Cheers to Sydney

This will probably be my last blog until I get to China...

After Raychel left last week, it has just been Sam R and I left here. She went up to the Gold Coast and Surfer's Paradise for a few days and then I flew up to Byron Bay to meet her last Saturday. We checked into the hostel that night and just chilled out by the campfire in the back yard with some other backpackers. Unfortunately didn't get much sleep that night due to the jack hammer-like sound coming from our English roommate! It was actually so loud I had to laugh! Sam and I woke up the next morning and went for a morning beach walk, then she went on a whale watching tour while I laid on the beach and roamed the little surfing town. That night we sat by the fire again and got into conversation with some Germans and a Canadian. They were working at the hostel so they could get free accommodation- I was beginning to wonder how all these backpackers managed to pay for 3 months of travel!

The next morning (Monday) we went for another long beach walk and hopped into a tour bus to check out a few surrounding small towns and the countryside. One of the stops was at this guy Paul's house. He grows everything himself on 80 hectares of land and has not left his house for 10 years! His appearance is pretty funny, my face in the picture is after seeing the spider that seemed to live in his hair... but nonetheless his hippie home was pretty cool.

Tuesday Sam and I went for a last beach walk all the way up this cliff to a lookout spot where we actually saw whales and dolphins in the distance. You could see the whales because they were blowing air out of their blow holes and one did the big breach out of the water! Byron Bay is the most Eastern tip of Australia and all the whales have to swim by there each year in order to mate. They go all the way from Antarctica to Indonesia to do this- about 10,000 pods of them! After getting some lunch we checked out of the hostel and went to the airport.

Wednesday and Thursday I went to my final working days at DesignStreet. I was pretty touched when they bought cake and made a going away card for me. Graham made a pretty good speach thanking me for my time there. I will actually miss that place a lot. Thursday night Sam and I went to a Symphony at the Opera House. It was a bit heavy for my taste, not a lot of upbeat pieces for a concert that was supposed to be themed around love and life. We guessed he must have gotten his heart broken or something... The picture is of the inside of the Opera House (you are not allowed to take pictures in there, so hopefully I don't get in trouble!). The organ has over 10,000 pipes that can make every sound the human hear can hear, pretty amazing!

Yesterday Jonty and I went for one last surf in Manly. The waves were just my size so was a good way to end my surfing. I'll be returning my board on Monday or Tuesday. :( Last night I went over to Jonty's for a traditional South African brie. They moved here from S. Africa about 7 years ago, if I hadn't mentioned that. It was basically a barbeque, but the fire burned for about an hour before the mean was put on, which gave it a really nice smokey flavor. I brought over my American brownie mix to bake, but they already had dessert made. They are missing out, I said! Probably make them on Monday...

Today I'm just doing a few last minute things around here and heading up to a friend's beach house to celebrate his birthday. Sam and Jonty are going up with me, and we'll probably check out a bit of the Central coast tomorrow during the day.

Only 4 days left... if I don't write again, watch for my blog when I reach CHINA!!!

Cheers!

The first goodbye

Well... it's been pretty quiet around here so far this week. My roomie Sam left us early Sunday morning. I refuse to accept it though. I keep telling myself her door is closed because she is taking a loooong nap. On Saturday night before her departure, the four girls plus Alec and Kevin went on a one hour long Harbor Cruise and then to dinner. Was kinda funny because we were the only non-Asians on the boat... The night was crappy, rainy and windy, but we didn't care. On the boat we recapped all the most embarrassing, funny, awkward, exciting etc. moments of the trip.

Last week I finished my final paper and exam! Now I am just working at DesignStreet and getting ready for China. Sam R left for the Gold Coast today, and I'll meet her on Saturday night in Byron Bay for 4 days... I'm sure I'll have more to report on after that. I plan on taking my surf board for one last hurrah, but the waves have been massive lately. Since I won't have any one to surf with, I may or may not go out, depending on the wave size.

I can't believe it's almost over!

