Sunday, December 30, 2012

Holidays? :)


Christmas is over? Tomorrow is New Years Eve? Where is time going…? Anyone…? I can’t believe it!  Alex has already been here for five days, and his company is great!  We’re having a blast, and have already done so much, with a full agenda until the 8th when he flies back to Western Australia.


Christmas Day was strange, as I had anticipated.  It was quiet around here, and my package that I’d been hoping would arrive on time did! – and apparently there are another few on their way!  EXCITED!  I called home, and spoke to my parents briefly before calling Mama and Papa.  I opened the package that arrived from Mom in the mail, and amongst my surprises, got a really cute Pandora charm for my bracelet.  It’s a kangaroo and there’s a little joey in it’s pouch! – I like to think it’s my Mom and I dangling off my bracelet! Thanks Mom! A few quick calls home, and then got my day underway.  I walked the dog, then tidied the house, feeling like I was doing circles, anxious and excited about picking Alex up from the airport.  I made the earlier train, and waited at the airport.  I finally found him around 7:30, and we headed back to Varsity Lakes by train.  We skyped his entire family and then called my parents and Mama and Papa again for a quick catch up on the day! 


The fifteen hour time difference between home and here meant skyping and talking to my family on their Christmas Day would have to happen early on Boxing Day here.  We got up at 6:50am, which was so worth it, as I was able to see my family and cousin Inga and Mama and Papa!  It was incredible… Seeing little Kinley’s face made it hard to be so far away.  I did pretty well with the tears, trying hard to keep them in, only letting a few shed when I saw Kinley and then when my Dad appeared on screen.  It’s surreal being so far away, and having to regard a time difference so great in order to communicate with those you love the most.  


The weather wasn’t great on Boxing Day here, and with Alex’s travel the day before, we took it easy and had a pretty quiet day.  We watch a few movies and had some Mexican food I made for dinner. 


On the 27th, we got up and walked the dog before making our way to the beach at Burleigh Heads where we spent a few hours soaking up the sun!  You can see the picture of the big red beetle that landed on the back of Alex’s neck while we were waiting for the bus to come!  It could be about the size of a quarter.  There were a few others on the tree, that were the same red or a shade of orange.  There were also a few shiny blue beetles in the tree’s fruit.  The vegetation and wildlife here is always so colourful and eye-catching!  We definitely did our “heroic” deed for the day!  While laying on the beach, a sweet little girl, roughly 2 years old, walked by us and stopped to look at us.  We just said hi and then she kept going… Alex and I asked each other where here parents would be and we kept an eye on her – for a long time, while she wandered down the beach aimlessly.  We weren’t sure if the people she approached were her family until she’d quickly turn from strangers (who initially looked like people she recognized based on her reactions).  


I got pretty uneasy about it, and when she was nearly 350 meters away.  Alex stayed put in case someone came by asking if someone had seen a little girl, and I took off down the beach after her.  She would have been over half a kilometer down the beach by the time I reached her!  I calmly just got her attention and asked her where she was going – knowing she didn’t have a response.  

I picked her up, and the sweet little thing just clung to me, terrified and exhausted.   I turned back and was going to bring her back to the vicinity where Alex and I were, and then to the Lifeguard Tower that was within 20m of our spot on the beach – hoping someone would claim her as theirs!  Upon my return, the lifeguard beach truck came by and asked if she was mine… I told him she wasn’t, and asked if someone had reported a missing child. Nope. SERIOUSLY?! He told me he was just following her to pick her up and bring her back to the tower.  I hopped in with him and we tried to get a few words out of her, but all she could get out was “Mom.”  Poor little thing… This little boogery nosed sweet heart, that was latched onto me and was nearly asleep with fear and pure exhaustion when we got to the tower.  What made me nearly flip was when we returned.  A dimwit woman was standing there, as calm as could be, with what looked to be her sister and her sister’s child.  She simply said, “oh, she belongs to me.”  Then came out with, “well don’t you look happy?” – Didn’t thank me.  Didn’t thank the lifeguard.  Took her child out of my arms and walked away.  I was lost for words, wanting to lose it on the mother, whose daughter could have been abducted or dragged into the sea by the strong riptide.  I just walked back to where Alex was and tried to let it go, with people asking me along the way if she was mine…?  I couldn’t believe how many people watched her without doing anything, especially those who said they’d been watching her walk around aimlessly in the area we were in, for 10-15 minutes prior to her even heading down the beach.  Unreal.
 

