Well.
Last night was a great night out at the neighbor's party....I ended up going with one of my roommates, Carol, and we had a blast chatting with all the other invitees. It was a 30th bday party for Oskar, and his wife Christine was from the States so we had one thing in common right off the bat - we were both
"foreign!" Of course, being ousted for having a Canadian background right off the bat could only mean the evening could go downhill from there....
The evening was pretty laid back with some live music and snacks, until the tequila shots came out and of course, it was the Aussie's goal to get me shammered. A couple guys in particular, Eddie and Alex (Oskar's younger brothers from Sydney) were basically pouring extremely liberal shots of really good quality tequila (about as good as tequila can get, I guess) and it wasn't long before I was up on the dance floor, rocking out to my ipod (the live music had since finished) and some good ol' country music. One of the other people I met, Rhianna from NZ, was - get this - GOING TO CALGARY in July - which was the main reasoning behind the whole line dance and country music idea. Well, that and the tequila talking!! Of course, I was teased beyond recognition about being a ranga from Canada, but I'm told that if you are insulted by an Aussie, it's actually a term of endearment.
The rest of the night slowly switched from country to pure hip hop/club music, and both Rhianna, Christine, myself, Eddie, Carol, Alex and another guy named Ryan danced the night away. Want to know the funny part? All of them thought I was this uber crazy Canadian who could dance like none other (I was slightly tipsy so of course I thought the moves I was doing were absolutely fantastic).....I thought to myself, you should see me back home - I rarely go out and when I do, I don't normally dance up a storm!!! Funny how with a little tequila, a whole new environment and meeting new people can give them a completely different view of yourself!
At about 2am, Carol and I managed to break from the dance crew and stumble home into bed. Not without a free pedestal fan though, which I don't remember getting or carrying with me, but somehow, this morning, it was definitely in my room next to my bed. Weird.
As bad as it may sound to those reading, I actually wasn't too bad in the morning and got up at 9am to make some phone calls and skype with the fam jam back home. Now, all that's left for me to do this fine Sunday is organize my stuff for this week's classes, print off some forms for my field trips and probably head to bed early to catch up on some much needed sleep! I just wanted to update you all about the party, and give you a heads up that I probably won't post another entry until later on next week or early into the second week of classes since I'll be busy with first week activites like textbooks, lab manuals, etc etc.
I promise to post some photos of the campus and area soon - but if any of you followers are itching for something specific (news or photos or otherwise) let me know and I'll be sure to include it in the next one!
All my love,
xoxo Danielle
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Friday, February 26, 2010
O-Week and other "induction" activites....
Here is a brief update about the hectic, but fun, UQ O-Week!!!
It started out on Monday, Feb 22nd with a huge International student welcome in the UQ center. We heard from the president of the uni, as well as some international representatives. Then, we went through country by country and had to stand up when our country was called. Did you know that there are 191 students from Canada here this term? and over 789 from China, 534 from Vietnam/Korea/Malayisa etc. The Asian countries are very well represented. Let's put it that way.
Afterwards, we had a free BBQ and the chance to meet UQ regulars. It was great to chat with some of the current students and find out about what to do and join on campus. The afternoon was spent in a seminar about the Australian culture - where we were all introduced to critical things, like politicians, Aussie slang and the most important thing of all....THE TIM TAM SLAM!!!
For those of you who don't know (which I assume is most) the tim tam is an extremely Australian biscuit - chocolate wafers covered in chocolate and a chocolate mousse stuffing. The tim tam slam is an appropriate Aussie pastime, where you bite both ends of the cookie, and sip your coffee/hot chocolate through the cookie. Of course, the heat melts the chocolate inside and the cookie eventually breaks apart, but it is AMAZINGLY yummy and I know Customs Canada is going to have to deal with me bringing heaps of tim tams back into the country. Does anyone know if there is a legal limit to how much can be brought back???
I was finished up for the day after this session, but went to get my student ID card and had to stand in line for ages. Unlike the Queen's system, which is pretty slick, we had hours of waiting and you had to take your photo right then and there, wait some more, sign the card, activate it etc etc. It was painful, but at least I now have my ID and can use it to get some great student discounts on and off campus!
Tuesday morning brought a session all on safety down under - things like, don't swim in the ocean at dawn or dusk to prevent being eaten by sharks, stay away from spiders, snakes and don't camp within 50m of a creek to prevent being eaten by crocodiles. Some quick facts about Australian wildlife..... 7 of the 10 world's poisonous snake species live in Australia. Also, there are spiders here that carry enough venom to kill 50 people with one bite. There have been over 1800 shark sightings in the past year. Scared yet?? The only consolation was that most of the poisonous species are found mainly in the brush, and since anti-venom was created in 1981, no one has died from a spider bite. One thing I found crazy though, was being told that if bitten by a spider - CATCH IT TO SHOW TO THE MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS. Who in their right mind would catch the damn thing after it bites you??? Not me, that's for sure.
Tuesday afternoon was filled with more free food, another BBQ and a chance to wander around the UQ student complex. Queen's, I'm sorry to say, you have been upstaged. Here on campus is: a movie theater, subway, sushi, ice creamery, bakeries, a HUGE candy store with bins FILLED with all sorts of candy (my new fav spot!), lakes complete with fountains and cockatoos, tennis courts, athletic tracks, 8 playing fields, an outdoor swimming pool and a huge gym facility. Not to mention 14 libraries and countless academic buildings. Needless to say, it takes a little longer than 5 minutes to cross campus from one side to the other!!
Wednesday was a CRAZY day, again rivaling Queen's. It was Market Day today, similar to the sidewalk sale but on a much larger scale. There were booths from all 200 clubs on campus, plus booths from downtown stores and places like Coke, Bundaberg Ginger Beer etc etc. I collected SO much free stuff - it was crazy!! My fridge is now stocked with 8 cans of coke, 3 bottles of vitamin water (which they call nutrient water), juice, biscuits, fruit etc. I also had 3 free BBQ's - one with the market day, one with the Science society and one with the International group. I'm loving all the freebies....it's great to be a uni student!!!
I've also signed up for a couple clubs - QUEST, the exchange student society, the squash club, possibly a field hockey team and maybe the Wine and Cheese Club. There are so many cool things to do, and I wish I had time to do them all, but I know my courses are going to be pretty intensive.....
Thursday was a free day, but I still came to campus to skype with Danny and catch up on some emails. I also took the free time to a) hit up the candy store (hahaha) and b) find the rooms where my classes are going to be held at the start of next week. Like Queen's, I have 10 minutes to travel between classes, but it will be pushing it since some of the buildings are not close at all!!!
Friday was a lazy day - I spent it at home cleaning my room and doing a massive grocery run since I had run out of food. Andrea and Derek popped by for the afternoon as they were getting a ride to Noosa with Marilyn that evening, so we had a nice walk in the Botanical Gardens before enjoying a sushi lunch. After saying goodbye that evening, I curled up with a couple books I borrowed from the public library and went to bed early!
