Friday, July 30, 2010

GIDDY UP

Magnetic Island....truly a GREAT day!

I took the ferry over at 7:45 am... caught the island bus to Bungalow Bay where I had signed up for a Bush Breakfast, we cooked toast over the open fire and had HEAPS of food made for us. We had: eggs, bacon, sausage, french toast, pancakes, cereal, yogurt, egg in the hole, fish w/ lemon and more.... what a FEAST! I was full and happy!
During breakfast they brought around a baby croc, a carpet python, and there were lizards and cockatoos to look at as well as BARNEY the Koala!
I had paid to get my official picture taken with BARNEY while I was holding him... proceeds go to helping all animals on the island! I was the first to hold him, so cute and soft! I loved it!

After breakfast I rented some snorkel gear and walked about 3km to Arthur Bay to enjoy the fish and the water. Saw some cool fish, a tiger fish of some sort and some big blue n yellow fish.
I let a couple borrow my gear when i was done, they were from Canada too EH!

I walked back in the HOT hot heat... sweating my butt off.... returned my gear, grabbed a quick lil popsicle and walked down the road to my next tour-Horseback Riding.
My horses name was KLUEY and she was brown and beautiful!
We rode through the bush were we saw Wallabies and heaps of butterflies and it just felt like a movie set.. was so cool!
We then got to the west end of Horseshoe Bay beach and rode along the beach, then stopped and got off the horse, took off our clothes to be in our bathing suits and took off the saddles.
We got back on the horse, bare back, holding onto their mane for balance cuz they have no nerves there!
We rode them INTO the water as we were still on their backs! We "parked" them along the shore facing in but still in the water and we did tricks on their backs!
I went "around the world" so basically turning all the way around while sitting in Klueys back, then I stood up and "horse surfed" on her back, which was tricky cuz it was windy and so there were some bigger waves coming in. Then we stood up on their back side and did a back flip or flop into the water behind us... to them get back on the horse all while in the water... was SO COOL!
Best horse back riding experience YET and prob the cheapest too... weird :P

I was soaked as we rode back... cuz you have to get your pants back on (pants are a must cuz you go through the bush) so it was lil uncomfortable but still fun! We did lots of walking with the horses but had times to trot or canter (run) with them when we wanted a well....... I was loving it and laughing everytime Kluey ran!!! :)

There were 2 horses in the field near the ranch and I saw the one first thing in the morning and LOVED it.... told the horse I wanted it to be mine for the tour later.... but it wasn't!
I still enjoyed Kluey. Then later I asked if they use those horses out in the field and they do... the one I loved was named TIM... of course ;)

I love life! I went to the BASE X backpackers for the full moon party. One girl was wearing running shoes and track pants with a SEQUIN tank top on.... so crazy!
I had some pasta n some rum n coke but it was such a big party with heaps of younger travelers that I just wasn't in the mood to be surrounded by young drunk people... so I took the bus back to the ferry and back to Townsville.
Had to walk to bus station and grab a late night bus, went NEAR where i was going.. I kept nodding off I was so tired from my big day. then we had a pick up at the University and like 25 LOUD young, some drunk, Uni students got on... oh man I wanted to die.... too loud for me!
I got off at the stop I needed and walked about 3km home...
Nice hot shower and ready for bed

WHAT A PERFECT DAY!
Now all I need is a ride from Townsville to Airlie Beach on sunday and I am SET!
Cheers

Happy Birthday to Johnny P, Jon N, Doug, Cary , Josh McDC and Happy Anniversary to Becs n Travis!

Thursday, July 29, 2010

Townsville and the road there....

So I had a wonderful few days in Cairns, and my host took us to a great National Park to hike and cliff jump on my last day in Cairns!
I found a ride with some people gong South so I jumped at the chance to go with people and not pay $60 for the bus!
So natasha and jessie picked me up from Bretts and away we went..
They were from FLORIDA.... small world... so it was great we chatted lots about FL and I chatted lots about hockey and said we should all meet up again in FL and I will take them to their first NHL game.... that is my fav.. taking Americans to live hockey.. so great!

We had a great trip.. was only about a 4 hour drive, we got subway to eat for dinner and had some yummy peanut M&M's that jessie got for his birthday!
They were so cute.. we played road kill games... counting the road kill and number and letter games... going through the alphabet etc... was good to pass the time!
They played some dj music cuz Jessie is a DJ then tasha played some country music and I started talking about hockey again.. lol Mike n Carrie! Then she put on her play list and it was all Frank Sinatra.... so diverse but I loved it.

So we got into Townsville just after 11pm and I met Fitzy, whose place I am at now til Sunday... couch surfing! I love couch surfing... very fun and very handy!
All good.... BIG day tomorrow:
-Ferry to Magnetic Island
-Breakfast with koala bear
-Snorkel
-Horse back ride on the beach
then a FULL MOON Party on the Island... AWESOME!

