April 26th - Day 1 - We have arrived

Our first (almost) full day in Australia is over and it was a busy one. We arrived a couple of hours late since our flight out of JFK was delayed. Customs and immigration went smoothly and we reached our destination in central Sydney by 10:30 am. 

We took off right away on a walking tour to get our bearings. First we headed to Hyde Park and the ANZAC memorial. ANZAC stands for Australia New Zealand army corps and it commemorates all the lives that have been lost in the various conflicts that Australia has been involved in. After walking through beautiful Hyde Park and taking some group photos at the Archibald fountain we toured the Hyde Park Barracks which housed the convicts who made up the early white inhabitants of Australia. Students had fun with the various interactive displays, trying on period clothing, and testing the hammocks that served as beds in the dormitory style rooms.

Next we headed to the Australian museum of natural history. The museum had excellent displays on the indigenous cultures of the region as well as Australian fauna, geology and of course the requisite dinosaur section.  Overall it was a great introduction to the early history of the region and a good context in which to place our upcoming experiences. 

After returning to the YHA we had a quick meeting to debrief and go over the next day's plans before we dispersed for the evening. 

We're guessing it don't be difficult for students to fall asleep tonight!