SUNDAY, 08 JULY

Atlanta (Saturday) -- 93°/ 72°, Mostly sunny.

Canberra (Sunday) -- 57°/30°, Sunny.

Sydney (Sunday) -- 66°/ 46°, Mostly sunny.

Another day in Canberra …

ITINERARY FOR THE DAY:

• Discover the suburb of Yarralumla, which houses many embassies and consulates. Be sure to keep your eye out for the American embassy.

• Learn about Australia’s participation in armed conflicts all over the world at the Australian War Memorial.  Honor fallen Australian soldiers with a traditional gesture of red poppies, which began in remembrance of the first flower to bloom over the devastated battlefields of World War I.

• Enjoy lunch at Gold Creek Station, a highly noted pastoral property just outside Canberra, where you have the opportunity to get up close and personal with their resident sheep and try out your boomerang throwing skills.

• Head back to Sydney and board your flight for Darwin, in the Northern Territory.

Embassies in Yarralumla (source:  Wikipedia)

US Embassy looks like Colonial Williamsburg (© Dirk HR Spennemann 2008)

SATURDAY, 07 JULY

Atlanta (Friday) -- 95°/ 72°, Mostly sunny.

Canberra (Saturday) -- 57°/25°, Mostly sunny.

As a summer evening approaches in Atlanta, another winter day begins in Australia …

ITINERARY FOR THE DAY:

• This morning, say goodbye to New South Wales and head to Canberra.

• Canberra was selected as the capital of Australia in 1908 because it was diplomatically situated between archrivals Sydney and Melbourne.

• Take an exclusive tour of the Australian Institute of Sport. Learn what it means to pursue the Olympic dream as you explore Australia’s training ground for elite athletes, including past and future Olympians.

• Visit Australia’s New Parliament House and learn more about Australia’s system of government and political history.   

Parliament House at sunset 

For other photos of Canberra, check out the work of Australian photographer, Ilya Genkin.

FRIDAY, 06 JULY

Atlanta (Thursday) -- 95°/ 72°, Chance of afternoon thunderstorm.

Sydney (Friday) -- 63°/46°, Rain.

Lenell went rappelling yesterday, and said it was fun.  It's now the beginning of another day in Sydney.

ITINERARY FOR THE DAY:

• Learn about Australia’s national gemstone, the opal, during a cutting and polishing demonstration at an opal establishment.

• Cruise Sydney Harbor and see the city’s highlights. Learn about its amazing history, whilst enjoying lunch onboard the vessel.

• Enjoy a guided orientation of the majestic Sydney Opera House complex as you go behind the scenes. You’ll have a backstage pass to experience areas that are not accessible to the public and exclusive for People to People Student Ambassadors.

• Go beneath the sea at the Sydney Aquarium for a chance to discover fascinating marine life.

The harbor has 188 miles of shoreline.  Photo: Martyn Peck

Inside the Sydney Opera House.  Photo: Bing.com

THURSDAY, 05 JULY

Atlanta (Wednesday) -- 93°/ 72°, Chance of afternoon thunderstorm.

Sydney (Thursday) -- 61°/48°, Rain.

Katoomba (Thursday) -- 52°/46°, Mostly sunny.

Lenell did not feel well after arriving in Sydney.  She missed the activities yesterday, but after a good night's rest she reports, "I'm fine and much better."  By phone, she sounds more like herself and says that she's up for today's agenda.

ITINERARY FOR THE DAY:

• Take part in Full On, a day-long program specially designed for People to People Student Ambassadors to help achieve new levels of self-awareness and personal development.

• Start your Full On experience by participating in fun and interactive workshops that will lead up to challenging yourself to abseil down an exposed rock face in the Blue Mountains.

The Three Sisters (peaks) in the Blue Mountains

PTP Student rappelling in the Blue Mtns

A local weather report indicates no rain in the Blue Mountains for 3 days.  Today's forecast for the region:  

Blue sky: 99%   Visibility: >70 Km [43 miles]     See Three Sisters? Yes 

Beautiful morning. Big frost. The perfect Winter's day to take a wander along the Scenic Walkway.

source:  http://www.scenicworld.com.au/

WEDNESDAY, 04 JULY

Atlanta (Tuesday) -- 91°/ 70°, Chance of afternoon thunderstorm.
Sydney (Wednesday) -- 63°/46°, Slight chance of afternoon shower; windy.


The plane has just landed in Sydney, about 8:10 AM.

Courtesy of Bing.com

ITINERARY FOR THE DAY:

• Meet your Delegation Manager, Ben Lovelace, upon arrival at Sydney Airport.

• Welcome to Sydney, Australia! The largest city in Australia and the capital of

New South Wales.

• Begin your first day in Australia with a visit to the pristine shoreline at Bondi

Beach. Home to the world’s first surf lifesaving club, Bondi Beach is also the

setting for the popular Australian reality show Bondi Rescue.

• Experience the history of Hyde Park Barracks, and discover what life was like for

the convicts sent to Australia over 190 years ago.

• Dine at a Sydney restaurant overlooking Darling Harbor, where you will have the

opportunity to try kangaroo for dinner.

Ben Lovelace

As the Delegation Manager, Ben will lead the delegation, calling ahead and making sure that the group stays on track with their itinerary each day.   A native of Wollongong, a city just south of Sydney, Ben has served People to People for 5 years managing delegations in Australia.

Source:  http://www.topvacationplace.com/beautiful-bondi-beach-in-sydney

Lenell and the other Student Ambassadors will have an opportunity to swim at Bondi Beach today.  According to a surfers forecast (http://www.surf-forecast.com/breaks/Bondi-Beach/seatemp):

"Today's Bondi Beach sea temperature is 67 °F. If the sun does come out as forecast, it should feel warm enough to surf in a summer wetsuit. Effective air temperature of 10 °C [50 °F]."

TUESDAY, 03 JULY

Today – that is, Tuesday -- doesn’t exist for Lenell.  After she went to sleep last night (Monday) her plane crossed the international dateline, “losing a day.”  When she awakes, she will be in a Pacific region where it will be early Wednesday morning.

Her plane just landed in Brisbane in Queensland Territory.  The local time in Brisbane is 5 AM.  After a 90-minute stop, her flight will continue on to Sidney, about 600 miles south in New South Wales.

Brisbane airport

Aerial view with mountains in background