let it snow. let it snow. let it snow.

I arrived home on December 4 and on December 6 I headed to Greensboro to visit my sister. It was freezing cold, but I got to see my sister and her family and I got to roadtrip. I packed up my car with enough outfits to last me a month if needed and hit the road. My mom offered to ride with me instead of my dad, but I explained that I planned on blasting my music and putting the windows down. She hopped right into dad’s car.

That drive was glorious. It was freezing but I had the windows down. I loved the feeling of that cold air rushing across my face. And I missed my Bose sound system in my car. It’s beautifully loud and makes driving so worth it. I got on 70 and just drove. As I passed my old exit in Chapel Hill I was tempted to veer off and drive down Franklin Street, but I knew my sister was waiting for me. I pulled up in front of her house and started running to the door. I was greeted by Logan and Kendall waiting for me. He turns 3 this month and he said “I’m so glad to see you Aunty Kennan!” He is so smart and I can’t believe how much I missed him.So far it’s been lots of family time and lots of reunions. I’ve gotten used to living out of suitcases and not getting much sleep. My sister had surgery right after we arrived so my parents and I stayed around to help her with the kids. That means getting up around 5am and getting overly excited about naptime. I’ve learned a lot having to take care of two little kids. Mostly I’ve learned that I don’t want kids anytime soon. Since then my parents have left and I’m enjoying getting to spend so much time with my sister. It’s been years since we could hang out like this.

My first trip to Target was overwhelming. They had Target in Australia but it was expensive and didn’t have the variety we have here. I was like a kid in a candy store. I spent entirely too much money but all on things I didn’t know I couldn’t live without until I saw them. Shopping at Express was fabulous as well. I got some white tank tops I couldn’t live without and a gorgeous faux leather biker jacket. I’ve always wanted one and this one was a perfect fit.

Last weekend was the much-anticipated reunion with my roomies. We couldn’t all be there, but we got 5 out of 7 together. We had drinks and caught up on each other’s lives. We headed out to 42nd Street Oyster Bar and finished up at Nappertandy’s. It felt like I had never even left. Big news: Since our glorious reunion, two of my roommates have gotten engaged!! I guess wedding season is upon us.

On Friday, I saw my first snow of the year. It was beautiful, and it kept coming down. I had planned on attending a tacky Christmas sweater party that night. The snow, however, changed our plans. Instead, in my beautiful outfit I headed to Chumley’s with some friends. We couldn’t drive all the way to the party, but we still had some fun in the snow and some drinks. Saturday I got up early and played in the snow with my family. We threw snowballs, built a snowman and attempted snow angels. Luckily Target is close by and I was able to pick up some boots. My sneakers weren’t cut out for 6.5 inches of snow.
Saturday night was yet another tacky Christmas sweater party, but this one wasn’t snowed out. The outfits were glorious and with our game of dirty Santa gift exchange, I ended up with my very own leopard print Snuggie. I’m currently snuggled up in it and I have no idea how I ever lived without one.

The job hunt is going well. I still haven’t actually heard back from any jobs, but I’ve met with a recruiter here and have applied for some really great jobs. I’m still not sure where I’m going to end up but hopefully I’ll have a better idea sometime soon.

let the reunions begin . . .

The flight from Fiji was a breeze. The Fijian man next to me kept trying to talk to me, but once I focused on my movie he finally stopped. The only downside was that the movies were just playing continuously so you couldn’t pause or start a movie; you just had to jump in. After watching Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (which was hilarious) I popped a prescription sleeping pill and slept for a good 5 hours. By the time I woke up, we were practically to California.

Once we landed I turned on my cell phone, which I haven’t done in 5 months. Thanks to all my loving friends I had ONE voicemail. Yes, one. In their defense I did say in my voicemail message that I was out of the country. I got to call my sister right when we touched down and it was so fun to finally be able to call people on my cell phone and hear their voices! Customs in LA was a joke and they didn’t even look at our bags. We got to our hotel easily (and for free!) and relaxed for a few hours in the hotel. Unlike our Fijian hotel, these beds were heavenly. After a shower I passed out for two hours and recharged my batteries.

We have family here in California through my sister’s husband. We don’t get to see each other often because we live on opposite coasts so they drove up from Newport Beach to take us to dinner. They decided to take us to Beverly Hills, woot woot! We went to a restaurant called The Ivy, which is very famous and adorable. We had so much to catch up on and were at the table for about 1.5 hours laughing and telling stories. On the way back to our hotel, they drove us through Beverly Hills, down Rodeo Drive and by all the fancy shops. It was fabulous reunion and something we wish could happen more often. In January they move into their new house so we’ll plan a trip to visit again soon.

Back at the hotel mom and I rented Paranormal Activity. It was the stupidest movie ever and really not even scary. Dad was mad that we wasted $13. Although the beds were comfy, I had a restless night stressing about everything I have to get done when I get home. Between finding a job, reunions, holiday parties, storage units, doctors appointments and finding a place to live, I’m gonna have a busy December. Mom and dad had no problem sleeping and dad even slept in until 7am. We organized our luggage, weighed it for the last time, had a quick breakfast and then we were off for the airport again.

Here is my vent about American airports. As Americans, our airlines are screwing us. On Australian and New Zealand airlines such as Qantas and Air New Zealand, you are not charged for bags. On the flight, you are offered fabulous food and a drink of your choice (including alcohol aka wine, champagne, liquor, beer) FOR FREE. Then, they come through again on the flight and offer you ANOTHER free drink. The seats are more spacious and the atmosphere is much more friendly. Now, to America. Our original flight from Nadi, Fiji to LA was canceled so we had to spend another night in Fiji, courtesy of our airline there. Because of that, we had to push our flight from LA another day which was a $150 charge per ticket which supposedly US Air is going to comp. Today is the last leg of our international flights, on which you are allowed two 50 pound bags each. Because we stayed the night in LA, they now consider our flight home as domestic and charged each of us $15 for the first bag and $25 for the second. BUT WAIT. My reservation was done a few days later than my parents, in which time they changed their fees so for me it was $20 for the first bag and $30 for my second. Grand total $130 for luggage. After weighing each of our bags, we then had to carry them to another area to load them on the extra machine. That lady was a peach, but with her job I can’t really blame her. We had no glitches in security, but considering you strip down and can’t even take a bottle of toothpaste, we were ready for American security. With mom’s knee replacement, she’s getting used to getting frisked at airports every time she sets the machine off.

When I got off the airplane in Charlotte, a huge smile crossed my face. Just to my left was one of the places I’ve missed most: Bojangles. I went straight for a chicken supreme dinner with sweet tea and it was everything I’d imagined it’d be. We had a short layover in Charlotte and then boarded the plane to New Bern, NC. It was a small plane and extremely loud, but it got us there in one piece, which is all that mattered. New Bern airport is adorable. There were rocking chairs to sit in and a huge wooden statue of a bear. There was only one belt for luggage. Mom and I got the bags while dad went to pull the car around. When he paid the parking bill ($138 for 3 weeks) the lady gasped because she’d never seen a parking bill that high.

Unfortunately for us, my mom had left some milk in a cup in the car . . . for three weeks. So as we loaded into the car, I had to hang my head out the window because it smelled so rancid. Driving with the windows down eventually helped and we sang Christmas carols all the way home.

Seven loads of laundry later, I finally have all clean clothes. Tiger was ridiculously excited to see me and hasn’t left my side yet. Lucky and Bear keep following me too. I missed having animals!! Jet lag hasn’t been so bad and we were even up a little late last night having drinks and dinner with my parent’s friends. I’ve repacked and I’m ready for all my travels upcoming. Between visiting friends, job hunting and dealing with everything I left behind 5 months ago, its going to be a long month.

I’m off to Greensboro today to see my lovely sister and her family. Then it’s reunion time with my loves!!!

Homeward bound

Checking out at Vomo was sad. We’d gotten to know a lot of the people and a lot of the guests. We had lunch on the beach and saw some sharks right on the edge of the water sunning themselves. After lunch we had to finish packing and check out. Our boat ride to the main island was an adventure in itself. Our driver gunned it the whole way and with the choppy water it was kinda painful. I laughed most of it off, but mom and dad were not pleased. He even hit a wave so hard that the water poured over the bow and we all got wet. I couldn’t stop laughing. Papa dukes asked the driver to slow down but he always sped right back up. By the time we got to the marina (45 minutes later) dad was fuming. Right when we got to the dock, the manager of the marina was there to ask for our drivers name because the police were waiting for him in the office. Evidently he also sped through the marina and was being issued a ticket. Karma much? Finally we arrived at the Sofitel Hotel in Denaru, Fiji.

The entire trip we’ve stayed at 4 and 5 star hotels and they have all been fabulous. Our favorite has been the Sofitel in Brisbane. It had lush beds and everything you would need at a hotel and more. We assumed this Sofitel would be the same, but we were wrong. It is a 5 star hotel, but by Fijian standards. Our beds were practically roll-aways and one of the most uncomfortable beds I’ve ever slept on. We had a delicious dinner on the waterfront and watched a movie in the room before trying to get some sleep on those beds. Dad couldn’t take it and dreamed about airplane seats because they’d be more comfortable than these beds.

