"I'll Kill Your Grandchild!" (Olle)

I MADE IT!

Eight days in rural Victoria = A trip of a lifetime.

Highly recommended to any international student. It’s a great way to get to know the “real” Australia. Go camping and visit your friends in their ‘natural habitat’, for nature it is…

I have to admit, it was hard. No Facebook, no Youtube, no Skype. Top that with a NO RECEPTION – EMERGENCY CALLS ONLY!

The lesson learnt here is to get Telstra or Optus, if you want to be on the safe side. If you dare to be more adventurous (and let’s be honest, it’s only for a week) take the chance to step out of the IT bubble, and enjoy the wonders of a world without technology.

After a few expected days of technology deprivation, my body slowly began to love the countryside and all it had to offer. We watched the Milky Way and a stunningly beautiful night-sky; we played boardgames and listened to the silence (some would call this nothing). To many this may seem boring. I wouldn’t agree. My point is that we made time for each other. We talked and goofed around, and for once there was nothing interrupting us. Apart from the animals in the bush…

This is what I saw:

• Wild kangaroos (way cooler than the zoo!)

• A fox (sly and hungry, never a good combination)

• Red Back (BEWARE: DANGEROUS!)

• Birds with funny noises (they will wake you up in the morning!)

• This small lizzard (BEWARE: DON’T CRUSH, VERY FAST!)

and worst of them all:

• FLIES!

They were everywhere: aggressive creatures with a tendency to end in one’s mouth or ears, they are not something to play with. A friend of mine got so annoyed he screamed:

“I’ll kill your grandchild!”

Note: reports are unsure whether the fly was listening, or if he was even remotely terrified by this threat.

I am aware this blog post may sound like your nearest tourist information. Don’t get me wrong, the countryside was wonderful, but I wouldn’t be able to stay there. Firstly, see above. Secondly, everyone knows everyone – from day one, everyone knew who we were. Finally, as far as I’m concerned, there’s no work for me at Cohuna Farmers’ Weekly…

Many thanks to the locals and the family I stayed at. You made my trip memorable!

Now it’s back to getting interrupted again.

Say hello to Facebook! Say hello to Skype! Say hello to the world!

I’ve missed you.

/Olle 2.0