Sorry it has taken a while to post, there has been so much going on that it has been hard to find time to write. With that said, this might be a lengthy post but bare with me-- I promise it will be worth it! I'm just going to go by day so I don't forget anything, please forgive the repetition.
Wednesday ended up being the perfect day to get to Bryon Bay because our hostel had a deal with a local pub for a free BBQ dinner. It was pretty crowded and a little crazy but we ended up having a fun night. The pub had a bunch of games and contests for prizes, like a hula-hoop contest for a Whitsundays island package. We couldn't have used any of the prizes but it was still fun to watch people participate. We also sat with our dorm-mates who were a group of English people doing our same bus pass but headed North. They were really friendly and we ended up hanging out with them the rest of our time in Byron.
On Thursday we decided to try snorkeling one last time and it turned out to be our best experience since Fiji. It still wasn't sunny but the boat took us out to a cluster of rocks about 100 meters away from the beach. When we jumped off the boat, it was a good distance away from the rocks and I was creeped-out by how deep the water was; I didn't look down through my snorkel until we were in the more shallow area near the rocks. The first 30 minutes was pretty standard except there were some larger fish than we had seen anywhere. Then when we had about 15 minutes left we saw a sea turtle! It was a young one so it wasn't too big but it was just floating around near the rocks and letting the tide carry it around. It swam for a while and we followed it until it went past our boundary. We were so happy to finally see a turtle. It was so graceful underwater and it surfaced a few times which was cool to see. After the first one went away we saw another one that was bigger but not as pretty. It didn't do much swimming, but once it bit onto the rock and ripped something off to eat. By that time I was more comfortable with the deep water and I snorkeled back to the boat. It still kind of gave me the hibbie jibbies, but I didn't want to miss the chance of seeing something out there.
Friday morning we caught a shuttle and headed to the airport to go back to Sydney. We made our way to our hostel in the city and then met up with our friend Georgie and her boyfriend. Her dad is a member of a rugby stadium and so he gets tickets to game and we all went to a National Rugby League game. It's hard to explain the game because it's not like the rugby we have in America, it's more like football. Here are the highlights from the game. It was really exciting because it was so close, if you watch the whole clip the kick they miss at the very end would have tied the game. And yes, Pamela Anderson was there (no idea why), but so was Russel Crowe because he owns one of the teams.
Saturday morning we headed to Paddy's Markets, which is a huge ground level market place below a mall in Sydney. It's basically a bunch of stalls with really cheap clothes, food, and souvenirs. It kind of tired us out, but that night we still hit the town with our some of our friends we have met here. The area that our hostel is in is really popular on Friday and Saturday nights so it was nice to be able to stay in the area and walk home instead of having to take a cab, which are really pricey here.
When we got up on Sunday we headed to Georgie's boyfriend's apartment to make them biscuits and gravy. Over here they call cookies biscuits and they don't have American style biscuits. Georgie's boyfriend loves KFC and here it comes with french fries so we had to show him what our kind of biscuits were like. They turned out pretty good for our first time and we all had a yummy American breakfast. There are a lot more differences between our food which I will post about next time. After breakfast we headed to the Sydney Zoo. We got there just in time to catch an elephant show. They were demonstrating how smart and coordinated elephants are and they were actually kicking a regular size soccer ball back and forth! They could do other amazing things too like balance on a balance beam with alternating front and back legs extended so they were only standing on two legs. It was so cool to see such huge animals doing tasks like that. Another highlight was seeing koala's eating. They had a feeding time at 3 o'clock which is when they were most active because on average koalas sleep 20 hours a day, which is more than sloths. All they did was sit there and eat, but as one of them was climbing down the tree we could see that she had a little baby clutched to her stomach. It was really small and didn't move much, but it was still cool to see. There was also a newborn baby gorilla and a platypus tank where we could watch one swimming around.
Today is my last full day in Sydney. We don't really have anything planned because we have already seen and done almost everything (that we can afford). Tonight we will have dinner with our friends and Georgie and then tomorrow we head to Sydney Airport to fly home. It's really strange because our flight departs here Sept. 2nd at 1:10pm, we have a three hour layover in Fiji, and then we get to LAX on Sept. 2nd at 1:20pm-- we lose no time at all traveling. I wish the flight were actually 10 minutes instead of 13 hours!
Just because I'm leaving doesn't mean I'm done posting. Next time I write it will be from Santa Barbara but I want to share my general thoughts about Australia, traveling, other people we have met, and of course pictures. I put them onto Georgie's laptop last night and there are about 1500(!) so look forward to some good albums.
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Surfer's Paradise
Well the city is exactly like what everyone has told you. There is a huge beautiful beach with great waves and skyscrapers lined up as far as you can see. It's amazing how many resorts and apartment buildings there are! I have no idea how they all stay in business but I guess this is a really popular tourist destination. There are three great pictures of it at this website.
Our first day was predicted to be the sunniest so we headed for the beach. The clouds finally parted but the wind was too cold, so we headed back to the spa at our hostel. The place the we are staying is unique because there is backpacker accommodation but it is joined to a hotel. So we get to use all the hotel amenities (like the spa and the sauna), and there is a TV in our room. But anyway, that night we stayed in to watch the closing ceremony of the Olympics. Unfortunately they didn't start until 10PM so we started falling asleep by the time the guys started doing the speeches. Good thing the highlights were on the next day.
