“Accept compliments and give praise” – Anthony’s fortune cookie

Can you believe it, when we left Winlock today we forgot to stop and look at the World’s Largest Egg! How, why? There were tears, tantrums and disdain (well maybe that was just me). I only hope it wasn’t everything it was cracked up to be. Sorry, bad yolk.

After we bid a fond farewell to our homestays, we got back on our home away from home – the bus! It was a scenic extravaganza today, and we took the opportunity to get in touch with nature and explore Coldwater Lake at Mount St Helens and see it in all its natural glory. Unfortunately though, seeing its surrounding scenery and even Mount St Helens proved a little tougher than anticipated with the fog settling in across the whole mountain. It did make for some impressive back drops though.

Coldwater Lake was created during the 1980 eruption of Mount St Helens, which blocked its natural outlet, Coldwater Creek with volcanic debris. As we walked the boardwalk surrounding the lake, there was a chance for some stone skimming, photo taking and even for one of our fall-prone students (yes Emily that’s you) to somehow end up ankle deep in the water while trying to find the perfect photo spot. After a quick change of clothes for Emily and millions of photos later, we hopped back on the bus and headed to Portland.

Portland, Oregon’s largest city, sits on the Columbia and Willamette rivers, in the shadow of snow-capped Mount Hood. It’s known for its parks, bridges and bicycle paths, as well as for its eco-friendliness and its microbreweries and coffeehouses.

There wasn’t much viewing of the scenery on the way to Portland, most viewed the inside of their eyelids on the journey. After a two hour trip we arrived in Portland and checked into our accommodation which received rave reviews from us all. Luxury, we were made for it.

Tonight, we got to watch one of America’s favourite sports, ice hockey. We made the 10 minute walk to Moda Center (very inconspicuous when a group of 33 navy clad Aussies walk the streets) to watch the Portland Winterhawks take on the Prince George Cougars. The fanfare was impressive, and the Aussies in blue were cheering from the stands, but they certainly cheered louder when there was a bit of biffo or shoving into the glass. Such gentle folk we are. Some of the students had the chance to ride on the Zamboni (ice resurfacer) at half time, and even made the big screen. Bucks used his magic and got the entire crew down rink side to watch the last minutes of the game and then high five the team as they left the rink. Malok even scored a hockey stick from the captain of the team – looking forward to getting that one back on the plane.

Fun Facts:

• Portland was named on a coin toss (if the coin had landed on the other side we’d be in Boston)
• Portland holds an annual World Naked Bike Ride
• Portland boasts the world’s smallest park – Mile End Park is 2.5 feet in diameter
• The city has more microbreweries than anywhere else in the world.
• One of the city’s slogans is ‘Keep Portland Weird”
• Portland is home to the largest independently owned bookstore in the world

The Flag!

During our time OS (that’s overseas for everyone back in the land of Oz), we’ve noticed quite a similar offering in American fast food favourites – burgers, chips, burgers, pizza, burgers, hotdogs. Not an exhausting repertoire. With our refined Australian palate we’re battling through (the boys are finding it very easy), but for one of our intrepid travellers, the flavours just don’t seem to be pushing his tastebuds. Welcome to the flag, Malok Makoi. It seems Malok decided to test his tastebuds the other day and venture away from his usual fare of hamburgers – he pushed the limits and ordered wedges. Whoa, slow down their Jamie Oliver. Unfortunately though for Malok, the wedges just didn’t cut the mustard, there was no pizzazz, no oomph and half way through the meal he exclaimed “these wedges all taste the same”. What was he expecting, an explosion of the taste senses mid way through the meal, a sudden injection of chicken salt or a sprinkle of paprika? Whatever his expectation, the disappointment of “that’s not a wedge, that’s a wedge” has turned him back to his diet of hamburgers. It’s tough for the true connoisseurs.