While swimming, we saw a huge jelly!  It would have been the size of a basketball, and was a deep blue colour.  Alex nearly swam into it without seeing it, and was pretty happy he missed it!  We got smoothies before heading home to walk the dog and called it a night watching a few Zeitgeist documentaries.


On the 28th, we went back down to Burleigh Heads, but instead of the main beach, we went to do a rainforest walk and end up at a “secret” beach (that nearly 500 other people were at! – sooo secret!) It was lovely though.  We saw geckos and brush turkeys, a few bearded dragons, and an eagle! (pictures!) It was awesome to see some of the east coast wildlife and rainforest.  You can see in the one picture, the beach that extends and has Surfers Paradise in the far distance.


On the 29th, we were picked up by Phil, who is a friend of Alex’s brother Adrian.  We brought Athena with us, and headed out to Tweed for a day by the pool, a barbecue, and an overnight! Tweed is just over the border of Queensland and New South Wales, and there is an hour time difference between the two states!  Phil’s wife is Nicole, and they have two children, Max and Emily.  They have a beautiful house on a big hill in Tweed, with city skylines and the ocean in view.  It was fantastic, and their company and hospitality was so appreciated! We are going to see them again on Friday night for dinner and a night out at a comedy show, if all goes as planned.


Today we got up and had breakfast, then walked Athena and spent some time by the pool.  Phil and Nicole have lent us a car until next Sunday, which is incredible!  This will allow Alex and I to not only get around the Gold Coast much more easily, but it means we can do all the things we’d hoped to be able to!  We’re actually sitting here now planning out the rest of our time here, lining up a few mountain walks, scenic hikes, and surfing days.  Looking like a busy week and a half ahead! 


So today after leaving Tweed, we headed back up the coast, and stopped in Coolangatta for some lunch and a coastal walk with Athena.  The beaches here, as I’ve said already, go on and on and on.  The scenery here puts you in absolute awe of what is in front of you.  The ocean’s colours and shades of blue and green and aqua are incredible.  We made our way up to a lookout called Snapper Rock and took a few pictures then headed back to the car, and then headed home for a quiet night.  The sun and the pool and the walks tuckered us out! – Can’t complain though!  Seeing what we’re seeing on a daily basis, we are lucky bums! 


Off to bed for the night.  Calling it quits pretty early, gearing up for Springbrook National Park and a wild 5 hours hike tomorrow!


HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE! 


New year.  New beginnings.  New sights.  New experiences.  New friends.  New values.  New memories. 


LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE!




Sunday, December 23, 2012

So this is... Christmas?

I think I did the right thing, trying to convince my mind and heart that the 30 degree weather does in fact mean that it is actually August, and it's not actually December.  It's not actually Christmas.  I'm not actually missing another Christmas with my family.  I'm not actually missing Kinley's first Christmas, or Mama's baking, or laughs with Inga.  I'm not missing my sister's first Christmas as a mom, or my parents' first Christmas as proud grandparents. Nope. It's summer... just... summer in December.

I've been away for Christmas before.  I did it on my exchange in 2005, in Argentina with the Bolado family, who granted me time on a phone to call home.  Horrible reception or not, I spoke to my family, and opened the package that I had waited nearly three weeks to open after it's early arrival.  This year is a little different.  I'm not with a family.  I'm not surrounded by decorations or other people that are as wild about Christmas as I am.  There's no Christmas tree.  Christmas cards and packages haven't arrived yet, and likely won't until after Boxing Day.  That all sounds so sad and glum, and it's really not what I'd intended.  It's just stating the facts about spending Christmas alone. You really reflect on a lot; what you're thankful for, what you miss, where you wish you could be, or what you could be doing.  But! There are positives!  There are always positives. It's hot. Sunny. There's a beach nearby. People leave cold Christmases all the time for destinations like where I'm LIVING.  Parks. Flowers. GORGEOUS beaches.  Colourful birds.  Live music.  I will have access to skype, and will be able to see my family members' faces - so thankful for internet.  I do, also, have one thing arriving via plane, at 7pm on Christmas evening.  Mr. Alex Newbould will be flying in, and I can't wait!  He'll be my Christmas!  Wait... it's August! Right!