We decided to try some snorkeling, again, and signed up for a kayaking trip for our second day. The sun was out for the most part, but it was still kind of chilly. We went out in a bay near the city and headed for a small man-made island. They built the island to protect the marina from cyclones. At that stop, we snorkeled around a jetty where a lot of fish gather. The visibility was great but there wasn't a huge variety of fish. Our next stop was a on a larger natural island where we went on a bush walk. Bush walk is what the call hikes in Australia; it basically means to walk around in the wilderness. The walk was nice and we got to see a few wallabies. The best part though was seeing the surf on the ocean side of the island. The waves were huge and there were tons of surfers and boogie boarders out in the water. Our guide told us that it is one of the best surf beaches in the world and that a lot of professionals go there.
The only other activity we have done here is walk around and window shop. Because the city is such a tourist spot, there are lots of cool shops and interesting restaurants and pubs. There is also a strong Asian influence here because there is an Asian airline that comes to the Surfer's airport. All the signs are written in multiple languages and there is a lot of Asian cuisine. We've also been watching some Australian Idol, which is pretty fun. There are in the audition stage and there is a judge like Simon, so it has kept us entertained at night.
This afternoon we head off to our last stop on the coast, Byron Bay. I might not post about that until I get back to Sydney on Friday. I think our hostel might have free internet! I have also been making a list of foods to talk about so that will be coming soon too.
Our first day was predicted to be the sunniest so we headed for the beach. The clouds finally parted but the wind was too cold, so we headed back to the spa at our hostel. The place the we are staying is unique because there is backpacker accommodation but it is joined to a hotel. So we get to use all the hotel amenities (like the spa and the sauna), and there is a TV in our room. But anyway, that night we stayed in to watch the closing ceremony of the Olympics. Unfortunately they didn't start until 10PM so we started falling asleep by the time the guys started doing the speeches. Good thing the highlights were on the next day.
We decided to try some snorkeling, again, and signed up for a kayaking trip for our second day. The sun was out for the most part, but it was still kind of chilly. We went out in a bay near the city and headed for a small man-made island. They built the island to protect the marina from cyclones. At that stop, we snorkeled around a jetty where a lot of fish gather. The visibility was great but there wasn't a huge variety of fish. Our next stop was a on a larger natural island where we went on a bush walk. Bush walk is what the call hikes in Australia; it basically means to walk around in the wilderness. The walk was nice and we got to see a few wallabies. The best part though was seeing the surf on the ocean side of the island. The waves were huge and there were tons of surfers and boogie boarders out in the water. Our guide told us that it is one of the best surf beaches in the world and that a lot of professionals go there.
The only other activity we have done here is walk around and window shop. Because the city is such a tourist spot, there are lots of cool shops and interesting restaurants and pubs. There is also a strong Asian influence here because there is an Asian airline that comes to the Surfer's airport. All the signs are written in multiple languages and there is a lot of Asian cuisine. We've also been watching some Australian Idol, which is pretty fun. There are in the audition stage and there is a judge like Simon, so it has kept us entertained at night.
This afternoon we head off to our last stop on the coast, Byron Bay. I might not post about that until I get back to Sydney on Friday. I think our hostel might have free internet! I have also been making a list of foods to talk about so that will be coming soon too.
Monday, August 25, 2008
Q & A Session
My brother-in-law Trevor asked me some questions about my last post so I decided to answer them for everyone.
Q: Did the goat taste like chicken?
The goat meat was dark, so no it did not taste like chicken. I can't really compare it with another type of meat but it would be closest to pork. I think it was boiled because he was carving it from a big chunk that was in a pot full of juices. The seasoning had a bit of a curry flavor to it so I think it was cumin.
Q: Did you feel like Indiana Jones when you cracked the whip?
I did feel pretty powerful with the whip once I got the hang of it, but not as cool as Indiana because he made us wear goggles. Something I learned that I didn't know is the noise from the whip is created because you are breaking the sound barrier. If the whip hits the ground before it moves fast enough, there will be no sound. Because of this, he also had us stand on milk crates.
Q: Did you make eight seconds on the bull?
I actually lasted longer than 8 seconds! The bull bucked 8 times and then started to spin. Both times I rode it forward I lasted a few spins, but then flew off the front. When I tried it backwards it was actually easier because even though there was no rope to hold, the body was more narrow so I could grip with my legs better. One thing I didn't know about riding a bull is that you put your strong arm in the air. It goes against your natural instinct because you want to hold onto the rope with your stronger arm, but putting it in the air gives you better balance and control.
Q: Was the DVD on the bus 'Crocodile Dundee'?
Haha, No we mostly watched mindless movies like Old School. But we did watch one that was a documentary called 'Kenny', which is about a man who works for a portable toilet company. It was supposed to be really funny but I just thought it was kind of sad how poorly people treat him. Plus I think a lot of the humor was Australian.
Q: How would you describe the noise you made on the didgeridoo?
It is really hard to describe the sound, but it is almost like techno music. It is sort of annoying at first but then as you listen it kind of puts you in a trance. That sounds really strange but to watch a video that will give you a better idea click here (disclaimer: the sound isn't working on this computer so I'm not sure if this is the best example, but it should give you an idea).
Thanks for the great questions Trevor!
Q: Did the goat taste like chicken?
The goat meat was dark, so no it did not taste like chicken. I can't really compare it with another type of meat but it would be closest to pork. I think it was boiled because he was carving it from a big chunk that was in a pot full of juices. The seasoning had a bit of a curry flavor to it so I think it was cumin.