Now, it's Saturday and I have a bunch of forms to print out for classes Monday morning. I'll be able to update you more then, but I have 6 field trips to organize and sign up for as well as lab sessions and lectures to sort out. I'm lucky in the fact that I get to use the printer upstairs and the internet in the office space above my apartment, so I have my own key and everything! Tonight, our neighbours next door invited us to a mexican themed birthday bash, free food, tequila and live music! I'm quite excited to meet the neighbours as John (my landlord and the owner of the house) says they are really nice.
That's about it for now - thanks for reading and keeping in touch as best you can!
Love to all,
xoxo Danielle
It started out on Monday, Feb 22nd with a huge International student welcome in the UQ center. We heard from the president of the uni, as well as some international representatives. Then, we went through country by country and had to stand up when our country was called. Did you know that there are 191 students from Canada here this term? and over 789 from China, 534 from Vietnam/Korea/Malayisa etc. The Asian countries are very well represented. Let's put it that way.
Afterwards, we had a free BBQ and the chance to meet UQ regulars. It was great to chat with some of the current students and find out about what to do and join on campus. The afternoon was spent in a seminar about the Australian culture - where we were all introduced to critical things, like politicians, Aussie slang and the most important thing of all....THE TIM TAM SLAM!!!
For those of you who don't know (which I assume is most) the tim tam is an extremely Australian biscuit - chocolate wafers covered in chocolate and a chocolate mousse stuffing. The tim tam slam is an appropriate Aussie pastime, where you bite both ends of the cookie, and sip your coffee/hot chocolate through the cookie. Of course, the heat melts the chocolate inside and the cookie eventually breaks apart, but it is AMAZINGLY yummy and I know Customs Canada is going to have to deal with me bringing heaps of tim tams back into the country. Does anyone know if there is a legal limit to how much can be brought back???
I was finished up for the day after this session, but went to get my student ID card and had to stand in line for ages. Unlike the Queen's system, which is pretty slick, we had hours of waiting and you had to take your photo right then and there, wait some more, sign the card, activate it etc etc. It was painful, but at least I now have my ID and can use it to get some great student discounts on and off campus!
Tuesday morning brought a session all on safety down under - things like, don't swim in the ocean at dawn or dusk to prevent being eaten by sharks, stay away from spiders, snakes and don't camp within 50m of a creek to prevent being eaten by crocodiles. Some quick facts about Australian wildlife..... 7 of the 10 world's poisonous snake species live in Australia. Also, there are spiders here that carry enough venom to kill 50 people with one bite. There have been over 1800 shark sightings in the past year. Scared yet?? The only consolation was that most of the poisonous species are found mainly in the brush, and since anti-venom was created in 1981, no one has died from a spider bite. One thing I found crazy though, was being told that if bitten by a spider - CATCH IT TO SHOW TO THE MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS. Who in their right mind would catch the damn thing after it bites you??? Not me, that's for sure.
Tuesday afternoon was filled with more free food, another BBQ and a chance to wander around the UQ student complex. Queen's, I'm sorry to say, you have been upstaged. Here on campus is: a movie theater, subway, sushi, ice creamery, bakeries, a HUGE candy store with bins FILLED with all sorts of candy (my new fav spot!), lakes complete with fountains and cockatoos, tennis courts, athletic tracks, 8 playing fields, an outdoor swimming pool and a huge gym facility. Not to mention 14 libraries and countless academic buildings. Needless to say, it takes a little longer than 5 minutes to cross campus from one side to the other!!
Wednesday was a CRAZY day, again rivaling Queen's. It was Market Day today, similar to the sidewalk sale but on a much larger scale. There were booths from all 200 clubs on campus, plus booths from downtown stores and places like Coke, Bundaberg Ginger Beer etc etc. I collected SO much free stuff - it was crazy!! My fridge is now stocked with 8 cans of coke, 3 bottles of vitamin water (which they call nutrient water), juice, biscuits, fruit etc. I also had 3 free BBQ's - one with the market day, one with the Science society and one with the International group. I'm loving all the freebies....it's great to be a uni student!!!
I've also signed up for a couple clubs - QUEST, the exchange student society, the squash club, possibly a field hockey team and maybe the Wine and Cheese Club. There are so many cool things to do, and I wish I had time to do them all, but I know my courses are going to be pretty intensive.....
Thursday was a free day, but I still came to campus to skype with Danny and catch up on some emails. I also took the free time to a) hit up the candy store (hahaha) and b) find the rooms where my classes are going to be held at the start of next week. Like Queen's, I have 10 minutes to travel between classes, but it will be pushing it since some of the buildings are not close at all!!!
Friday was a lazy day - I spent it at home cleaning my room and doing a massive grocery run since I had run out of food. Andrea and Derek popped by for the afternoon as they were getting a ride to Noosa with Marilyn that evening, so we had a nice walk in the Botanical Gardens before enjoying a sushi lunch. After saying goodbye that evening, I curled up with a couple books I borrowed from the public library and went to bed early!
Now, it's Saturday and I have a bunch of forms to print out for classes Monday morning. I'll be able to update you more then, but I have 6 field trips to organize and sign up for as well as lab sessions and lectures to sort out. I'm lucky in the fact that I get to use the printer upstairs and the internet in the office space above my apartment, so I have my own key and everything! Tonight, our neighbours next door invited us to a mexican themed birthday bash, free food, tequila and live music! I'm quite excited to meet the neighbours as John (my landlord and the owner of the house) says they are really nice.
That's about it for now - thanks for reading and keeping in touch as best you can!
Love to all,
xoxo Danielle
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Welcome to my Queenslander home....and a few koalas and kangas too!
I've decided, since being back "home" for the past week, that I should probably update you with some current happenings in the Brisbane area (namely my accommodation and such) since you all probably are itching to know exactly what my house looks like and how cool it is.
I live in the "city" which I know sounds weird because, yes, Brisbane is a city. But in fact, the term "city" refers to the downtown area of Brisbane. I'm in a suburb called Spring Hill, and it's about a 5 minute walk to the major Brisbane mall, all the bus stops and the CityCat (the coolest method of transport known to man!!). It's a great location - I'm a 10 minute walk from the Southbank area (which has it's own beach, cha-ching!!!) and all the amenities I need are so close. The one downside is that I'm about 30 minutes away from the University by either a bus, or the CityCat. It's not too bad, considering I have to be on campus for the entire day most days, but it would have been convenient to be able to walk to and from. Actually, the CityCat is quite relaxing - it's a catamaran that takes you down the river and drops me off right close to the main portion of campus. On sunny days (which is almost everyday, sorry to rub it in Becky!) it's gorgeous to sit out on the deck for the ride! Still, I'm going to have to resort to carrying all my load of crap with me, as I don't want to catch a bus back and forth multiple times a day. Not only does it take a while, but it's EXPENSIVE. Stuff here is almost DOUBLE the price back home. To give you an example, here was my grocery list from last week:
1. Apples (3)
2. Cereal
3. 6 yogurt cups
4. Cottage cheese
5. Chicken breast
6. Bread
7. Mustard
Guess how much that set me back? You would probably guess around 20 bucks, depending on the quality of the meat etc. Nope. It cost me over 36 dollars!!! How ridiculous eh? Serisouly, I'll be living off pasta and rice for the next few months or I will go broke! (Kidding Dad - I will spend decent money on good food.....the fresh fruit and seafood are just too good to pass up, even if they break the bank!!)