Life is still going well here housesitting in Varsity Lakes.  Walking Athena continues to be a daily highlight!  Today I made my way to Burleigh Heads, to the beach.  It was crawling with people, and will be for the next week or so, while families take their vacations and share their time in the sun.  There are barbecues available for people to use, and picnic tables scattered all over the parks and along the beach for convenience.  Although I applied my sunscreen today, I returned to the house a little rosie!  In the first beach picture, you can see the skyline of Surfers Paradise in the distance.  I wish the pictures I took did more justice! The second beach picture shows the Burleigh Heads National Park forest that you can walk through - that's on the list of to-dos! (So is watching the sun rise, since now we're on the east coast!)  In the third one, you can see the heaps of people in the water wading in the waves.  I was in a few times today to cool off.  Nothing better than a dunk in the sea!  The waves were huge and really strong today, and there were only two areas along this entire stretch of beach that we were able to go into.  They had the Surf Aid team on in full force!  A little boat and everything!  There must have been two or three dozen staff in bright yellow and red shirts on, blowing their whistles and keeping people between the flags.

A day at the beach like today, you sure see a wide variation of "budgie smugglers," let me tell you!  All kinds of them.  (I can hear my mom laugh at that expression, and I love it!)

I finished off a good chunk of yard work, and did some laundry.  You can see a stick bug I found while filling up a wheelbarrow load!  What a neat little creature.  I haven't come across any snakes yet, which is a good thing.  "Joyce from number 9" - aka, the neighbour, has warned me about the snakes.  I've seen plenty of little geckos, but no snakes... yet.  The cockatoos are still devouring the seeds in the trees!  They're quite the entertainment, and boy are they loud.  I'm doing my best to keep myself busy while counting down the
now forty four and a half hours until Alex lands.  We've got all kinds of things we'll be doing while he's here, before he goes back to Western Australia.  He's only had three days off in the last 47 he's worked, so this break will be much needed and very well deserved.

The bottom picture shows four generations of the Lytle family. My beautiful grandma, my Dad's mom,  Gladys. My favourite man, (looking very handsome I must say!) my Dad, Wes.
My incredible sister Allison, and her sweet daughter (my favourite martian!!), Kinley.

Merry Christmas everyone!  Cherish it!  Eat lots.  I mean, like put yourselves into food comas and enjoy the couches and company to the fullest!

LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE!














Thursday, December 20, 2012

GOLD COAST, BABY!


Already into my time house sitting on the Gold Coast, and it’s going really well!  Here’s a catch up on where I’m at these days.


I got back from Noosa on December 14, in the evening.  Trish made us an awesome chicken stir fry and we watched a movie that night.  Ron and Trish just moved into this house two weekends ago, and are still working hard to unpack their things, reorganize their new home, and clean up the back yard.  The yard was overgrown with thick jungly vegetation.  They had it cleaned up, and the old dead plants and trees removed, to make it a functional back yard.  The landscapers, if you could call them that, left a rather large mess behind, and it has kept Ron and Trish busy since!


On Saturday, Ron and I took Athena for a walk in the morning.  He showed me where the bus/train station is in relation to the house, and where a good walk for Athena is.  Athena is their German Shepherd, and she is such a pleasant and well natured dog!  I am thoroughly enjoying her company.  Both Athena and Destiny (the cat) have such personalities!  Athena is so gentle natured and sweet, and Destiny is definitely the dominant of the two!  She’s such a little talker, and they keep me from being even slightly lonely in this house!  I spent some time on Saturday afternoon at the Burleigh Heads beach on the coast.  The coastal beaches here really do go on and on and on!  It’s breathtaking.  I found myself just sitting and watching and listening to the sounds of the birds and people, and the waves rolling into each other, and breaking as they hit shore.  Just stunning.  Stretching as far as I could see to the left, stands the skyline of Surfers Paradise, and to the right, Burleigh Heads rainforest, hills and walking trails.  Between the two stretches a beach of white sand alive with people, seashells and rolling aqua waves breaking as they reach the sand.  They crawl up the beach far enough to bring new seashells to those scouring the beach to find the perfect souvenir of the Gold Coast.  I am going to thoroughly enjoy my time here!


