In Sydney ... one day till flight time

I am in Sydney and it is my last day. Nothing has happened since I returned. Both days I have gone to the little coffee shop that now knows me by name. That make fun of my accent when I say Yall and tomatoes. I do like my salami, grilled tomatoes and cheese on Turkish and I am now ordering flat whites instead of lattes. I am sad to leave but Irene is in a bit of a state. She has been nannying and has been very busy. last night she wanted me to go to her mothers and stay there by myself. Instead I went over to her brothers and his girlfriends, we had a few cocktails and then went to be early but it beats being alone. I considered going out by myself but Sydney is so big I did not know if that was what I wanted to do. So for two night is a row I have gone to bed early. Today we are supposed to go hit the town and shop and see a few more sights, I am afraid Irene is being selfish and we will spend more time at the coffee shop that doing anything that would benefit me. That is the problem with visiting someone that is depressed. I noticed myself becoming irritated with her yesterday, after we drove past her ex-boyfriends place of business for the third time and she kept repeating stories over and over I wondered why I came back early at all. Yesterday I had her drop me of at a mall when I bought some new skirts and had my nails and toes done. They were quite frightful after 3 weeks of traveling. At least I had a bit of time to myself. I have been thinking a lot about the traveling I am about to do and although the positives outweigh the negatives travel can be lonely. Secondly when you meet good people you don't want to leave them. I think about Danielle, Jorik and Philippe quite often and will be very sad if I don't see the guys before I leave but as today is my last day I believe that to be the case. I am sure I will find out what happened with the e-mail after I return which will be too late to do anything about. In 24 hours I will be arriving at the airport to board my flight. I arrive on Friday at 2:17 and Evan has thoughtfully said he would pick me up. I am starting to think about friends and returning and Austin and all the things I left behind for 3 weeks. I have so much to do before I leave work and I am not very excited about it. Millions of thought have floated through my mind including giving my two weeks notice but I know that is not nearly enough time to leave my office in good shape. I am tying up all the loose ends... House is sold, Manna has a new home, I graduated, a box was delivered, a trip was taken and all I have left to do is give my notice. I am now looking to the Valley, saying goodbye to friends, spending time with my family, quality time time I have not had in years. I have not stayed this long in the Valley since I was 19 and living in Harlingen. After that a new adventure will begin I am considering researching ESL certification classes as well as Spanish classes. All is all I feel refreshed and relaxed I have thought about who I have been for the last 10 years and who I might become over the next 12 months.

See you all soon.

Mary & Tommy

Mary & Tommy
Posted by: kilastravels.

Tommy loves his Guinness

Tommy loves his Guinness
Posted by: kilastravels.

Tommy & Me sharin' a pint!

Tommy & Me sharin' a pint!
Posted by: kilastravels.

Trapped in the Christchurch Airport

I am here in the airport rather than on a plane headed to Sydney, it is too early to call Irene to tell her about my flight but I want to be sure to catch her. I figured I would sleep once I got on the plane but the plane has been delayed 3 hours they are waiting for a part. I always wonder about that waiting to get on a plane that is broken but will be fixed before they take off. What if they don't fix it right? I have begun reading a book a friend Leslie gave me about a woman that travels around the world and all of her adventures, taking Spanish lessons, learning to eat alone, meeting fellow travelers. I am enjoying the book but right now it is making me too sleepy and the flat white I had isn't helping either I am just plain tired. I did notice an inscription that Leslie wrote in the back of the book. Up until this point I had not noticed it. It says "do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment" - Buddha... and then she reminds me that the journey is the reward. I also came across a coaster that I have been using as a bookmark and it also has a quote but this one by the writer Oscar Wilde not the Buddha... Wickedness is a myth invented by good people to account for the curious attractiveness of other.

Danielle has not sent us the e-mail list for everyone on our trip and I worry that I will never meet up with Philipp and Ulrich again. I am also now sleepy, I really want to go to sleep. I found a TV room but instead of sleeping at the hostel for fear of oversleeping and missing my shuttle I watched TV - Sex in the City at 2:30 in the morning. In the scene I watched Carrie was asking if they were just 34 year olds going on 13. I always thought the sex and the city women were so much older than I but in the first few years they were only a couple of years older than I am now.

So does that mean I am in the same boat they are in?