Anyways, my room and house itself are great. I have 4 other roommates, Carol from Aussie, Dave from NZ, Mohammad from Asia somewhere and Shiva from India. I get along great with all of them, and we've had a couple late nights together this week cooking amazing curries and asian cuisine! I told them all that in return, I would bake my famous chocolate chip cookies (Mohammad wants me to add macadamia nuts, so perhaps I will) and share some "Canadian"cuisine with them! Dave already has asked me if I have stashed away some maple syrup, but sadly, it didn't make the trip with me down under!
I've included photos of my room, which is pretty small but all I need. We each have our own fridges in our rooms to store food, a common kitchen and bathroom and a patio upstairs for the hot nights. We also have FULL CABLE TV!!! Such a bonus for me, since back home in Kingston we don't have one. I've been regularly staying up late watching replays on the Olympic games, but it's sad because the Aussie news people really only focus on the Aussie's. I had to wait 2 FREAKIN hours to see 30 secs of the Canada vs. USA game. Balls. I've heard from friends though, that perhaps it was for the best that I didn't catch the game live. Yikes!!
On a completely different note, Derek, Andrea and I will be parting ways tonight. They go up to Noosa and continue up north for the rest of the 3 months while I stay here and pursue my studies. We had one last shindig together at the Lone Pine Koala Reserve here in Brisbane, which I will tell you about shortly. I've had a blast with them, and I hope to catch up with them sometime around my birthday before Andrea heads back home!!
So, the Koala Reserve. AMAZING. I can't really put into words how awesome it was visiting this place. They have a huge amount of land dedicated to all these Australian animals - dingoes, wombats, kookaburras, Tasmanian devils, koalas and of course, kangaroos. I have to say my 2 favourite parts were the koala holding and the kangaroo enclosure. In the kangaroo enclosure, roos are free to hop around and they are quite used to people. You can feed them by hand, and they will allow you to pet them! I've never seen a kangaroo up so close, and within minutes, I was petting them and feeding them! They were adorable and I want to go back SO bad when the family arrives.
The other best part was holding the koala. It was expensive to do so, and Derek scoffed at me paying the price, but it wasn't just about the koala. Ever since mom passed away, and we all went through her photos together for the funeral, I remember stumbling across the photo of her holding a koala while on her own trip to Australia. I remember thinking, "I want to do this too!" When the koala was placed into my hands, I almost cried. I thought of mom, how she is always with me, and how proud she would be to know that I am here, taking on this big adventure and following her footsteps. The koala was so much more than a koala...it was almost a link to mom. Would it be sappy to say that I really felt her presence at that moment?? Mom - you are my hero and I love you always!!
Apart from the reserve visit, my days in Brisbane have been occupied with the beginning of orientation week and getting courses organized. I think I'll save those exciting stories for another post, since I'm supposed to meet up with a friend to find our rooms for next week.
As always, thanks for reading and keep those emails coming! OH - and if you really wanted to get on my good side, I would LOVE snail mail if you got the chance to write! My address down here in Brisbane is:
Danielle Downe
R2 - 25 Twine Street
Spring Hill, Brisbane, QLD
Australia
4000
Until next entry,
xoxo Danielle
I live in the "city" which I know sounds weird because, yes, Brisbane is a city. But in fact, the term "city" refers to the downtown area of Brisbane. I'm in a suburb called Spring Hill, and it's about a 5 minute walk to the major Brisbane mall, all the bus stops and the CityCat (the coolest method of transport known to man!!). It's a great location - I'm a 10 minute walk from the Southbank area (which has it's own beach, cha-ching!!!) and all the amenities I need are so close. The one downside is that I'm about 30 minutes away from the University by either a bus, or the CityCat. It's not too bad, considering I have to be on campus for the entire day most days, but it would have been convenient to be able to walk to and from. Actually, the CityCat is quite relaxing - it's a catamaran that takes you down the river and drops me off right close to the main portion of campus. On sunny days (which is almost everyday, sorry to rub it in Becky!) it's gorgeous to sit out on the deck for the ride! Still, I'm going to have to resort to carrying all my load of crap with me, as I don't want to catch a bus back and forth multiple times a day. Not only does it take a while, but it's EXPENSIVE. Stuff here is almost DOUBLE the price back home. To give you an example, here was my grocery list from last week:
1. Apples (3)
2. Cereal
3. 6 yogurt cups
4. Cottage cheese
5. Chicken breast
6. Bread
7. Mustard
Guess how much that set me back? You would probably guess around 20 bucks, depending on the quality of the meat etc. Nope. It cost me over 36 dollars!!! How ridiculous eh? Serisouly, I'll be living off pasta and rice for the next few months or I will go broke! (Kidding Dad - I will spend decent money on good food.....the fresh fruit and seafood are just too good to pass up, even if they break the bank!!)
Anyways, my room and house itself are great. I have 4 other roommates, Carol from Aussie, Dave from NZ, Mohammad from Asia somewhere and Shiva from India. I get along great with all of them, and we've had a couple late nights together this week cooking amazing curries and asian cuisine! I told them all that in return, I would bake my famous chocolate chip cookies (Mohammad wants me to add macadamia nuts, so perhaps I will) and share some "Canadian"cuisine with them! Dave already has asked me if I have stashed away some maple syrup, but sadly, it didn't make the trip with me down under!
My room in the house - I've made it home-y with some photos of the famjam!
The view of my desk and fridge...and more photos!
The kitchen area
The large bathroom
So, the Koala Reserve. AMAZING. I can't really put into words how awesome it was visiting this place. They have a huge amount of land dedicated to all these Australian animals - dingoes, wombats, kookaburras, Tasmanian devils, koalas and of course, kangaroos. I have to say my 2 favourite parts were the koala holding and the kangaroo enclosure. In the kangaroo enclosure, roos are free to hop around and they are quite used to people. You can feed them by hand, and they will allow you to pet them! I've never seen a kangaroo up so close, and within minutes, I was petting them and feeding them! They were adorable and I want to go back SO bad when the family arrives.
My first encounter with a kangaroo!
More roos and a lone wombat - they were cute also!!
Some koala photos
Apart from the reserve visit, my days in Brisbane have been occupied with the beginning of orientation week and getting courses organized. I think I'll save those exciting stories for another post, since I'm supposed to meet up with a friend to find our rooms for next week.