Ron took Trish and I out for dinner that night, for a Chinese food buffet!  On our walk down the street, we saw a few bats flying around, feasting on the flies and bugs.  I am not kidding, the bats here are HUGE.  The size of my forearm plus their wide wingspans!  I had a laugh to myself to see one actually flap it’s wings, since at home, as I recall, if you see a bat, it’s like a dart in the sky – you’re lucky to keep your eye on it for any length of time and it’s gone, or it’s flight pattern is so irregular you can hardly see them at all.  You’ll hear the occasional squeak or something, but rarely get a good look at them.  Not the ones here.  They could pick up a cat, I swear.

Ron and Trish left first thing Sunday morning.  I got up early with them and saw them off on their adventure.  The shuttle picked them up at precisely 6:50am and off they went!  Hong Kong, and then India for their holidays!  I have taken it upon myself to help out as best I can while Ron and Trish are traveling, since there is still a lot of work that needs to be done in the backyard.  Lots of raking and filling the wheelbarrow to clear out the roots, vines, leaves, twigs and branches that were left behind.  I got a good head start that morning before it got too hot, and then unpacked and turned the house into “my home” for my stay, unpacking and reorganizing my groceries.  It’s nice to have your clothes hung up or in drawers instead of pulling them out of a backpack daily! 



I’ve been walking Athena for 30-45 minutes, twice a day, allowing her to enjoy every pond or swamp she finds.  Ron and Trish used to live within walking distance of the ocean here, and Athena LOVES water.  I think she’s missing the ocean, but you’d never know sometimes, the way she leaps into the swamps and ponds!  She makes me laugh every day.   


Walking Athena has allowed me to really admire the flowers and vegetation here.  Mango trees, hibiscuses, gum trees, and various other gorgeous flowers.  It has also introduced me to several different kinds of birds and sounds, which are so captivating!  I’m not kidding, I demolished a bag of popcorn watching the cockatoos in the backyard enjoy the seeds Ron left out for them!  At one point, there were sixteen of them in the tree.  You should hear these birds squawk.  They can sound so angry!  The big ones with the black beaks I’ve seen would be 1.5-2 feet tall.  



My favourites though, are the rainbow lorikeets.  Their colours are beautiful, and they are quite the little characters.  I haven’t seen a kookaburra yet, but am determined to find one! If you haven’t ever heard a kookaburra – click here! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fc_-icFHwQo) I get to hear this every day.  I’m so incredibly fortunate!



(HAVE A CLOSE LOOK AT THE GUM TREE PICTURE! What's looking down at you?!) 


I took the bus to the Robina Town Centre, which is about a 15 minute bus ride from here.  I would equate this shopping centre with Vaughan Mills – it’s huge and has everything!  It was swarming with people, as I’m sure all malls are at this time of year.  There’s a post office there too, where I sent some more Christmas cards.  The line started about 8 meters outside of the entrance!  Also a busy spot at this time of year!  I picked up what’s called a Go Card for transit – apparently saves you money using public transit!  You scan when you get on and off public transit… makes me feel like a local! Haha! Talk about feeling local… I had to call the transit customer service line to find out about particular rates for the train and bus, and had to state which suburb I was in: Varsity Lakes.  I tried three times to say it, as I normally would – but the automated machine couldn’t understand.  I figured for my fourth go, I’d wing it and try my best Australian accent.  It worked!  I had to laugh! Toooo funny.


Wednesday night, there was a wild thunderstorm.  There wasn’t more than 10mm of rain that fell, but the thunder and lightning lasted for hours!  What a light show! Fork lightning that divided the sky into dozens of jagged puzzle pieces!  It was spectacular!


Went to the beach again today, but it turned sour after being there for about an hour, so I bussed back to the terminal here and then walked home in the spitting rain.  It ended up being a perfect afternoon for a few episodes of Grey’s Anatomy!  Ron taught in China for nearly eight years, and over that time there, collected tons of DVDs and TV series.  I never really watched tv after highschool, and never got into series shows.  I admit, I was sucked in to a few seasons of survivor, but that’s really it.  Oh, and Dexter, but I don’t have to be ashamed about that – it’s a fantastic show!  So, when it rains here, or before bed, I watch a few episodes of Grey’s Anatomy, and I really like it!  No I understand why some of my girlfriends in university would have “Grey’s Girls Nights” on Thursdays (and would often come home either in tears or raging about the events of the episode!).  Love it.