A little work, a little Sex, a little birthday cake

After applying for the working visa, my tax file number, and a bank account, I've started working as a paid employee at DesignStreet! Next week I will happily welcome my first income in 4 months! Much needed! They've had me helping Brooke with her jobs since she's so busy, so I really feel like I'm helpful now.

Last week was also my final week of classes. I'm sad to say my grades haven't been to the par I'm used to, but fortunately they only transfer as pass/fail. I completed my intern 3000 word paper and gave my presentation on Friday. It went really well, I didn't realize how much I had learned and how proud I was to be working on all those projects! I took in the Sony Vaio computers catalogue we finished recently to show... I'm so proud to say I had a part in that! I had so much to say about DesignStreet during my presentation that I actually went over my time limit. They didn't stop me, so hopefully that meant that it was interesting. I had to improvise a little because I made my powerpoint on a Mac and they only had PCs, so none of my images, including the client logo list, showed up. I still think it was one of the best presentations I've given though.

Friday the girls and I went to Sex and the City!!! We had talked it up for so long and I am happy to say it was EVERYTHING it was cracked up to be! All the loose ends were tied (I won't give details in case some of you haven't seen it) and the world is at peace. It was just one of those nights when you are so thankful for your girlfriends... all you girls from Sigtown and Mizzou- you are the BEST!

Today is my roomie's (Sam A) 21st birthday so last night we went to a club in Sydney called 'Tank.' This place was NUTS! Really a lot of fun. We all dressed up, and I was finally able to wear my blue dress I bought at fashion week! We felt like a million bucks. Sam and I were like machines on the dance floor, we danced 20 billion songs in a row, just one of those nights that we had SO much energy! So funny- she woke up this morning and was like 'Kristine my legs are actually sore!' hahahaha! For her actual birthday this morning, we went to Pancakes on the Rocks for some appetizers and chocolate pancakes... We all literally rolled out of the restaurant.

Now I have to study for two final exams... one is on friday and the other on... drumroll... gasp.... Saturday! Can you believe it?! An exam on a Saturday! I know, I was floored! But at least I'll be done with school. Then off to Byron Bay for 4 days. Jonty and I went surfing yesterday and I was pounded by the waves. It was really windy and choppy and the waves were big. I almost caught a couple and then bailed at the last minute out of absolute fear. I've just started thinking too much and when you hesitate for one minute in surfing you get blasted. I need to go back to the basics on some smaller ones again to get my confidence back. I'll take the board to Byron, maybe a couple more times before I leave with Jonty, and then I have to sell it back. They told me I get half back, some welcomed cash for China!

I'm starting to realize that I'm leaving soon... I'm not too sad about the girls, because they'll all be back at Mizzou. But there are a few other people who will be VERY missed.

The pics are of the girls out on the town for Sam's Bday, and the inside of DesignStreet. The desk on the far right behind Tracy is mine!

I got inspired to write in my blog tonight because I'm listening to my new music playlist at the moment. Got a bunch of new Australian songs to remember the trip... a lot of House (electronica) music. Really gets you fired up. I like to listen to it while I walk to work, the only problem is that it makes me walk really fast so by the time I get there I'm sweating. haha

Speaking of work, I talked with Graham (yesterday was my last day of my internship) and he's asked me to stay on until I leave. I'll be a paid employee about 20 hours a week... might as well, don't have much else to do and I could use the money! Plus I finally feel like I have the hang of things. I applied for my work visa and tax number last night so I'm starting Friday.

Last Friday Raychel's dad arrived to hang out in Sydney for a week. Mr. Duitch took us girls to dinner and we had the best Barramundi (a light white fish) and (drumroll) some orgasmic chocolate mousse. It was actually called "famousse." We rolled out of the restaurant. Then Raych, Sam, and I went to Orbit bar, this place on the 46th floor of a building that rotated. You sit by the window and slowly rotate so you end up seeing all parts of the city lit up at night. Pretty cool. Pretty expensive. So we could only afford one drink...haha. That's the nice thing about not having any cover. You can go to these ritzy places, feel like a millionnaire and buy the cheapest thing on the menu.