Somehow, mom and I must have been tired because we slept until 9:30am when dad finally woke us up. We had to check out of our hotel by noon, but we weren’t getting picked up for our flight until 7pm. That’s a lot of hours to kill. We checked out, had breakfast and then headed to Nadi Town for some shopping. Nadi Town is like a little India (according to my mom who has actually spent some time in India). The people at the shops are in your face trying to sell you things, not to mention all of the people in the streets as well. It is also quite dirty. But, we made the best of it and did some shopping for Christmas. One shop we went into took us towards the back for a traditional welcome. I knew what was going to happen, but I figured the parent’s reaction would be worth it. He had us sit down and told us we were going to have traditional Kava. He showed us the powdered Kava, which he poured into a sack. He then poured water into a big bowl. He placed the sack in the bowl and then mashed it with his hands, which turned the water a milky brown. Mom’s face was priceless. It is rude to refuse Kava, but my parents would have none of it. I, of course, decided to give it a go. I had to clap, say “Bula,” drink the whole cup and then clap three times. It was revolting stuff and my tongue went numb instantly. I like being open to new things, but maybe I shouldn’t be open to ALL new things. Dad’s response was that I better not complain about wherever we had lunch because I just drank a finger bowl. What was I thinking?

A few more shops and then we headed to Curry House for lunch. The owner was very nice and showed us the fresh catches of the day. We ordered two large lobsters with fixins and big ice teas. The lobsters were delicious and the tea was such a relief from the heat. The owner also brought us some homemade curry to try. He said it wasn’t hot. He lied. My mouth was on fire and I had to finish my tea and some of my mom’s. We were polite though and spread it around so it looked like we ate some. After finishing up shopping we headed back to the hotel. Mom and I changed into our swimsuits and sat by the pool. We saw the ground oven where they cook the meat for dinner on hot stones under the earth. They wrap the food in tinfoil so it doesn’t get dirt on it, but back in the day they just used palm leaves to wrap the food.

We watched the Fijian dancers, swam in the pool and had some ice cream before it was time to get ready to head to the airport. We loaded up our 6 ginormous bags for almost the last time, checked in and went through security. They confiscated my Sean John perfume because it wasn’t in a plastic bag, but the security guy gave me a squirt so I’d smell pretty on the plane. We just had a fabulous cheese pizza and are now waiting to board. Around 1pm on December 3rd we will land in LA. That night we’re having dinner with the Tomalas’ and then the next morning we will finally be home. Soooo much traveling but it’s been worth it.

All good things must come to an end . . .

Day 5

Dad woke me about 6:10am and asked if I wanted to come along kayak fishing. I said “Of course” and made him wake mom to come too. We got to the activities shed right before 7am and no one was there. The equipment shed was open though so we could get to the things we needed. We pulled out three glass bottom kayaks, three paddles and then loaded up our kayaks. Then our little pod headed out to sea. We didn’t have high expectations for the kayaks, but they were amazing. The reef comes so close to the surface and you could see perfectly through the glass bottom. Mom and I rode around hunched over checking out the coral and fish life. Dad fished off in the distance but wasn’t having any luck. I had the spinning rod on my kayak and threw it some, but the fish just weren’t biting. I did drop my lil line in right by the kayak and attracted groups of fish each time. They were just curious about my shiny green fly. Mom and I also saw tons of baby Sea Kraits (sea snakes) on the coral. Most of them were just a few inches long, but with that many babies, I am sure they will see a lot more snakes on the island in the future. After about an hour and a half I had my fill and headed back to shore. We cleaned up our equipment and headed to breakfast. Dad was slightly frustrated about the fishing, but once we got some food in him he got a little happier.

He, of course, had to give the fish another go so mom and I lounged on the beach. Eventually it got pretty toasty so I decided to do a little snorkeling. Mom came along and we had fun pointing out fun creatures to each other. I showed her it was safe to pick up a starfish and she picked up four different ones until I told her to stop tormenting them all. Daddy was catching some small fish so we got a picture of one of his catches. After getting wrinkly and soggy we headed back to shore and went to lie by the pool. It was another scorcher of a day so we didn’t last outside of the water very long. Eventually all three of us were propped by the edge of the pool reading our books. At one point, dad fell asleep and face planted into the side of the pool. That woke him right up, haha. We decided it was time for a boost with lunch and some fun drinks.

After some more time by the pool, I wanted to go snorkeling again. This may be my last time on the reef for a long time so I really want to remember it well. Dad fished and kept a watchful eye and I ended up swimming out pretty deep. The reef was just too pretty to stay in close to shore. I saw a much wider variety of fish and even happened upon an eel. After that, I desperately wanted the underwater camera so I swam back to shore. Dad didn’t have the camera so I had to go all the way back to the pool. He had lost his belt and wanted to check by the pool for it so he walked on the shore while I swam right in the surf. Right before I was getting out to walk up to the pool, a little black tip reef shark swam in front of me. I followed him but he was skittish and I was so mad I didn’t have the camera yet. I ran up to the pool, found dad’s belt, grabbed the camera and jumped back in the water like a fish that was meant to be there.

I wanted to find the eel again to get a picture so I tried to retrace my path. I got close, but couldn’t find the exact spot I’d seen the eel. I gave up and decided to just enjoy the reef and take some cool videos and pictures. Just then I swam right over an eel, entirely too close for comfort. I slowly backed up, and then thrust my camera down to grab a quick picture. I also tried to get videos that would show you what it was like to swim on the reef if you never have. If I was still enough, the fish weren’t even bothered by my presence and would school around me. I would ebb and flow with the tide along with them and just became part of the scenery. There are little black fish that get pretty territorial over their holes. One was playing with me so I took a video of him challenging me and laughed to myself. I was out on the reef for a good two hours today. It’s so easy to lose track of time and get caught up in all the different colors and fish to look at. I looked in crevices and around corners and really wish I could have gone diving at least once. There were two Asian couples swimming the reef as well. I had on just my snorkel, mask and a bikini. They had on full upper body suits, life vests, snorkels, masks and flippers. I took a picture cause it made me laugh. Finally I figured I’d gotten a fabulous workout from all that swimming and swam back in towards shore.

Again, dad walked along the shore and I swam in the shallows. I was hoping to see the sharks again but I figured it was unlikely. Then dad called out that there was one straight ahead. He was swimming towards me and I stayed still with my camera out and ready. This little guy was quite curious and got a little too close. When he was about a foot from me I splashed to scare him off. I then jumped right onto the beach and told my dad that was a great way to end my snorkeling adventures.

Tonight we had drinks by the pool and met two families. We met a couple from New Zealand and a family from Brisbane. The family from Brisbane knew the street I lived on. What a small world! Dinner tonight was authentic Fijian and the tables were set by the pool. We got to pick from Fijian dishes, which were all delicious. The bats flew overhead and the guitar playing was fabulous. We ended the night with Kava infused coffee and hot chocolate and a rendition of “Sweet Caroline.” Tomorrow we leave the island and head to the mainland for another day before heading back home.

What an adventure it has been . . .

Day 6

I had big ambitions for this morning. I set my alarm for 4:25am so I could get up and hike the mountain so I could watch the sunrise from the top. Unfortunately, it’s a little hard to see when it’s still dark outside, not to mention the large screeching bats all around. I lost my courage and decided to just sit on the beach for a while and look at the full moon over the water. It was gorgeous. It was completely quiet except for the crashing of the small waves and the sky was clear. As I was looking at Orion’s Belt, I turned and saw a shooting star. I sat on the beach for about 30 minutes watching the moon change from white, to off white, to deep yellow. At first it looked like the “man in the moon” was upside down from this angle. But the more I stared at it, the more right it seemed so I couldn’t be sure. About 5:30am I finally headed back to the house after seeing yet another shooting star.

I got back up at 7:30am determined to climb the mountain. I had some issues finding the trail, but one of the cooks showed me the way. It wasn’t a bad hike. I pretty much climbed straight uphill but it only took about 15-20 minutes. The views from the top were amazing. I could see the entire island from the mountain, the beaches around the edges and the through the clear blue water to the reefs below. I spent about 30 minutes at the top admiring the view and taking great pictures. It was also quiet and I got a chance to clear my head and just look at all the beautiful things around me. Another guy had run up the mountain when I was walking down so we said hello. I then made my way back down the mountain. Most of you are probably aware of my issues with direction, but on the way back I tried to take the route that leads somewhere from our cabins. I thought I’d found it, but I ended up deep in the brush with sharp painful grass cutting my legs. Not an ideal situation. So I retreated and went back the way I’d originally come. Only I could get lost on a teeny island. I made it back to the room about 9am and got my mom up for some breakfast. We met up with papa dukes, ate and then lounged by the pool. We check out at 4pm today and then we’re headed to the mainland. We get a full day in Nadi tomorrow and then our flight home leaves tomorrow night!

Back to reality . . . see you stateside!

Fiji = Fabulous

Day 3

5am is early, but I was ready to go as soon as daddy woke me up. We headed down to the activity shed and found out we were actually late because it was daylight savings. Oops. We followed our guide Wise to the other side of the island to get out of the wind and boated out to try to catch some fish.