As always, thanks for reading and keep those emails coming! OH - and if you really wanted to get on my good side, I would LOVE snail mail if you got the chance to write! My address down here in Brisbane is:
Danielle Downe
R2 - 25 Twine Street
Spring Hill, Brisbane, QLD
Australia
4000
Until next entry,
xoxo Danielle
Monday, February 22, 2010
The last leg - Surfer's Paradise
Here's to the last of the cities we visited - Surfer's Paradise!! Unlike its nearby counterpart, Surfer's is this booming metropolis with high-rises, huge night clubs and a big city atmosphere. I had no idea that it was this big - I envisioned a small, surf town like Bryon!!! For those that have been (I have not), I've been told it is much like Waikiki in Hawaii?? Just to give you a mental image.
Our bus got us into Surfer's around 11am (factoring in the time change), and we caught a courtesy shuttle to our hostel which was located 4km outside the city center. Upon arrival, the manager tells us he can't find our reservation, which we definitely made online. He was a bit scatter-brained, and after some rummaging, manages to find it. Unfortunately, the original room we had booked was full, and the only place he can put us is, "the swamp" - the staff quarters which is 14 beds, all bunks. We walk into this room and it's a disaster. Porn on the walls, broken mirrors, bottles everywhere, half-drunken staff stumbling about and a guy telling me to not sleep on the bed I've been given because of what the previous person "did" in it. Lovely. Andrea, Derek and I exchange looks and pack our daybags to leave.....then, a miracle happens. One of the staff members comes in, and asks the manager why we are here. She says she booked people to sleep in here for the next couple nights, so upon deliberation, the three of us are moved to our OWN, personal, 3 bed room upstairs. Goodbye swamp, hello luxury! Well, almost. Our room's roof was moldy, and the fan didn't work, so we had to sleep with the windows open which meant multiple bug bites due to a lack of screens. At least we were out of the hell hole though, so I wasn't complaining.
(This is the moldy roof in our hostel room)
For the afternoon, we put on the bikinis and headed down to the beach to catch some rays of sun, before walking through downtown, doing some shopping and then heading back to the hostel to make our own pasta dinner in the hostel kitchen. Like Byron, this first night was a quiet one, we ended up playing a couple rounds of cards in our room before heading to bed early. The sun sure does wipe you out!
The next morning was probably one of the most fun mornings I've had thus far. We booked a surf lesson with Get Wet Surfers and they came to pick us up at 10am. For 2 hours, we were taught how to surf the waves and by my second run, I was standing up on the board and surfing into shore. It was an absolute blast - especially the instructor, who took a liking to my red hair and nicknamed me both ranga and red. Each run I would do, he'd say something along the lines of, "quicker next time, eh ranga?" or "come on red, catch this one!" He was great and he also captured some intense surf photos of the three of us which I've included. I should also mention that these waves we were riding were HUGE - about 5 feet high! They weren't the real big one way out in the ocean, but much more massive than you would expect beginners to tackle!! When the family comes out to visit me in July, you can bet that I will be taking them to Surfer's and making them all take surf lessons with the Get Wet company!!
After surf lessons, we basically went back to the hostel, got some lunch and then headed back to the beach to soak up some more rays. You may all be wondering at this point how my skin is doing? Well, I had to pirchase some more sunscreen since I ran out, but no further burns to report! In fact, I actually am getting a slightly darker shade of albino, if that's even possible!
The evening brought a dinner out at the Hard Rock Cafe, since we couldn't get into a pub as Andrea left her ID back home. After wandering the "night markets" for a bit, we were adventurous (stupid??) and decided to walk the 5km back to the hostel instead of catching a taxi. It was a much longer walk than expected, so the bed at the other end looked pretty decent upon arrival! We finished the night by watching Dodgeball, then packed our bags for the trip home to Brisbane the following morning!!!
All in all, it was a fantastic 10 day trip with my cousins. Not only did I get to see some great parts of the country, but I was also able to spend some quality time with quality company. Sure, we each had our "moments," but in the end I wouldn't have changed any part of the trip!
Up next - some cool Brisbane activities that Andrea, Derek and I did as well as an update on the beginning of orientation week at the uni!
Much love,
xoxo Danielle
Our bus got us into Surfer's around 11am (factoring in the time change), and we caught a courtesy shuttle to our hostel which was located 4km outside the city center. Upon arrival, the manager tells us he can't find our reservation, which we definitely made online. He was a bit scatter-brained, and after some rummaging, manages to find it. Unfortunately, the original room we had booked was full, and the only place he can put us is, "the swamp" - the staff quarters which is 14 beds, all bunks. We walk into this room and it's a disaster. Porn on the walls, broken mirrors, bottles everywhere, half-drunken staff stumbling about and a guy telling me to not sleep on the bed I've been given because of what the previous person "did" in it. Lovely. Andrea, Derek and I exchange looks and pack our daybags to leave.....then, a miracle happens. One of the staff members comes in, and asks the manager why we are here. She says she booked people to sleep in here for the next couple nights, so upon deliberation, the three of us are moved to our OWN, personal, 3 bed room upstairs. Goodbye swamp, hello luxury! Well, almost. Our room's roof was moldy, and the fan didn't work, so we had to sleep with the windows open which meant multiple bug bites due to a lack of screens. At least we were out of the hell hole though, so I wasn't complaining.
For the afternoon, we put on the bikinis and headed down to the beach to catch some rays of sun, before walking through downtown, doing some shopping and then heading back to the hostel to make our own pasta dinner in the hostel kitchen. Like Byron, this first night was a quiet one, we ended up playing a couple rounds of cards in our room before heading to bed early. The sun sure does wipe you out!
The next morning was probably one of the most fun mornings I've had thus far. We booked a surf lesson with Get Wet Surfers and they came to pick us up at 10am. For 2 hours, we were taught how to surf the waves and by my second run, I was standing up on the board and surfing into shore. It was an absolute blast - especially the instructor, who took a liking to my red hair and nicknamed me both ranga and red. Each run I would do, he'd say something along the lines of, "quicker next time, eh ranga?" or "come on red, catch this one!" He was great and he also captured some intense surf photos of the three of us which I've included. I should also mention that these waves we were riding were HUGE - about 5 feet high! They weren't the real big one way out in the ocean, but much more massive than you would expect beginners to tackle!! When the family comes out to visit me in July, you can bet that I will be taking them to Surfer's and making them all take surf lessons with the Get Wet company!!
After surf lessons, we basically went back to the hostel, got some lunch and then headed back to the beach to soak up some more rays. You may all be wondering at this point how my skin is doing? Well, I had to pirchase some more sunscreen since I ran out, but no further burns to report! In fact, I actually am getting a slightly darker shade of albino, if that's even possible!
The evening brought a dinner out at the Hard Rock Cafe, since we couldn't get into a pub as Andrea left her ID back home. After wandering the "night markets" for a bit, we were adventurous (stupid??) and decided to walk the 5km back to the hostel instead of catching a taxi. It was a much longer walk than expected, so the bed at the other end looked pretty decent upon arrival! We finished the night by watching Dodgeball, then packed our bags for the trip home to Brisbane the following morning!!!