So, five days until Christmas.  I am having a hard time getting into the Christmas spirit with the heat and lack of decorations and snow!  It’s just not the same, but I’m doing my best, even if it’s a struggle, to wish everyone I come across a Merry Christmas!  It’s going to be different spending it alone – although at 7pm on Christmas evening, I have some company arriving!  “Handsome Alex” from the Fremantle hostel, the one that showed me the article about the man who traveled the world without an airplane, is spending his holidays with me!  I am really excited.  We’ve been in touch since he headed back to the mines after we met, and will be here for two weeks.  We’ve got all kinds of things lined up for his time here, and I’m thrilled he’s coming over!  Check out the map – red pin on the left is Alex, red pin on the right is me.  Five days until they’re the same location pin!


MERRY 
CHRISTMAS 
EVERYONE!


I will hopefully write again soon!  I am sending my biggest, warmest, most loving holiday wishes to everyone back home!  Miss you and love you all!  Going to be a tough one to be away for, being Kinley’s first Christmas – but that’s why we have skype and phones, right? … right?

LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE!

A huge Christmas wish going out to my little Christmas Martian! XOXO







Thursday, December 13, 2012

Crossing the Country


I made it to the Gold Coast!  Well, I’m currently in the “Sunshine Coast,” but on the east side of Australia for the next little while.  So much to share… where to start?!


Last weekend was the weekend that I worked for “Monsterball” – but I didn’t realize exactly what the weekend event was until I got there.  Monsterball was just the company that supplies the blow up castles and mechanical bulls and the huge water slides, and they were hired by Variety – The Children’s Charity. Variety – The Children’s Charity is a national not-for-profit organization helping Australian children who are sick, disadvantaged or have special needs.  The even this weekend had presents for the kids, and a visit with Santa set up in the pavilion.  There were magician acts, singing, puppets, rides, water parks and slides, fair games, blow up jumping castles, mechanical bulls, and food.  Had I have known where and for what I was working, I wouldn’t have asked for a cent.  I was happy to be a part of the weekend, and would have done so voluntarily!  Having said that, the Saturday proved to be rather stressful, since there were over 10 000 kids through the pavilion over the course of the day, and their mothers often assumed that we were watching their kids.  “Where’s my son/daughter? Where’s my son/daughter?!” was an all too common question this weekend, while the mothers would be texting or talking to a friend and lose sight of her kids – but I was apparently the one responsible? All in all, an easy day, but standing on the huge jumpy pirate ship that I was in charge of for the Saturday made for a tiring day, while balancing on the entrance while rotating the numbers of children on the ship and helping those that couldn’t get down!  The Sunday was a little different.  There were far less people there, and I was in charge of the mechanical bull for the majority of the day!  HUGE win!  It was one joystick that controlled two bulls simultaneously, which got more kids through the ride in a day than just one.  It also meant some competition was present, and kids would pair up between the two lines to see who could stay on the longest.  The joystick and speed controls for the “buck” and “spin” functions meant you could make it an age appropriate ride.  You could throw the kids that really needed it, or give the little kids a nice slow ride so their parents could snap a few pictures.  The youngest bull rider would have been about three, and the oldest would have been a 50 year old dad.  The best was when two teens would come up and tell me they could stay on for a minute, and I’d just laugh.  Challenge accepted.  Pay me an hourly rate to throw some kids off a mechanical bull?! Yes please.  That day was much longer.  It was a six hour day standing on concrete, and I felt so old saying that my feet hurt and my back hurt – but I learned that it’s true!  A day standing on a concrete floor really does make your feet and back sore.  That night, I was invited to the Sticca household for another dinner!  I’m just a lucky girl… It was a full house, as the two younger boys were home from Bali, and Dan and Angela each had a friend with them.  Dinner was delicious, as was the home made apple pie and whipped cream for dessert, with cappuccinos!
 