Man did we try. The funniest part of my dad’s fishing extravaganza is that he’s flown over 17,000 miles to catch False Albacore, which is exactly what he catches in our backyard. My fly-fishing skills need a tune up but after a few casts I started getting my groove back. I then tried for a while with our spinning rod but we were having some issues with the line. We trolled, we cast directly in the feeding pod of Albies and dad cast his flies right into the mix. No bites. Eventually we did catch something though. See below.Yes, we caught a helpless little bird. Luckily my dad has a little experience with animals and got the bird loose quickly with no harm done. After a few more attempts we decided to head back to shore. Although we were unlucky fishing, the sunrise was breathtaking and it was fun to spend some time with my dad doing what he loves. I’ve been gone so long and missed out on a lot of fishing trips.

We met mom for breakfast and then dad headed out fishing again. Mom and I went snorkeling on the reef for a good hour and could see dad on the shore fishing. The reef was amazing again and I even saw a baby stingray. Our guide picked up a sea cucumber and let us touch it. It felt like a huge squishy slug with little suction cups. I of course got my mom’s attention and put the cucumber in an inappropriate position and freaked her out. Totally worth it. Telling my dad the story later, he was mad we didn’t get a picture. After lunch, mom and I sat by the pool and had a cocktail while dad went fishing. My new friend that works here came by me and said he wants my email before I leave. I guess that’s international talk for “can I get your number.” Why not? Then we went to the spa for our full body massages. Although it does feel good, I’m slightly ticklish and had a few issues with the massage. When she got to a ticklish spot I tried to focus and the first thing that came to mind was Telletubbies. I think the reason for that is because the hills in New Zealand reminded me of them. Anyway, I tried to name them all and remember their colors and shapes so I wouldn’t bust out laughing in my massage. It lasted a full hour and I was spent afterward. We came back to the room and after a quick shower I passed out for a few hours.

Dad returned from his fishing excursion where he had gone out in a kayak to have a go at the fish on the reef. While he was about 1,000 yards out, the wind picked up. It took him about an hour to get back to the shore. Needless to say, he is definitely getting a workout here. We had drinks by the pool and then a delicious dinner. Each meal we have gets more delicious. We’re in bed early again tonight, but considering I was up at 5am, I’m not too upset about it.

Day 4

Dad was out fishing early again and mom I slept in until about 8am. While we were getting ready, dad got back from his morning trip. He had ice on his leg where he had fallen on the rocks. He was all smiles but decided to take a break from fishing for the afternoon and try out the tourist lifestyle. We had breakfast and then lounged on the beach. At 10:30am they were doing the daily fish feeding where they throw bread in the water and it attracts big schools of fish. We all wandered down and fed some of the fish. Dad said next time he fishes, he’s bringing some bread. It got pretty hot on the beach so I went snorkeling right off the edge of the beach. The reef comes really close to the shore and I got to see it as close as I would if I was scuba diving because its so shallow. Looks like scuba diving isn’t going to happen for me here. They scuba dive every Thursday and wouldn’t it be our luck that we’re here Friday – Wednesday. Snorkeling is still fun though. I was followed by a big school of Piper fish, saw some sea urchins and lots of little fish. Mom and dad gave it a go after me and then we headed up to the pool to cool off.

We had some cold drinks by the pool and got in the water, which was a relief from the heat. I think today was the hottest day we’ve had yet. Around 1pm, dad and I headed back to the room to get his fishing stuff and my snorkel gear. Then we all headed to the activity shed to get ready for our romantic afternoon. We had a prepacked seafood lunch and drinks and were boated over to the small island next to our beautiful island. The first 30 minutes I stood by the shore and watched 4 black tip reef sharks swimming side to side. They were small, the biggest only a few feet, but my first sharks in Fiji! I took tons of pictures. Dad was fighting the wind trying to fish so mom and I ventured around the backside of the island to take some fun pictures.I was a true photographer on our little island. I saw some great shots that were slightly out of reach, but I decided to go for it. Holding my camera far over my head, I traipsed through waste deep waves over to another rock with my mom yelling the whole time that I was going to drown my camera. I did get some fabulous shots and even saw another sea snake. He had been dead a little while but I took some pictures anyway so you could see what they look like. A few pictures later I headed back to where my mom was anxiously waiting. We walked back towards where my dad was to see if he’d caught any fish yet. Of course he hadn’t and was starting to get frustrated with the fishing prospects on the little island. After some more shark shots and feeding bread to fishies, we relaxed by our table on the beach. It was a perfect opportunity for some family time. Just as we were sitting there talking, my mom screamed “OH MOTHER F*****!” and jumped into her chair. She was looking behind me and with that reaction I had pictured Jaws coming of the water ready to eat me. As I turned my head to the right, I burst out laughing. My dad and I were almost to the point of tears we were laughing so hard. An itty bitty baby sea snake was a few inches from where my feet had been. Being that that is my third deadly snake encounter, I’m starting to think they are more common than they let on. We got away from the snake and I am still living thanks to my mom’s quick reaction. Having done a little research, I’ve learned that these snakes are called Sea Kraits and while their venom is ten times as strong as a rattlesnakes and it only takes a dose of about 1.5 milligrams to be fatal, their mouths are quite small and their fangs are short so getting bitten is unlikely. After that event, my mom was ready to leave to island so we called for our pickup.
Although I’ve had my run-ins with deadly snakes, the real thing you have to be cautious of on the island is falling coconuts. Seriously. If one hits you in the head from one of those tall trees, it is very likely to be deadly. Walking with my parents the other day I had quite a close call. I was in the lead and heard a rustle in the leaves above me and stopped. About two feet in front of me, a coconut fell. Good thing I stopped I guess.

Tonight we had drinks by the pool and then delicious mud crab for dinner. It was a messy dish, but I do love some crab. We’re dead tired after a full day and looking forward to our last full day on the island tomorrow.

I got laid in Fiji

Day 1

We stepped off the plane, went through customs and were welcomed with beautiful music and got laid with shell necklaces. Yes, even mom and dad got laid. We loaded up in the taxi and headed for Denaru Port. We passed some of the small neighborhoods and then passed a fancy golf course with massive houses only the elite can afford. At the port we boarded our small boat with the 225 Yamaha and headed towards Vomo Island, or as I’ve come to know it, paradise.

The water was the most crystal deep blue you can imagine. My first thought was the blue you sometimes see in toilet water, but even that doesn’t do it justice. We boated about 20 miles out to our island. As we got close our driver had to slow down because you could already see how close and brilliant the reef looked. Can’t wait to snorkel and dive here! We rounded the corner and then transferred to a smaller boat to boat to the edge of the island. We were met with more shell necklaces and a lady saying “Bula!” which means welcome in Fijian. At reception they sang us a song as we walked up and then gave us fresh coconuts. Next, we headed to our room. It is up a slight hill, but the exercise will be good for the parents. It’s gorgeous. I have a real bed and my parents have a big king size bed. In the room they had chilled wine and a CD player with a CD ready to play. Also, there is NO TV. To be honest, there is no reason to watch TV in a place as beautiful as this. We also had sarongs on our beds to wear and keep. I was so excited I immediately changed into my sarong, put a flower in my hair and poured a glass of wine. I think this lifestyle fits me well.

After dad got his fishing stuff together and mom and I had freshened up, we walked to the reception for the sunset cocktail. They drove us to the edge of the island where they have a big porch with luscious couches to sit and watch the sunset right over the water. While sipping our Pina Coladas, mom gasped as a huge bat flew over us. She has had a fascination with these big fruit bats they have over here and was so excited to be able to get pictures. A margarita later we started walking over to dinner. We had a delicious 3-course meal (the food is all-inclusive here) and were again serenaded with Fijian music.

Dad’s up early tomorrow to fish and I’m up early to go for a run. Then it’s sunning, snorkeling and swimming!!

Day 2

Dad was out the door about 5am to head out on his first fishing trip. I can’t even describe how excited he was to finally be able to go fishing. I was up about 8am, threw on some tennis shoes and headed out for a run. I tried to stay on the pathway that leads all the way from our end of the island to the next, but I veered off onto a path that led to the beach. I figured I should try to run on the beach cause that’s a much prettier view and I was already there. The sand is quite soft and my feet sunk in when I ran, making it much harder. I liked the intensity though so I ran right by the water. I dipped my feet in and it felt fabulous. Up ahead I saw something sparkly coming out of the water. Oh yes, my first water snake. Yet again, a unique photo experience and I was without my camera. He was about 5 feet long and the end of his tale flattened sideways so that he almost had the tail of an eel. His white and black stripes glistened in the heat of the sun. He was absolutely beautiful and the rebellious kid in me wanted to touch him. However, I refrained and kept running until I reached the rocks at the end of the island. I took in the view and then headed back down the beach. This time, I grabbed a large stick on my way back. When I got to the snake, I decided to test to see if he was a biter. I didn’t poke him; I just put the stick by his mouth to see if he would attack. He wasn’t aggressive at all and just shied away from the stick trying to get back to the water. I found out later that this particular snake is second only to the cobra in deadly venom. Oops.