I went to another rugby game last Saturday night to watch Sydney vs S. Africa. I was with the S. Africans so we were rooting for them, but they lost pretty terribly. It was a packed stadium, and I think we had the loudest chick sitting right behind me. It literally severed my eardrum. The boys were in a pretty bad mood after the loss...

We are pretty psyched for the Sex and the City premier next weekend! It's also roomie Sam's 21st bday. It's going to be a packed weekend! They say that every girl in a group of friends can identify with a Sex character, but our group REALLY fits. We have four girls, the same personalities and hair colors as our characters. We'll probably dress up and go out for drinks before the show, I can't wait! More about our escapades later...

Stress is over... for now

Last Friday I finally finished all my mid-terms! I had the laziest weekend of all time... I'm mean, I slept in on Saturday morning and didn't see the light of day. I watched DVDs until 5, at which point it started getting dark. hehe Friday night we had gone to a Mexican restaurant for a birthday party and then dancing afterward. The whole back patio had been rented out for about 40 guests, but the Mexican experience was lacking compared to what I'm used to in the US. Usually the food is cheap, the margs are flowing, and the chips and salsa are free... not the case here. It rare to even find a Mexican restaurant here. That is one thing I'm dying for!

Saturday night I went to a going away party for a girl on the waterpolo team. I've been training occasionally with the girls team just to learn a new sport and have met some great girls. Her house was amazing, a huge piece of land with horses and a recently finished mansion. They cupcakes, snacks, and drinks just kept coming. There were several rooms that the party flowed into; one with a pool table, one with a dance floor, the patio area, etc. It was pretty amazing.

This week is my last full week at Designstreet. Today I am going in a little late because I went to an internship seminar on networking. The lady that spoke was from IBM and gave some valuable info, but I always feel a little panicky after these seminars. I do feel more confident in my professional abilities after this internship though. I will be organizing a meeting with Graham for next week to discuss my progress and possibly get a letter of recommendation for the future. I imagine he will be one of my most valuable contacts, as he has clients at American Express, Sony, etc.

I'm looking forward to my last little trip to Byron Bay to get a good surf in before I leave for China July 2nd. I'm meeting Sam R up there for 4 days...

Cheers!

This weekend was Fashion Weekend in Sydney... Raychel does her internship in this small design company called Fuzz Design and was able to get tickets for us to go to the event yesterday! We dressed in our most fashion-forward apparel and went. The whole venue was set up with cubicles for designers who were selling their clothes anywhere from 50-75% off! I still couldn't afford most of it, but I did get a free manicure from a make-up company and was able to see several models. They had a catwalk set up, but you had to have special tickets to see that, which we did not. It was some of the most stunning clothes I've ever seen... I did find a killer dress for a very good price, and am excited to rock the new style...

Today, I'm just catching up on work. Sorry this was a boring post!

Hello again!

I've been dormant for awhile because Dad was here and then uni started up again. I suddenly realized that I had two research papers and a presentation due within two weeks... so needless to say I've been stressed. I recently (yesterday) started a chocolate detox, and the shakes and nightsweats have begun, which are adding to the stress. haha

