When I was young someone told me that if you drill a deep enough whole on the ground, you’ll reach China. That was a lie. China is not even near to Finland’s antipode. Closest country would be New Zeland and then Australia.

So if I say that I will be going to the other side of the world while talking about Australia, it is almost correct. So I will say that now: I will be going to the other side of the world.

I have been accepted into our University’s exchange programme for next spring. University of Sydney will take me in for a semester to study. What a change! Sydney University is a pretty well regarded university, so that alone is exciting. But if I am going to fly to the other side of the globe I am going to take everything out of it. I will be a good girl and study, because it is interesting and reason why I go there in the first place, but I will make sure that I get to explore the continent and travel as much as possible.

The university emailed me their exchange information packet by accident already, which is why I am researching everything already. Courses at the university, accommodation, the buildings… the city of Sydney, the Outback, diving sights… Pretty much everything.

The Great Barrier reef has been on my bucket list ever since I started scuba diving. I have to see it before it destroyed. Not only human activity threaten it but also natural phenomena; right now El Nino is speeding up the bleaching http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/parts-of-great-barrier-reef-face-permanent-destruction-due-to-el-nino/article28994091/. Corals, ocean, diving and surfing are things to look forward to but I am interested in dryer conditions as well. I want to go to Outback and camp out in the red rock desert. The whole island is full of interesting things even though right now I only know of the famous tourist attractions. I have to do lot more research to learn of other, less known places and adventures.

And since I will be on that side of the world I might as well visit New Zeland as well. Hike a bit and find more out about the culture and history. Too greedy? Big plans and even bigger dreams. It just means I will have to start saving now.

It is a quite while before I will actually get there, but I am excited. Planning is part of the journey, right?