Goodbye to my second home

Well, I cannot believe that my seven weeks in Australia are coming to an end. I suppose that you may all be wondering why I have only written three blog posts in the past seven weeks and the answer is quite simple: Australia truly is a second home. Just as I would have a hard time writing a blog about my occurrences in Boulder, the same is nearly true for Sydney. It is incredible to think that if I had never studied abroad in Sydney, I wouldn't have developed such an amazing relationship with my family down under! Now, I have my "Australian parents", Di and Geoff, and wonderful cousins in Sydney that I want to visit as much as possible! I guess it doesn't hurt that am able to stay in a gorgeous home with an amazing cook that just so happens to be a block away from the beach!

So then what have I been doing in Sydney? Well, these past few weeks I have been taking it easy. A couple weeks ago I went to hear the Dalai Lama speak in Sydney. When I had heard that he was coming I instantly knew that I wanted to go. I honestly knew nothing about the Dalai Lama, except that he was arguably the most important living figure for Buddhists. His talk was very interesting. He was such a humble man, warning us from the beginning that he didn't have the answers to the worlds problems, but rather, insight on how each person could better themselves. It was perfect timing to hear a talk like this just before continuing on my adventure.

Other than that, it has been many days of my favorite routine: beach, eat, sleep! Last weekend, we went to a monthly farmers market at the end of Darling Harbour and it was incredible! For all of you Boulderites, it was about five times as big as our farmers market with everything you could imagine. Afterwards, we went to the Sydney Fish Market to get some seafood for the weekend. The following day (Sunday), we all sat in Di and Geoffs back area, which feels like a tropical oasis, and had the most incredible meal. We had fresh mussels from the fish market in a delicious white wine and tomato sauce, and we even had shrimp on the barbie! This week, I did some last minute errands and got my final dose of Sydney! The weather was great, slightly better than the frigid cold temperatures I have been hearing about in Colorado, and I was able to do some beautiful scenic walks and admire all of the seasonal and Christmas festivities.

Sculptures by the Sea: Bondi

Christmas lights in the city

So, I hope you all understand that although I failed miserably at communicating my time in Sydney, it does not mean I think any less of the place. In fact, it is the opposite. I am so mesmerized by the city and the way it can capture your heart that I just cannot put it into words! But, please, if you have not spent time in Sydney, move that to the top of your to do list! I have already convinced my mom to come here. She is already planning a family vacation here for December 2010, so maybe if you play your cards right you can get an invite!

A goodbye hug from my adorable Aussie cousin!

With seven months left, expect to hear about all of the crazy adventures to come in the future! So long Australia, hello Asia!

Here is a quick look at whats ahead:

* On Monday, December 14, I leave for Thailand and will meet my sister at the airport at around midnight. Under normal circumstances, it would probably be a long, chaotic night, that may have consisted of sleeping in the airport. Given that our grandmother has a close friend that owns a hotel in Bangkok, we will be picked up and escorted to free accommodation at a beautiful hotel in the heart of the city! While this will do a poor job of preparing us for the dirt cheap lifestyle that we will have throughout our travels, I guess I can't complain!

* Two months of backpacking throughout Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Laos. The only schedule we have is to get back to Bangkok on February 15 to catch our flight to India! We have an idea of all of the places we want to go, but we just need to figure out what will be the best route for us!

Have a wonderful holiday season and I will keep you posted!

Thanksgiving Down Under

Setting up for the Thanksgiving feast

So Di and I had discussed doing a Thanksgiving meal a couple of weeks ago and she was kind enough to share her birthday dinner with Thanksgiving! Once the plans were set, she asked what ingredients were necessary for a traditional Thanksgiving meal. I listed off turkey, mashed sweet potatoes with marshmallows and pumpkin pie as the big ticket items! Additionally, I wanted to make my famous key lime pie. It turns out that some of these ingredients are difficult to find in Australia! First off, Di apparently had to call around in order to find a butcher that actually had some turkey! Then, I explained the canned pumpkin mix we use for the pie and was shocked that one of the department stores actually carried it! Our biggest battle though was pie crusts. I love how American manufacturers recognize that we are lazy and would prefer the option of pre-made pie crusts. This is not the case in Australia! So, when Di reported back that there were no pie crusts, as well as no graham crackers in Australia for my key lime pie crust, we had to be innovative in order to make it all work out. In the end, it all did turn out delicious. The one thing though that I found hilarious was watching everyones faces as I explained to them that we actually ate sweet potatoes with marshmallows for Thanksgiving. I kept telling everyone not to knock it until they tried it, and in the end, I think it got the Australian seal of approval!