Ok, so back to Dad's visit. He arrived early on a rainy/cold Monday morning and we did a lovely walking tour of the city that I made up. Although he was a little sleepy he was in good spirits. Unfortunately, my friends were either in New Zealand or with their friends/family so he didn't get to meet them until the end... I'll talk about that in a bit- get excited. I took him to Pancakes on the Rocks where we had WAY too much to eat. So we walked it off and went down to Circular Quay and took the ferry to Manly Beach. Dad fell asleep. haha. That night we packed our bags to leave for the Whitsunday Islands the next day. Tuesday we went to Darling Harbour and had a bite to eat on the beautiful boardwalk and watched naughty kids debate long and hard about jumping into the fountain. Then we walked the city a bit more and went to the airport to leave for the islands. Upon arrival we discovered that the Whitsunday airport is about the size of my bedroom. That may be a little bit of an exaggeration, but you could literally see all two, yes two, gates when you stood in the middle of the airport. We roamed the hall trying to find baggage claim, which ended up being outside where the luggage cart pulls up. It's a free for all to find your bag off the cart. hahaha! Did I mention that the waiting area is outside? They pulled the benches out to this enclosed grassy area. The huge jet looks a little funny pulling up on the tarmac ouside of the shanty- er "airport". We decided it took awhile because the flight attendants probably had to switch into their baggage claim uniforms.

Anyway, we were going to stay in a hostel because I thought we could save money, but Dad said he was too old for that. So we stayed in this lovely resort overlooking Airlie Beach. It's pretty nice vacationing with the parents. : )

Wednesday morning it was go time. At the skydiving place we decided to go ahead and get the video and pictures with our package and were able to choose the songs for it. Soon the guys called us out and we suited up, received a brief lesson on jumping, and then Dad, this other girl, and I were into the plane. We soared up to the 10,000 ft mark and the view of the islands below is indescribable. Thank goodness for my neon jumpsuit because it was pretty chilly up there. This whole time my instructor had been videotaping and sticking the thing in my face. Pretty funny shots, though. Pretty soon the door was flung open and the other girl, who looked terrified, flew out of the plane. Then it was my turn. There is nothing like the first drop. For a moment I literally thought I had jumped to my death. Your body does not register the feeling for a few seconds. You do a few flips and then fall stomach first at a rate of 125mph. My pictures are funny because the wind pressure kept my mouth open. After about 35 seconds he pulls the chute and suddenly the world slows down. At this point you can feel the air beginning to warm. He let me hold the chute for a bit and do some turns. Before you know it, there's the ground. All the sudden the air got hot and he told me to keep my feet up for the landing. Shortly after hitting the ground Dad came in. We just stood there speechless and smiling. It's really a feeling you can't forget. After we took our gear off we headed inside and were able to watch our videos.

The rest of the afternoon felt like bliss. We were on a high from skydiving then went and stuffed ourselves with fish and chips and layed out by the pool for a few hours. That night we decided to book a sailing trip for the next day so we could explore the 74 islands in the Whitsundays. Neither of us had ever been on a sailboat before and it really was amazing. Dad volunteered to help put up the sail and really enjoyed the boat. After about two hours of sailing we anchored at the world famous Whitehaven beach. It is named for its snowy white sand and didn't disappoint! We were fed a tropical lunch and were able to lay by the crystal clear turquoise water for a few hours. Then back on the boat to sail home. That evening we repacked our bags to return to Sydney.

Friday we had planned on doing the bridge climb, but decided it might not be worth it after experiencing a skydive just a day before. So I took him on the tour of Macquarie Uni. It rained yet again in Sydney, but fortunately we had had great weather in the Whitsundays. That night I made him come out for drinks with my friends and I for ANZAC day, a holiday for Australia that is like our Veteran's day. We (Raychel, Sam, her bf Tef, Dad, and I) went to a little German pub and had some drinks. Pretty soon Jonty and his friend Samuele showed up, but were too late so they couldn't get in. We were all having a good time by then so we went to a different place down the road called Jackson's. Jonty's girlfriends had put mascara on him before he came to meet me so we definitely didn't let him live that down. The bar we went to had slot machines, which is actually pretty common here, and I pushed the button for Samuele and won $5! After Dad bought a round, Jonty bought a round, and Tef bought a round, we decided it had been a fun night and was time to go home. Somehow my old man out did all the guys... hehe The boys had a rough morning the next day and when I went to pick up Dad he looked as if nothing had happened. He'd already been up since 7! haha Anyway, I took him to the airport and we said our goodbyes.

This weekend I'm pulling out my hair to get my psych research paper done... more to come.