Leaving for Sydney

I am having as we speak the worst Hostel experience of my life. I am leaving for Sydney at 5:50 in the morning, it is now 1:30 and I can't sleep. I went to bed at 9:30 so that I should get 6 1/2 hours sleep before I woke up for my shuttle ride to the airport but at about 10:30 a new girl checked into my room and for the last 3 hours I have listened to her not snore but make a high pitched noise with every breath. I think I might go upstairs and put a pillow over her head but I would probably get in trouble and at this point the shuttle comes in 2 1/2 hours and it really doesn't make a difference. I guess I can catch a few hours sleep on the plane, maybe I should have taken some Ambien and slept through it but by the time I realized that I had not slept it was too late to get the 6 hours sleep I needed. So I am down stairs sharing my dilemma on blogger. I did meet a really cool girl from Scotland today. Her name is Mary and we thought we were the only 2 in the room so we went out this afternoon and met Tommy, an old Irish Man that lived on the gold coast. Apparently his sister died and left him a large sum of money. He is now traveling around buying food and drinks for everyone in his path, he said you can't take it with you when you die so he bought us toasties (melted ham and cheese) and a pint. He wanted us to stay all night but we left to go get some water and fruit and pack our bags so we could get some rest. Mary is heading north on a 7:00 bus and will be getting up early as well. Oddly enough we share the same birthday and as much as I don't believe in Horoscopes when she described herself I felt as if she were describing me. This is the second Aquarius I have met the other had a birthday the day before me. Quite odd to get along so well with people who share birthdays with me, makes one wonder.

I'm going to be an Auntie (again)

Well Happy Easter Monday. I just got off the phone with my family and found out that I am going to be an Auntie again. That means my cousin, my best friend and my sister are all having babies within 3 months of eachother. I could not be more thrilled. The only problem is that I will be traveling at the time all of them are born. I guess I will have to go back in early December so that I can see them all before I take off again. What a wonderful day, it is gorgeous outside and I am about to go get a Flat White... similar to a latte but less milk and no foam and just the way I like it. I have had a nice time here in Christchurch and am bummed that I did not have time to make it to Queenstown. I will have to make New Zealand it's own trip. Hope everyone is having as wonderful a day as I am!!!

Christchurch

Christchurch
Posted by: kilastravels.

Easter Sunday in the Sunday Mountains

Well many of you may have heard of the Sundays... This is where The Lord of the Rings was filmed. It was beautiful. Last night at the 12th hour I decided to book a trip to the mountains and kept my fingers crossed. I went to have a pint with a girl I met from Pittsburgh, she reminded me of myself at age 22. She started asking me all these questions about her boyfriend and wheat she should do, I didn't think I could offer her any thru advice just that he should be good to her and she should voice any concerns she might have. She said she adored him and sacrificed herself for his whims. I felt like her therapist, I always attract the people that want to talk... and I haven't even discussed the poor boy I met from Chicago who had a girl break off an engagement and return the 10,000 dollar ring that he now calls diving the great barrier reef. So Last night was nice one pint and some conversation, I went to bed early and slept 10 hours. I guess I needed it. I also spoke with Irene and I am going back a day early and we are going to possibly hit the blue mountains and maybe do a bridge climb. The hot air balloon is off because the weather in town has been awful. Speaking of weather and keeping my fingers crossed, the weather outside of town was amazing. The sky was blue and beautiful and I took some amazing photos but I cannot get them to download. Usually they say that even if the sky is beautiful the winds can be quite awful up to 100 mph. But not today, this Easter Sunday was beautiful. We went up to the Sundays and to Clear Lake. The drive was amazing... Passing sheep, cows, alpaca etc. I am glad I was able to get out of the city. I am going to meet up with 3 girls I met today Lara from San Francisco, Elizabeth from Canada and Michelle from Colorado. I miss my friends from the Groovy Grape but one again I snagged the from seat next to the driver. I am now 4 for 4 and I recommend this to any traveler. You get great commentary from the driver and learn a lot about the area. Although today Rex the driver and older man laughed hardest at his own jokes and didn't play any music which usually makes the trip a bit more fun. I am going to make one last attempt at uploading a photo. So happy Easter to all!

Easter time is the time for eggs and the time for eggs is Easter time!!!

Dinner at the Tap Room Christchurch

Dinner at teh Tap Room Christchurch
Posted by: kilastravels.

Ski Lodge

Ski Lodge
Posted by: kilastravels.

Aubry from Pittsburg

Aubry from Pittsburg
Posted by: kilastravels.

Happy Easter Egg

Happy Easter Egg
Posted by: kilastravels.

Sheep in New Zealand

Sheep in New Zealand
Posted by: kilastravels.

Champagne on Mt Sunday

Champagne on Mt Sunday
Posted by: kilastravels.

Driving back through the Braided Rivers

Driving back through the Braided Rivers
Posted by: kilastravels.

