The Oxford experience

First of all, I want to say that I am sorry for having disappeared for such a long time, but sometime it is hard to keep up with everything!
For those who followed me at some point of my trip, it finally ended in Chiapas, Mexico. I was in Mexico 4 months working as a field assistant for Dra. Sarie Van Belle, studying the behaviour of the (amazing) black howler monkey (Alouatta pigra). It was an amazing experience where I got to know unique people and lived incredible experiences. It felt as if it was the exact place where my trip had to finish.

After finishing the trip and going back home, I experienced something that maybe people who also travel frequently have experienced: I could be at home. I felt weird being at home and not having new experiences…therefore I decided to move to Menorca (a beautiful island of Spain) to work for 3 months as a waitress.


Once the summer was over, it was time to start one of the most important projects of my life: move to Oxford and start a master on Primate Conservation at Oxford Brookes University! I clearly remember when my parents took me to the airport and before going through the security check I started crying and said I wanted to stay at home…I was terrified! Now that I have successfully finished the first semester of the master and already have a project to conduct this following summer I feel proud of myself for what I have achieved so far.


This is a small summary of the last months of my life for those who are still interested in knowing what I am up to!

I want to wish you a merry Christmas and happy New Year for all of you who are readying these lines!

Laura

La viajera

Para aquellos que quiza sin saber somo habeis acabado en esta página y os pregunteis quien soy, ahí va un resumen:

Me llamo Laura y soy de Barcelona. Con 23 años y a punto de terminar la carrera de Biologia decidí irme a hacer la vuelta al mundo con una sola aconpañante: mi mochila. Este viaje me esta llevando por lugares increibles como Borneo, Bali, Japón, Nueva Zelanda, Australia, California y Mexico. Durante 10 meses he recorrido muchisimos kilometros por mar, tierra y aire; pero más que un viaje geográfico ha sido un viaje interior.



Si te apetece saber un poquito más sobre este viaje solo tienes que seguir leyendo...(y saber un poquitin de inglés!)Si no sabes inglés y te apetece saber más escríbeme! (lauracervera_graupera@hotmail.com)

Australia I:How dry leafs and spanish ham can become terrorism

In case that there is someone reading this, here it is my first report of my days in Australia:

After my “exiting” days in Tasmania I flied to what they call “The mainland”. When I got to the airport I went through costumes where they make you show them all kind of animal or plant products as well as food, dirty shoes…During my last trips around the world I have been collecting leafs from different places and I keep them in my diary. As they are plants I had to show them to the “lovely” lady at costumes and she decided that they were too dangerous for their country and they trough them away. You never know how many catastrophes some dry leafs can cause to Australia...

After sharing a 15 girl dorm during one week i decided to reward myself with a 4 shared dorm in a nice hotel! :) When I got to the hotel there was a package from my parents waiting for me with some letters, some presents and the most important thing: Spanish ham! When I opened the package and the only thing that i found (apart from the postcards and the presents) was a letter from the department of costumes saying that they took the ham away because it could be really dangerous! ARGHHH! I was so angry! I knew it is forbidden to get any kind of food to Australia but we wanted to try…At that time of my trip I asked myself if it was a good decision to come to Australia.

Luckily as soon as i met Nuno and Maria for a coffee I forgot about the Spanish ham! We went to for a walk to see the Opera House, the Botanic gardens and finally the famous district called “The Rocks”. We had a great time together; we ate, drank and explored Sydney always with our lovely lonely planet guide!!!The last day around Sydney I went to Taronga Zoo – highly recommended!


From Sydney I took the train to Richmond to become a WWOOfer (www.wwoof.com.au) for first time. As Spanish people can’t get the working holiday visa I had to fins I way of saving some money. When you become a woofer you work in a farm for 4-5h a days in exchange of food and accommodation. My first farm is run by a couple in their 70s were they celebrating weddings in their lovely garden. The first thing that the woman asks me after knowing that I have been travelling for a while was: “You should check if you have bed bugs with you!” They live in this kind of houses where you don’t feel comfortable at all because everything has its own place. You know what I mean? Too posh for me.