On my way back I ran into one of the guys that works at the resort. He chatted me up about my run and where I was from. I told him about the snake and said it was such a cool thing to see. (I think he was the one who later went and killed it cause my dad saw it a little later and it was dead, sad) He then mentioned that if I hadn’t tried Kava yet, I hadn’t really been to Fiji. Kava is a root which is said to have similar effects to those of marijuana. When in Rome . . .

About 11am we met at the activities hut to gear up for snorkeling. I saw two big white tubs and went over to see what was in there. Much to my amazement the tubs were filled with BABY SEA TURTLES!!!!! I was overjoyed. Baby turtles are the most adorable little creatures ever. They have a Hawksbill sea turtle program on the island and help the babies grow for two years before releasing them so that they have a better chance at survival. They also have 3 bigger turtles in a tank behind the hut. Sorry Kendall, I’m sure that makes you a little jealous. I took pictures though!

We trekked over to the other side of the island to get out of the wind and boated to a fabulous spot on the reef. The snorkeling here was even better than Cairns. Dad had some mask issues because he has a massive face, but we made do. The coral was vibrant and there were so many different kinds of fish. Earlier while fishing, dad had seen two black tip reef sharks so I was hoping we’d see one diving. We didn’t. Evidently only deadly snakes are drawn to me. I had dad’s underwater camera so I took lots of pictures of the reef and fish. I saw a whole family of Nemos and some fish I’d never seen before. Right before loading back onto the boat, mom found some beautiful purple starfish. We hadn’t seen any of those yet! We boated back to the beach and had lunch by the pool. We took a snoozer in the lounges by the pool and then dad went off to fish some more. The biggest advantage of dad’s fishing enthusiasm is that he’s getting great workouts walking up and down the island. Mom and I lounged by the pool and ordered some fancy drinks.

After a few more hours in the sun, we headed back to the room to clean up and relax. Mom took a quick shower and I decided to take a soothing bath. I filled up the tub with minty suds and water and cracked open the window so I could have a secluded view of the sea while I relaxed in the Jacuzzi tub. How romantic.

Once our family was ready, we headed down to dinner. We shared a seafood special and it was phenomenal. We had shrimp, oysters, mussels, lobster, fish, potatoes, etc. Mom was a few glasses of wine in and swayed to the music while dad and I giggled. I think our waiter also hit on me. Just another day in paradise. Up at 5am to fish with pops in the morning, woot woot!

PS – our waiter’s name is Apenisa. Every time I literally think “A-penis-a.” I will never be able to say his name right . . .

glowworms and volcanoes

We woke up Tuesday morning at about 5:35am. I had set my alarm clock for my dad and when it went off, neither of my parents moved. I, of course, jumped out of bed and ran to turn it off. After a quick panic because they didn’t move, dad rumbled awake. I tried to go back to sleep, but it just wasn’t going to happen so I got online to check emails and see if anyone was online. The night before I had explained to my parents how the shower worked. It has a removable shower head that turns on, but you can pull a button and a big shower from the ceiling turns on. I heard dad in the shower and he pulled the button and screamed. Evidently, the water doesn’t come out warm right away. I got to catch up with Laura and send a few emails before it was finally time to get out of bed and get ready.After a few glitches with our planning, we were on our bus at 8am and headed to Waitomo Caves. Waitomo means “water entering a hole in the ground.” The bus ride took about two hours, but our eclectic bus driver gave us commentary along the way. There are about 4.2 million people living in New Zealand, and 1.4 million live in Auckland. We drove through suburbs with funny names like Futa Futa. Mostly we saw Telletubby hills and lots of cows. But the countryside of New Zealand is so green and so beautiful. We finally arrived in Waitomo about 11am.

Although photos were forbidden in the caves . . . I broke the rules. Because they were covert, my pictures aren’t that good but I also bought some postcards so you can have an idea what the caves looked like. It was your typical Limestone cave with Stalactites and Stalagmites all over. Our guide had a completely monotone voice and didn’t even crack a smile when he made jokes, which actually made him funnier. The caves were discovered in 1887 by Chief Tane Tinorau whose family still partly owns the caves. As they came in the entrance, they discovered that the cave was full of glowworms. If any of you have seen the Planet Earth series, they do an entire section on glowworms. The female glowworms lay about 120 eggs, which hatch after about 20 days. At this stage, they become larvae, which is the stage in which they glow. They build a nest and then drop down sticky lines from their nest. These lines trap insects, which are then drawn up by the larvae and eaten. They glow to attract the bugs in the same way that bugs are drawn to a light outside on the porch. After about 9 months they create a cocoon for about 13 days to grow into their adult form. The adults look like a large mosquito. Without a mouth, their only function is to reproduce. Dream job right? Only problem is, they only live a few days as an adult. There’s your history lesson; I hope you enjoyed it.

After wandering through the caves, we were taken on a silent boat ride. We were told that sound and light affects the larvae and makes them put out their lights, but we weren’t allowed to test that theory. We boated through the glowworm grotto which was breathtaking. It was millions of little glowing dots above your head, like the most beautiful starry night you’ve ever seen. Some are brighter than others, but those teeny lights draw you in. It was amazing, but too short and soon we were leaving the cave and headed back up to our bus.We had lunch at the Big Apple Café and then took the two hour bus ride home. It was a long way for some little glowworms, but it was definitely worth seeing. The pictures won’t really do justice.

Once we got back, dad and I headed out to make some plans for the rest of our time in Auckland. The only way of really going fishing is to kayak out into the ocean and fish from the kayak. That sounds like fun and an awesome workout all in one. It may or may not work out, but we will see. Either way, we are definitely fishing in Fiji. Our other adventure is a hop on hop off boat ride that travels to a few different islands around the Auckland harbor. Swimming, beaching and tanning sounds like a nice day to me.

That night dad and I went out for dinner at Waterfront Restaurant. I had some amazing Seafood Chowder and dad had a delicious steak. Definitely our best meal in Auckland so far. A little boy was doing laps at the bar and looked just like my nephew from behind. I can’t wait to see Logan when I get home!! We then went to go check out a bar I’ve heard a lot about. It’s called Minus 5. I walked in to the lounge and we found out it was $30 to get in which included one cocktail. Since my dad doesn’t drink, it was pointless for him to go so I decided to go by myself. They made me trade my stilettos for Uggs and gave me a large full coat. Then I had to put on mittens. I handed my dad my purse and my scarf and he went next door to Lenin (a Russian themed bar) to watch me from the windows. Then I walked in the cooler. Everything in this bar is made of ice. The walls, the bar, the couches, the ice sculptures and even your glass. Its sponsored by Smirnoff so all the cocktails are made with Smirnoff vodka. They had a racecar sculpture that had a funnel to drink a shot from and they had another sculpture with an ice luge. I had a fabulous chat with the bartender since we were the only two in the bar. There is another Minus 5 in Vegas but this one is the original one. It stays between 5-7 degrees Celsius. Every 3-5 years they melt it down and rebuild all of the walls, floors and the bar. Every 5 months, new blocks of ice are brought in and new sculptures are carved right in the bar. You are also only allowed to spend 25 minutes in the bar because you get so cold. The bartender also made me lick one of the sculptures, but I tried to pick somewhere no one else would think to lick. I got funny pictures while my dad waved through the window. I was only in there about 15 minutes, but it was a fun experience.
Wednesday I got to sleep in while my parents went out on their own. I got up around 10:30am and headed down to the gym. About 25 minutes into my run my parents came in to let me know they were back. I finished my run and then met them upstairs. My mom was tired and wasn’t up for going to lunch, but I really wanted to go the Sky Tower to get the birds eye view of the city. After a quick rinse off I was ready to go. We motivated mom and headed to the Sky Tower. We had lunch in the Orbit restaurant. After we had talked about how the restaurant revolves, we got to it and mom said “Oh, it moves!” Haha. Dad did fine with the height and we enjoyed a delicious lunch. The views of the city were amazing and we got to see the islands off the coast and even spotted our hotel. We were so stuffed after lunch we had to go back for a nap and we ended up sleeping for two hours. I heard my dad moving so I got up to venture out with him. We got some gifts for the family and found a bookstore because he had finished his book. They had 50% off fiction novels and I’ve started reading books by Paullina Simons. I’m already on my second book of hers and they had a 3-set that I got for just $30. Can’t really afford the extra weight but at least I won’t run out of things to read in Fiji.

That night we tried to go back to Waterfront for dinner so mom could have the seafood chowder. They were having a private function so we wandered down Princes Wharf. We had dinner at a little restaurant on the pier and then went to check out a ship my dad has been eyeing for a few days now. It was the most massive ship I have ever seen. It was called the Artic and had two Donzis with 3 300 horsepower Mercury outboards each, half a dozen jet skis, a 6 passenger Sea-Doo, a helicopter pad, a pool and hot tub, and two other boats to name a few extras. We couldn’t figure out who owns it, but we know he wasn’t a veterinarian. I wanted to flirt with the owner, but its hard to impress a man with a massive yacht when you’re with your parents. After a little research we found out it is owned by James Packer and was the honeymoon vessel for Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes. We had a lovely dessert at the hotel and then settled in for the night.