Christchurch, New Zealand

I made it to Christchurch and it has been raining all day. I was sad to leave Melbourne and wonder if I should have just stayed longer then headed back to Sydney. After arriving I wandered the entire town in a very short amount of time in the rain. Luckily I found the one open shop down in St Kilda yesterday and bought a turtleneck and sweater, Melbourne was chilly and I knew Christchurch would be even more so. I visited one of those places that helps you book all your tours but there wasn't anyone there that could really help they said the woman that could help me would bein at 9:00 AM tomorrow. So I guess I will book things tomorrow, Easter Sunday, again everything will be closed. I have been informed that Easter Friday, Easter Sunday and at times even Easter Monday can be quite dead in New Zealand and Australia, just my luck. So I have looked at brochures and have decided on 3 things maybe 2, an adventure trek, a hot air balloon ride and maybe a wine tour. I am not sure about the wine tour, maybe I can find something that does a hot air balloon ride and wine tour combined. PE my friend at work told me that I need only look at the New Zealand whites when tasting them. I am thinking about heading back to Sydney a day early and need to call Irene to see if that is a possibility. My Dutch friends will be there when I returned and we have planned on meeting up. The only problem is I didn't get their number and I only gave them my e-mail so I am at their mercy. Last night was quiet after traveling with 21 people. I went down to St Kilda with the Italian, Tobias and he helped me pick out a nice sweater, I really like it and he was right it was the best one and I didn't even want to try it on. Leave it to an Italian farmer to have better taste than I do. After that I headed to Quidam the Cirque show and planned on meeting back up with Tobias for dinner. Quidam was weird and it had this theme of a child's imaginary world while her parents were consumed with work, social functions and affairs. I thought it was one of the darkest shows I had ever seen. I liked some parts, I would have to the talent was amazing but it left me feeling a little empty. After that I walked along the Yarra river that runs through the middle of town and met back up with T. We found a small little Italian restaurant in the Italian section of town and ordered some wonderful food. We first walked through China town but I wasn't very interested in having that so after a Mexican restaurant was closed... T wanted me to introduce him to the cuisine even after I warned against it... Back to the Italian restaurant. We ordered a plate of Gnocci, Fettuchini Bolganese and Fettuchini with bacon, egg and cracked pepper. I had one plate and he had 5. I passed on coffee because I was tired and wanted to go home. I had to leave for Christchurch early this morning and wanted a decent night sleep. The previous night after dancing and staying out way to late I never seemed to fully catch up. Once I arrived I also found out that there are not trains anymore only busses and that the trip to Queenstown is 12 hours round trip which would consume almost 2 days, I have decided not to go there. Christchurch will just be a taste of New Zealand and I will have to return. I guess I made a decision at the last minute without doing my research upfront. Hopefully I will book my tours and change my plane to head back to Sydney and maybe convince Irene to head out to the blue mountains with me. I am now heading to the pub to write post cards... the ones I never mailed from Australia.