I was just 7 days with them but I couldn’t be even one more day with that blond woman with a fake smile always in her face. Luckily I was working every day in the garden with her husband. I send the sunny days weeding the garden and the rainy days cleaning their silver cutlery or their fridge. One of my last days I was weeding the rosemary when I got stung by a paper wasp and it really really hurt. Sadly because of the hot weather it got infected and I had to be on antibiotics for more than one week.


When my days on Agnes Banks ended I made my way to Newcastle with and infected leg. I spend two rainy and grey days in Newcastle feeling alone and homesick. They were no pleasant at all! I just hoped my next farm would be better than the first.

The next farm is located 3h away from Newcastle and the closest town is Meriwa 20 minutes away. Rocky Creek (the name of the farm) is a wildlife refuge run by a unique couple: Sandra and Jeremy. Their job is to take care of native wildlife in order to release them once they are self-sufficient. Rocky Creek is a big family: 3 dogs, 2 cats, 3 donkeys, 2 horses, 8 rabbits, 2 possums, 2 wombats, 2 kangaroos and 1 wallaby!!



The day starts at 7.30 preparing the milk bottles for Radar, a beautiful Eastern grey kangaroo and Lilly a naughty wombat that loves to bite your ankles! After that cleaning dishes and washing dirty pouches follows. It is a total of 11 bottles a day which means that the first day you feel extremely lucky to be able to feed a kangaroo and the second week you think is something normal!
Every Friday we went to “Bible Study” where they discuss about different fragments of the bible and they try to apply them to their own life. Although I’m not religious I have to admit I had a great time during those hours every Friday night sharing my experiences with amazing people. They are so amazing that Jenny and Ted (form the Bible Study and friends of Jeremy and Sandra) prepared a party for my birthday day with balloons and cake!


The 16th of November I decided it was time to continuo my trip around Australia and go to visit the east coast so I started my way to the NORTH!

To know have i ended writing this in the same farm one month later don't miss the next report!

October- Tasmania: Where I learnt to sleep with the light on

The morning after my first night in Tasmania I realized how much I hate sleeping in dorms. Fed up of having to fall sleep with the light on. Tired of sleep with 15 girls that go to sleep at different times and wake up also at different times (around 5:30 the firsts ones). Tired of hearing people snoring all night long, phones ringing at 4am and alarms at 5am. I just want to be in my bedroom!!! It is something that you should think about before starting a trip like this!

Not in a good mood after the noisy night I decided to explore the streets of the quite city of Hobart. I make my way to the “FAMOUS” Salamanca Street full of tourist shops and art galleries. One more time I would love to be rich and be able to buy as many things as I would want! Ha ha


After hiring a van in New Zealand for three weeks my Budget went straight down. I had to spend 7 boring days stuck at Hobart. I could just go out 2 days. The 10th of October I went to visit the Russell Falls: what an amazing national park!



It was a tour with 13 people and we had a great time all together! In the Afternoon we went to visit a wildlife refuge and I saw for first time Tasmanian Devils, Koalas, Quolls…and what I found the most amazing animal in the world (after apes and monkeys, of course): The WOMBAT!!! They are soooo cute! They explained us that the Tasmanian Devils are in real danger because they have been infected with a face cancer that has killed 80% of the wild population!!They are not sure where has it come from, but they think it may be from the chemical products used by the farmers. We have to do all it is in our hand to help this unique animals!


My second activity was to visit another wildlife park called “Borongo wildlife refuge”. It was a grey and rainy day but I decided that was not gonna stop me doing stuff! I was looking at the funny Tasmanian devil when I opened my bag and the key of the hostel and my phone fell inside the enclosure! I looked how they approached my things without knowing what to do but as soon as they started chewing the key (I paid 20$ deposit for it) I put one leg inside the enclosure and grab the key. It was then when another devil took my phone far away from me. I then run to look for someone to help me. I saw a keeper and I told him “I have a problem” and he answered “You drooped something in the devils enclosures, did you?” It means that I’m not the first one who drops something there! The keeper jumped into the enclosure and was around 10 minutes looking for my phone while I was calling with my other phone. He finally found “my phone”.


