Spring break has arrived!! This week was an excellent celebration for finishing up classes successfully over the past 8-weeks in Sydney. I will limit the many highlights of the week to my top two. These were scuba diving at the Great Barrier Reef and skydiving. Both of these were lifelong dreams of mine. I have done a lot of scientific research in the past on the declining health of the Great Barrier Reef, so I was ecstatic to finally see it in person before it deteriorated further. It was stunning, but sad to see the health of the reef with my own eyes. The coral bleaching events I have extensively researched in the past were evident while exploring the reef. However, there were many healthy parts of the reef filled with colorful coral and fish! Among the array of fish, I saw a shark, a turtle, and many stingrays!
Later in the week, I decided to try skydiving over the Great Barrier Reef. I did this with a few other Bucknellians in the class to help ease the nerves. I can confidently say that it was one of the most thrilling experiences I have ever had. Jumping out of the plane and tumbling in free fall for nearly a minute while overlooking the reef was a feeling unlike any other. When the parachute opened, I was able to take a deep breath and enjoy a bird-eye view of Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef. I enjoyed it so much that I might try to skydive again during our travels before returning to the US.
I was excited to check a couple of items off my bucket list during this trip and am looking forward to our journey to Singapore!