Q: Did you feel like Indiana Jones when you cracked the whip?
I did feel pretty powerful with the whip once I got the hang of it, but not as cool as Indiana because he made us wear goggles. Something I learned that I didn't know is the noise from the whip is created because you are breaking the sound barrier. If the whip hits the ground before it moves fast enough, there will be no sound. Because of this, he also had us stand on milk crates.
Q: Did you make eight seconds on the bull?
I actually lasted longer than 8 seconds! The bull bucked 8 times and then started to spin. Both times I rode it forward I lasted a few spins, but then flew off the front. When I tried it backwards it was actually easier because even though there was no rope to hold, the body was more narrow so I could grip with my legs better. One thing I didn't know about riding a bull is that you put your strong arm in the air. It goes against your natural instinct because you want to hold onto the rope with your stronger arm, but putting it in the air gives you better balance and control.
Q: Was the DVD on the bus 'Crocodile Dundee'?
Haha, No we mostly watched mindless movies like Old School. But we did watch one that was a documentary called 'Kenny', which is about a man who works for a portable toilet company. It was supposed to be really funny but I just thought it was kind of sad how poorly people treat him. Plus I think a lot of the humor was Australian.
Q: How would you describe the noise you made on the didgeridoo?
It is really hard to describe the sound, but it is almost like techno music. It is sort of annoying at first but then as you listen it kind of puts you in a trance. That sounds really strange but to watch a video that will give you a better idea click here (disclaimer: the sound isn't working on this computer so I'm not sure if this is the best example, but it should give you an idea).
Thanks for the great questions Trevor!
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Comment on Comments
I also wanted to add quickly that anyone can post a comment without having to join Blogger. Below the post just click comment and it will open a window. There you can type your comment and select how to publish it. If you don't have a Gmail account, you can just type your name-- it's really easy!
I love hearing your feedback and can answer any questions you have.
I love hearing your feedback and can answer any questions you have.
From Reef to Ranch
A lot has happened since Magnetic Island so I hope I don't forget to include any of it like last time. To start off, we headed to a place called Airlie Beach, which served as our departure point for our day cruise around the Whitsunday Islands. Unfortunately, it was really cloudy on the day of our cruise so it was pretty cold, but the trip was good overall. The catamaran was painted pastel purple and there were only about 40 people on it, which was nice because we could spread out. We left at 8AM and sailed around some of the main islands and then stopped to snorkel at a section of the Great Barrier Reef. Again, the clouds ruined this because they made the visibility in the water really low. After an hour of snorkeling we got back on the boat and headed to White Haven Beach. It is famous for its super white and extremely fine sand. It felt like flour and when you walked it made a squeaking noise because it was that fine. We had lunch back on the boat and sailed back to the harbor around 6PM. The highlights of the trip were seeing a humpback whale about 200 meters from the boat and also a sea turtle that surfaced for about 2 seconds when we were leaving White Haven. We were glad we did it but were disappointed by the snorkeling-- luckily we got to see a lot in Fiji.
After Airlie we had a 10 hour day on the bus! Usually during that day we stop and go lawn bowling but there was a competition so we could not play. The reason the trip was so long is because we were going to a place called Kroombit Station. It is a mandatory stop on our bus pass because of the distance between Airlie and Rainbow Beach. Kroombit is a goat, horse, and cattle ranch and it was pretty much what it sounds like. Our meals were served outside on long wooden tables and the common area was just some chairs pulled around a fire in a barrel. Before dinner they cut up some meat as an appetizer and told us later it was goat! We knew it was something weird because they wouldn't tell us before we tried it, but it was good.
The accommodation at Kroombit was pretty crude but there turned out to be a lot of interesting activities. After dinner Allen, the owner of the station, taught us how to crack whips. It was surprisingly easy after you learned how to do it, and the sound was almost painful because it was so loud. A little while after whip cracking, we all got am attempt at riding a mechanical bull. It was really hard but Lola and I were really good compared to most other guests (probably because we actually listened to their instructions during the demonstration). There was one guy who sat backwards on the bull and when it started he jumped up as it bucked, and spun around and then stood up and sort of surfed on it. It was really crazy to watch and then really fun to watch other people try it... like me and Lola, haha.
We had to be up bright and early in the morning because breakfast ended at 7AM and then we headed to the goat pins to try our hand at some goat wrangling. First there was a shooting activity, which was extra but I decided to do it. In general, guns freak me out and I don't like them but I wanted to try it and the location made me more comfortable. We did not shoot goats, just clay pigeons and I hit 2 out of 5. We used a shot gun and I was surprised by how heavy it was but the kick-back wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Then we moved onto the goats and practiced some lassoing before getting into groups of 3. We then had a competition to see who could lasso, flip over, hold down, and "brand" the goat. There was only one goat in the small pin but it was still hard to get the rope over its head. Then once it was roped, I had to drag it by it's horns over to my teammates who flipped it and branded it. It was pretty fun and we actually ended up with the best time.
That was it for dirty Kroombit and that same morning, we headed out for another long drive to Rainbow Beach. The drive wasn't too bad because there was a DVD player on the bus and we also saw some emus and wild horses. Rainbow was just another overnight trip for us because it is a really small quiet town, which is fine but if we didn't leave this morning we would have had to spend 3 nights there. It was a good night though because there was a didgeridoo player that came and played and let us try to play it too. It was really hard but I got second place, which was fun. It is hard to explain what it sounds like it you don't know, but the instrument come from the Aboriginals in Australia and is made from a narrow tree trunk that is hallowed out by termites. There is nothing inside the wood so the noise that comes out is made and controlled just by your mouth and breathing. That is why it's so hard and also so amazing when you hear all the sounds it makes.