Isn’t it a great memory form Tasmania??
After 7 days I left Hobart ready for some Sydney time!

September III- New Zealand: where I met myself

I had really intense moments in New Zealand therefore I find it hard to start writing about them. Each and every day I spend in that island made a small change in me. At the moment I am catching up with real life after going through a bad love experience, and maybe that is why I lived each event in a really intense way. I have never felt before the strength of the wind as I felt it in New Zealand. It was so strong that I could hardly manage to keep my van on road. Even the green of the grass is greener, like if it would shine brighter! I saw the most beautiful landscape I have ever seen during those 3 weeks, New Zealand is just amazing.

On my way to Wanaka

My days on the island began in a really cozy backpacker, the “Choice Plaza Backpackers” run by a chelonian woman, I found myself surrounded by South American people. Honestly I would not recommend New Zealand as a place to learn English as I was speaking Spanish almost all day! I slept with 7 boys in a tiny room, and there is where I started realizing how important is to have your own room! As soon as I got to the hostel I met Adrià Tregon, and old mate from my school in Mataró. Five long years had passed since we last saw each other for the last time, but after some beers we realize that we haven’t changed much! Two days later we were getting drunk at the pub with some friend of him and we had a great time at “Margarita”.

Having fun in "Margarita"

During my days in Auckland I went to visit the museum(www.aucklandmuseum.com/) and it gave me the opportunity to get closer to the Maori culture. I had the privilege to see a Maori performance where they showed us their traditional weapons as well as various dances. It was a magic experience. You could feel their voices going from your ears directly to your heart. As soon as they finished dancing the “Jaka” (the dance that they use to scare their enemies) one man from the audience stood up and started talking in Maori to the group performing. When he finished talking eight of his students start contratacking with their Jaka. No one was expecting that to happened and it was another magic moment.

Maori Performance

I don’t like cities that much so after two days in Auckland I decided it was time to visit the real New Zealand. I hired a van (http://www.wickedcampers.com/) and I started my trip to the North Island. I wanted to do it on my own but one of the Argentinian guys staying in the same backpacker asked me if I could take him to Tauranga (around 300km far) and I accepted (what a mistake!!). Chipi (the Argentinian guy) and I started our way to Tauranga around 11am he was in charge of the map and I had to concentrate driving on the left for first time. WE knew we had to take the road nº 1, and we ended up in “1 North” (although we had to go South...) Chipi told me “Don’t worry, we are going South but the name of the Road is “1 North”” I drove for more than 1 hour after I diceded to stop the car suspecting we were not going south at all. Not really surprisingly we had been going north for more than one hour, so we had to turn around and take the right Road. It is funny now but it wasn’t funny at all when it was happening! Ha ha what it was supposed to be a 3h journey ended up being a 7h one and we got to see the North of New Zealand!

Run and me

The next day Rug (my van) and I started our trip to the South (the real South). I was 2 weeks driving from the North Island to the South one (much nicer). I had the amazing opportunity to see Sperm Whales in Kaikoura (one the most beautiful places I have ever been) as well as dolphins and seals. In Oamaru I could see yellow eyed penguins and blue penguins (the smallest penguins in the world! They are just 40cm!) As I am not rich, at all, I went to sleep to camping every other day so I could have a shower. The other days I slept on the Road or in the forest. I couldn’t be closer to nature during my trip.

Yellow eyed penguin

In the Ferry from one island to the other (http://www.interislander.co.nz/), I met an extraordinary couple: Maria (from Spain) and Nuno (from Portugal) both living in Pekin! We had an amazing time together and when I totally run out of money in Franz Josef Glacier they rescue me! They were there every time I needed them! Thank you guys!

Nuno and Maria

I was 2 weeks travelling on my own and it was not always easy. During that time I got to know myself better. I realized that I am scared of the silence and most of the time I feel the need to be doing something, like if I would always be in a rush. I learnt to take life easy and to accept my fears as part of me. Some nights when time cached me and the dinner was not ready I had to cook outside the van and I got really scared. It is funny how your mind can play against you. As soon as I was locked inside the van everything was fine.