Today we ventured out on the 360 Discovery Harbour Cruise. It’s a hop on hop off adventure to islands around Auckland. Our first stop was Rangitoto Wharf which is a volcanic island that last erupted 600 years ago. It is the largest and youngest of the Auckland volcanoes (of which they have 42). We walked around the island for a while and then caught some sun. My dad was upset he didn’t have a fishing rod with him, but it was a little windy for fly-fishing. We then hopped back on the boat and went past Motuihe Island, which has beautiful white sand beaches and evidently a bunch of Kiwis were released on the island. It was too windy to stop there but we got a good view. We stopped again at Orakei Wharf to let some passengers off and then headed back to port in downtown Auckland. We disembarked and then came back to the hotel to wish our family a Happy Thanksgiving over skype.
We had lunch by the hotel at Portside. It overlooks the harbor and a gigantic boat my dad and I have been eyeing. I’ve been waiting for the owner to show up so I could swoon him but we have yet to see him. We found out at lunch that he’s the richest man in New Zealand. Man do I know how to pick em!
I’m finishing uploading the last of my pictures and its off to Fiji in the morning. I won’t have internet there but we plan on doing a lot of relaxing and a lot of fishing. Happy Thanksgiving and see you all stateside!

Christ Church to Auckland

Well our journey to Christ Church was . . . interesting. Our first flight was from Cairns back to Brisbane. It was a little sad flying back knowing I couldn’t go see my friends or go home, but we made it. We had some issues with tickets, which set off my dad’s temper and almost drove me to airport drinking. But we made it through and then headed on to Christ Church. Our flight to NZ had individual TVs, which was fabulous and kept the parents entertained. My dad watched Borat for the fifteenth time and since he had on headphones, he actually heard all of the lines. He laughed hysterically and loudly in the airplane. The time difference in NZ is three hours ahead of Australia, so even though it was early evening for us, we landed around midnight NZ time. We made it through customs pretty smoothly and our coach was there to pick us up. He showed up with a regular sized car and played a quick game of Tetris to fit in all of our luggage.

As we drove through Christ Church, our driver told us about the town and showed us some of the parks. At one point, mom asked, “What are those trees that look like Weeping Willows?” The driver responded, “Weeping Willows.’ As we pulled in the driveway of our hotel about 1am Sunday morning, there were three guys in front of the hotel. Two were wearing suits and one was wearing a full tight leather outfit with a leather facemask complete with eyeholes and a zipper mouth. My mom looked over at my dad and said “I’m getting out on your side.” I can’t make this stuff up. Our hotel room was luxurious and I finally have a real bed! The rowdy kids however were out and about so being on the first floor was a little loud.

We woke up bright and early Sunday morning and Graham with Wilderness Escape picked us up. In our van were a father and son who were also touring Christ Church. The son had been in school in Western Australia and his dad came to travel with him on their way home as well. Graham drove us around town and told us about all the buildings and about how Christ Church is pretty much as English as any town other than England. And it is very true. Our first stop was the Antarctic Centre. NZ is a stop over on the way to Antarctica so that’s why the museum was built. The first exhibit was a snow room complete with an igloo, snowmobile, ice slide and real snow! Dad and I put on parkas and went and played in the snow. Then we went to the penguin show to watch them eat breakfast. Although they’re adorable, they smell horrible. The rest of the museum gave a lot of information about the country and they had a video that showed views of Antarctica from helicopters which was gorgeous. While we were waiting for the rest of our group, I ran back to the snow room for the “storm.” In the room, they simulate a windstorm hitting in Antarctica. The winds got up to 26 mph and it was freezing and loud. Two little boys with their dad jumped in the igloo during the storm to get warm. It was fun, but I only lasted a few minutes and had to leave to go warm up. That pretty much cured me from ever wanting to go to Antarctica.

Then we headed to Willowbank, which has lots of animals. The first animals we came upon were “tame” eels. You could buy eel food and feed them with a little spoon. Mom was terrified, but it was pretty funny to see them up that close. They also had a reindeer and mixed with the cold weather, it almost felt like Christmas. The next exhibit had adorable wallabies including babies!! Don’t worry, I got great pictures. We also finally saw the NZ mascot, a Kiwi. They are nocturnal so we could only see them in a night exhibit. They look like a porcupine with a beak and are really not that exciting. After a delicious lunch we went to ride the gondola up the mountain to get a birds eye view of the city. Dad survived the great heights and slept through the 6 minute history ride about Christ Church.

Once we were back in the city, mom headed back to the hotel and dad and I rode the tram. We went to the markets in town and he got me a nice warm and comfy scarf. Sadly, it’s partly made of possum (I’m SORRY Sparky) but it feels luscious. We also saw furry possum nipple warmers. Yes, you read that right. They had double sticky tape on the back and I couldn’t decide where I could wear them so I didn’t buy them. I did, however, get a picture with dad holding them. We then headed back to the hotel for a quick nap before dinner. Our dinner was delicious and we had a nice walk around town afterwards. We did some more shopping at some souvenir shops and headed back to the hotel. While we were walking I was asking my mom if she’d seen anything she liked. She said “I’m allergic to wool but I might like some of those boots(Uggs).” I told her that Uggs were lined with wool. She responded, “No, they’re lined with lamb.”

After another quick trip in an airplane we have arrived in Auckland. As we were getting our luggage with our driver, his friends said “poor bastard” as we walked by. That should give you a pretty accurate idea of how much luggage we have. So far Auckland is beautiful and we’ve walked around the harbor some and done a little shopping. Tonight it’s a nice seafood dinner somewhere and then off to the glow worm caves and an all day adventure tomorrow!

Swimmin in the rainforest

Well fly-fishing didn’t work out in Cairns. Dad went early Thursday morning to look at renting a boat and he said the boats were crappy and he wouldn’t even risk putting us all in one to go fishing. So, instead we had a relaxing day at the lagoon. We suited up and headed out to enjoy the 90-degree weather. The lagoons in these towns are amazing. They are salt water that is pumped in from the ocean and then filtered. They have fountains in them, sandy beaches to lie on and the landscaping around them is beautiful. This particular lagoon is actually right by the waterfront and there is a walkway that runs right down the entire waterfront. It would be perfect for running if it weren’t so ridiculously hot here. So we got some sun, read our books and enjoyed the ocean breeze. We then headed out for some quick lunch.

Australia has done wonders for my skin, hair and nails. My skin is clear and tan for the most part, my hair has grown so much faster and is lovely and sunkissed and having bitten my nails my whole life, I’ve had no stress and they grew out. So I decided that since I have nails I might as well go get a manicure. I then went back and met up with my dad by the pool while my mom went to the spa for a massage. Then it was back to the room to try to upload some pictures with this crappy Internet. I have so many awesome pictures I want to upload, but the Internet here just doesn’t like me. As I was finishing uploading the first set, my mom got back from her massage. Evidently we got two discounts at the spa so she booked me for a facial. Woohoo! I ran off to the gym and had a fabulous workout and then went to the spa for my facial. Although most guys would probably claim that spas are pointless and a waste of money, I think they are amazing. Combine the soothing music, candles and pampering atmosphere and you can’t help but relax. After changing into my robe, I sat in the “sanctuary” and read a book on tips to be happy. Not that I need many of those but I figured it would be a fun read. Then I headed back with Saeco (pronounced psycho, seriously) for my facial. She put a million different creams and lotions on my skin, but each of them felt healing and luxurious. Then I got arm and hand massages. She finished up with a full facial massage. It amazes me how estheticians can move their fingers in a way that feels like they have eight hands rubbing your face. One of her moves felt like an alien creature massaging my cheeks, but it still felt good. The “express” facial was actually 60 minutes so I’m considering that a win. And damnit if I don’t feel beautiful!!

We also had a first for my parents in Australia. We had dinner at a place called Barnacle Bill’s. The name doesn’t sound fancy, but the menu sounded pretty good so we gave it a try. BEST MEAL EVER. Except maybe that expensive seafood buffet lunch dad and I had at the hotel in Brisbane. All three of us loved our meals and my parents didn’t complain about a single thing at dinner. It was a small victory, but an important one as well. We ended the night with our typical Baskin Robbins.

We got up this morning (Friday) at a bright and early 6am. By we I mean my mother and I. Dad, of course, was up at his normal 3:30am and read and “piddled” until it was time to wake us up. We enjoyed our free breakfast and suited up for the rainforest! Our coach picked us up about 7:15am. It was a 21-seater bus and the ride was a little rough. Dad kept saying that if Kendall were with us, she never would have made it. With all the bumping and sharp turns, most of us on the bus felt a little sick by the end. We met a nice couple behind us who was from Western Australia. Our driver was Joe who used to be a pastry chef but got bored of it and has directed tours of the rainforest for almost 10 years now. He is also Italian so he’d tell us about things as we passed and then tell it again in Italian for the 4 Italian passengers on our bus. On the way up to the rainforest we passed Dolly Parton Island (nicknamed so because it looks like two big boobies) and Boyscout Island that looks like a little pointed boyscout hat. We picked up more passengers along the way until the bus was full. Then we traveled up the Great Coastal Road again and looked at all the beautiful beaches.