Great Ocean Road Experience

There is so much to tell. First off this is not the tour I had planned but all the tour groups leaving on Monday were booked so I ended up leaving on Groovy Grape on Tuesday... Lucky for me. I hopped in the front seat immediately and sat next to the Driver Daniel (Danny). She was hilarious. Then right behind her were the two Dutch boys, I wanted to adopt them both. They made me very aware (while making fun) of my constant use of y'all, and by the end had nicknamed me Sexy Texy. They made the trip totally worthwhile although it put me in Melbourne a day later than I had planned. The first part of the drive was extremely long. We did hit a few spots but day one was a lot of driving. We would stop for a meal or a few photo opportunities along the way until we ended up in the Grampaign National Park. We checked into a hostel which was more like a cabin in the NP and cooked on the barbie. We grilled up all sorts of meats, made a salad and I ate Kangaroo meat for the very first time... it tastes pretty much like any other wild game. We then played a game similar to trivial pursuit that asked questions abou the Olympics. Let me tell you people from other countries really know their Olympic information. I was starting to feel more and more sick by the second and although someone gave me some sudafed (which you have to buy at a pharmacy) I kept coughing... so I slept on the couch in the common area so that I didn't wake anybody up. The next day we woke up early and went on a hike. I surprised even myself by making it to the top, it wasn't terribly long only a couple of hours but it was very worth it. At this point people were staring to feel a lot more comfortable with each other. People were beginning to find out stories about eachother and plan on meeting up in the future. Next we were on to the great ocean road. We visited some of the famous sights and then checked into our next hostel which was a very cool house that we took over. The Groovy Grape takes the entire place because it only sleeps 22 people. After unloading our stuff and prepping the food we would cook for dinner we raced to the 12 Apostles to watch the sun set. Danny encouraged us to bring something to drink and our cameras. It was here that we took the only group photo of the entire trip. I drank some wine that I had purchased along the way and most other people took beer, mostly a local brew Coopers. We then returned home and I put my iPod in the cradle that I have and we played music, cooked dinner and sat out on our porch across from the ocean. Later that night I hit the pub with all the Dutch people on the tour. I never knew the dutchies could be so fun. I then went for a walk with Joyce, Jorik and Philippe along the pier. Jorik and I did a wonderful version of the Klompen dancing I had seen at the Tulip time festival in Holland Michigan. The next morning we were tired from staying out so late but we were able to pull ourselves together and then headed back to the 12 Apostles to take helicopter rides over the coast line. This was really fun. I rode with my now adopted Dutch boyfriends. I didn't realize that it would be so quiet with the headphones on. I can't even remember how long the trip lasted but before we knew it we were back on the ground. We then headed on our way making it to Bells Beach home of Quicksilver Surfing in the afternoon for the Ripcurl International Surfing competition. The rest of the day while we made the final drive into Melbourne we shared more stories and we laughed and laughed especially when Jorik told stories. After everyone settled into their hostels in Melbourne we headed to a pub around the corner and enjoyed pizza and pints. It was a bit bittersweet because the group had lost a few of the important players and I think only about half of the people on the trip showed up. A small group of us went to a club to go dancing. I finally had my crazy Oz experience and since I had been in bed relatively early every night I decided to stay out dancing with the Frenchman Oliver, Italian farmer Tobias and the Dutch crew. I slept in late this morning which is fine because nothing is open here on Good Friday. I walked along the river and picked up my tickets to the Cirque show that I am planning on seeing tonight. I am supposed to have dinner with the hilarious Italian Farm Boy this evening and possibly meet up with the Dutch group if they e-mail me in time. If not I should be seeing Philippe and Urich in Sydney, and the French guy said he would e-mail me about when he is getting to Christchurch. That would be nice to see these friends again. So in conclusion, I never thought I would like a tour but in fact I loved it and I am missing all the friends that I met. Strange how 3 days with a random group of people and you meet so many wonderful people with so many stories. Everyone is traveling and many people have left jobs and decided they want to see the world, I guess my only regret is that I came on this trip while still having to return to work. If I could I would stay here longer. I feel like I have only seen the tip of the iceberg.

ParaSurfing in Melbourne

ParaSurfing in Melbourne
Posted by: kilastravels.

Melbourne

Today is Good Friday and everything is closed. This is unfortunate because it is my only day in Melbourne. I spent three days laughing as hard as I possibly could on a small bus from Adelaide. Danny the woman driving the bus made me hysterically laugh the entire time and the two Dutch guys sitting behind her were even better. Philippe and Jorik were two young traveling boys that had just finished University and were traveling around Australia. I have so much to tell but I am starving and just wanted to let everyone know I am alive. Tonight I will go see another Cirque show and I am very excited. It is chilly here and I cannot find my sweater. I do not know if it is in Sydney or if it is gone but I am hoping I can find something that is open today so that I can buy something to keep me warm... here and in Christchurch.

12 Apostles at Sunset

12 Apostles at Sunset
Posted by: kilastravels.

London Bridge

London Bridge
Posted by: kilastravels.

Great Ocean Road Memorial - WINDY

Great Ocean Road Memorial - WINDY
Posted by: kilastravels.

Australian Koala

Australian Koala
Posted by: kilastravels.

Dutch Koala

Dutch Koala
Posted by: kilastravels.

Back on the ground

Back on the ground
Posted by: kilastravels.

View of Coastline

View of Coastline
Posted by: kilastravels.

Great Ocean Road

Great Ocean Road
Posted by: kilastravels.

All my friends from Holland

All my friends from Holland
Posted by: kilastravels.

Moon at the 12 Apostles

Moon at the 12 Apostles
Posted by: kilastravels.

London Bridge and crazy Dutch Boy

London Bridge and crazy Dutch Boy
Posted by: kilastravels.

Me & Danny Grampaigns NP - We made it to the top

Me & Danny Grampaigns NP - We made it to the top
Posted by: kilastravels.

Helicopter Ride with Philippe

Helicopter Ride with Philipp
Posted by: kilastravels.

Dutch Boys

Dutch Boys
Posted by: kilastravels.

Last night

Last night
Posted by: kilastravels.

sunset

sunset
Posted by: kilastravels.

Groovy Grape Itenerary

Adelaide to Melbourne- 3 days / 2 nightsDeparts Adelaide every Tuesday.