Me in Kaikoura

This trip has been really important for me. It got to know a new Country as well as a new part from me. I would really recommend to everyone to go there! If you have any further questions from New Zealand don’t hesitate and contact me (lauracervera_graupera@hotmail.com)!!


Wanaka

Soon my report about Tasmania!!

xxx
La de los monos

Links!!

I wouls like to share with you 2 links that may interest you!

1. Website: www.sharynmunro.com
After travelling 4 weeks trough the east coast of Australia, last Saturday I met an amazing woman, her name is Sharyn Munro.

Sharyn Munro is 'The Woman on the Mountain', an Australian writer and environmentalist, who lives in a solarpowered mudbrick cabin on her remote wildlife refuge, with only the wildlife for company. A new blog goes up on her website (link) every Wednesday and Saturday, and, like her books, gives graphic insights into the lives of her wild neighbours as well as her environmental concerns.


2. Website: http://www.rockycreekwildlife.info/rockycreekwildlife/
As most of you know I am WWOOfing around Australia, and just when i Most needed it I found a new familly! They are a really big familly with dogs, cats, wallabis, wombats, Kangaroos, possums, horses, donkeys and the loveliest cuople I have ever met: Sandra & Jeremy! They have been taking care of me for the last 3 weeks and I can't imagine myself in another place!

Japan: You must go there!

The 5767Km between Bali and Japan turned to be the less notorious fact when it comes to compare these two countries. We (me and my 23kg bag) move to a much developed country with all kind of facilities that you can't find in Bali. Of course the language, the culture and other things make them different, but you can find the same kind people in both places always trying to help you.

I land in Tokyo with less than 3h to find the overnight bus that will take me to Kyoto. Most of the Japanese people don't speak English and of course i can't read Japanese, so after 1h trying to find my bus i started freaking out (as usual). Luckily, a girl comes to me and asks me if I have any problem. Apparently she saw me 1h ago and she offered me to use her computer so we could find the place! Isn't it amazing? That would never happen in Barcelona!

Tokyo city
During my first night in Tokyo everything seems so different to me from what i know, I feel amazingly lucky to be here! The streets are full of lights, cars and people with suits going out from work. just how i would have imagine it! After succeeding finding the bus stop I reward myself with some amazing sushi! Every time that a costumer enters the restaurant all the employers shout together “Irashaimaseeeeeee” (Welcome)! At the end you get used to it, but at the beginning you don’t know if they are saying “Fire, fire” or “You don’t have to pay today!” Anyway I enjoyed so much that dinner.

A tipical Restaurant in Japan
Kyoto is much quite compared to Tokyo. I spent 7 days assisting to the International Primatology Conference running from one talk about social behavior to another of conservation! It is such a great opportunity to meet other people working in the field with the same interests! At the end of the conference I just managed to give 1 business card as I didn’t feel confidence enough to just introduce myself to people who I don’t know.

Jane Goodal at IPS
In Kyoto I stayed with Marie, Susan, Richard and Danica, all primatologists working with different species. We sleep in a Japanese stile small room but big enough for us to sleep! We spent such great days together in Japan! The only bad thing from this country is that everything is SO expensive that I couldn’t enjoy myself as much as I would have liked.

You just have to walk 15 minutes from central Station to find the most beautiful temples! If you go just little bit farther you can visit mazing Shrines hidden between the most amazing forests. I visited Kiyomizu from where you can see all Kyoto and feel like you have Kyoto under your feet! I also went to Gion where most of the geishas can be found. You can feel how strong the Japanese culture is.

From my trip to japan, apart from the big opportunity to be closet o the most important primatologist, i realized how different people all over the world are! Aren’t we lucky about that? I think that everyone should visit Japan, at least once! (ok, ok I’ll pay for the ticket when I’ll become a famous and rich primatologist! haha)

Some of the amazing people I met in Japan!

Next stop--> New Zealand!


La de los monos