Our first stop was Mossman Gorge where we did a guided rainforest walk. We saw fig trees, Tarzan vines and the beautiful clear river that flows through. After the guided tour we got about 20 minutes to ourselves. So I went swimming in the rainforest. It was cold but absolutely refreshing. The water is completely clear and has barely any fish because the rainforest offers so little nutrients to the water. I dove off rocks and swam all the way across while my parents took pictures. I made them dip their toes in, but they opted out of jumping in. But really, how many people can say they swam in the rainforest?? I can. :)

Then we loaded back on the bus and headed to our next destination, the Daintree River cruise. On the river they talked about us seeing Estuarine Crocodiles, snakes, beautiful birds and all the trees indigenous to the river. As our guide took us along we searched eagerly for crocodiles. The biggest Croc in that river is about 12 feet long so that’s who we wanted to see. It was high tide, which makes them even harder to find. We saw Mangrove trees and what makes Daintree unique is that they have 33 different types of Mangrove trees. We saw a few birds in the trees but mostly it was a botanical journey through the river. We had a few false alarms with what our guide called “log-odiles.” At the very end, we still hadn’t seen much in the form of creatures so our guide took us to where they had seen a baby crocodile on the cruise before us. We finally found him and I tried to take zoomed in pictures of him. Dad swears it was a rubber one they tied up, but it looked pretty real to me. Then we headed back to the land to board back on our bus. There were six people on our cruise that had driven there so they stayed on the boat to head back to their cars. We found out later that on their way back to their cars they actually saw a big crocodile. It figures . . .

It was finally time for lunch. We were starving and excited about the buffet. It was nothing special, but it filled us up at least. We were at a resort in the middle of nowhere so the only things to do were swim in the pool or go down to the beach. As we were walking to the beach I spotted a huge lizard so the whole family got to see it. We then drove a few miles up the beach to see Cape Tribulation. The bad thing about beaches here in North Queensland is this: this time of year they are filled with jellyfish, some of which are deadly and almost impossible to see. So, you could be sitting on a gorgeous beach with clear blue water, and if there isn’t a stinger net, you can’t swim. Not to mention the crocodiles you have to worry about. Then mix in the 25 species of deadly snakes and you have a potentially fatal vacation. But, there were still some fabulous views, and no one was stung or eaten on our trip.

Our last stop was the Discovery Centre. As we walked in the main entranceway, my parents recognized the lady behind the desk. On our way from Brisbane to Cairns we met a lady named Jayne on our airplane. My dad was using my mom’s Kindle, which is a machine to download electronic books that can hold thousands of different books. The lady was asking about the Kindle and then told us about how she lived out in the bush and we chatted about our upcoming vacation. Jayne was behind the counter at Discovery Centre. When she said she lived out in the bush, she wasn’t kidding. We all laughed and took a picture together. What are the odds that my dad runs into someone he knows in the middle of nowhere? We then got to follow the trails through the rainforest and climbed a 70ft tower to view the canopy. It’s amazing to see a rainforest from the canopy. I really felt like I was on the Planet Earth series. We tried our best to see the Cassowary (deadly bird that is related to an Emu) but there were none to be found. Apart from butterflies and some interesting trees and flowers, we didn’t get to see any more animals.

The bus ride home was pretty brutal and dad finally found a place he couldn’t sleep. We stopped a few times along the Coastal Road for pictures but finally made it home. We packed our bags, had another fabulous dinner out on the town and then dad and I hit up the casino. We had $8 to spend on the slots. At our first machine I said, “I don’t understand how people get addicted to this. It’s not even that fun.” The woman to my left gave me a death glare and acted like I just killed her best friend. I apologize for offending you, lady, but I really don’t understand the addiction to a game of complete chance.

The next few days are gonna be tough, but awesome. We leave tomorrow around noon and arrive in Christ Church, New Zealand about midnight. The next morning we have a tour starting at 8:30am so we’ll be lacking in sleep but I’ve heard the city is gorgeous. More to come after New Zealand (where hopefully I get to skydive) then it’s off to our final destination: Fiji!!

Brisbane to Cairns

(Pictures to come, the internet won't let me upload them)

Oh the joys of travel. We arrived at Brisbane airport Tuesday afternoon with about two hours before our flight. While in the Quantas line my dad told us a story about two guys who went fly-fishing and in customs they had to throw out all of their fishing line because it was a weapon. All of this line they threw out was about $800 worth. Once we finally got to the lady to check in, she told us we actually needed to be in the Jetstar line. Awesome. As a side note, we have a ridiculous amount of luggage we are carrying with us. My dad has a bag, my mom has two and somehow over the past 5 months I’ve accumulated another 50 pounds of luggage so I have 3 bags. Not to mention backpacks. So we lugged all of our things to the Jetstar line and checked in. We then headed up to security and my mom and I got through fine. Dad, of course, did not. The main security lady told him that his reels were considered weapons and he needed to check them. His backpack had already gotten through with all of his lures but he asked her if those were still fine and she said they were. So mom and I headed off to the gate while dad went to go check his reels and rods. He went back through security and was stopped again, this time because there were hooks in his backpack. Not sure how you can attack someone with a small hook, but they wouldn’t let him through none the less. So he had to go BACK down, wait in line again and check his backpack. Luckily, he made it to the gate in time but he was not a happy camper.

The flight was uneventful. I was in between my mom who slept the entire time and my dad who is a giant. A few hours later we were finally in Cairns. The coach that picked us up at the airport was a luxury limousine. SCORE! He was a lil uneasy about how much luggage we had, but he made it fit. We’re staying at the Sebel Hotel and it is top notch. They have a beautiful Christmas tree that goes about two stories high. Our room overlooks the harbor and they have a fabulous pool and gym. After we arrived Tuesday afternoon we headed out to get some lunch. The city is definitely beachy and there are a lot of vacant buildings and graffiti, but for the most part its pretty nice. We’re also very close to Chinatown, which makes finding restaurants a little difficult. Between dad’s sesame seed allergy and mom’s limited meal choices, I’m lucky to find a restaurant they can agree on. We had lunch near the Lagoon and walked around the city before heading back to the hotel. We then went out to the pool for some relaxing in the Jacuzzi and watched the sunset. Then I was off to the gym while they napped. Once we were clean and showered we headed out to find some dinner. We ended up at a Seafood and Steak restaurant and it will be a long time before I’ll be able to eat raw oysters again after that nasty experience. We ended the night with some Baskin Robbins. Oh how I love American ice cream.

Today we were up early for our Great Barrier Reef adventure. We enjoyed our complimentary breakfast at the hotel and then caught the bus to Port Douglas. The bus took us along the Great Coastal Road, which has gorgeous views of the water and has multiple pristine beaches along the way. Port Douglas is a cute, classy town. We got our tickets and boarded the Quicksilver 5 to head out to the pontoon they have anchored out on the reef. It took about 90 minutes to get out to the reef, but we worked on our tans and saw sea turtles and flying fish from the boat. Once there we hopped off to get all of our snorkel gear. It is jellyfish season here but the jellyfish are usually closer to the shores so we didn’t need stinger suits which made the experience much more enjoyable, not to mention better pictures. I hooked my dad’s waterproof camera to my wrist and we dove in. It was a great place to snorkel. Right as we were diving in, they started feeding fish so there were tons of large fish right off the edges of the boat. Most of the coral was close to the surface and there were so many different kinds of fish. I pointed out things to my parents and found some nemos to show my mom. I also took a lot of pictures with the underwater camera, which will make it to facebook soon. We stayed in the water about an hour and then headed back to the boat for lunch.

It was an all you can eat buffet again, so dad and I were happy. They had shrimp, seafood medley, chicken, fruit, rolls, salad and more. Delicious. Once we were fed we decided to go on the Mini Submersible. It’s a boat that dips down like a V at the bottom and has windows all along the sides. You sit on small benches and have phenomenal views from underneath the boat. They took us on a tour around the coral and told us all about the different types of coral and the fish. We saw some cute fox-faced rabbit fish that are yellow with black and white faces. They travel in twos for life. If a predator captures one of the fish, its mate gets frantic and usually travels out into unsafe open water looking for the other one and meets the same fate as its mate. Now that’s love. We also saw coral that was about 1,200 years old. Whoa. At the end of the tour we were headed back to the pontoon when we veered off course to see a SEA TURTLE!! He swam right by our boat and played in the water for some prime picture taking. Loves it!

After all that, dad was tired and stayed on the boat, but mom and I headed out for one more snorkel. We only had about 30 minutes but it was great. The water was also a balmy mid 70s F so it was quite warm. We then loaded back on the boat for the trip back to Port Douglas. The day on the reef was great and I think mom and dad are finally starting to get impressed by Australia. They now understand why I’ve fallen in love with this country.

Tomorrow we might rent a boat and go fly-fishing and Friday we’re planning a day out on the Daintree Rainforest. More fabulous stories to come!

PS- at both hotels, when you shower the mirror doesn't fog up in the part of the mirror over the sink where you would use it. They have a heater behind so it never fogs. Freakin amazing and I must have that at my house in the future.

