can't even go for a day trip in Adelaide using public transport.

And with that, dare I say it, I think I'm turning into a Melbourne girl (as opposed to Adelaide). I even think that I'm starting to loose the intentionalised habit of speaking with a toffi accent. I think I'm turning... dare I say it... VICTORIAN!

But all in all, I don't think I really cared about the 'hate' going on at the station. I was too busy smiling still :)

overwhelmed?

So here I am sitting here and finally the reality hits me that there is only one day of this rediculous practicum to go. Part of me is joyous and can't wait until I'm free as of monday afternoon (exams - such a release!), but part of me feels a little sad.

Although I have spent a majority of this prac complaining, and hating every minute, I will actually miss it. It gets to this point of the prac where I begin to evaluate how I've been - I'm not exactly happy.

So after exams, I turn 21 and head over to Indonesia. And suddenly everything becomes overwhelming as I enter into my fourth year. Where have the years gone?

I have a few friends that are actually finishing their university degree this year. Imagine how overwhelmed they must feel.

heavens in the backseat of the cinema

On my recent trip to South Australia, due to conditions mostly out of control, I went and saw a really awful movie. Now when I say an awful movie, I don't mean, like, Neighbours-bad-acting type movie, I actually mean a really, bad, typical extreme american sex-phased movie. I spent a lot of the time looking at the ceiling and asking God to help me get through the movie. I think I spent a lot of time also just praying for the people watching as well.

As we were leaving, I was in the back seat of my friends car. Her and my other friend were in the front saying how awesome they thought this movie was. I kind of just sat with no comment.

As we drove out of the cinema and headed back towards the Eastern Adelaide Suburbs, I couldn't help but notice this trashy 70's song that was on the radio.

"Heaven's in the back seat of my Cadillac, let me take you there - yeah yeah"

Despite knowing the real meaning of this song.. There I was, in the back seat, and all I wanted to do was cry out to the God of heaven!

We are called to be ambassadors of heaven. We are called to pray without ceasing. That means in everything we do, no matter how crazy, we should pray! On earth as it is in where? That's right - HEAVEN! :D

It was such a quirky, exciting, maybe even uplifting part of the whole night!

We, as human beings have choices not to go some places. I could have said, look, I don't want to see this movie, in fact, I probably should have. But when you're in situations - in the 'back seat', don't forget that heaven's with you - and that's powerful!

(eeep I'm getting cheesy!)

Shopping in Sedgwick

Today I went shoe shopping. Some retail therapy was in order. Then, at 5:30, I was booted out of rivers and found that alas all other shops were also closed.

My stomach was telling me that tea should be ready within the next two hours. Because I couldnt be bothered defrosting mince, I went to buy my own.

I was driving home when instead of taking a left, I kept going straight. Straight down Carpenter St, straight down Spring Gully Rd. I didn't know where I was going, I just kept driving. I just wanted to drive drive drive! I think I needed to think think think and pray pray pray too.

Where was I going? I was going shopping in Sedgwick.

However, upon my arrival in Sedgwick, I came to realise that there was not even a shop in Sedgwick to buy mince. There wasn't even one in Mandurang. There was a little general storey-thing but it looked closed.

So I kept driving, bypassing the suburbs, almost hitting an Echidna, to Strathfieldsaye, which is a busy little place. It was there that I bought some Lemon Lime and Bitters, and some mince off a freaky butcher dude.

Sometimes, I guess I just need to drive.. to places that are more isolated even moreso than Pinnaroo...

The conclusion, or the point of this story: there isn't one. I just hope you enjoyed hearing about my afternoon, 'shopping' in Sedgwick!

Countdown...

So today it is exactly a month until I am off my P's again. How exciting it is to be counting down again, and I haven't even broken the law! That will mean I will be a fully licenced Victorian licence holder! And due to the harsh Victorian drivers laws, I should be able to do much more and have more freedom! I'll be able to teach L platers! The question though is, do I WANT to teach them?? :P

Funnily enough, I turn 21 on that same day.

I'm having a bit of trouble though, what should I do for my 21st? At the moment I'm thinking of having it in a park. My dillemma though is which day to have it on, because not every day suits people. Eep!

And in the topic of count downs.. It is one month and 6 days until I fly to Indonesia! I'm so scared and excited all at once! I'm so glad Steff is coming with me :)

[Image from: a Public Domain Image a Day]