The Grooviest Coastal Adventure around. With one of the world's best coastal routes blended with the beauty and history of the Grampians National Park, you have one of the best trips in Australia.
Time to experience it all, and the fact that we are all independent adventurous travellers, is why we love this trip so much. This is a great way to see the Great Ocean Road and Grampians en route to Adelaide and Melbourne.
* Fully inclusive: includes all touring and National Park fees, 2 nights accommodation, 2 breakfasts, 3 lunches and 2 dinners.


Day 1: Cruise through the Adelaide Hills towards a mid morning stop at Keith Bakery. We have lunch at Mt. Arapiles then onto the Grampians National Park. Discover an Aboriginal art site, hike to the bottom of MacKenzie Falls, and see the breathtaking views from The Balconies. In the late afternoon, take a stroll with the kangaroos and other wildlife. We stay overnight in the heart of the Grampians National Park.

Day 2: Visit the Brambuk Aboriginal Cultural Centre, then spend a great morning hiking the beautiful Grampians. After a lunch stop, we head South to the Great Ocean Road. Bay of Martyrs, London Bridge and Loch Ard Gorge are some of the fantastic coastal scenery in this area. Finish the day with sunset at the spectacular Twelve Apostles. We stay overnight at Port Campbell, in the heart of the National Park.

Day 3: After an early breakfast back out to the amazing coastline for some magic opportunities to photograph the Twelve Apostles in the morning light, before the crowds. Take a walk down Gibson's Steps to view the Twelve Apostles from the beach. Soak up the beauty of the Otway National Park. Walk through some of the oldest temperate rain forests in the world. A great place for a lunch stop. Marvel at the historical section of the Ocean Road carved be returned W.W.I servicemen, provides one of the most spectacular coastal roads that you will ever see. Apollo Bay and Lorne are great places to swim, explore, or just relax with a cup of coffee. Anglesea, Bells Beach and Torquay (home of Rip Curl and Quicksilver) are all part of the famous surf coast with time to check out the local waves. Through Geelong to arrive in Melbourne approximately 7pm.

Leaving for the Great Ocean Road in the Morning

Well I made it through Adelaide with more that I could have expected. Jan and John picked me up yesterday and took me to their coastal village about 30 minutes away. We sat outside at a Bar/Restaurant called The Palais and watched the sun set over the ocean while a band played and we drank wine. After that we went to the hotel that John works at (to keep him busy in his retirement) to have dinner. We started with oysters on the half shell, they were huge and delicious but they didn't offer crackers or have them anywhere in sight. Dinner was also amazing we had salmon with Cajun spices and a wonderful tomato relish on top. I have noticed the presentation is beautiful and I keep wanting to photograph my meals, even at the tiny places we eat at. They made me a bed in their guest room, put some tea on, and after watching a bit of Four Weddings and a Funeral I fell asleep. The next morning Jan and I took their two dogs for a walk on the beach, and visited, she told me she is clairvoyant. We then went to a precious place called FROOT and had lattes and a big brecky. I had a grilled tomato, spinach and two fried eggs and have a piece of toasted french bread. The rest of the day we spent driving around along the coast and all the way up to Mount Lofty where you can see the entirety of Adelaide. It was there that I found out Adelaide and Austin Texas are sister cities. We drove in a POSH area that supposedly Mel Gibson has a house and ended up at the marina where all the beautiful privately owned boats were docked. I ordered a mezza plate and we nibbled on the food while we sat in the sun. The sun is intense here, just one meal later and I was red again. Jan said it was because there is an ozone hole over Australia. We came back into the city right at the end of the evening, I came back and took a nap. My allergies are getting the best of me here. I have finally bought some medicine and hope to nip this in the bud. I tend to wait a bit too long before I take medicine. I am taking it easy because I will be on a bus for the next three days. The drive along the Great Ocean Road takes about 12 hours and we will be stopping at many places along the way. Apparently it is a beautiful drive so I should enjoy myself and have time to finally write post cards. I can't believe I have almost hit the half way mark.

Driving Around

Driving Around
Posted by: kilastravels.

Sunset

Sunset
Posted by: kilastravels.

Big Brecky

Big Brecky
Posted by: kilastravels.

Me and Jan

Me and Jan
Posted by: kilastravels.