Since I was due to check out the next morning, had yet to really “pack,” and was flying to the Gold Coast on the Monday, I needed to get home in good time to pack.  That didn’t end up happening, since when I got home around 10pm, over half the people in the room were trying to sleep.   So up early on Monday morning, I gathered my belongings, left a few behind as I do every “re-pack,” and checked out.  Luckily I was able to keep my bags in the room for the day, since I wasn’t being picked up by the Perth City Connect Airport Shuttle Service until 9:10pm. Monday, I was treated to lunch with the Sticca ladies and Lisa!  We went out to that lovely café near the hostel called Breaks.  Another tasty burger and caesar salad for me!  I just love the company of these ladies, and will miss it! 
Paul Flood, or “Floody” (a friend from Ireland) and I went for a swim in the afternoon, to cool down from the 38 degree day.  No jellyfish, thankfully!  After the swim, I made my way to a pub restaurant in Fremantle called The Monk, where I met up with Lucy and Gemma (friends from the UK) for a drink, and were later met by Lauren!  So many new friends, it’s incredible!  We tried the ginger apple cider – YUM!  We visited there for just over an hour, then made our way back to the hostel where I showered and rechecked that I had everything, before going out back behind the hostel to visit everyone out on the patio before my shuttle came.  It was strange leaving the hostel, as it had become a “home” for me over the last two weeks.  So many friendly faces and laughs!  I’ll miss the Old Firestation!

So I was picked up at exactly 9:10pm! – WELL DONE, CONNECT!  I waved goodbye to a crew standing on the sidewalk, and then chatted the whole way to the airport with a girl named Amy from England who was also picked up from a hostel, about two blocks away.  She gave me some good insight into regional work ideas and gave me a number for a fruit farm.  Still figuring that out.  I arrived at the airport, and luckily found an abandoned luggage trolley, which made life a lot easier while standing in the excessively long line to check bags.  No joking, the wait time was nearly an hour – the time I was planning on eating, buying a magazine or two, and relaxing for a bit before taking off was eaten up by inching my way down a long line to check my bags for a flight that ended up being almost an hour delayed.  We took off closer to midnight than 11pm, and the seat buddies I had this trip trumped most others I’ve had – on the weird spectrum.   Originally, two men sat down in the aisle and middle seat.  I lucked out with a window. Although not traveling together, these guys started talking like they’d known each other for years.  They talked about their divorces, kids, new girlfriends, financial situations… everything.  We hadn’t even reached our cruising altitude, and I felt I knew the latest on these two men’s lives! Then, out of no where, the one in the aisle, who I learned was drunk on bourbon and cokes, asked the guy in the middle seat to switch places with a lady friend of his from further back in the plane.  Then I had a new seat buddy!  …  Even stranger than mister middle man.  The couple acted like young adolescent love birds, flirting and joking together.  They were both drunk!  I tried to fall asleep several times, but they kept tapping me to talk, from everything about how nice my glasses looked on me to where they each went on vacation last year.  Seriously people, it’s a midnight flight, let me sleep!  The finally passed out, likely due to the over consumption of bourbon and red wine, and I managed to sleep a bit.  The plane landed shortly after 7am on Tuesday and I met Ron around 8am.  Ron and Trish are the couple who I will be house/dog/cat sitting for while they’re away traveling!  Ron was kind enough to show me a gorgeous beach and a few main areas around where he lives, before taking me to his house so I could drop my backpack before I headed to the train station, to go to Noosa for a few days.  The train and bus ride was a lot longer than I had expected, but was good for dozing off a few times along the way and catching some rest before getting to Noosa.  Ron and Trish leave this weekend, so I figured I’d stay out of their hair for a few days and travel up the coast to meet a friend Lindsey and her boyfriend and stay in Noosa for a few days!  Noosa was originally the plan, and I LOVE it! Lindsey and Mitch are renting a room in a beautiful house near the bus station in Noosa, within 10 minutes of the beach and close to all necessities!  It’s fantastic.  The Tuesday afternoon, Lindsey and Mitch took me surfing!  What a hoot!  They kept assuring me that the board I was learning on was a hard board to learn on since it was much smaller than a beginner’s board, but I was happy just to be in the water trying something new!  The waves were 2-3 feet high, which doesn’t sound like much – but they sure seemed huge!  I loved it.  It’s much more difficult than you’d think, and is definitely something that uses muscles you’re not used to using.  It is also something that I will be trying again, and again and again!  It’s very popular along the east coast.  That evening, we chilled out and had some dinner – delicious healthy turkey and sweet potato meat balls and a spinach and beet root salad, then we headed out to a bar downtown for a few drinks!  It was all in all a great night.  Wednesday, Mitch had to work early, so Linds and I slept in a bit before having some breakfast, then spent a few hours by the pool before she headed to work for the evening.  When Mitch came home from work, we rented a few movies and chilled, and watched another when Lindsey came home around 10:30.  