All in all, it was a fantastic 10 day trip with my cousins. Not only did I get to see some great parts of the country, but I was also able to spend some quality time with quality company. Sure, we each had our "moments," but in the end I wouldn't have changed any part of the trip!
Up next - some cool Brisbane activities that Andrea, Derek and I did as well as an update on the beginning of orientation week at the uni!
Much love,
xoxo Danielle
The Byron Bay Leg
After a nice, long 14 hour OVERNIGHT bus to Byron, we got into this little surfer's town around 8am. We couldn't check into our hostel, the first of the trip, before 10am, so we stored our backpacks and headed down for a walk along the beach. It wasn't long before the weather turned shitty, so we headed back to the hostel to wait for our check-in. Our room was an economy dorm - 10 beds, all bunks. I was able to score a bottom bunk, but you should have seen the room. It was obvious that it was the party room as there were sacks of empty "goon bags" everywhere (goon is cheap wine in a plastic sac - gross stuff, really) and this was confirmed when we met our first hostel buddy, Markus, from Germany. It's the party room he tells us, and I'm preparing myself for 2 long nights!
The afternoon in Byron Bay was rainy, so instead of lying on the beach, the three of us decide to walk to the lighthouse and the most easterly point in Australia. Had we known it was a 7km hike, I'm not sure we would have been so keen, but we set out in the rain and stuck to it. Not eating a full meal that day, it was a long hike for me, but we made it and I have photo proof of my efforts! That evening was a quite one, surprisingly, the three of us eating out at a nice Balcony restaurant and then home for an early bedtime. We were lucky in the fact that the room was relatively quiet, and the partiers decided to party it up at the clubs before coming back to crash around 3pm. I was able to get a great sleep!
The second day in Byron was a beach day. We spent some time lying on the beach, going for walks, picking up some grocery snacks and just chilling out having picnics. I've included some photos of the beach - which in nice weather is really spectacular! We decided to postpone our surf lesson until we reached Surfer's Paradise....only for the chances of better weather!
This night, however, was not a quiet night. Derek, Andrea and I all started drinking about 5pm, had a hostel BBQ with Sangria at 7pm, then headed to the beach with a bunch of new-found European buddies at 9pm. We kept up with the booze until about 11pm, then headed out to the infamous Byron Bay club - Cheeky Monkeys. It was SO sleazy that instead of a dance floor, they have multiple tables to dance on. Yup, you read correctly, TABLES. What does Danielle do? Dance the night away, of course! And in doing so, I wowed the crew with my "Thriller" dance moves and the good ol' steps to Cadillac Ranch. I DID go there and totally pulled out the line-dancing. I mean, I really have to represent my country!! 2 of my friends, Niel from Ireland and Takko from Holland were especially enthralled, and wanted to dance with me until 3am, but around 2:30am I left with Andrea and Derek since it was probably the better option. Seriously though, it was a GREAT night and I had so much fun dancing. Almost fell off a couple tabletops, but nothing my family (Auntie CC if you're reading this, it's for you!) hasn't seen and/or participated in themselves.
After stumbling home and getting into bed at 3am, we awoke the next morning for an 11am bus to Surfer's Paradise. Apart from feeling a little sore from all the dancing (and possibly the drinks!), it was a relatively quiet morning.
That was pretty much the extent of our stay in Byron - beaches, sleazy clubs and classic hostel friends. A good place all-around and one town I would definitely return to if given the chance! Next stop = Surfer's Paradise!!
All my love,
xoxo Danielle
The afternoon in Byron Bay was rainy, so instead of lying on the beach, the three of us decide to walk to the lighthouse and the most easterly point in Australia. Had we known it was a 7km hike, I'm not sure we would have been so keen, but we set out in the rain and stuck to it. Not eating a full meal that day, it was a long hike for me, but we made it and I have photo proof of my efforts! That evening was a quite one, surprisingly, the three of us eating out at a nice Balcony restaurant and then home for an early bedtime. We were lucky in the fact that the room was relatively quiet, and the partiers decided to party it up at the clubs before coming back to crash around 3pm. I was able to get a great sleep!
The second day in Byron was a beach day. We spent some time lying on the beach, going for walks, picking up some grocery snacks and just chilling out having picnics. I've included some photos of the beach - which in nice weather is really spectacular! We decided to postpone our surf lesson until we reached Surfer's Paradise....only for the chances of better weather!
This night, however, was not a quiet night. Derek, Andrea and I all started drinking about 5pm, had a hostel BBQ with Sangria at 7pm, then headed to the beach with a bunch of new-found European buddies at 9pm. We kept up with the booze until about 11pm, then headed out to the infamous Byron Bay club - Cheeky Monkeys. It was SO sleazy that instead of a dance floor, they have multiple tables to dance on. Yup, you read correctly, TABLES. What does Danielle do? Dance the night away, of course! And in doing so, I wowed the crew with my "Thriller" dance moves and the good ol' steps to Cadillac Ranch. I DID go there and totally pulled out the line-dancing. I mean, I really have to represent my country!! 2 of my friends, Niel from Ireland and Takko from Holland were especially enthralled, and wanted to dance with me until 3am, but around 2:30am I left with Andrea and Derek since it was probably the better option. Seriously though, it was a GREAT night and I had so much fun dancing. Almost fell off a couple tabletops, but nothing my family (Auntie CC if you're reading this, it's for you!) hasn't seen and/or participated in themselves.
After stumbling home and getting into bed at 3am, we awoke the next morning for an 11am bus to Surfer's Paradise. Apart from feeling a little sore from all the dancing (and possibly the drinks!), it was a relatively quiet morning.
That was pretty much the extent of our stay in Byron - beaches, sleazy clubs and classic hostel friends. A good place all-around and one town I would definitely return to if given the chance! Next stop = Surfer's Paradise!!
All my love,
xoxo Danielle
The Sydney Leg
Hello All!
Well, I'm back on campus and using the uni internet to write the first of what I think will be 3 posts to cover the travels and stories over the past 10 days. I began my trip in the wonderfully large city of Sydney, but it started out quite rocky!
I was supposed to leave Brisbane on the 10th at 10am. When I went into my email to check in online, I found out that my plane was CANCELED and that the only flight available to me was at 6am or 1pm. Now, a normal person would have chosen the 1pm flight, but I had made plans to meet up with my cousins at the Opera House at 2pm and with no way of contacting them, it was the early flight or leave them panicking. So I wake up at 4am to catch a 2 hour flight to Sydney. I arrived in around 10am, and luckily met up with my cousins on the stairs outside the Opera House without much difficulty!