Vocabulary

The Classics
g'day, mate : good day
no worries : no problem
she'll be right : no probs
sheila : woman
mate : man
barbie : barbecue

Vocabulary
arvo : afternoon
aussie : australian
banana bender: resident of Queensland
barbie : barbecue
bathers or swimmers: swimsuit
beaut : great, fantastic
bewdy : great, fantastic
bikie : motorcyclist
bikkie : biscuit
billabong : cut off ox-bow bend
bloke : guy
bloody : very
brekkie : breakfast
bush : country
chockie : chocolate
chuck : to throw
click : kilometer
footy : football i.e. in this part of the world, rugby
joey : baby kangaroo
lift: elevator
lollies : sweets or candy
loo : toilets
Outback : Australian bush
Oz : Australia
pissed: drunk
postie : postman
reckon : think
rego : registration
roo : kangaroo
sickie : day off work (not necessarily because of sickness)
snag : sausage
spunk - spunky : good looking
strine : Australian language
sunbake : sunbathe
takeaway. Take out, to go.
Tassie : Tasmania
telly : television
truckie : trucker
tucker : food
undies : underwear
uni : university
veggies : vegetables

http://www.amazingaustralia.com.au/language.htm

Adelaide

I made it to the Blue Gala Hostel at about 10:30 last night after my Moroccan cab driver took me there. We discovered that we were both in Paris this past year for New Years. I rode on the plane with John and Jan Woods, he was afraid of flying and had taken quite a few valume, so I let him listen to my iPod while I visited with Jan his wife. They were a very nice couple and the offered me a place to stay if I could not find accommodations because this weekend is the Clipsall 500 and there are thousands of men wandering around waving Ford flags and racing up and down the streets. There are so may other festivals in town especially in March but unfortunately I landed on the Holden vs. Ford racing cars circuit weekend. I am about to head out for the day and meet up with Jan and John later, I also have to book my tour with the wayward wanderers, more to come...

Airport with AC

I am about to get on the plane again and if feel a bit under the weather. I am not sure if it is the heat, the new medicine I am taking or something else all together. I ran into my dive instructor and made friends with a group of Irish travelers, one of whom just drove me to the airport and I called him by the wrong name as he drove off and I said thank-you. Another one said he might look nme up in Christchurch New Zealand. That would be nice to have someone that I already know. I realized a few days at a time isn't nearly enough. Finally I know people and then it is time for me to leave. The Irish group said I should have sat down on St. Patricks day, they were all partying around the pool, maybe I should have just walked up. I was also informed that Ireland was not a part of the UK. My mistake. I am ready for the cooler weather, it was not as hot as it can be at times in Texas but there was a major difference, AC is few and far between, I am not sure I have ever sweat so much in my entire life although I'm sure I probably have.

Cairns

Cairns
Posted by: kilastravels.

Off to Adelaide

Yesterday was a blast my coach picked me up at about 8:15 and we headed to the mountains. The first stop was a lake surrounded by rain forrest where we first had tea and scones with real cream and home made jam. Yummy, I could eat these all day. The bus driver whose name I can't remember had me sit by him in the front and he introduced me as Kelly from Texas who rides horses. I told him that yes I had a horse... After I stopped laughing at the question... It was white and it's name was trigger. I am beginning to really get used to the Australian sense of humor. Along our tip we pulled over and spoke to almost a dozen people, making fun of everyone in our path... That is just what they do here. We stopped at an organic dairy farm where I bought some quark, very similar to chevre but made from cows milk and some havarti. Last night I bought some nine grain bread and a tomato and made a sandwich... It was delicious. We also stopped at a banana farm that also grew passion fruit and papaws a cousin to the papaya. We visited a Spanish castle but I left the tour and walked around on my own, we saw a traditional aboriginal dance and I took the cheesy tourist photo holding the digery-doo. I decided it was worth it. The castle was covered in mold and smelled really bad but I took some beautiful shots. It wasn't really a castle and was built during the depression by a Spanish family but it was beautiful and I can only imagine what it looked like once upon a time. Most of the tour was filled with old people and newlyweds but I liked that they were all in good spirits, we stopped along the way for a plowmans lunch and wine but from what I have noticed the wines they serve are terrible and the red wine is served cold. Hopefully when I head down to the Barossa Valley the wine will be better. On the road we passed an artist painting on the side of the road, I took a wonderful photo of him holding his pallet and painting. Everything was quite picturesque with Holstein cows dotting the country side, rolling hills, mountains, clouds tucked in the valleys, and a sprinkling of palm trees. We stopped at 5 waterfalls along the way, beautiful. We were not allowed to get into the pools because they have had so much rain lately that the currents were too strong and the liability too great. So I wore my bathing suit all day and didn't get one drop of water. Today I am going to wander the streets until my flight takes off. There is a casino here that has a biodome on top of it with butterflies and other animals. I have heard it is a nice diversion, other than that I might just sit by the pool at my hostel. There is not much to do here if you are not heading out on a day trip or diving the reef and since I did not have an entire day I am sticking around until my flight. I still have not found another place to upload some more photos but hopefully I will find one when I make it back down south where I hear it is much colder. I also heard it is 38 degrees in Austin so I have probably missed the last cold blast of the season. Thank goodness I got some sun here I did not know New Zealand was cold as well, 15 degrees Celsius. Can anyone tell me exactly what that is????

