Day 9

Today was the last and saddest part of our trip, but it was definitely not a disappointment. We took the slowest train up the steepest train tracks in the world to visit the rain forest. Whilst in the train, out the windows were some amazing views of the forest. Once in a while, you could spot some wildlife out the window but only slight glimpses. As we made our way to the top, the view got better and better and all you could see when you looked down was a vast area of trees. When we finally arrived to the top after what seemed like ages, we got off the train and visited the village of Kurunda. There were a ton of things to do in this village but many of them you had to pay for. So, our group decided to not do them and instead we shopped in the mini-market in the heart of town. We picked ourselves some cool souvenirs and had a good time. When it was time to go, we made our way down the mountain via gondolas. The gondolas were at least two hundred feet above the canopy of the rain forest below. Halfway through the ride, we stopped at a rain forest tour and our great Austrian guide led us through and talked about the rain forest. We then continued our way down the mountain in gondolas with more jaw dropping sights. At the bottom, we entered a Maori village where they teach you about the culture and have hands on activities. We learned how to throw both boomerangs and spears at targets and everyone was having a blast. As the day came to an end, spirits began to go down knowing that today was the last full day here. At the end of the day, the teachers all said their goodbye speeches and everyone was in a sad mood. The end of the trip had finally come and it was way too early.

Today was the last full day of our trip in Australia/ New Zealand. We first went into the worlds steepest train to a village called Kurunda. We then went back down the mountain via gondolas and learned more about the Maori tribe. We also learned how to throw boomerangs and spears and how to play the didgeridoo. This was a great final day to a long journey in Australia.