My Kiwi Experience Part 1: The bit with the Plane

"DAMN it's freezing" was my first thought off of the plane in Auckland. I know I just flew from the tropics but this is out of hand. My flight was delayed coming in, so I got in much later than I intended, missing my dinner date with my New Zealand contact Georgie. Quickly after arriving at my hostel, I called and was scooped up by Georgie and her fiancee, Luke, and taken off to her parents house for my dinner plate, which they had saved for me. Sitting around with her comfortable family, having a nice homecooked meal was just what I needed after spending what felt like a whole day in the Sydney Airport. The next day, I braved the brisk weather and took a harbor cruise, which seemed mostly to be focused on yaughts and sailing, rather than on the city. But we did stop off at a newly made volcanic island, only 600 years old! The geology nerd in me was thrilled. After that I walked to the top of another (more extinct) volcano that had some spectactular vistas of the city. After a million photos, I walked down through the charming neighborhood. I was exhausted and pretty much could only muster watching a movie in my hostel after that. Cape Fear, if you were wondering
The next day, bright and early I hopped on a bus to Taupo, the town that sits on the biggest lake in the southern hemishpere and all the skydiving captial of New Zealand, which is the extreme sports mecca of the world, so yeah, I was pretty ready to jump out a plane. In my hostel I met a Candanian, Sharon, who had been skydiving a few days before, and was doing it again that day. With me, as it turned out. Sharon and I somehow gradually over the course of a few hours became best friends, and so I was pretty stoked that she was jumping out of the plane with me. I got in this little propeller plane, with two narrow benches and oxygen tanks hanging from the walls, and somehow, I didn't feel nervous. As we climbed higher and higher, and as my tandem master, John, started to strap me in, I just felt more and more calm. Finally, the moment came: 15,000ft the highest skydive in the world, a full minute of free fall. I was right there at the door, it was surreal. I felt myself fall out over a satallite image, a map. It was freezing, I could help laughing. Here I was, falling with nothting to stop me, the only thing between me and the ground was air. How insane. Then the parachute deployed, and things slowed down, and it hit me how totally fun this was. I steered the parachute in big sweeping sprials and my tandem master pointed out the landscape- oh that mountain over there was the location for Mt. Doom, if you are into that sort of thing. (HECK YES I AM). After sliding to the ground, collapsing into a fit of giggles, it was over. Sharon and I celebrated appropriately- a big thai dinner and a night on the town. Life goal- Sky Diving, accomplished.

Leaving the Land of Oz

My last few weeks in Australia have been JAMMED with activites that have all been so fun, but have left me little time to, ehem, "blog" about them. Sorry to all my sportsfans! Since I left you, I went to a little place called Magnetic Island and learned how to scuba dive! It was a great way to learn, it was almost like private tutoring, as there was only one other person in the class. The only other thing to note on Magnetic was the Cane Toad races that I attended. Basically 8 toads hop from the center of a circle to the outside and whoever gets there first wins. Man, these Aussies get creative with their entertainment and they will bet on anything. Even Toads.
Next I was off on a Sailing Adventure in the Whitsunday Islands, purported to be some of the loveliest places in Australia. When the weather is good. Not to be too whiny, but the weather was not the greatest. Our boat braved choppy waves and wind and rain, but, as I am a salty sea dog, I didn't get seasick. I will say this about the Whitsundays: there is a beach there with the softest whitest sand I have ever seen. I bet on a beautiful day, it would be a little slice of heaven. Don't get me wrong, I had a great time, but that had much more to do with the people aboard our boat, the mighty Pegasus. Every person I talked to was a nice, interesting, funny person, and through some fluke, they all seemed to enjoy me just as much. It was magic.
Then to Cairns, to complete one of my life time goals: Dive the barrier reef (though techincally I learned on it, but shh!). I signed up for a 3 day live aboard boat, where I got to complete 12 dives! I high fived a sea turtle, snuggled a sea cucumber, said hi to Nemo (clownfish) and defeated any issues I had about being in the water with sharks without protective gear. I dove at night, which was a little scary, but exhilerating when you look up and see the silhouette of 5 sharks that are 10 meters away from you. I had a great time, and found a new joy in diving. I hope I can afford this new hobby! After the boat trip, I spent my time living it up with my dive buddies, completely exhausting myself. After a day in sydney recooperating, I'm off to New Zealand. Land of Hobbits! Actually, I'm not planning on doing any Lord of the Rings stuff, but I am planning of enjoying the heck out of myself: skydiving, dolphin swimming, hangi eating, and other shennagins. Good Bye Oz!