I love life... much love to all!

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Finding Nemo

Oh wow.... tues was the BEST day..... I had signed up for a snorkel trip to the GREAT BARRIER REEF and was PRAYING for sun, cuz it has rained since I got here to Cairns!
Tues we got on the boat at 8:20am... got fitted for flippers and wet suits etc.... welcome aboard talk blah blah... off we go... 1.5-2hr trip out to the reef....
Many people got sick, yuck,... thankfully not me :) It was very rocky due to weather!
We finally got out close to the reef and it was perfectly sunny..... THANKS to everyone who prayed for sun it worked!
So with the package I signed up for I ALSO got an INTRO to DIVE lil session.... so I got my wet suit on and had to sit to get my tank put on my back,. whoa that is heavy...
stood on the back of the boat, 1 hand on my mask, 1 hand on my tank gauge, look off to the horizon and take one BIG step out.... PLUNK... into the water!
Soooo cool, learning to breath with this huge tank and all this gear on! My instructors name was TASSIE (tazy) he was great... sort of looked like MR NOODLES from ELMOS WORLD... anyways
We went under water and had to stop and go to equalize our ears every few minutes until they adjust to the pressure. Also kept getting water in my mask and had to get that out, tipping my head back and blowing out hard through my nose.. lol.
We went down a rope that was tied to the boat... slowly and safely... then we practiced taking out our oxygen and breathing under water with normal blowing out of bubbles.... weird.. then had to put back in my oxygen and blow out hard to get all salt water out of my mouth.. lol it took me 2 tries!
So we were all good... ready to explore, there were 2 of us doing to the intro to dive.
So Tassie took our arms, linked in his and we let go of the rope.. ready to explore the GREAT BARRIER REEF!
Wow.... it was amazing... truly breathtaking... it felt so great to just be so deep under water and to see and touch amazing things that we don't see everyday.
I saw Soooo many fish of different colors and shapes, saw many coral and plants.
I almost peed with excitement when a big TURTLE swam beside us.. it was magical... so we followed him and let HIM show us around the reef. It was so much like being in Finding Nemo.... the current is going and the bubbles are all around and you can float around.. so cool.
The turtle left us and we went exploring again on our own, he was a great guide though :)
We went to some plants to look for Nemo and he wasn't there :( I wish I had bought the underwater camera they offered on board, but didn't have cash with me (dang it)
Memories are all in my head- FOR-EV-ER!!!!
We were about 9 feet deep in the reef for about 20 mins.. BEST experience ever!
We came back up to the ship to drop off our dive gear and still had 2 mins before lunch. so we went to join the snorkelers around the reef.
Incredible sights... we were right over the shallow parts of reef so the waves would just carry us around and I had to do a "Mission Impossible" stretch out your arms and legs to stay flat move.. just to avoid hitting coral!
Fantastic fish.... black n white stripped, blue and red stripped, and then i saw it.. NEMO!!!
i was soo excited, like that was my goal.... so neat to see Nemo in the reef!
I saw one purple and blue fish that looked like it had bright teal eye shadow on (thought of Michelle Cappo) and thought they should use this color at MAC and name it reef teal or something cool.
I saw some lil blue fish that were SUCH a BRIGHT blue it was crazy. So many fish and they all just hang out, some swim around and some schools just float with the current.
We saw one HUGE HUGE HUGE fish.. serious it was the length of me... sort of flat, like skinny width ways but HUGE top to bottom... he was chasing another fish.. right under me!
CRAZY.... the snorkel guide with us said "I think that one is territorial but not dangerous" ..lol THINK... thanks..... I was so nervous it was going to come and eat me.. it was HUGE! I loved it though.. it was blue n green!
I just looked it up its called a WRASSE!
I saw an Angel fish like GILL from finding nemo!
I really felt like a MERMAID living with all these great friends under the sea, I never wanted to leave the Reef.
During lunch a turtle came to the surface to say hi! too cute!
After lunch we went back out to snorkel different parts of the reef for another 40 mins!
This was such a great day.... an amazing and very memorable day for my whole Aus trip and in life! On the way back to Cairns I sat on the top deck and just enjoyed the sunshine!
Got back to land around 4pm... def got some sun, red shoulders and face :)
Home to shower and then we went out to the movies to see INCEPTION.... meh. I mean I hate going to see NEW movies that everyone is talking about, too much hype! Brett wanted to go so we all went.. it was good, well done etc... but just seems like its similar to Matrix and Avatar... everyone is plugging themselves into something. It was good but just not my fav, not great!
Long day.... home to bed!
Wednesday was my last day in Cairns, Brett took us hiking in one of the National Parks and we also swam there and did some cliff jumping. It was cold at first but so nice n sunny, my FIRST full sunny day in Cairns, I loved it!
We swam under the waterfalls and jumped off some cliffs and laid on the rocks in the sun. Perfect day! Came back to eat some nice sausage on bread with cooked zucchini and salad!
Uploading pics to fb and blog and then I have to pack and get ready to head south.... my ride is coming to drive me to Townsville tonight :)

Much love

Monday, July 26, 2010

Cairns Cairns.. why are you raining on me?