Di's incredible turkey

I would say that Thanksgiving Down Under 2009 was a success! The turkey was incredible, all of the side dishes were visibly enjoyed, and everyone got a taste of some American pumpkin and key lime pie. It made me feel so fortunate that despite being on the other side of the world, I was still able to share this special holiday with family and friends. In the end, I think having this meal also introduced some Australians to the meaning of Thanksgiving and why it is so important to Americans. Hopefully, all of you had a wonderful Thanksgiving back home. Enjoy the rest of your long weekend!

The Great Barrier Reef and beyond

It has only been 4 days since I finished my liveaboard dive trip and I must say that I am already hooked on diving! Upon returning from the Great Barrier Reef, I reflected on the trip and was beyond impressed with my first experience in certified diving. The visibility was incredible, the dive sites were full of aquatic life and corals, and the Pro Dive boat provided us with plenty of delicious food! It is difficult to express in words how liberating it feels to breath underwater and live among the fish, but it is something you must all experience for yourselves!

On my very first unguided dive, my brain kind of shut off. As I began descending below the surface, I started to panic because I realized that I couldn't breath. It turned out that I failed toremember to take out my snorkel and begin using my regulator while underwater! Needless to say, my first dive was slightly messy, but it was no big deal because I had 10 dives left! On my three day, two night liveaboard trip I managed to see several turtles, reef sharks, sting rays, eels, giant clams, triggerfish, crabs, and in case you were wondering, I found Nemo! Since I had an underwater camera housing, I always had my camera ready just in case something really exciting was spotted. On the few occasions were I found a shark or a turtle, I immediately would get a burst of energy and chase after them as if I were a predator. Now that I think back on it, I realized that it may not be the wisest idea to chase sharks!

Although we were doing three dives a day and one night dive, I was surprised at how much energy I had throughout the day. It definitely helped that after every dive there was always some kind of food waiting for us, with my favorite being the warm, fresh baked cakes. The top deck was also great for relaxing. By noon, nearly half of the boat was taking a nap, while the rest, including myself, were absorbing the tranquility of our surroundings. I just remember looking out at the ocean and not seeing a single thing in any direction. I think that this setting makes it nearly impossible for anyone to stress out (not that I have anything not stress out about!). It felt remarkable to be so far away from reality! I could have definitely stayed on that boat for a few more days.

So, to sum it up, my very first dive trip was amazing and unforgettable! Luckily, I have lots of photos to remember the trip. If you have facebook, you can check out the rest of my photos by using this link:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2468464&id=10220156&saved#/album.php?aid=2468464&id=10220156

I still have a lot more to catch you all up on so expect more posts within the week! Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Return to Oz

Well to say the least it feels amazing to be back in Sydney, truly my second home. From the moment that I stepped off of the plane it was pure bliss. Although it has been nearly two years since I left Sydney, it truly felt like it was just yesterday when I departed from my six month study abroad experience. It took a few days to get back to normal, but as soon as I bought my surfboard (referred to as my baby boy), I found myself back to my daily routine at Bondi Beach. My absolute favorite day ever is quite simple: wake up at 6:30, eat some brekkie (as they call it in Australia), take a walk along the stunning coastal beach path, then surf until I have no energy left.  Afterwards, I am content to just relax at the beach with a book or roam around the city. Although I haven't managed to do this every single morning, it is what I aim for!

Seeing a typical Bondi Beach sunset will quickly make you realize how easy it is to be a beach bum

Apart from my beach routine, I have just been enjoying re-familiarizing myself with the city. It only took a few days to master the bus and train system again and I managed to see most classic Sydney sites within the first week. Recently, I have really been enjoying time with my Australian family and taking advantage of everything the city has to offer. What I love about Sydney is that if you are a beach person, like myself, you can still access the heart of the city with a 10-15 minute drive. Since I visited nearly every place I wanted to see last time I was here, it is nice to have this time to feel like a Sydney local.

Returning on the ferry after a lovely day at Manly Beach

The Opera House at sunset

Additionally, I managed to take a quick break from the city by going on a surf trip up north with a company called Mojo Surf.  We went to a mellow, private beach location about four hours from Sydney and stayed at their surfside accommodation.  It was definitely a nice change of pace to have an uncrowded, peaceful beach with plenty of waves for everyone!

The wonderfully vibrant mojo bus

Nice, empty beach!

Well, lets hope that now I can get used to doing blog updates more frequently. I am aiming for updates at least twice a month.  Next up: diving in the great barrier reef

Lots of love to all! Stay well