Team Dingo Does Fraser

After a brief, somewhat lack luster day in Brisbane, that included approximately 8 hours of walking, I went out with some people I met in the hostel. One of them, Christian from Chile, as it turned out, booked my exact same trip on the exact same dates, so I had a travelling buddy! He was a real sweet heart, helping me with my bags and sharing food with me. We were both really charged up about going on our Fraser Island tour, 3 days of camping together sounded great. He told me that he had been to Fraser before, but only for one day. That's because on the one of the first stops, he dove into the shallow end of a lake and broke his neck. After a terrifying rescue that took hours to complete, 6 months of rehab, the doctors didn't think he would be able to walk again. But he was lucky, fit and determined, and proved to be a miracle case. Knowing this, it felt so special to walk with him to the lake were he had his accident, and feel a part of that strength and courage and he swam in the place that nearly killed him. I can harly say enough how much I admire him, I am really lucky to have met someone so amazing. Fraser Island itself is completely amazing. It is one of the most stunning places in the world, comprised only of sand, it is amazing the diversity of life that it supports. Beyond beautiful rainforest and mangrove stands, tons of wildlife, including some very fearless dingoes that our group encountered many times. We dubbed ourselves Team Dingo, and about half of our photos are doing the dingo protective stance we learned from the Island safety video, arms folded over your chest like a sleeping vampire. We put our own little twist on it and added spirit fingers. It was a fun group, me Christian, a Korean girl and 5 English lads, and even digging out our Land Rover from deep sand traps and running it into posts couldn't break our spirits. Though the vicious sandfly attacks and lack of sleep nearly did. After 3 glorious days, we headed back to our hostel, glowing about our upcoming cruise of the Whitsundays we we all booked to do together. Then news came that we were not sailing because a tropical cyclone was nailing the coast. We canceled our bus, and drowned our sorrows. Our sorrows then became really funny. Soon, as Team Dingo was rocking out on a dance floor, sorrow wasn't even a word to me anymore. We took a taxi home. It was a good night. The next morning, hungover, and suddenly very aware of the fact that now we had no travel plans, everyone was a little bit depressed. Team Dingo had to break up, go our separate ways. So tomorrow, instead of sailing, I'll be learning how to dive! I've been able to work it out so that I will get to do the whitsundays after I learn how to dive, so actually, I'm not missing anything. Except Team Dingo, but that was inevitable.

Roos and wombats and crocs, OH MY!

You know, all my hesitations about leaving Condobolin and work completely evaporated once I started the holiday portion of my Australian Adventure. Took the train into Sydney, upon which I was semi-courted by a Sudanese emmigrant (at least he told me I should be married, that I should come with him to Africa, and then demanded my phone number, which he didn't get because I am crafty?). After a awkward few hours of rigid silence (the "proposal" took place roughly half way on the 7 hour train ride) I arrived in Sydney, back in the CBD, my old stomping grounds. It felt really nice to feel so familiar there, I was even able to give directions to an Ozzie couple visiting from Victoria! Two hours later, I got aboard my night bus to Byron Bay, and about 15 minutes, a juice box and an Ambien later, I was asleep. I woke to bright sun dancing over green pastoral country side, so shockingly unfamiliar after 2 months in drought ridden bushland. The rolling hills soon gave way to the bustle of Byron's streets, lined with cute little shops and cafes, and LOADS of tourists.
Byron Bay reminds me a little of upscale Californian beach towns, lots of money and tourists floating around, but still retaining some hippie charm, set on a stunning bay, surrounded by beautiful farmland. I can see how someone could hole up there, and want to whittle away their days sipping coffee in a cafe, spending afternoons on the perfect beach, and dancing the night away (on a table!) in one of the most fun bars I've ever been to, called Cheeky Monkey's. The only thing wrong with Byron Bay is everyone knows about it.
I took a day trip to this little town called Nimbin, which is like a total hippie enclave left over from the days of the Aquarius Festival. The town is a total trip, but I had a really fun time hanging out with some awesome Canadian girls, seeing the stunning country side, chilling out to some rad music. Really a great day
After 2 days in Byron, which really was not enough, I went to visit some family friends who live about 45 min from Surfers Paradise. I've been having a blast hanging out with the family, they've really outdone themselves, showing me a great time- They took me to this wildlife reserve, which is really more of a zoo exclusive to Aussie animals. Hey, Perfect, i don't want to see other animals. I got to feed and pet loads of kangaroos (they are a lot softer and fluffier than one might expect), I got to hold a baby salt water croc, and see pretty much all the animals that I've never seen before- wombats and dingoes and all sorts of birds (like emus), so that was all kinds of fun. Plus, it's great to feel taken care of by a family. I suppose the backpacker lifestyle doesn't really fulfill that need, so it's nice to get a dose of wholesome family time, even with someone else's family.
So it's on to Brisbane tomorrow! Onward ho!