Rainforest Cafe - Scones, cream & jam

Rainforest Cafe - Scones, cream & jam
Posted by: kilastravels.

Spanish Castle

Spanish Castle
Posted by: kilastravels.

Artist on the side of the road - Queensland

Artist on the side of the road - Queensland
Posted by: kilastravels.

Queensland countryside

Queensland countryside
Posted by: kilastravels.

Happy St Paddy's

guinness
Posted by: kilastravels.

Sailing Home

Sailing Home
Posted by: kilastravels.

My Dive Instructor

My Dive Instructor
Posted by: kilastravels.

Cairns, SCUBA & the Great Barrier Reef

I made it to Cairns yesterday and checked into the Travelers Oasis. It was hot but not unbearable. Hot in a I remember summer camp hot kind of way. As I walked off the plane a mother walked with her two daughters. The eldest walking obediently with her mother. The youngest walking slightly ahead keeping even with me waving her arms and making a rhythmic sound with her voice. I enjoyed watching her. Her mother quietly called he name to no avail. As I watched her I wanted to join her and wondered why I wasn't flapping my arms and trotting along with her. I then wondered when the last time I tried to attempt a cartwheel, stood on my head or played duck duck goose... I got off the plane and the town was beautiful. This area of Australia makes me wonder what other islands in Oceania must look like. I took a cab to town and Met Mark the from desk man and he immediately helped me pick some sight seeing tours. I picked a sailboat to go snorkeling rather than book one of the super cruisers with a glass bottom and up to 350 passengers. This morning I woke way before my alarm insisted that I wake and took a leisurely stroll before Mark drove me to dock E where I met the crew and fellow snorkeling on the EcstaSEA. The second we got on the boat they began trying to sell us on the upgrades. I then decided to try SCUBA diving. I snorkeled for the first half and then after a lunch of chicken curried potatoes and bread hopped into the water with a tank strapped to my back. I was a bit tense and my dive instructor grabbed my hand and began leading me along the reef. I saw stingray, giant clams and may other wonderful fish. On the way back I just sat there and stared out at the horizon. I remembered heading out with guys in high school and sitting on the edge of the boat zoning out while they fished. There was not a lot of talking going on and I realized how wonderful it all was. I think I forgot how much I loved the ocean because I am not a fan of the sand, but I am a fan of the water and I am a fan of boats. Tonight is St Paddy's Day. I have passed people with green hair, green clothes, and even Mark at the hostel has painted his beard green. I am drinking a coffee and have not decided whether a Guinness is in my near future because I am heading to the Rain forrest tomorrow and to see an old Spanish castle that is built nearby and will have to wake early. We will supposedly jump in lush tropical pools, and play under waterfalls, as well as a few other scheduled stops. This is probably good since I am a bit sunburned. Hopefully the aloe vera gel I purchased will come in handy, I am not sure how the lack of air conditioning will work but I am in a room with all women so if I have made peace with the fact that I may have to sleep in my skivvies. Time moves very slowly here in Cairns and most people are here for the diving. I met a nice man from New Zealand that told me where I should go when I get there and informed me that the weather would be quite chilly and that when landing I would fly over the snow capped mountains surrounding the area. I also met a guy here from Chicago last night but as the night moved along his only goal was to dive the great barrier reef get drunk and after a Caesar salad I left for home. How can you trust a guy from Chicago wearing a Yankees baseball cap anyway. The guy next to me is passing gas so I think I will sigh off now.

Happy St Patrick's Day to everyone.

Vegimite on Turkish Bread - Coluzzi's Cafe

Vegimiteon Turkish Bread - Coluzzi's Cafe
Posted by: kilastravels.

Flattie at Bondi Beach

Flattie at Bondi Beach
Posted by: kilastravels.

Grocery Market Lady

Grocery Market Lady
Posted by: kilastravels.

Watsons Bay

Watsons Bay
Posted by: kilastravels.

Sydney Opera House

Sydney Opera House
Posted by: kilastravels.

Sydney Day # 4

I have been in Sydney going on 4 days. I have been to a Jewish Wedding, seen the sights... Some of them (harbour bridge, Sydney Opera House, etc...) and learned a thing or two about how people think of Americans. After about a day and a half I finally learned to walk to the the left side of the car as a passenger. I constantly went to the right side and found myself standing with Irene on the drivers side. This became a bit of a joke to us. I decided to just pretend in my head I was driving and go to that side.