We are now in Surfer's Paradise which has the best beach on the east coast of Australia for surfing. Quiksilver and Roxy have world surfing competitions here and there is also an Indy race here coming up in October. It's pretty spectacular because there are a lot of high-risers and it is very much like a big city but it's right on the beach. We are here for 3 nights then onto Byron Bay for two and then back to Sydney on Friday.
I'll be back soon to let you know what kind of trouble we get into here and I promise to keep it shorter!
After Airlie we had a 10 hour day on the bus! Usually during that day we stop and go lawn bowling but there was a competition so we could not play. The reason the trip was so long is because we were going to a place called Kroombit Station. It is a mandatory stop on our bus pass because of the distance between Airlie and Rainbow Beach. Kroombit is a goat, horse, and cattle ranch and it was pretty much what it sounds like. Our meals were served outside on long wooden tables and the common area was just some chairs pulled around a fire in a barrel. Before dinner they cut up some meat as an appetizer and told us later it was goat! We knew it was something weird because they wouldn't tell us before we tried it, but it was good.
The accommodation at Kroombit was pretty crude but there turned out to be a lot of interesting activities. After dinner Allen, the owner of the station, taught us how to crack whips. It was surprisingly easy after you learned how to do it, and the sound was almost painful because it was so loud. A little while after whip cracking, we all got am attempt at riding a mechanical bull. It was really hard but Lola and I were really good compared to most other guests (probably because we actually listened to their instructions during the demonstration). There was one guy who sat backwards on the bull and when it started he jumped up as it bucked, and spun around and then stood up and sort of surfed on it. It was really crazy to watch and then really fun to watch other people try it... like me and Lola, haha.
We had to be up bright and early in the morning because breakfast ended at 7AM and then we headed to the goat pins to try our hand at some goat wrangling. First there was a shooting activity, which was extra but I decided to do it. In general, guns freak me out and I don't like them but I wanted to try it and the location made me more comfortable. We did not shoot goats, just clay pigeons and I hit 2 out of 5. We used a shot gun and I was surprised by how heavy it was but the kick-back wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Then we moved onto the goats and practiced some lassoing before getting into groups of 3. We then had a competition to see who could lasso, flip over, hold down, and "brand" the goat. There was only one goat in the small pin but it was still hard to get the rope over its head. Then once it was roped, I had to drag it by it's horns over to my teammates who flipped it and branded it. It was pretty fun and we actually ended up with the best time.
That was it for dirty Kroombit and that same morning, we headed out for another long drive to Rainbow Beach. The drive wasn't too bad because there was a DVD player on the bus and we also saw some emus and wild horses. Rainbow was just another overnight trip for us because it is a really small quiet town, which is fine but if we didn't leave this morning we would have had to spend 3 nights there. It was a good night though because there was a didgeridoo player that came and played and let us try to play it too. It was really hard but I got second place, which was fun. It is hard to explain what it sounds like it you don't know, but the instrument come from the Aboriginals in Australia and is made from a narrow tree trunk that is hallowed out by termites. There is nothing inside the wood so the noise that comes out is made and controlled just by your mouth and breathing. That is why it's so hard and also so amazing when you hear all the sounds it makes.
We are now in Surfer's Paradise which has the best beach on the east coast of Australia for surfing. Quiksilver and Roxy have world surfing competitions here and there is also an Indy race here coming up in October. It's pretty spectacular because there are a lot of high-risers and it is very much like a big city but it's right on the beach. We are here for 3 nights then onto Byron Bay for two and then back to Sydney on Friday.
I'll be back soon to let you know what kind of trouble we get into here and I promise to keep it shorter!
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Haste Makes Waste
So I forgot to describe a really cool part of our trip in my last post! Between two of the locations, our bus driver made a stop at a Crocodile Farm. At first we considered not doing the tour because we had already seen them in the wild, but we decided to at the last minute. I am so glad we did! We got to see the handlers feed huge crocodiles and I got to hold a baby. He was really smooth and cool feeling, and luckily his mouth was tapped shut.
Also at the farm we got to feed kangaroos and wallabies. They were really tame and used to visitors so we could even pet them. The food was just grass and some pellets so they ate directly from our hands. One of the kangaroos even had a joey in her pouch, but it wasn't very cute. They don't look like they do in cartoons and drawings with the little head and face poking out. Instead, the joey curls up in the pouch so it's skinny little legs are hanging out all awkwardly and gross. He did pop his head out once, but his feet were still there too.
I can't wait to share pictures from all of these. I'll be back in two weeks and get them up as soon as I can. Tomorrow I head out to the Great Barrier Reef so wish me sunshine and jellyfish-free waters!
Also at the farm we got to feed kangaroos and wallabies. They were really tame and used to visitors so we could even pet them. The food was just grass and some pellets so they ate directly from our hands. One of the kangaroos even had a joey in her pouch, but it wasn't very cute. They don't look like they do in cartoons and drawings with the little head and face poking out. Instead, the joey curls up in the pouch so it's skinny little legs are hanging out all awkwardly and gross. He did pop his head out once, but his feet were still there too.