Let me tell you - getting off the subway from the airport and walking towards the Opera House was the most amazing experience ever. Just seeing this iconic structure become closer and closer was breathtaking. I couldn't believe that I was actually here, actually seeing it LIVE. Did you know it's not actually white? Or smooth? It's more of a beige color and tiled.....the photos don't really show it, but it's true. Take my word or travel there yourself!
Another cool thing was the Harbour Bridge. Right across from the Opera House, the Harbour Bridge is another iconic stucture in Sydney. You will see from the photos that it's pretty impressive - and the three of us were going to climb it in a couple days! Super cool, but more about that later.
After meeting with my cousins, Andrea got in touch with a distant family relative who came to pick us up from the downtown area and take us out for lunch near Watson's Bay. We also took a walk to the entrance into Sydney Harbour, passing a nice nude beach on the way (filled with old, naked and completely oblivious men. Gross). After touring around a bit and snapping a few shots, we hopped back in the car and drove to Bondi Beach - one of the famous, touristy Sydney beaches. It was such a warm day and you can imagine that the beach was literally PACKED with people. The lifeguards drove around on these dune buggies just to be able to monitor the entire beach! We enjoyed another nice walk along the water and had some ice cream to cool us down before getting a ride to our accommodation for the next couple days - a friend of Andrea's who studies medicine here in Sydney.
(This is in the area known as the rocks)
The next morning brought a sunny day perfect for a walking tour of downtown. With no real goal in mind, we decided to start in the center, and walk towards the inner parts of the city. We stopped at a travel agency to book bus tickets out towards Brisbane, and Derek and Andrea were able to score some sweet deals all the way up the coast. After walking for the morning, figuring out travels, we stopped into a grocery store for a picnic lunch and ate it in - get this - HYDE PARK. Yes, like the one in London and yes, the lunch we had at this park was identical to the picnic lunch the three of us had at the real Hyde Park three years ago. Creepy. I even think Derek is wearing the same shirt at both occasions!!
The third day in Sydney was another nice weather day, so Andrea's friend took us to the Blue Mountains to tour around. We purchased a pass that allowed us access to the entire park, so we took advatage of this and toured around for the whole day. We visited the major site of the Three Sisters - famous moutains in Aboriginee history. We also toured some rainforest walkways before heading into town for a great lunch of roast chicken and beer on the street. Gotta love this country! This evening, we packed up our bags to switch accommodation, this time back to the distant relative that picked us up the first day.
(on the mine walk)
From here on in, we spent most of the time in Paramatta - a suburb of Sydney. We only went into Sydney to do the bridge climb on the harbour bridge. WHAT an amazing experience. Let me tell you - they have this whole system about how to prepare the climbers for the bridge. First off, you watch an educational video about the entire process. Then, you move into room one where you sign your life away AND take a breathalizer test. Yup - they test your blood alcohol levels to make sure you aren't drunk!! Then, you move into room 2 where you get sized for a climbing suit. Then, you get moved to room 3 to change, room 4 to get all your harness and accessories (like sweat bands, headphones and rainjackets) then to room 5 to do a practice climb on a pretend piece of the brigde. Then, it's out the doors you go and you are off to climb the 1500 stairs of the Sydney Harbour Bridge!!!
The climb was one of the most memorable moments of my time in Sydney. It was fairly rainy on the way up, which was disappointing, but just as we reached the top, the sun broke through! What timing! (I personally think someone was up there looking out for me ;) ) In the end, Derek, Andrea and I had a blast climbing together and the guide caputred some great photos. I would highly recommend this to anyone - even those afraid of heights. It wasn't scary at all - the path you climb is about a meter wide and solid steel so you can't see the cars beneath you. It almost feels like you aren't 134 meters above the ground!!
Our last day in Sydney was an excellent, sunny day so we took advantage of this fact and spent the afternoon on Manly Beach (another famous beach in the Sydney area) before heading back into the central part to catch our overnight bus to Byron Bay. I've included some shots of us on the beach - our first real beach day!!!
That's about it for the highlights from Sydney - I'm sure I'm forgetting some stories, which I will have to relay to you in person or at a later time. I've also only uploaded a few photos since it's an annoying process, but if you have access to facebook, there will be more there!!
Bryon Bay and other legs of the trip are soon to come, so keep on reading!
All my love,
xoxo Danielle
Well, I'm back on campus and using the uni internet to write the first of what I think will be 3 posts to cover the travels and stories over the past 10 days. I began my trip in the wonderfully large city of Sydney, but it started out quite rocky!
I was supposed to leave Brisbane on the 10th at 10am. When I went into my email to check in online, I found out that my plane was CANCELED and that the only flight available to me was at 6am or 1pm. Now, a normal person would have chosen the 1pm flight, but I had made plans to meet up with my cousins at the Opera House at 2pm and with no way of contacting them, it was the early flight or leave them panicking. So I wake up at 4am to catch a 2 hour flight to Sydney. I arrived in around 10am, and luckily met up with my cousins on the stairs outside the Opera House without much difficulty!
(This is in the area known as the rocks)
(on the mine walk)
From here on in, we spent most of the time in Paramatta - a suburb of Sydney. We only went into Sydney to do the bridge climb on the harbour bridge. WHAT an amazing experience. Let me tell you - they have this whole system about how to prepare the climbers for the bridge. First off, you watch an educational video about the entire process. Then, you move into room one where you sign your life away AND take a breathalizer test. Yup - they test your blood alcohol levels to make sure you aren't drunk!! Then, you move into room 2 where you get sized for a climbing suit. Then, you get moved to room 3 to change, room 4 to get all your harness and accessories (like sweat bands, headphones and rainjackets) then to room 5 to do a practice climb on a pretend piece of the brigde. Then, it's out the doors you go and you are off to climb the 1500 stairs of the Sydney Harbour Bridge!!!
The climb was one of the most memorable moments of my time in Sydney. It was fairly rainy on the way up, which was disappointing, but just as we reached the top, the sun broke through! What timing! (I personally think someone was up there looking out for me ;) ) In the end, Derek, Andrea and I had a blast climbing together and the guide caputred some great photos. I would highly recommend this to anyone - even those afraid of heights. It wasn't scary at all - the path you climb is about a meter wide and solid steel so you can't see the cars beneath you. It almost feels like you aren't 134 meters above the ground!!
Our last day in Sydney was an excellent, sunny day so we took advantage of this fact and spent the afternoon on Manly Beach (another famous beach in the Sydney area) before heading back into the central part to catch our overnight bus to Byron Bay. I've included some shots of us on the beach - our first real beach day!!!
That's about it for the highlights from Sydney - I'm sure I'm forgetting some stories, which I will have to relay to you in person or at a later time. I've also only uploaded a few photos since it's an annoying process, but if you have access to facebook, there will be more there!!
Bryon Bay and other legs of the trip are soon to come, so keep on reading!
All my love,
xoxo Danielle
Saturday, February 20, 2010
A quickie....NOT THAT KIND!!!!
Get your heads out of the gutters people! Geez!