You're grabbing your hat, it's off to the races again

I can’t believe my time in Condobolin is almost up, the time has flown by, and I really feel I’ve been taken care of by the community- I’ve been to family barbeques, birthdays and tea, out to see the shearing sheds, treated to countless drinks and homecooked meals, and next weekend I’ll be a VIP at the biggest horserace of the year. The people here are so warm and unforgettable, truly my Ozzie family, and they continue to take care of me after I leave, giving me contacts for their families all around Australia, and the rest of the world. And, of course, I’ll miss the backpackers upstairs. Two of the boys left last week, and I was surprised to miss them so terribly. It’s funny how quickly you grow attached to people when you are travelling. You spark these connections, and you compress months of friendship into a few weeks, and then, just as suddenly, they are gone, just a facebook message and an email now and then. Chances are I’ll never see most of these people again, but I am determined to make it back to Condo. These people are not travellers, they didn’t place a time limit on their hospitality, I’m part of the gang for life. It’s up to me to keep up my end of the deal. And I fully intend to.

I am really really really looking forward to going up the east coast. I know it's the backpacker trail and everyone has done it, but dammit, it's my turn now! I'm planning on getting my PADI certification in Townsville, so I can dive the Barrier Reef, which has been a life long dream of mine. Just like seeing the Opera House, I can't believe I actually am here, getting to do these things I had dream of since I was a child. Really, since I saw Rescuers Down Under... which, seriously, Australia is just like that. WAY TO GO DISNEY. You nailed it. Anyway, I still have a great last week in Condo,and going to go to the races this weekend will be a perfect final, totally ozzie bushland send off, complete with all the grog that I can skull. Translation: all the beer that I can drink.

One Month in the Bush

Wow, embarrassing that it has been almost a month since my last post. But that's because I've been working all the time! Work is great fun though, I've been doing a bit of work around the Imperial Hotel, cleaning up after the backpackers that live here while working on the fruit farms and working in the bar. The bar is definitely my Australia experience, I sit and talk to the roughest kind of Aussies- Sheep Shearers and Gold Miners and Wood Cutters and Farmers. They are all great characters, and man do they like their beer! But they've been utterly hospitable- I've been out to a sheep shearing shed to see what that is like (interesting and crazy and a little gross when you realize you are touching skin, but the wrong side of it) and to a honest to god aussie country barbecue, that consists of drinking tons of beer and eating lots of meat. And they keep on inviting me out! They are really really good people out in Condo.
I've also been hanging out with a bunch of English backpackers upstairs. They are decent blokes, and we are heading to a concert in Melbourne together tomorrow- a 7 hour drive, but totally worth it to go to the Big Day Out! I can't wait!
I've started to plan my 20 days on the east coast, it's going to be really amazing, but I can already tell that I haven't devoted enough time to Australia and with promises of jobs and the security of friends, I think I'll have to come back. Oh, to live this life forever!

Working for the Dream

After a lot of grief and drama, I have finally lined up some work in Australia. I'll be working in a pub in a town called Condobolin, about 6 hours west of Sydney, not quite the "outback" I had dreamed about, but secluded enough that I won't be spending money, which is good, quite a change from life in Sydney, where all I do is spend money. It just leaks out of me, I can't help it. $4 for a bus ride, $5 for a drink, $30 for groceries. Reviewing my bank account has made me realize just how lucky I am that I have this job now, and it's also making me rethink a lot of my "travel options". I had this grand adventure planned, allowing me to do all the things that I wanted to do, but now, I certainly need to make a choice between some things. My two biggest dreams were to go to Uluru, otherwise know as Ayers Rock, (you know it, it's the big red monolith that adorns all Australia travel brochures) and to dive on the Great Barrier Reef. Both are expensive, but both would be the experience of a lifetime. Luckily, I don't have to agonize too much over the choice of it. Global warming and pollution are quickly leading to the bleaching of the corals, which could completely die within the next 20 years, though there is huge environmental overhauls to protect the reef now, it is still in danger. At 530 million years old, Uluru is the oldest monolith in the world, and well, it's not going anywhere. So now I know where to focus my energies and my money, but let me tell you, I feel a little betrayal to my geology teachers. No telling them please! I am a little nervous and excited about starting to work, I've never done anything like this before, and I'm sure it's going to have an impact on me. I have a romantic image in my head of sharing a pint with a crazy old Crocodile Dundee who will have all these insane stories. Probably it won't be that interesting, I'll probably pull pints and clean and make beds and mop the floor. But it will all be towards a glorious hour or two in an underwater dreamland that I will never forget. So for that it is all worth it.
Also: New Years Eve is just a day away, and I am so excited, I heard this is going to be the most fireworks that has ever been set off. EVER ANYWHERE. But I heard that from a guy in a hostel, so, who knows.