Cora Funk | Fall 2024
Hello, everyone, from Sydney, Australia! Yes, you read that title correctly, two weeks ago we had spring break here in Australia (my second spring break of 2024). The United States and Australia have opposite seasons, because the US is in the Northern Hemisphere and Australia is in the Southern Hemisphere. Today I would love to share more about my Australian spring break in October! I have found that people in Australia always have different names for things than in the US. For example, instead of saying “spring break” people here call it “mid semester break.” But that is beside the point! At Macquarie University our spring break was two weeks long! And while it was a break, this break seemed to be more like a time for students to catch up on assignments and homework. I had a few writing assignments due during the break, and I know a lot of my friends were in the same boat. However, that did not deter me from planning an amazing trip with my friends!
During the first week of break, three of my friends (Kayo, Min and Rui) and I flew to Cairns, Australia for an amazing adventure! Much like the United States, Australia is quite an expansive country, so it is more efficient to fly places rather than drive. This trip to Cairns was truly unforgettable – especially our excursions to the Daintree Rainforest and the Great Barrier Reef. 
On our first full day in Cairns, we went on a guided tour to the Daintree Rainforest! The Daintree Rainforest is the world’s oldest tropical rainforest at 180 million years old. The Daintree is home to an amazing array of wildlife, including, but definitely not limited to, echidnas, bandicoots, crocodiles, geckos and frogs. I really wanted to see a cassowary, which is an endangered species, but we did not have any luck. But that is probably for the best, because they have very strong kicks and sharp claws, which make them one of the world’s most dangerous birds! From Cairns, the drive to the Daintree was just under two hours, along the Great Barrier Reef Drive. 
Out one window we saw a gorgeous view of the ocean and through the other window we could see the countryside and the lush rainforest! Our first stop was Mossman Gorge, a beautiful swimming hole surrounded by the lush rainforest. We then drove to the Daintree Ice Cream Company for a sweet treat. I had a sampler ice cream with four flavors: strawberry, coconut, sapote (a fruit that tastes similar to sweet potato) and wattleseed (a seed with a nutty flavor). Very yummy! Then, we were off to Thornton Beach, where we walked around and explored for a while. This beach was super pretty, with amazing views of the sea and the rainforest. But as with many bodies of water in Australia, you could not swim here because of the threat of crocodiles. After exploring the beach we drove to Port Douglas, a seaside village and got to see a foggy sunset. Then it took about two hours to get back to Cairns. What an amazing day!
The next day we went to The Great Barrier Reef! We got up bright and early and headed down to the Marina. Once we boarded the boat we were fitted with fins and snorkeling gear. Our booking did not include a scuba rental, which was a bit unfortunate because the water was quite cold! It took about two hours to reach the first reef site called Hastings Reef, where we had an hour and a half to snorkel. When I tell you it was unbelievable, that is a definite understatement. Besides it being quite cold the entire time, it was one of the most incredible experiences I think I have ever had. Within twenty minutes of being in the water I saw a sea turtle (I think it was a green sea turtle). I followed the turtle for quite some time from a distance and it was super majestic. Along with the turtle and, of course, beautiful corals, I saw a bunch of other marine life, like humphead wrasse, tangs, triggerfish, butterflyfish and so much more. After this reef, we sailed about another thirty minutes to our second reef, called Saxons Reef. This reef was more shallow than the first, but I saw a lot of the same fish. The boat ride back was gorgeous as well because the sun was beginning to set over the rainforest in the distance. Snorkeling in The Great Barrier Reef had been on my bucket list since I was little, so this experience was really a dream come true. 
As I said before, I am immensely grateful to have had the chance to go on a spring break trip with my friends. Currently, we only have two weeks left of the semester, which is insane! I hope that part two of fall semester 2024 at UT is treating you well. I look forward to keeping you posted in mid-November, when I will be finished with my semester at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia. Until then, stay well and go Vols!