Meet the parents

Saturday morning I was up early cause I was so excited for the folks to arrive. I picked up some flowers for my momma and then waited at their hotel. As I saw a big van round the corner I could see dad's massive head. They're HERE!!!

Amazingly they were raring to go when they got here. We got them checked into their hotel and then ventured out into the city. We had a lovely seafood lunch on Queen Street and then I took them for a ride on the water taxi. We rode down to Riverside and then I hailed them a taxi home so they could get a little rest before dinner. I went back home and tried to finish packing and organizing all my luggage. Mom was still tired from the flight so she kept resting while dad and I met up for dinner. We walked around Riverside until we found a great steak restaurant. It was voted the best steak restaurant in Brisbane for the past 5 years so it had to be good. It was a fabulous meal and it was so good to finally catch up after not seeing each other for so long. About 9:30pm, dad's eyes were closing while we were talking so I decided I should send him back to the hotel to rest. All the walking around the city tired me out too so I went home and got some much needed rest.

Sunday I met them at the hotel for the free breakfast. I felt like a queen. They had everything you can imagine wanting for breakfast and free champagne. I wasn't quite ready to start drinking at 9am, but so cool that they offered it. We then headed out towards the campus so I could show the parents where I've been going to school the past 5 months. I took them all through the campus and they were blown away by how gorgeous my campus is. I ran down to the computer labs to print some itinerary changes for our trip and then we headed towards Southbank. I showed them our awesome lagoon and then mom and I tried out the ferris wheel. Dad is not such a fan of heights so he stayed by the water. Afterwards we headed to the Museum. It was completely free and absolutely facinating. We got to read a lot about the history of Brisbane and then they had all the Australian animals (stuffed of course). I showed my parents what Sparky (our house possum) looked like and explored the rest of the museum. After that it was time to head back to the hotel. Dad and I decided to have lunch at the hotel because the food was so good. It was a buffet and it was amazing. Oysters, Moreton Bay Bugs (like mini delicious lobsters), crab, sandwiches, meats, AND a chocolate fountain with plenty of fun things to dip in chocolate. We each had about 3 platefuls. Then they brought the check. $158 meaning each of our lunches cost $74!!! Oh snap. Dad and I looked at each other in shock and I asked if I should try to eat another plateful. It was quite an expensive lunch, but it was still delicious. A quick nap later we were ready to head towards my house for my grand going away party.

We had the cabbie drop us at the grocery store and got all the fixings for my big cookout. We each loaded up with a few bags and started the 10 minute walk to my house. About minute 5 they were already complaining and said they now understood why I was in such great shape after living here. We unloaded all the groceries and I showed them my house. Even though it wasn't sparkling clean, they were still impressed by how big it was and all of my roommates. I then grabbed Viktor and Eugen and we headed to the liquor store to get the most important ingredient for my cookout, the beer. Two cases of beer later we were ready to party.We had such a good turnout for my party!! All together we had about 15 people and we all got to catch up and eat some delicious burgers and hotdogs. My parents were a hit and my friends loved getting to meet them. Once it got past their bedtime and they headed home, the real party started. We proceeded to drink both cases of beer and then some. The American girls left after a while, but Hanne, the boys and I kept the party going. I kept telling them I needed to leave soon cause I was getting up early with my parents. When I saw the sun start rising, I knew Monday was gonna be rough. Even Sparky came down to say his goodbye. I offered him some carrots and got closer than I've ever gotten. I want to bring Sparky home with me, but he belongs in his tree. Around 5am, after building beer can towers and writing notes for each other, we decided it was probably time for bed. I didn't make it back to my parents hotel and ended up sleeping on my mattress in my room. About 8am I got a wake up call from Daddio asking where I was and if I wanted to join them on the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary trip. Crap. I grabbed my stuff and rushed out the door. I made it in plenty of time, and after about 2 bottles of water I was feeling much better.The cruise to the Sanctuary was great. They gave us the history of houses along the water and talked about each of the suburbs as we passed. We learned about all the floods Brisbane has had and all the changes that have happened to make it such a thriving city. Then we arrived at the Sanctuary. It was one of the hottest days I've experienced in Brisbane, but we were still so excited. First thing we went to do was cuddle a koala. We decided to take a family photo and mom was gonna hold it. Our first koala wasn't cooperating so they brought us a big boy. Dad and I had joked about how funny it would be if a koala pooped on my mom. Well, just as the man was handing mom the koala, it started pooping. She didn't notice but dad and I laughed hysterically. The woman said "Smile!" and dad said "How can I not, there's a koala pooping on my wife." Funniest moment so far. We then went off to see the kangaroos. The parents weren't as enthralled by my favorite animal, but I was like a kid in a candy store. We went around and pet as many as we could and even saw a joey in its momma's pouch. There were a few baby kangaroos hopping around too which was adorable. They finally dragged me away and we toured the rest of the Sanctuary. A little while later I convinced my dad to go feed the kangaroos with me and I got to go for round two. I'm gonna miss kangaroos the most . . .I slept on the boat ride back and then had to finish up some last minute things to move out of my house. Our house was a disaster zone so I helped the boys clean for a while. We said our goodbyes (again) and I headed back towards my parents hotel. Showers all around and we were ready for dinner. Hanne met us for dinner and we had some lovely seafood at Southbank. We then grabbed some ice cream at Cold Rock (knock off from Cold Stone, ha). Hanne and I shed some tears as we said our final goodbye and promised we'd get to see eachother sometime soon.

Tonight we're all packed and ready to head out in the morning. We're off to Cairns for some diving, fishing and raintree action. So sad to be leaving "home" but I'm excited for whats to come.

Things do not change; we change - Henry David Thoreau

My life has been pretty unpredictable these past few months. And I've loved it. But, all good things must come to an end and life as I know it now is about to change all over again. I am so excited to see all my friends and family that I've missed for so long, but behind that excitement is a fear I've come to know quite well. That fear of change. I'm about to trade in the sunshine, kangaroos and college lifestyle for a cold smack in the face from the real world. Then again, I've made sure that my life doesn't go back to the mundane lifestyle I was living before coming to Australia. How can life be mundane if you move to a city that never sleeps? I guess it could be if I have no job, but I'm working on that. 35 applications later I still haven't lost hope.But before I face the real world, I still have 3 awesome weeks all the way across the world. I'm sad to be leaving Brisbane because this is my home and the friends I've made live all over the world and we'll never be together like this again. However, my parents get here tomorrow and I can't wait to show them a little glimpse of my life for the past 5 months. At first 5 months seemed like such a long time. Now I know I could have easily come for a year (if I got to come home and visit over the holidays, of course). Once the 'rents are here, we spend a few days in Brisbane and I'm gonna show them my school, the city and then take them to pet and feed kangaroos and koalas. We're also having a big cookout with all my friends so they can meet my parents and we can say our farewells. Then we're off to Cairns to snorkel/dive the Great Barrier Reef and see the Daintree Rainforest. After that its off to New Zealand where I may try to talk my parents into letting me skydive, or at least bungee jump. New Zealand is the adventure capital of the world ya know. Finally, we end up on an exotic island in Fiji for 5 glorious days of beach, relaxation and I get to be the ultimate 3rd wheel. Ha, I might sneak off occasionally and let the parents have a little romantic time together. I mean its FIJI . . . I thought only famous people got to go there.I've packed one whole suitcase, but I can't bring myself to get out the other one. Every time I try I get choked up. I think the saddest thing for me is knowing that I can't come back and visit Australia for a long time. The flight isn't exactly cheap and my savings will only last me 2-3 months of joblessness when I get home. Not to mention living costs in NY if I move there. So this is it for a while. I have my pictures and I have my blog and those will have to get me by until I can get back to this beautiful country.

My brother told my mom if he can't get a job he might come to Australia to work for a year. And my friend Jeff said he and a buddy were talking about moving to Australia for two years to work just to do something different. I told him I was gonna come home, find a nice guy to marry and then move back out here with my hubby. Haha, hey it could happen. So either way, I know I'm coming back eventually. It may not be soon, but it will happen. It's completely worth the expensive flight.So this is it. Its time to stop procrastinating and finish packing. Its time to stop being down about leaving, and be grateful that I got 5 whole months here and met amazing people along the way. Its time to get excited that my parents get here in about 24 hours and we get to go on the adventure of a lifetime . . . together.

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Oh the dreaded job hunting. I knew it would be hard with our current economy, but I'd forgotten how completely frustrating it is too. When you've sent out over 20 applications and still have no response, your self esteem takes a few small hits. I started applying about a month ago and it hasn't gotten any easier. Having been away from friends and family for almost half a year now, I really wanted to be close to them when I got home. I've missed so much already, I didn't want to move away again and miss out on so much more. But job hunting in NC isn't as easy as one would think. And while I'd be happy waitressing for a while, I need experience to get any further in my career and waitressing just won't cut it. After about a month I got pretty frustrated with the lack of jobs to apply for in NC.