I can't wait to share pictures from all of these. I'll be back in two weeks and get them up as soon as I can. Tomorrow I head out to the Great Barrier Reef so wish me sunshine and jellyfish-free waters!
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Inaugural Coast Trip Post
Our trip has started off great! The drive from Cairns north was beautiful and out first stop was in Mossman to visit a beautiful, clear, green river. At one point there is a gorge which falls into a calm pool so I went swimming even though the water was freezing cold-- "when in Australia!" After Mossman we went on a river cruise in the Dain Tree Rainforest. The region gets an average of 6 meters of rain per year. Luckily it didn't rain while we were there, but we did get to see 4 crocodiles. One was super fat and about 5 meters long. We actually spotted him in the water and then watched him climb out onto the bank. There was also a bright green tree frog that found his way onto the boat and the driver carried him around so we could take some close-ups.
The last thing we that day was stop at an exotic fruit farm and had blueberry, passion fruit, macadamia nut, and wattle seed (tasted like coffee) ice cream. They were all delicious but we also ate some ants off the banana trees. Well, we didn't actually eat the ants themselves but we crushed their clear green abdomens and licked off the juice. It was really sour, but I was told it's a great source of vitamin C!
We spent two nights up in Cape Tribulation and on our last day we decided to hike Mount Sorrow... turned out to fit the name. Nothing terrible happened it was just really long and really hard. The ridge of the mountain is 3 km straight up and it took us about 2 hours. Then when we got to the top, it was foggy so there wasn't much of a view. The way back down was almost harder because it was so steep. I even fell once and rolled down the track a little! It was kind of a bad way to end our day, but at least we tried it.
We stopped for one night after Cairns in Mission Beach and just relaxed there. But we did get to see people land their sky dive on the beach, which was cool. Now we are in a wonderful place called Magnetic Island. There is a full moon, which makes the ocean and beach beautiful at night. The shore is lined with large boulders and trees; it is very picturesque.
I have to post this quickly because I am almost out of internet time, so please excuse any grammar errors!
The last thing we that day was stop at an exotic fruit farm and had blueberry, passion fruit, macadamia nut, and wattle seed (tasted like coffee) ice cream. They were all delicious but we also ate some ants off the banana trees. Well, we didn't actually eat the ants themselves but we crushed their clear green abdomens and licked off the juice. It was really sour, but I was told it's a great source of vitamin C!
We spent two nights up in Cape Tribulation and on our last day we decided to hike Mount Sorrow... turned out to fit the name. Nothing terrible happened it was just really long and really hard. The ridge of the mountain is 3 km straight up and it took us about 2 hours. Then when we got to the top, it was foggy so there wasn't much of a view. The way back down was almost harder because it was so steep. I even fell once and rolled down the track a little! It was kind of a bad way to end our day, but at least we tried it.
We stopped for one night after Cairns in Mission Beach and just relaxed there. But we did get to see people land their sky dive on the beach, which was cool. Now we are in a wonderful place called Magnetic Island. There is a full moon, which makes the ocean and beach beautiful at night. The shore is lined with large boulders and trees; it is very picturesque.
I have to post this quickly because I am almost out of internet time, so please excuse any grammar errors!
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Farewell Sydney
We’ve had a few low-key days since our trip to the Blue Mountains. On Friday night we went out to dinner with some of Georgie’s friends from high school and then went to a bar called The Argyle. It was really interesting because there was a large courtyard, several levels and the most interesting part was the DJ booth. It was suspended from the ceiling of the upper level and the walls and floor were clear so you could see the DJ and all his equipment.
Then Saturday morning we drove up to Georgie’s beach house in a small town called Avoca. The house had a balcony with a beautiful view of the beach, which was in a little bay lined with tall trees. We had a great quiet night with no television or internet and just enjoyed each other’s company.
But tomorrow the pace will change. We fly from Sydney to Cairns and begin our journey down the east coast. We have bus passes that allow us to hop on and off at certain locations. We have a two day trip planned to go a little farther north to the rain forest and then head south to beaches, islands and even a goat ranch (but that’s only because it’s mandatory). In total our trip is 18 days long and we stop in 10 different locations. We are very excited to get to warmer weather and experience different parts of the country. If you want to visualize our trip visit this website: http://www.ozexperience.com/select-your-pass/ Scroll down to the map and select “Strewth Pass Byron Bay or Brisbane to Cairns.”
After we return on August 29th we only have a few more days before we fly back to California on September 2nd. Unfortunately, I’m not sure how often I will have internet access during this trip and it will be limited because I will have to pay for it. I will try to post as much as I can but it will probably be brief.
I hope you are all well!
Then Saturday morning we drove up to Georgie’s beach house in a small town called Avoca. The house had a balcony with a beautiful view of the beach, which was in a little bay lined with tall trees. We had a great quiet night with no television or internet and just enjoyed each other’s company.
But tomorrow the pace will change. We fly from Sydney to Cairns and begin our journey down the east coast. We have bus passes that allow us to hop on and off at certain locations. We have a two day trip planned to go a little farther north to the rain forest and then head south to beaches, islands and even a goat ranch (but that’s only because it’s mandatory). In total our trip is 18 days long and we stop in 10 different locations. We are very excited to get to warmer weather and experience different parts of the country. If you want to visualize our trip visit this website: http://www.ozexperience.com/select-your-pass/ Scroll down to the map and select “Strewth Pass Byron Bay or Brisbane to Cairns.”