The title of this post refers to the fact that this update will be a short one, since I'm sitting in MacDonald's in Brisbane, trying to make this McFlurry last long enough for me to use the free internet to check emails and contact family. In 30+ degree weather, it won't be long before I'm eating flavoured milk!!
Just wanted to let you all know that I have arrived safely back into my new hometown of Brisbane after 10 days traveling with my cousins to Sydney, Byron Bay and Surfer's Paradise. I had a fantastic trip, took over 200 photos and have loads of stories to tell - too many in fact, that I may have to even write 3-4 separate blogs about them all!
I'm hoping to use the internet on campus throughout the week to write emails and upload photos, so be patient and bear with me a little longer. I don't have wireless internet at home, and I may not ever get it (I have to chat with my landlord) so keeping in touch may be a little harder than I expected. Although, I'm sure once classes start and I'm on campus, I will just skype with you all from there!!
Expect to hear from me in the next couple days, but in the meantime, here is a quick snapshot of what I was up to today.....in case it doesn't load with this slow internet, I'll give you a hint - it involved koalas and kangas!
All my love,
xoxo Danielle
The title of this post refers to the fact that this update will be a short one, since I'm sitting in MacDonald's in Brisbane, trying to make this McFlurry last long enough for me to use the free internet to check emails and contact family. In 30+ degree weather, it won't be long before I'm eating flavoured milk!!
Just wanted to let you all know that I have arrived safely back into my new hometown of Brisbane after 10 days traveling with my cousins to Sydney, Byron Bay and Surfer's Paradise. I had a fantastic trip, took over 200 photos and have loads of stories to tell - too many in fact, that I may have to even write 3-4 separate blogs about them all!
I'm hoping to use the internet on campus throughout the week to write emails and upload photos, so be patient and bear with me a little longer. I don't have wireless internet at home, and I may not ever get it (I have to chat with my landlord) so keeping in touch may be a little harder than I expected. Although, I'm sure once classes start and I'm on campus, I will just skype with you all from there!!
Expect to hear from me in the next couple days, but in the meantime, here is a quick snapshot of what I was up to today.....in case it doesn't load with this slow internet, I'll give you a hint - it involved koalas and kangas!
All my love,
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Off with no plans - daunting? yes.
Hello all!
This will be a quick post, sans photos since I am off to Brisbane tomorrow morning for a day of exploration followed by a flight to Sydney the morning of the 10th! I won't have access to the internet on a regular enough basis to put up new posts until I return, but be rest assured that I will have loads of photos and stories to share! I'm a little hesitant about the trip though, as per usual, my cousins have no concrete plans in place and are not willing to "splurge" on hostels. So far - no accommodation, transportation or events have been booked. Typical Chynoweth fashion - flying by the seats of our pants!! I'm sure it will all work out in the end, it's just a matter of sitting down and reaching a compromise.
My last couple days in Noosa have been relaxing. Apart from a birthday party last night and a walk this morning, I've just been doing my laundry at the house, cleaning the bedroom and bathroom and organizing my luggage for the trip back to Brisbane tomorrow. The plan basically is for Marilyn and I to drive into the city, get me settled into my place and unpack, then head out to the university on public transit from my place so I know how to do that when I get back from my travels. After visitng the university, we are going to take the ferry back downtown near my place, pick up some groceries and then explore a region called South Bank (a really great beach and park near my house!!) before meeting up with her two kids for dinner that night. I'me excited to move into my room and organize everything - it will be nice not to live out of a suitcase anymore!!
That's it with the updates until later on in the month. I hope to be able to check my emails once in a while when I'm gone, so if there is anything pressing that I need to know, that will be the best way to get in touch with me!!
Until March!
xoxo Danielle
This will be a quick post, sans photos since I am off to Brisbane tomorrow morning for a day of exploration followed by a flight to Sydney the morning of the 10th! I won't have access to the internet on a regular enough basis to put up new posts until I return, but be rest assured that I will have loads of photos and stories to share! I'm a little hesitant about the trip though, as per usual, my cousins have no concrete plans in place and are not willing to "splurge" on hostels. So far - no accommodation, transportation or events have been booked. Typical Chynoweth fashion - flying by the seats of our pants!! I'm sure it will all work out in the end, it's just a matter of sitting down and reaching a compromise.
My last couple days in Noosa have been relaxing. Apart from a birthday party last night and a walk this morning, I've just been doing my laundry at the house, cleaning the bedroom and bathroom and organizing my luggage for the trip back to Brisbane tomorrow. The plan basically is for Marilyn and I to drive into the city, get me settled into my place and unpack, then head out to the university on public transit from my place so I know how to do that when I get back from my travels. After visitng the university, we are going to take the ferry back downtown near my place, pick up some groceries and then explore a region called South Bank (a really great beach and park near my house!!) before meeting up with her two kids for dinner that night. I'me excited to move into my room and organize everything - it will be nice not to live out of a suitcase anymore!!
That's it with the updates until later on in the month. I hope to be able to check my emails once in a while when I'm gone, so if there is anything pressing that I need to know, that will be the best way to get in touch with me!!
Until March!
xoxo Danielle
Saturday, February 6, 2010
A lesson in suncare.
Good morning ladies and gentlemen!! Here is the moment you have been waiting for.... Danielle finally was sunburnt to a crisp, makes lobsters look albino and is hurting like mad.
How did it happen, you ask? Well, my last post was finished by me telling you I was off to paddle with Marilyn and her crew. It was a beautiful sunny Thursday morning, and being the (semi) conscientious person I am, I knew I had to apply sunscreen in a not-so-sparingly matter. I was wearing a tanktop (since it was SO hot) and I lathered on the SPF 45. However, I apparently missed a couple spots on my back, since after 2 hours out in the Aussie sun on the ocean, I came back, looked in the mirror and saw the most awkward red burn of LIFE. Serisouly, I have never (in all my PEI years!) been this burnt. It hurts.
On the upside - paddling was a blast! We took outrigger canoes, which basically have this piece attached to them and we paddled up the river into the ocean. We didn't venture far into the ocean, since the swells were high and we could tip, but it was a fantastic trip nonetheless. Noteworthy happenings - the main "coach" Hugh, was trying to teach me how to paddle. He asked if I had ever done it before, and I told him I'd been in a canoe once or twice. He then replied, " Well that's a totally different motion/stroke." He then proceeded to demonstrate what was the kayaking stroke and says, "outrigging is much different." I don't know if down here, canoeing = kayaking, but he and I were on totally different pages!! Regardless, I took in his insturctions and after our 2 hours adventure, he said that I wasn't bad for a beginner!
After paddling finished up and I was home to realize the extent of my burn, I hopped in the shower to freshen up for a ladies lunch that Marilyn and I were invited to. I have to admit, I was skeptic about this lunch since it was 5 older women, and I am MANY years their junior. Luckily, I was totally wrong! The lunch was at this British women's house, Julie, and all her friends came over for the most fantasttic and authentic tea ever. It was so quaint and enjoyable to chat with these Brisish women. They all loved my "accent" and one of them even commented on my "porcelian skin!" I think that's a much nicer saying than I usually go with....you know, me commenting on how I am practically albino!!
