This is Sydney winter.

Today is the winter solstice for Australia, well the southern hemisphere, but I feel it here. The rain has finally, finally stopped, much to the joy of most of NSW, since most of the state is flooded from it. This country is not equipped to handle so much rain.

However, it is still bitterly cold any time you step out of the sun. The sun is still harshly warm, since the lack of ozone here. The mountains were practically unbearable in its chill, although the rainforest was quite warm despite the lack of sun.

The mountains. They were...very close to being the death of me (cliffs are real, guys) but also perhaps the most uniquely beautiful thing I have ever seen. They are actually blue, due to the haze given off the eucalyptus trees covering the mountains. All the guides said how desperately they needed a bush fire, and that much was evident in the bush, which was crowded over with green, green life.

The three sisters, the three distinct rock formations that aboriginals call sisters, because myth says that their father, during a war, turned them into rocks to protect them, but died in war so they stayed as rocks forever. It was so, so strange a formation that I began to really believe that there were trapped sisters within the rocks.

I love Sydney. I love Oxford street, the book store-coffee shop-art gallery-shopping district of Sydney. I love the people here, and the fact that they love me for my Americanisms.

However, there is tension rippling throughout the group, obviously. We have been on a jam-packed schedule which leaves us little to no free time to get away from each other. Thus, there has been annoyance at the silliest things and cliques forming and breaking within 2 days. But, then we all remember we're in Australia and let it go. That is perhaps the best part of this place. It makes you remember how truly delightful it is.

I am ready to be home in 2 weeks though. I miss the most random things, like looking after kids and my bathroom. Hanging out with one of the girls from the hostel who was American made me remember how freaking lucky we all are to be American and from our homes. So I will count myself beyond lucky to be here, then be too eager the entire 24 hour travel time to see Texas.