After we return on August 29th we only have a few more days before we fly back to California on September 2nd. Unfortunately, I’m not sure how often I will have internet access during this trip and it will be limited because I will have to pay for it. I will try to post as much as I can but it will probably be brief.
I hope you are all well!
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Photo Album
Snorkeling near our resort in Fiji.
The view from the top of the hill behind our resort.
The cave we swam in and explored.
Just some of the many fish we got to see.
In front of the famous Sydney Opera House.
Standing on the Harbor Bridge (we have a picture just like this at the Golden Gate).
"The Gap" in Sydney.
And finally a beach near Bondi.
I haven't uploaded the mountains and cave pictures yet, but I hope you enjoy these!
Mountains, and Waterfalls, and Caves, Oh My!
Hello everyone! Yesterday we got back from a place called the Blue Mountains. The first day we were there we stopped at a national park and got to see wild kangaroos. You couldn't get too close but close enough to take some pictures. They are really interesting to watch because their arms are really small so when they walk they use their tails too! You always think of them jumping but their body mechanics are really visible when they are moving along slowly and just eating grass.
After the park we went on a hike in the mountains and passed a large waterfall and then descended into the rainforest valley. The only animals we saw on the walk were cockatoos but we also saw the webs of the most deadly spiders in Australia. They are called funnel web spiders and you can't see the actually spider, but there were tons of holes in the dirt next to the trail. They basically looked like someone had stuck their finger in the side of the hill and pulled it back out (except for behind the hole lives a huge deadly spider).
To finish the day we walked down about 1000 steps and then rode the world's steepest train back to the top of the mountain. It was originally built for use in coal mining, but only the coal went on the train- the workers had to climb the stairs!
The next day in the mountains we went on a trip to the Jenolan caves, which have been forming for about 400 million years. The cave we toured was impressive, but a little repetitive. We should have spent the extra money and done the adventure trip where you actually climb and get to wear lights on your head. What stole the show at the caves was the animal we saw in the lake. Lola and I were reading a sign at the edge of the water and all of the sudden this little brown animal surfaced in the middle of the lake. Right away we noticed that it had a bill and realized it was a platypus!!! It dove back under pretty quickly but it was really neat to see such a unique animal.
Now we are back in Sydney but not for long. Saturday we are heading to our friends beach house (which will still be cold, but fun). And then on Monday we fly north to Cairns and begin our trip down the coast. As promised, I am going to post some pictures right after this.
After the park we went on a hike in the mountains and passed a large waterfall and then descended into the rainforest valley. The only animals we saw on the walk were cockatoos but we also saw the webs of the most deadly spiders in Australia. They are called funnel web spiders and you can't see the actually spider, but there were tons of holes in the dirt next to the trail. They basically looked like someone had stuck their finger in the side of the hill and pulled it back out (except for behind the hole lives a huge deadly spider).
To finish the day we walked down about 1000 steps and then rode the world's steepest train back to the top of the mountain. It was originally built for use in coal mining, but only the coal went on the train- the workers had to climb the stairs!
The next day in the mountains we went on a trip to the Jenolan caves, which have been forming for about 400 million years. The cave we toured was impressive, but a little repetitive. We should have spent the extra money and done the adventure trip where you actually climb and get to wear lights on your head. What stole the show at the caves was the animal we saw in the lake. Lola and I were reading a sign at the edge of the water and all of the sudden this little brown animal surfaced in the middle of the lake. Right away we noticed that it had a bill and realized it was a platypus!!! It dove back under pretty quickly but it was really neat to see such a unique animal.
Now we are back in Sydney but not for long. Saturday we are heading to our friends beach house (which will still be cold, but fun). And then on Monday we fly north to Cairns and begin our trip down the coast. As promised, I am going to post some pictures right after this.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Both Day and Night Scenes
It’s hard to believe that I’ve already been in Sydney for a week but at the same time we have done so much that it feels like longer. After our city excursion on Monday, we decided to get some rest on Tuesday and stayed at the house while Georgie worked. But that night we got our first taste of the nightlife in Sydney. Lola and I went out with one of our old neighbors from Santa Barbara who is studying abroad here and living near Sydney in Bondi Beach. We went to a bar called Scruffy Murphy’s which you could tell was a tourist/American hotspot because there was a huge banner in front that read “Christmas in July,” playing off the differences in our seasons. The atmosphere was fun but it was surprisingly crowded for a Tuesday and we almost lost our coats. Luckily we found them because it was a super cold night and getting home involved a long walk through the city and a bus that was 20 minutes late.
The next morning even though we were tired from bad sleep on small couches, we headed out to talk a walk in Bondi Beach. The night before we could see that the water was across the street from the apartment but didn’t really realize how beautiful the view was. Stepping out of the building onto the sidewalk instantly energized us (and our big breakfasts at a beachside café helped too). The walk is a popular tourist attraction because it is a beautiful path that winds around the beaches small cliffs. The shoreline was unique because it looks more like canyon walls carved out by a river than a typical beach cliff.
After our peaceful little midday excursion, we headed back into the city to plan our trip away from Sydney. We headed into a travel agency and two hours later came out with a combination of four different packages and a lot less money. But no worries because we were careful to stay within our budget and also include almost everything we want to see. I don’t want to go into the details because I will write about it after I experience them, but look forward to rainforests, beaches, wildlife and of course—the great barrier reef!
Georgie had Thursday off so she guided us around the opera house, botanical gardens, and circular quay. We also walked over the harbor bridge (very similar to walking over the golden gate) and got to see some great views of the city.