OK.. here I am in Queensland the SUNSHINE state and its raining on me :P
We left Darwin thurs morning and drove 10 hours a day for 3 days and made it to Cairns by sat night. I drove with Jeremy from France... and everytime we stopped for gas we switched drivers, so I drove HEAPS!!! So fun... I feel so Aussie now!

We drove on developmental roads... so it was ONLY 1 lane and dirt on either side... so you had to slow down and move over to share the road when traffic was coming!
We slept in the car (station wagon) each night.... cooked food for dinner then would set up our bed in the back, watch a movie on the laptop then sleep! Was fun!
Happy to arrive in Cairns but the last few hours here were CRAZY.... very windy/twisty roads up and down mountains, it didn't feel like Australia, felt like Europe ish.. very very green and many sheep and cows and small narrow roads that wind around the mountains, had to drive about 40 km/hr to twist and turn.. and in the heavy FOG too.. but we made it safely!
Sad it was raining but happy to be here!

We went to the man made lagoon (really a big pool) on the water front and got a hot free shower in the changerooms there.... then drove into the residential area and slept in the car again!
Sunday we had breakfast on the beach, cloudy but thankful not rain! Walked around town, up and down the esplanade. Many shops and cafe's etc..
We picked up David from the airport and then walked around more! Went to get info for tours etc... I got a call for couch surfing (free place to stay) so I said bye to Jeremy and David and went to meet Brett.
Stayed at Bretts with two other traveling girls- all good. He has 2 cute dogs Lizzie and Buddy!
Facebook.... full of surprises..today when I logged on I saw MANY marriages.. so CONGRATS to:
SUE and PETE
MICH and BROWNIE
EM and JEFF
CHRIS and KITT
CRAIG and AMANDA
What a busy weekend, hope everyone had a lovely time! Congrats and much happiness to you all!
So back to Cairns.... rain rain go away! Today I went downtown to book my GREAT BARRIER REEF TOUR for tomorrow... praying for some SUNSHINE in this SUNSHINE state!
We made home made pizza here at Bretts and made so much that we had it again tonight, yum!

I am heading to Townsville wed and was going to take the greyhound bus but found a ride with a couch surfer :) sweet.... so leaving Cairns wed night and will be in Townsville late wed night, where I have another couch surfing place to stay :) I love internet, it is the most handy dandy tool for travelers!
THANKS to ALL those I have met through FB/Travels/Gumtree and Couch Surfing!

Much much love to all my family..... was so nice to chat with EVERYONE sunday when I called home during the wedding reception.. now just post some pics for me to see! CHEERS


Happy travels... I know mine are!

Sunday, July 18, 2010

"Soo long sucks town" Just Friends

This is it.... my last few days in Darwin.... possibly leaving thursday morning EARLY.. unless I find someone going before then!
I had a GREAT weekend .. finished work friday night and had a great Cosmo that Ben made me!
Walked home with Khadija and had some beers on my balcony and chatted til 3am.
Saturday I slept in then went to the pool to work on my tan. I had friends over for a "Sausage Sizzle" a real Aussie BBQ... sausage, onions and pineapple on the BBQ... we also did corn, cuz we like veggies! Was nice!
Saturday night was a nice night to chill and enjoy the sunset from my balcony... I will miss these magical moments! watched a movie on tv and just enjoyed not working on a sat night!
Today I woke up and Nadia picked me up to go Fish Feeding.... down at Aquascene... you get to feed bread to the mullet and milk fish.. so cool. I was nervous at first... cuz you are surrounded by them, but they are suckers... NO teeth, so really nothing to be afraid of! 

I let the lil and big ones get my hands/fingers. Nadia put all her fingers in the big milkfish mouth, so neat!
Nadia also let me have FREE ice cream for breakfast!!!!

  I love life.... Yummy!
lots of pics to come..... was a great experience. 

I went home to look up cheap flights to see one of my BFF's K-lambs in Vietnam.... I found a cheap flight so I booked it.... I will go see her in Sept, cuz I can come back to Aus after a lil getaway and still have time to see the West Coast!
HOORAY!!!! BFF's in Vietnam.... awesome!
I met with a guy today about traveling to Cairns together... he was going to leave July 20, but now leaving July 22.. so if nothing else comes up then i will leave EARLY thurs morn! It will be a quick 3 day trip... which is fine with me.. not much to see on the way there.. so its good to drive and just get there as soon as we can! I can help with driving too... sweet!