I attended a Jewish Wedding and reception at the oldest synagogue in Sydney and then at the Four Seasons, respectively. We danced in concentric circles the men in one and the women in another, raised the newly-weds onto chairs, drank wine and ate and ate and ate. I thought the Salmon and couscous was the main meal only to discover there was still lamb, potatoes, salad, vegetables, 3 deserts and more. My goodness I would have never known. The main excitement was when the groom passed out under the huppa (spelling?) because of the heat. Not funny then but funny now... Have you ever seen a groom pass out at the alter? The ceiling was beautiful, dark navy with gold leaf stars. I almost lost flat Isabella here, she jumped out of my camera bag, but I realized she was missing and found her while the couple was off signing the Katuba (sp?).

I have been dubbed Irene's friend from Texas, which I don't mind too much, but then everyone says... George Bush right? and I don't know if that is a good thing or a bad thing. I passed some graffiti near the university that said USA = MURDERS and USA = LIES. That told me a little bit about how people feel. I try not to discuss this subject too much but I get asked a lot of questions about Jerry Springer, the Swan, the OC ect...

The weather has been very nice, so I hear, very hot and the first two days I found myself sweating all day long, they don't quite use the AC the way we do. The nights are cool and everyone has been very kind to me. Everyone I meet want's to give me their number and take me to see something, or meet me along the way.

Sunday was nice wandering through the Bondi Beach markets. I found so many wonderful things but decided to pass on them all since I am traveling in a backpack and well that could get really heavy if I don't watch out.


Quick lesson:

Pissed = drunk
Shits = being pissed or angry
Australians do not drink fosters.

I have to go find Irene she is sitting with her father at the coffee shop we sit at every morning, Irene does not move quite as fast as I do in the morning, but I am learning to appreciate that. We are off to the Sydney Museum to see a National Geographic Mummy exhibit and then to find some other adventures before we park it and watch the sun set. Tonight is my last night in Sydney, longer than I expected because Irene convinced me to stay longer that I had planned, but I am enjoying my time. I will be in Cairns soon and exploring the Great Barrier Reef.

Gotta go find my mate Irene.

I am having trouble posting my photos, I will keep trying.

I made it to Sydney

I made it to Sydney after a 14 hour plane ride from LAX, alive and on solid ground. After waiting to get through customs I decided to call my friend Irene Kauffmann, she sent me her mobile phone number and two phone cards later, an international card and a local card, I got in touch with her. She then informed me she was off to synagogue because her brother was getting married and would I meet her at Bondi Beach at 12:30, how could I refuse she also offered me a free place to stay. I would be at her brothers or at her mothers depending oh what she found out after temple. I waited in the taxi line in about 85 degree weather which is only hot when you are wearing jeans and not used to the weather but I am acclimating. We drove past the cricket fields, the rugby park and and area of town that has one of those very Londonesque names passing dilapidated "mansions" and finally ended up in a part of town with bronzed young people carrying surf boards. It is gorgeous today, I am hearing everyone say it and I am agreeing, happy Saturday morning. I can see the ocean from where I am typing and after I change into a skirt... I threw on the reef flip flops the minute I stepped outside... I am going to explore the area, maybe find a cold beverage and absorb it all. No I have not seen any landmarks, and with the sound of the cheesy club music playing in this place and the young people walking around I could be at just about any beach town, but I am not, I am in Sydney.

So sublime

I was sitting on the plane and right as my my red wine was being served The Truth About Charlie Soundtrack started playing on my iPod. Charles Anzavour began singing in French, singing Quand Tu M'Aimes. I sat there wondering what it was he was saying....

Je le sens Je le sais
Quand t'as mal l'autre bout de la terre
Quand tu pleures pendant des heures
Sur mon coeur je pourrais hurler
Le jurer mme si je ne vois rien
D'o je suis je sens ton chagrin
Quand je me voisSans tes mains
Sans tes bras je ne peux plus respirer
Et j'entends si souventLe chant du vent
Qui vient pour me ramener
Vers tes landes sous ton ciel d'Irlande
Quitter ma vie sans pravisJe le ferais si tu m'aimes
Mme si j'ai tort
Tout est plus fort
Que la raison tout est plus fort que ton nom
Que je redis que j'cris sans arrt
Sur les crans de ma vie
Et j'espre que chacunes des aurores
Que je vois me mnera ton corps
Je quitterai tout si tu m'aimes
Je sais que je n'me trompe pas
Que quelque part au loin l-bas
Tu penses encore moi
Tu m'as gard dans tes bras
Une place, un bat
Dis-le moi tout bas que tu m'aimes
Que tu m'aimes...
Je le sens
Tu penses encore moi
Je le sais, tu m'as gard tes bras
Dis-le moi
Que tu m'aimes...

I am now in the admirals club at LAX playing on the free internet contemplating using my two free drink tickets. I am still wondering what he was saying...