This morning, Mitch got to sleep in, and Lindsey and I went to a Bikram Hot Yoga class!  Trying hot yoga was on my bucket list, so I was happy to check that off!  One of my best friends Julie Johnston does hot yoga from time to time, and loves it.  She has always been my inspiration for trying new things, but I never really had the facilities to try hot yoga, or much desire being in London.  Lindsey has started going recently, and says the benefits of it are incredible.  She really intrigued me!  Initially, the thought of 90 minutes of intense yoga in a 42 degrees Celsius room was beyond me.  I couldn’t have even imagined the discomfort, or copious amounts of sweat you’d leak out.  The instructors even warn beginners to just try.  If you can’t hold a pose, or find yourself having a hard time, then just sit down.  The least they want from you is to stay in the room, get used to the heat, and work on your breathing.  The first portion of the class is standing poses, and the second portion is based on floor poses.  The way you ask your body to move, and the muscles you're asking your body to use to pose certain ways is hard!  The amount of time you're required to hold your arms up has your shoulders buuurrrrrrnnnnnniiinnngg! Anyone who hasn’t tried yoga, or thinks it’s silly… you get your ass to a yoga room and try it and then tell me you didn’t enjoy it, or that it was a walk in the park!  It’s not as easy as it looks, and is something that is challenging, and is so beneficial to your mind and body in so many way.  Hot yoga is a more intense version of yoga, and there are slightly different types of hot yoga.  We did Bikram hot yoga – and will be quite honest – even though there were times my heart was racing, or I’d have sweat dripping into my eye and wonder how this could be considered enjoyable, I LOVED IT!  You walk out of there feeling so refreshed and healthy, and alive.  I am so competitive with myself that I did the whole class and even the instructor said I did really well for my first class!   This is definitely something I will be doing again, and hope to turn it into part of my healthy lifestyle.  The picture isn't fantastic, but you get the hint... 1127 cals burned.  Boom. Thank you Lindsey for taking me, and helping me cross yet another item off my bucket list!

We ran a few errands, and Lindsey and Mitch bought a new Canon camera for each other for Christmas!  It’s gorgeous!  They got a steal on it, and proved that you should really do your research before making a big purchase like that!  They saved hundreds by doing a price match and by shopping around!  They are at work for the evening, returning later on.  So I am taking a few minutes to myself on the deck at the house… typing out a blog and fighting with the internet to post it, reading my book, and relaxing, listening to the sounds of the beautiful birds here and enjoying the breeze we get up here on the hill, watching the rain mist the mini mountains in the distance.  Tomorrow I’ll be venturing back down the coast to the Gold Coast, to Varsity Lakes where I’ll be house sitting.

Will be in touch again soon!

LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE!

This is just the most love-filled shout out possible via internet and blog to the love of my life, Kinley Ann.  I miss you so much it hurts, and think of you every single day.  The pictures and updates I receive make me wish I was home, but I can't wait to share my life stories with you when you're older.  I love you so much it's indescribable. I miss you so much, little martian! xoxo








Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Fremantle


I booked my flight to the Gold Coast!  Time really is starting to fly… Christmas and New Years are right around the corner!  I’m in Fremantle, staying at the Old Firestation Backpackers Hostel, in a 14 person dorm, loving it!  Like I said, I never thought sharing a room with that many people would be my thing, but now I don’t even think about it.

Some of the hostels around here do something fantastic for backpackers: they take calls from locals that need work done.  This could be anything from babysitting or dog sitting, to construction, painting or shingling roofs.  Most of the jobs are just quick cash jobs for a few days here and there, while others are paid and taxed jobs.  You’ll occasionally hear an announcement over the intercom about a job, and then you can just go to the front desk and get more information about it and get the number to call the person who needs the work done.  I landed one for four hours on Saturday and six hours on Sunday at a carnival here in Fremantle.  We met up with Johan last night at our hostel and filled out the paperwork for the job this weekend.  It’s called MONSTERBALL.  It’s a great way to make some quick money while you’re traveling.  Great way to fund your travels!