So, I was talkin to my best friend the other night and how much we miss each other and wish we lived closer. And then it dawned on me. Why not apply for jobs in crazy places like NY that I previously would never have considered living? My life is completely up in the air anyway so why not throw a few more curve balls. So there you have it, I'm applying for jobs in New York City. My mom is probably crying with excitement right about now. She's always wanted me to go to New York so she could visit. I hate the idea of teeny apartments and not much greenery, not to mention the cold, but for a few years it might just be worth the adventure. Oh what I would give to be able to get drinks with Laura after work again or roadtrip home together.

Not to leave out my other loves, it would be a big adjustment leaving NC. Most of my best friends and family still live around NC and it'd be hard not being as close to them. Kat and I had grand plans of moving in together if I could get a job in Greensboro but the economy is against us. Everyone's been excited about reunions when I get home and if I had to leave right away again I'd be heartbroken. But I feel like I'm at that crossroads in my life. I could go back and stay in NC where its safe and warm, or I could venture out into the world and try on a different lifestyle. I'm pretty sure I'll end up in NC eventually. Its a fabulous place to raise a family, just ask my sister and her hubby and their two beautiful kids. But for now, I could use some more adventure in my life. I'm 25 and single and wouldn't mind checkin out what they have cookin up yonder. And they better still open doors and say m'am and sir. Plus, I've also always wanted to see a real Jersey Shorer.

Who knows where I'll end up. All I know is I'm excited and giving it a shot. Oh yea, and any job leads in the graphic design/art director realm would be much appreciated.

Best. Trip. Ever.

I awoke the Sunday after the Halloween party with a sweet little hangover. I had no choice but to power through. I double-checked that all my bags were ready to go and headed out to begin my Whitsundays adventure. On the way to the train to get to the airport, I passed a group of zombies doing the Thriller dance. Very cool zombies.
We touched down in Porserpine to a balmy 32 degrees Celsius, meaning about 90 degrees. I caught a bus and headed to Airlie Beach. Once there, I checked into my hostel and went exploring. My boat didn’t leave until the following morning so I had plenty of time to entertain myself and got some amazing pictures. I decided to have dinner at a cute seafood restaurant that also happened to be a bar. I tried not to look too lonely while eating by myself, but evidently it didn’t work. Three guys and a girl a few tables down asked me to join them. They paid for my drinks the rest of the night. We did a little bar hopping around town. At the bar at my hostel, I had a dance party with a random guy who was breakin it down by himself on the dance floor. Classic. Then we ended up at Mama Africa. This club is African animal themed and the bathrooms are outrageous. See picture below. At about midnight I finally decided I needed to get home and went back to the hostel.Monday morning I got up nice and early to make sure I was at the boat on time. Drinking before going on a boat, probably not the best idea but you only live life once, right? After walking for a good twenty minutes with all my stuff, I realized I had walked completely the wrong way. Typical me. I was scared I was going to miss the boat so I had to catch a cab to the marina. I arrived just in time. Everyone checked in and got some last minute snacks, picked up our stinger suits (to protect us from jellyfish) and then we were off on the Apollo.

The water was crystal blue and the weather was beautiful. The Whitsundays are made up of 74 tropical islands in the Coral Sea. Only 8 of the islands are actually inhabited. On the first day we headed from Airlie Beach through the passage between Hook Island and Whitsunday Island up to Mackerel Bay. It’s here that we got to do our first scuba dive (FOR FREE!). The coral was beautiful and there were tons of fish swimming in and out of the coral. There were colorful clams that could sense your shadow over them and would close up as you swam over. After the dive I then got to snorkel around for a while and then dried out on the beach. We then sailed back down to the passage to anchor for the night.

The food on the boat was phenomenal. The kitchen was teeny but somehow they were able to cook such good food. We had pasta, steaks, salads, chicken dishes and even got bacon and eggs for breakfast the last day. Needless to say, we didn’t go hungry.

We were woken up nice and early for breakfast and to set out for our next location. It was cloudy and the rain kept coming in spurts. At first it was bearable on the deck, but once the sky opened up we all hurried back down to the cabin. They broke out big yellow raincoats and we were set. We sailed down the side of Whitsunday Island to Whitehaven Beach, the second most beautiful beach in the world. The beach stretches over seven kilometres and has some of the purest sand in the world. It’s so pure you can actually use it to exfoliate your skin and clean your jewellery, which I of course did. My skin felt amazing afterward and my jewellery shined. They also told us you could use the sand to brush your teeth and deep clean them. That was a BAD idea.After spending the morning on the beach we loaded back up on the boat. We headed back up around Hook Island near Hayman Island. Hayman Island has one of the most exclusive resorts in the Whitsundays. People known to vacation there include Brad and Angie. We hopped off the boat to do some snorkelling across the way near another smaller island. I had on my stinger suit and was ready for some snorkelling. A lil while into my snorkelling I felt a really sharp pain on my back. The pain then travelled down my back and down my right arm. At that point I realized I had been stung by a jellyfish THROUGH my stinger suit. I want my money back. The jellyfish in Australia are pretty dangerous because a lot of them can be deadly if you don’t get treated quickly. I had no idea what the jellyfish looked like but I wouldn’t know if it was dangerous or not anyway. I looked up out of the water and saw that I was pretty far from the beach. Even though I was in a lot of pain, I needed to get to the beach in case I started having a bad reaction to the sting. So I swam hard all the way to the beach. Once there I pulled off my suit in case the jellyfish was still in there. I was still alive and wasn’t having any other reactions so I figured I was safe. Just in case, I called over our deck hand Benny and told him I’d been stung. He doused me in vinegar and told me I’d be fine. However, I had no desire to get back in the water after that and it kinda ruined my morning.

We then got back on the boat and headed down to Blue Pearl Bay. We arrived just before sundown and I suited up for my first ever night dive! We went right at sundown. Once we were in the water it felt a little like the movie Open Water. Once I convinced myself that I wasn’t going to get eaten by a shark, I settled down and we started descending. Night dives are surprisingly calming. You can see your buddies a lot easier because everyone has torches on at all times. You also get to focus on the details rather than being overwhelmed by all the colors and fish. We saw shrimp and crabs hiding in the coral. All you could see were their red beady eyes looking out at the torch. At one point my light beam flashed over a humungous snout. Not gonna lie, I screamed a little. Turns out it was just a huge Flowery Cod. We actually saw a lot of them and after the first time I wasn’t too scared. Then our dive instructor pointed out a beautiful baby sea anemone. They are extremely rare to see as youngins because they stay hidden in the coral until they’re about 40 years old and can support themselves. It was beautiful and pink and glowing in the light of the torch. We then settled on the bottom and held our torches against our chests so that we were in complete darkness. We waved our hands in the water and saw the light show. These little fish store up sunlight all day and when you wave your hand they glow like tiny stars. Awesome.

Once back on the boat we had dinner and celebrated Kelly’s birthday. We broke out the party hats and the drinking games commenced. At one point we wanted to go to the front of the boat to take some Titanic pictures. Kelly screamed bloody murder and went running back to the back of the boat. Evidently our dive master sleeps on the top deck in a “weather sak” and she almost stepped on his head. He popped up and said hello and sent us all screaming and running. Funny night.

We woke up bright and early to some rain, but it was gone by breakfast time. We had some bacon and eggs and then got ready to dive. Blue Pearl Bay was awesome at night, but it was even more amazing during the day. The colors were vibrant and there were so many fish. Our dive master took water bottles filled with bread and released some in the water so that the fish would swim all around us. We also saw lots of clown fish in their sea anemones. Then we came up on Elvis. Elvis is a Hump-headed Maori Wrasse. He’s huge and pretty much like a puppy dog. He’s so friendly and loves to be petted. I even got to give him a hug! Literally, I hugged a fish! Hopefully I got some good pictures of him with the underwater camera I had.
After the dive I spent some time on the beach. The beach was actually made of old pieces of coral so it was a little rough on the feet. I powered through it though and walked all the way down to get some pictures. Then I went snorkelling. A lot of the coral is right up close to the surface so you can dive down a little and see it as close as you would diving. I followed some fish around and saw a beautiful hot pink and yellow fish. I then headed back to the beach for some more sun before getting back on the boat. It was then time to pack up and head back to Airlie Beach.

Not being able to shower for three days was crucial. It wouldn’t have been so bad, but the mixture of sand and seawater makes it pretty unbearable. Once we got back to our hostels, I roomed up with 3 girls from the boat and we started taking real showers. It felt AMAZING. We then headed to Phoenix Bar for free pizza and a reunion with all our boat friends. We danced and drank and had such a good time. It ended up being quite a late night for all of us, but well worth it.

On my last day of the vacation, I needed food as soon as I woke up. I headed with Kelly to Mackers (or McDonalds as we call it). We both wanted burgers and it was 10:25am. They serve breakfast until 10:30am. So we ordered a drink and a hashbrown each, and got back in line 5 minutes later. The lady said, “Oh, are you still waiting for your hashbrown?” I said, “No. I’m here for lunch.” Then I headed with my new friends to the lagoon at Airlie Beach. We chatted about the trip and our plans for the next few weeks. It was nice and relaxing. Later that afternoon I travelled back to good ol Brisbane.

Only two more weeks left in Brisbane :( BUT my parents will be here in two weeks!! :)