Life is good... ready to see more of Aus! Bring it on.....
I am currently watching EMPIRE RECORDS>..... man I loved this movie in High school :P


Saturday, July 10, 2010

LAST week in DARWIN!!!

G'day mates.... hope everyone who read this is doing well and enjoying summer!
Its winter here but that means nothing.. its 32 everyday and I love it!

Well I have given my notice at both jobs and this is my last week in Darwin...... HOORAY! :P
I have had a blast and loved it here.... loved the people I met, loved working two full time jobs and saving up for my future travels.... VERY thankful to Mick and his hospitality.. staying at his place has been a HUGE blessing and a great time in Cullen Bay!
This is my last week working.... I work Mon-Fri at Hanuman and Mon, tues, fri at Holiday Inn... then DONE!! :)
I babysit for some travelers this sat night, they are in town for a wedding and I said I'd watch their 2 lil boys! That will be fun!

So updates.... random thoughts here...
-The other night we had ROYALTY in at Hanuman for dinner.... the King of Tonga (?) came to dine with our GM!
-I went to the Royal Australian Air Force base... and drove around the run ways. We drove up the main run way for Darwin International Airport, of course passing the airport which is small. We saw 4 planes there, lol.

-Today I was cleaning on the top floor (10th) 
at the hotel and cleaned the suites... and there was the family of a recent fallen Aussie Soldier staying in there... So sad... flowers and pictures of him everywhere... God bless his family through this hard time!
-The other night after work I had Khadija over to watch a movie then we stayed up late chatting about life, work etc... til 3:30am.. oh man... then I forgot I was suppose to call my sister at work... so I called her at 3:30am my time...2pm her time! Everything she said was funny to me.... we have not chatted in weeks! she wears bracelets and says things like "funner" :P I was updating her on my life... cuz apparently she doesn't even read THIS blog... and she is the one who told me to blog :P LOL

I am sooo excited for Hockey Season this fall.... GO PREDS! Excited to have Ryan Parent join our team and So happy to see SHEA WEBER at Captain!! Congrats Shea Shea! :P

Shout outs to Roman and Russ.... my Fav TN boyz!

I am still waiting to hear back about the job at Hamilton Island... cuz they are just waiting for my references to fill out a form etc... I will keep you all posted!
Def still plan to head to Cairns (pronounced cans) next week... it is where the RAIN FOREST means the OCEAN!! I can't wait!

Aussie words:
-Mozzie- mosquito ( i think i wrote this one before)
-Boot- trunk of a car
-Knock off- end of work
-Roster- work schedule
-Jif is a cleaning product like our VIM.... lol Jif.... I think Jiff peanut butter... yikes def not the same:P
- Stubbie- Beer


Today is sunday and I am heading to MINDIL BEACH MARKETS again.. for food and sunset on the beach!
I love the fresh fruit smoothies there... yum!

Much love to all...
Happy 1st Anniversary to Lindsay and Adam Churchman!
Happy 8th birthday to Cooper Walker.. wow 8 already.. so BIG!
Much love to LUCAS my nephew the only lil man I love!!! <3




 Miss y'all... love y'all

Thursday, July 1, 2010

CANADA DAY

HAPPY CANADA DAY!!! It was also Territory day here in the NT.. so I got fireworks and the day off and it felt like CANADA to me :)
I loved doing nothing. i laid by my pool with Khadija and soaked up the sun, went for a swim, even went for a run!
Then hung out in the afternoon and got ready for dinner out at Hanuman with Mick... nice food, heaps of drinks. lol.. we drank alot and it was good! We watched and heard MANY fireworks, Ben and Phil from work were setting some off outside the restaurant.
We all came back to Micks to drink more... til around 3am.. lol we are crazy!

The other night at the resto a young boy came in with his mom, and paid for the dinner... it was so cute.. he treated his mom out for a nice fancy dinner.. my heart melted!


So I had applied to a resort on HAMILTON ISLAND (look it up its amazing place) and I got a 2nd call today to ask for references etc.... SO EXCITING... I am giving notice at work next week.. they only need ONE week here.. awesome!
Finish work around July 18th and find a ride/find my way east to Cairns and be a tourist.. then head down the east coast, to Townsville and Airlie beach.. then hopefully have a job waiting at Hamilton Island in the kids program :) :) Wish me luck... I might work there start of Aug,.so have to be there by then,.., which is do able!


I love life.... all is good... happy birthday to Allen! cheers!
CVD I miss ya.. so much to text ya and you are not in Oz :P email soon!