Introduction

I was blessed to attend the Catholic World Youth Day celebrations in Australia in 2008.

I was chosen to be Confirmed by Pope Benedict 16th at the Final Mass.

I spent 2 days in Tasmania with the Husband family and then 8 days in Sydney with the International Liturgy Group

Hope you enjoy my story =)

Flight: Jo-Burg - Sydney, Oz

Flight: Jo-burg – Sydney, Oz        (Wednesday – 09/07/08)

The food on the Qantas flight was amazing.  I spent the flight watching comedy series and listening to the on board music selection.  During my breakfast I watched Thomas the Tank Engine=) I had 3 breakfasts. I had a Vegetarian Hot first but asked for a Continental and while I was waiting for the Continental another air hostess bought me one so I ended up with 3=) BONUS=)  I really enjoyed the Flight Path option on the on board entertainment as it showed where we were and how high we were and all other interesting things about the flight as we flew. 

Sydney Airport

Sydney Airport:  (Thursday – 10/07/08)

It was a very interesting airport.  We collected our bags and then went through customs.  We had to line up away from our bags as the sniffer dogs sniffed for drugs and food.  We ended up missing our flight and so had to wait for another flight to Melbourne.  10 of us had to go on a different flight because of lack of space.  When we arrived in Melbourne we were late for our connecting flight to Hobart and so we had to run through the airport to the departures side and only just made the flight. Unfortunately luggage didn't=( It was a really tiring exercise and I was very happy to get onto the airplane thinking that the travel hassles were almost over...

Flight: Melbourne - Hobart, Taz

Flight:  Melbourne – Hobart, Taz

After a short flight we arrived in Hobart with out our luggage, put on the first morning flight, and were told that we had a 2 Hr bus drive to Launceston a head of us. I stayed in Launceston with John and Judy Husband, who were very welcoming and showed us around Launceston.  Judy made me soup when I wasn’t feeling well and it made me right as rain in no time=) It was warm and delicious.  They also have a beautiful fireplace in their lounge and Judy had FRESH Hot Water Bottles in our beds every night =) They are really wonderful people to stay with.

Tasmania: Day 1

Day 1: Friday - 11/07/08

Fetched baggage from the church and then had a welcome mass. It was beautiful.  The Church of the Apostle is such a beautiful church and the congregation are such welcoming people.  They really made us feel at home.  We then went to Cataract Cliff Grounds.  It is such a beautiful place. The mountains sides are vertical and the river was beautiful. Because of it being winter we didn’t swim but the water looked refreshing.  In the summer they open the flood gates further up the river and then they have river rafting competitions and people come there for picnics. We had lunch at the picnic spot after the beautiful walk along the cliff side and across the river.  During lunch we saw a peacock that was quite tame.  The Afternoon was spent at the zoo.  It was pretty cool seeing Kangaroos, Tasmanian Devils, Kuala Bears and Echidnas.  I was able to feed a Kangaroo which was totally cool and to stroke a Tasmanian Devil.  The Tasmanian Devil eats everything form a carcass, even the bones and hair.  We watched an Australian Footy game at home, really cool.  John explained the basic rules to us.  Their family is big into their footy. It was really cool staying with the Husbands and they really were like a family to me.

Welcome gift

Church of the Apostles - Launceston

Church of the Apostles - Launceston

Gunpowder Mill - Cataract Cliff Gorge - Launceston

Cataract Cliff Gorge - Launceston

Me and Cataract Gorge =)

Upper Gorge

A little detour-off the beaten path=)

We crossed the little bridge=)

The Rapids =)

Lunch guest =)

Emu's - Zoo - Launceston

Tasmanian Devil - Zoo - Launceston

Echidna - Zoo - Launceston

Tasmania: Day 2

Day 2:   Saturday - 12/07/08

We spent the day with our host families.  After a delicious vegetable lasagna lunch we spent the day in town.  There are such beautiful old colonial buildings.  In town we visited this little shopping place that was like a little village. We visited a couple of parks and the one I particularly enjoyed had a memorial to all the soldiers who died in the South African War, it also had an aviary.  We  visited the river and the yacht basin, which was really cool and beautiful.  We had a beautiful sending off mass for all the pilgrims that evening.  There was also a festival at the local school with a bon fire and fireworks.  Lots of fun=).  After these celebrations Benedicta, Gail, Lynette and my self had to leave the group to fly from Launceston to Sydney.  On the flight I sat next to an ex-South African and we spoke for the whole trip about what was going on in South Africa and it helped the flight go quickly. 

Colonial Architecture

Sydney

SYDNEY!!!!   

We arrived at Sydney Airport at 11 o’clock in the evening and we were all tired and I thought I had lost my jacket on the plane but was obviously in the Lord’s care because I got it back and then we had to get a taxi to the university because the travel arrangements didn’t work out properly.  We eventually arrived at the university at 12 o’clock.  We were warmly greeted by Sister Anna and Morgan Rice and then were taken to our rooms.  The guys and girls stayed in different colleges on different sides of the campus but it was not that far.  I was really blessed to have Judy's home number because I was very homesick after arriving at the college but Judy was so good to me when I phoned her at 1 o'clock in the morning and then I was also able to talk to dad which was a major help.  I stayed in St John’s College and the ladies stayed at Sancta Sophia College. I had a really comfortable bed which I looked forward to sleeping in every night, especially after the long tiring days.

Sydney Cityscape