After lunch, we stayed at Julie's to have a spa day - mini at home facials and some relaxation time. Goodness, these ladies were hilarious with their masks on! All of them fought over the "smoothing and firming" mask before deciding I should be the one to have it, to make it fair! I politely declined and decided to choose a cucumber cooling mask.
After the spa day, Marilyn and I went home and I did some research into mobile phone companies for me to get a cell phone here. We had a nice pasta dinner, before watching some comedy on TV and then headed to bed!
Friday morning Marilyn was off to an appointment, so I took the opportunity to be adventurous and go on a run along the beach. Most AMAZING thing I think I've done yet. I loved listening to the waves pound on the shore as I ran alongside the water, barefoot. As much as I loved running back home in the winter weather with my Dad and sister, this is truly an unforgettable experience! I'll be sad that I can't begin my day everyday with this!
One downside on Friday was my sunburn had reared its ugly head FULL force and I was in so much pain. I tried to search and buy aloe vera gel, but was only able to find a spray. It worked, slightly, but not how I had hoped. Oh well, at least I've learnt my lesson! No more missing spots for me, that's for sure!
Later on that evening, since the weather was still gorgeous, Marilyn and I were able to meet up with Jean and Warrick and the kids for these elusive fish and chips. Basically, every Friday has become this fish and chip ritual - meet at the river, swim for a bit, towel off, drink some wine, order the fish, wait, eat the fish and then sit around to watch the sun go down. A really fabulous tradition! The fish was spectacular and I'm glad that the weather cooperated long enough for me to enjoy/taste these fish and chips!!
Saturday morning brought a morning's worth of cleaning the house, followed by groceries and making a cake for the birthday party we are attending later on today. While out and about on our errands, I managed to find myself a straw fedora hat with a brim, nice enough that I would wear it without looking like a tourist, but at the same time it would protect me from further sun damage! Yay!
Today, the weather is such that we can't go climb Mt. Coolum as was origianlly planned, but Marilyn and I are going to the Peregian Market to listen to an outdoor music festival. Later, we have this birthday party to go to, and then it will be the end of the day!
I'm going to sign off now so I can go and get ready for the day's events, but I plan on writing back tomorrow before I leave for Syndey! Just a quick note, I've attached the photo of the gecko that the kids caught a ways back. I wrote about it a couple posts ago, but the photos weren't taken on my camera, and I just got them sent to me via email!
Thanks for reading and keep those emails coming my way!!
xoxo Danielle
How did it happen, you ask? Well, my last post was finished by me telling you I was off to paddle with Marilyn and her crew. It was a beautiful sunny Thursday morning, and being the (semi) conscientious person I am, I knew I had to apply sunscreen in a not-so-sparingly matter. I was wearing a tanktop (since it was SO hot) and I lathered on the SPF 45. However, I apparently missed a couple spots on my back, since after 2 hours out in the Aussie sun on the ocean, I came back, looked in the mirror and saw the most awkward red burn of LIFE. Serisouly, I have never (in all my PEI years!) been this burnt. It hurts.On the upside - paddling was a blast! We took outrigger canoes, which basically have this piece attached to them and we paddled up the river into the ocean. We didn't venture far into the ocean, since the swells were high and we could tip, but it was a fantastic trip nonetheless. Noteworthy happenings - the main "coach" Hugh, was trying to teach me how to paddle. He asked if I had ever done it before, and I told him I'd been in a canoe once or twice. He then replied, " Well that's a totally different motion/stroke." He then proceeded to demonstrate what was the kayaking stroke and says, "outrigging is much different." I don't know if down here, canoeing = kayaking, but he and I were on totally different pages!! Regardless, I took in his insturctions and after our 2 hours adventure, he said that I wasn't bad for a beginner!
After paddling finished up and I was home to realize the extent of my burn, I hopped in the shower to freshen up for a ladies lunch that Marilyn and I were invited to. I have to admit, I was skeptic about this lunch since it was 5 older women, and I am MANY years their junior. Luckily, I was totally wrong! The lunch was at this British women's house, Julie, and all her friends came over for the most fantasttic and authentic tea ever. It was so quaint and enjoyable to chat with these Brisish women. They all loved my "accent" and one of them even commented on my "porcelian skin!" I think that's a much nicer saying than I usually go with....you know, me commenting on how I am practically albino!!
After lunch, we stayed at Julie's to have a spa day - mini at home facials and some relaxation time. Goodness, these ladies were hilarious with their masks on! All of them fought over the "smoothing and firming" mask before deciding I should be the one to have it, to make it fair! I politely declined and decided to choose a cucumber cooling mask.
After the spa day, Marilyn and I went home and I did some research into mobile phone companies for me to get a cell phone here. We had a nice pasta dinner, before watching some comedy on TV and then headed to bed!
Friday morning Marilyn was off to an appointment, so I took the opportunity to be adventurous and go on a run along the beach. Most AMAZING thing I think I've done yet. I loved listening to the waves pound on the shore as I ran alongside the water, barefoot. As much as I loved running back home in the winter weather with my Dad and sister, this is truly an unforgettable experience! I'll be sad that I can't begin my day everyday with this!
One downside on Friday was my sunburn had reared its ugly head FULL force and I was in so much pain. I tried to search and buy aloe vera gel, but was only able to find a spray. It worked, slightly, but not how I had hoped. Oh well, at least I've learnt my lesson! No more missing spots for me, that's for sure!
Later on that evening, since the weather was still gorgeous, Marilyn and I were able to meet up with Jean and Warrick and the kids for these elusive fish and chips. Basically, every Friday has become this fish and chip ritual - meet at the river, swim for a bit, towel off, drink some wine, order the fish, wait, eat the fish and then sit around to watch the sun go down. A really fabulous tradition! The fish was spectacular and I'm glad that the weather cooperated long enough for me to enjoy/taste these fish and chips!!
Saturday morning brought a morning's worth of cleaning the house, followed by groceries and making a cake for the birthday party we are attending later on today. While out and about on our errands, I managed to find myself a straw fedora hat with a brim, nice enough that I would wear it without looking like a tourist, but at the same time it would protect me from further sun damage! Yay!
Today, the weather is such that we can't go climb Mt. Coolum as was origianlly planned, but Marilyn and I are going to the Peregian Market to listen to an outdoor music festival. Later, we have this birthday party to go to, and then it will be the end of the day!
I'm going to sign off now so I can go and get ready for the day's events, but I plan on writing back tomorrow before I leave for Syndey! Just a quick note, I've attached the photo of the gecko that the kids caught a ways back. I wrote about it a couple posts ago, but the photos weren't taken on my camera, and I just got them sent to me via email!
Thanks for reading and keep those emails coming my way!!
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