Last night we got to experience what they refer to here as “uni parties.” Uni is what they call college and the party was at a bar on campus to kick-start the new semester. It was fun but sort of felt like a high school dance (except for the fact that they were selling alcohol). Overall we were glad we went and got to experience some college life, but probably won't go to any others. Tonight will be very different because we are going out for Georgie’s boyfriend’s birthday and it will be at a fancier club or bar in a “posh” part of the city. It will fit more with the Sydney experience because in general, everything seems to be more proper here. It may just be the city atmosphere in general, but everyone dresses up nicer day-to-day and even inexpensive stores and restaurants feel more formal than back home. It's fun to go along with while visiting but dressing up all the time would be tiring and expensive. Who knew I would miss California for its fashion?
It's time for me to get all washed and polished for my big night out in the city. I promise I will get some pictures up next time!
The next morning even though we were tired from bad sleep on small couches, we headed out to talk a walk in Bondi Beach. The night before we could see that the water was across the street from the apartment but didn’t really realize how beautiful the view was. Stepping out of the building onto the sidewalk instantly energized us (and our big breakfasts at a beachside café helped too). The walk is a popular tourist attraction because it is a beautiful path that winds around the beaches small cliffs. The shoreline was unique because it looks more like canyon walls carved out by a river than a typical beach cliff.
After our peaceful little midday excursion, we headed back into the city to plan our trip away from Sydney. We headed into a travel agency and two hours later came out with a combination of four different packages and a lot less money. But no worries because we were careful to stay within our budget and also include almost everything we want to see. I don’t want to go into the details because I will write about it after I experience them, but look forward to rainforests, beaches, wildlife and of course—the great barrier reef!
Georgie had Thursday off so she guided us around the opera house, botanical gardens, and circular quay. We also walked over the harbor bridge (very similar to walking over the golden gate) and got to see some great views of the city.
Last night we got to experience what they refer to here as “uni parties.” Uni is what they call college and the party was at a bar on campus to kick-start the new semester. It was fun but sort of felt like a high school dance (except for the fact that they were selling alcohol). Overall we were glad we went and got to experience some college life, but probably won't go to any others. Tonight will be very different because we are going out for Georgie’s boyfriend’s birthday and it will be at a fancier club or bar in a “posh” part of the city. It will fit more with the Sydney experience because in general, everything seems to be more proper here. It may just be the city atmosphere in general, but everyone dresses up nicer day-to-day and even inexpensive stores and restaurants feel more formal than back home. It's fun to go along with while visiting but dressing up all the time would be tiring and expensive. Who knew I would miss California for its fashion?
It's time for me to get all washed and polished for my big night out in the city. I promise I will get some pictures up next time!
Monday, July 28, 2008
NYC of Australia
Yesterday afternoon we got our first views of Sydney from Georgie's grandparent's house near the South harbor. I wouldn't be surprised if photographers rent their patio to do photo shoots for postcards. We could see the Opera house, the bridge and nearly all of the harbor. Later we walked around the South Head which is the southern piece of land that creates the harbor in Sydney. Again, there were beautiful views but also some unsettling ones due to the fact that the walking path went by a nude beach. Not surprisingly the only patrons were old men even though it was cold, the tide was up and it was windy. Imagine five old men, sitting on rocks, in windbreakers and hats but with no pants on... a bit disturbing. Regardless, the natural scenery was awesome (in the literal sense).
Today we had our first real day in the city. We took the morning train from Georgie's house, which was very similar to commuter trains in Jersey and Penn. Most of the riders were business people in suits and there was standing room only. After coming up from the train we split from Georgie and went to explore the shopping district of Sydney. Right away there were huge similarities with New York-- everyone wearing black suits and coats, crossing streets based on traffic and not signals, and buildings blocking most of the sunlight. However, one difference I noticed right away was the pedestrian pattern on the sidewalks. Forward traffic moves on the left of the sidewalk and the opposite traffic moves past you on the right, whereas at home you walk on the right side. This obviously parallels the difference in driving, but it is not something you notice until it has changed.
Keeping with the true tourist spirit, Lola and I hit the pavement shopping. We scoured one of the main malls (which is really just a street with a lot of shops) and didn't stop until we met Georgie for lunch around 1pm. She took us to this fabulous place called Pancakes on the Rocks that serves pancakes for all times of the day: breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert. We split pancakes au gratin (potato and onion cakes with hollandaise sauce) and devil's delight (chocolate pancakes with strawberries and vanilla ice cream). Yum.
After lunch it started raining and the coats we bought earlier in the day saved us. We wandered through shopping centers to keep out of the rain and window shopped for a while. When exiting a store we actually saw someone important enough (of at least self-important enough) to have an assistant trailing them with an umbrella while the assistant was left running behind her getting wet. The "posh" parts of the city are very clear when you suddenly come across Ralph Lauren, Lacoste, Burberry, Cartier, and Louis Vutton all in a row. Wet and weary we caught the evening train back, but again at peak hours. The sea of black suits and trench coats moves so fluidly in one direction that it wouldn't be possible to go the other way.
Somehow I've managed to write as much about one day of shopping than I did about a week in Fiji, so kudos if you've made it this far. I'm cutting myself off now and going to sleep (11pm Monday night) as many of you are just waking up (6 or 9 am Monday morning)... strange.