I met up with Molly (the girl from Taiwan that I met on the farm) for an afternoon, and we walked around the harbour behind the hostel and then around to a beach where we just relaxed and talked.   While venturing around the harbour, we came across a huge submarine! I’m talking HUUUGE!  There were tours available, but it was closed that day. Go figure.  So we ended up having a rea;;y nice night, as Julie (Lisa’s boyfriend Matt’s mom) invited Molly and I over for dinner!  Julie picked the two of us up and took us to their house.  Home made Italian raviolis and beef/tomato sauce, with side Caesar salads.  Dessert was homemade tiramisu!  What a treat!  I even got to bring some home for later. Win!  The Sticca’s are such a beautiful family, and are so pleasant to be around.  I haven’t met the two youngest boys yet, as they are on vacation, returning to Fremantle tonight.  I hope to see then all again before I head east on Monday!

On Tuesday night, the large group of Italians that are staying at the Old Firestation hosted a huge pig roast behind the hostel. Lots of music, drinks, and laughs.

I went on a really interesting tour of the Fremantle Prison the other night! I went with Marie from France, and Roxanna from Holland. It was a 9:45pm tour, done all in the dark, with little souvenir “torches” (flashlights…) for everyone.  The prison is within walking distance from the hostel, as most other things are in Fremantle.  There were nearly 30 of us there for the tour, the two youngest being 11 and 12 year old boys.  Some of the comments they made throughout the night were pretty funny, including calling a tall thick Irish lad a pussy!  The prison tour took us through the history of the making of the prison, the main cell block and hallways, the area of solitary confinement (which was a little unnerving!), the whipping post, the gallows and the morgue. The guide shared stories about some of the convicts, and there were even times he’d really make us jump by kicking a steel door behind him for emphasis during a story, or by yelling mid-sentence!  There was even a dummy that fell from above, landing in mesh above our hears with a loud scream, that made us all duck our heads pretty quickly!  Alex (mister handsome from England) warned me prior to the tour to look out above – which I would have had no idea what he was talking about until that very moment.  At another point during the tour, the guide let us into one of the solitary confinement chambers in small groups – and with one group of us, he slammed the door shut and turned the lights off!  Of course I was in this group, and I personally found it rather exciting!  The claustrophobic woman in there with us didn’t, and screamed at the top of her lungs for him to let us out!  There was one hall of open cells, each showing a transition of how the rooms changed over the years at the prison.  You could walk down the hall and peek into the rooms.  A few of us joked that the bunk beds resembled those we’ve been sleeping on at the hostels we’ve been in!  Feel free to check out the website for the prison! http://www.fremantleprison.com.au/Pages/default.aspx

Yesterday I went out for lunch with three girls that I’ve met from the UK – Lucy, Gemma and Jo.  They make for really great company!  All three have such a unique and fantastic personality and sense of humour.  Gemma and Lucy just got jobs here, and Jo actually left today for Adelaide by car.  What an adventure!  At the restaurant, I had a picture worthy burger, on a fresh bun.  Yum!   I eventually made my way to the park to hang out for a made my way to the park to hang out for a bit under my favourite big Christmas tree, where I read for a bit and sent a few emails.



The weather went for a pretty wicked heat wave over the last two days - around 37 degrees, but extremely humid, making it uncomfortable and literally unavoidable.  There was one place you could escape it… a nice swim in the ocean!  I just love the sea.  A bunch of us went for a later swim last night, so we could all watch the sunset.  Quick dip and another Indian Ocean sunset? Yes please!  One fella that was with us was unfortunately stung by a jelly fish!  I am so happy it wasn’t me… I hate to say that an incident like that would likely taint my love for the ocean – or at least for that oh-so-convenient little beach!  We all came back and spent the evening in the outdoor cinema before crashing around midnight. Some obviously stayed up much later than that, singing and dancing and partying and having a blast!  I was out quickly…! I was hoping for another beach day today, it turned out to be overcast with lots of rain, which is cooling us all down! – It was much needed.

Today I met up with Lisa in town, and the two of us met her boyfriend’s sister Angela for her lunch break.  Angela is an absolute gem.  Lisa and I are currently sitting in a café called “Break” having just that! – A Break! She’s knitting something beautiful, and I’m writing to all of my favourites! 

Not much else to report at this point, but I am getting rather excited about my travels to the Gold Coast!  I fly out of Perth on Monday night, just before midnight, arriving in the Gold Coast airport around 6am.  I will be sure to keep you all updated with those adventures!

Until next time…

LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE!