Easter Break

Alright...it's been a long time since I've last written so there is a lot to catch up on. To be honest I really need to get started on my Soils project but this is a good enough reason as any to procrastinate just a little bit longer.
Beginning of break: Went to Queenstown, very much a tourist town but a fun little place nonetheless. I already wrote about the Nevis, but we also went to an Icebar which was made completely of ice, including the cups. Another highlight was eating a Fergburger, a really large and wonderfully delicious burger that has become famous for a good reason.
Came back to campus Sunday evening, chilled Monday, and flew out Tuesday to visit Melbourne.

Melbourne: Australian customs are really really uptight about letting people into Australia. I did not know Michael's address so wrote down his phone number only to be told that I had to know where I was staying by law. Then when questioned why I was in Australia, visiting friends did not seem like a valid reason. After completely unpacking my bag and me telling them I think he lives in Western Melbourne they let me through. However to be fair if someone told you that they were visiting a friend for a week that they knew from Cambodia I might be a little suspicious too.
Michael picked me up from the airport on his bike, and with the duffelbag on my shoulders and not holding on properly I almost fell off when the throttle opened at the first light. Saw a really nice night skyline of Melbourne on the way back to the house. Over the next couple of days Michael, Messi (his housemate), David (a friend), and I really enjoyed ourselves. From just relaxing and hanging out to going to different clubs and seeing the nightlife of Melbourne we had a really good time. Some of the highlights of the trip:
Going to the Casino: lost my $20 pretty fast, so basically I am really unlucky and I am not too stoked about trying Casino again.
Get together at Michaels and Messi's house on Thursday: It was a fun house party, relaxing, talking, and meeting other friends. Later we went out on the town which was also a lot of fun.
Meeting up with Lynette in the middle of Melbourne: On Monday night Michael, Lauren, and I met up with Lynette in Melbourne and went out to eat at Shanghai Dumplings. It was a really interesting place tucked away in a back alley. The food was really good and the service was as inpersonal as possible. They were really trying to get rid of everyone as fast as possible. However it was a lot of fun. Lauren unfortunatley had to go home, but Michael, Lynette, and I went and got Gelatto icecream, sat outside the State Library and later went to a bar to play some pool. Overall it was great seeing Lynette again and I hope she enjoyed it as much as I did. It's funny that although we were meeting up across the world from where we normally run into each other it really did not feel any different from back in Ithaca.
Overall it was a fantastic trip and I'm planning on returning to Melbourne for Michael's 21st birthday. Atleast this time I will be able to write down where I will be staying.