Today we had our first real day in the city. We took the morning train from Georgie's house, which was very similar to commuter trains in Jersey and Penn. Most of the riders were business people in suits and there was standing room only. After coming up from the train we split from Georgie and went to explore the shopping district of Sydney. Right away there were huge similarities with New York-- everyone wearing black suits and coats, crossing streets based on traffic and not signals, and buildings blocking most of the sunlight. However, one difference I noticed right away was the pedestrian pattern on the sidewalks. Forward traffic moves on the left of the sidewalk and the opposite traffic moves past you on the right, whereas at home you walk on the right side. This obviously parallels the difference in driving, but it is not something you notice until it has changed.
Keeping with the true tourist spirit, Lola and I hit the pavement shopping. We scoured one of the main malls (which is really just a street with a lot of shops) and didn't stop until we met Georgie for lunch around 1pm. She took us to this fabulous place called Pancakes on the Rocks that serves pancakes for all times of the day: breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert. We split pancakes au gratin (potato and onion cakes with hollandaise sauce) and devil's delight (chocolate pancakes with strawberries and vanilla ice cream). Yum.
After lunch it started raining and the coats we bought earlier in the day saved us. We wandered through shopping centers to keep out of the rain and window shopped for a while. When exiting a store we actually saw someone important enough (of at least self-important enough) to have an assistant trailing them with an umbrella while the assistant was left running behind her getting wet. The "posh" parts of the city are very clear when you suddenly come across Ralph Lauren, Lacoste, Burberry, Cartier, and Louis Vutton all in a row. Wet and weary we caught the evening train back, but again at peak hours. The sea of black suits and trench coats moves so fluidly in one direction that it wouldn't be possible to go the other way.
Somehow I've managed to write as much about one day of shopping than I did about a week in Fiji, so kudos if you've made it this far. I'm cutting myself off now and going to sleep (11pm Monday night) as many of you are just waking up (6 or 9 am Monday morning)... strange.
Sunday, July 27, 2008
First Update
The only way to really experience an 11 hour flight on a Boeing 747 is to sit in the middle two seats of the center four. After watching a movie and sleeping for 6 or so hours and losing Sunday somewhere over the Pacific, Lola and I arrived in Fiji. The airport was definitely different-- elevators called lifts, restrooms labeled toilets, and couches outside the terminal. But seeing someone wearing a Twins jersey and hearing New Kids on the Block playing in the background beckoned the American spirit and made me realized how much I was going to miss some things about home.
My first cultural experience came when trying to set my clock. Three different sources showed three different times. This was my introduction to "Fiji time" which essentially means no time at all. And that is exactly how the rest of the week felt. Except for catching the ferry to our destination island, there was no need to worry about time. Meals at our resort were signaled by a drum and the sun gave us an idea of the general time. We spent our days snorkeling and laying out, but also went on a cave expedition and visited a local village. One of the most interesting parts of staying in the dorms at the resort was meeting all the other travelers. There were very few Americans and almost everyone had been traveling for at least 6 months and Fiji was just a stop on their adventure.
Our flight to Australia caused one of the most stressful travel experiences of my life. We got to the counter to check in and the attendant informed us that she couldn't give us boarding passes because we hadn't applied for visas. We didn't even know we needed visas! So we rushed to an Internet cafe in the airport, filled out the forms online and made through immigration and security just in time to board the flight. Whew.
It is now our second day in Australia and there has been a total of 30 min where I haven't been absolutely freezing. We are staying with our friend Georgie in her suburb outside of Sydney and it actually snowed today. Snowed. We were in the city where it was thankfully just raining (with some lightening and thunder on the side). Tomorrow we are heading back into the city while Georgie is in class and the first thing on my agenda is to buy some warm shoes and maybe gloves.
I will get some pictures from Fiji up soon. Unfortunately, my underwater camera ironically got ruined by water but thankfully my memory card is intact and the pictures survived.
My first cultural experience came when trying to set my clock. Three different sources showed three different times. This was my introduction to "Fiji time" which essentially means no time at all. And that is exactly how the rest of the week felt. Except for catching the ferry to our destination island, there was no need to worry about time. Meals at our resort were signaled by a drum and the sun gave us an idea of the general time. We spent our days snorkeling and laying out, but also went on a cave expedition and visited a local village. One of the most interesting parts of staying in the dorms at the resort was meeting all the other travelers. There were very few Americans and almost everyone had been traveling for at least 6 months and Fiji was just a stop on their adventure.
Our flight to Australia caused one of the most stressful travel experiences of my life. We got to the counter to check in and the attendant informed us that she couldn't give us boarding passes because we hadn't applied for visas. We didn't even know we needed visas! So we rushed to an Internet cafe in the airport, filled out the forms online and made through immigration and security just in time to board the flight. Whew.
It is now our second day in Australia and there has been a total of 30 min where I haven't been absolutely freezing. We are staying with our friend Georgie in her suburb outside of Sydney and it actually snowed today. Snowed. We were in the city where it was thankfully just raining (with some lightening and thunder on the side). Tomorrow we are heading back into the city while Georgie is in class and the first thing on my agenda is to buy some warm shoes and maybe gloves.
I will get some pictures from Fiji up soon. Unfortunately, my underwater camera ironically got ruined by water but thankfully my memory card is intact and the pictures survived.
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Welcome
Thank-you for visiting! Sorry for the brevity of this post but I am leaving today for Fiji and then moving onto Australia. I will write as soon and as often as I can.
The destination:
And my partner in crime:
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