Living In Tomorrow

Back in the USA

2008-05-03T08:24:00.000-07:00

Well, here I am- back in the United States and not thrilled about it. I would have loved to have extended my trip, but it was my time to come back. Overall, my Aussie experience was wonderful and I definitely plan to go back. My favorite trips were Coolangatta on the Gold Coast, Bells Beach in Victoria, and the Great Barrier Reef.
I would love to move to either Coolangatta/Kirra Beach or Bells Beach on the surf coast/Great Ocean Road. In Coolangatta, I checked out some great surf beaches and caught a few waves myself. The beaches were so beautiful and there was definitely the laid back attitude that I adore. Some of the greatest surfers in the world grew up there, and it's close to Surfer's Paradise and Brisbane, where there's more action.
Bells Beach in Victoria was so beautiful it was unbelievable. For someone who really appreciates the ocean, as I do, it was heaven. Huge cliffs tumble into the ocean and it's less inhabited than the Gold Coast. The Great Ocean Road was the most magnificent drive I've ever done, and would definitely recommend it. Although the weather is less desirable, in general, compared to the Gold Coast, it was much quieter and even more laid back. It was more of a natural paradise, but close to Melbourne. Seeing the Rip Curl Pro was so thrilling and I met some great people, including Mick Fanning!
Finally, nothing compares to diving and snorkeling on the Great Barrier Reef. It was my first diving experience, and the colors of the coral and fish were out of this world.
I think this experience definitely helped me grow alot and transition away from the grief and pain that I carried with me in February, when I started the trip. It also helped me realize that traveling alone is ok, and I can do more things on my own than I thought I could. It was a good confidence booster.
If I could do it over again, I'd definitely spend more time in each place and more time in Australia in general. It's such a huge place and it takes more time to see everything that you'd think. I'd definitely alot more time in New Zealand, as I'd like to see the South Island. I think that going with a tour to the northern island of New Zealand was the right option. I got to see most of the main attractions, however I would have liked to have seen more of the coast. Of course, you can't see everything in two months.
I'd travel back to Fiji again, but I'd make sure I wasn't going during their rainy season. While there we saw alot of rain, although we were able to enjoy the beach quite a bit. I'd like to see several of the other islands on the opposite side of the main land. We traveled around the Yasawa Islands, which were beautiful, but I think there's definitely more to see.
I'd also like to see the West Coast of Australia. There are so many places that I wanted to go to in Australia but didn't get to see. I think that doing just Australia, to see mostly everything, you need about a year.
A word of advice for backpackers, when you're searching out good deals, make sure you research the travel agencies before you book with them. While my experience was Travel Bugs was generally very good, my friend and I booked early trips with Wicked Travel and they weren't so great. Make sure you're not just getting a cheap trip, but something that's actually a good deal for the money.

Cape Tribulation

2008-04-28T08:52:00.000-07:00

(Picture: Beach near Cape Tribulation)

My last day trip turned out being one of the most worthwhile of the trip. From Cairns, I traveled to Cape Tribulation, approximately a two hour drive north. My tour group stopped in Port Douglas, which is a quaint town about half way to Cape Tribulation. It's a nice stopover if you have the time, but there isn't anything you must see here. You'll mainly find a lot of shopping and some nice beaches. You can also access the Great Barrier Reef from here, if you prefer not to go to Cairns, but the selection of boats is much more limited.
Just outside of Cape Tribulation, we stopped at the Daintee River for a crocodile cruise. We spotted eight of the huge creatures, including one nesting. We then continued on a scenic ocean road to Cape Tribulation, where the rain forest spills onto the beach in spectacular fashion. One thing that you can't miss when going to Cape Tribulation is Daintree National Park. Here you'll find lush rain forests, large and teeming waterfalls, and several spots for swimming. You'll also likely spot some exotic birds.
If you can stay for more than a day, this is also a great place to check out the Great Barrier Reef, which is only 45 minutes off shore. There are fringe reefs closer in, and if you make your way to one of the many viewpoints, you can get great photos of the beach with the rain forest pouring onto it, with the reef just below the surface of the water.

Great Barrier Trip

2008-04-25T08:32:00.000-07:00

Photos: The wonders of the Great Barrier Reef: Is was told that this is a giant clam.

I'm nearing the end of my trip, and I inadvertently saved the best for last. Snorkeling or diving on the Great Barrier Reef is a must do for anyone who loves the ocean. It's also one of the seven natural wonders of the world. From Cairns, there are tons of boats willing to take you out to the reef. I chose Ocean Spirit Cruises and loved the experience. The boat wasn't overcrowded and then crew was friendly and helpful. The day trip took me to two spots of the reef, and I was offered a free dive, which was included with my package.
I had never dived before and found the experience incredible. Chances are that there will be several other people on the boat who haven't dived before either, so don't be scared to give it a try. The guides explain everything and are really thorough.
While you can get closer to the coral while diving, there is just as much to see snorkeling. The water is shallow around the reef, and you can get up close to fish swimming by. The colors of the coral and the different things that you'll see on the reef will blow your mind. I saw a purple giant clam, which I was mesmerized by. I'd never seen anything like it in my life. It's like swimming at the most exotic aquarium you've ever been to.
The trip cost about $115, including lunch and all snorkeling and diving equipment, plus a huge buffet lunch. You'll spent all day out on the ocean. The trip leaves at about 9am and gets you back around 6pm.
I'm going on a day trip to Cape Tribulation tomorrow, then I'm flying back home to the United States to make some more money. For my next trip, I'm thinking about Western Australia and Indonesia.

No internet, yes fun

2008-04-22T09:55:00.000-07:00

You have probably thought I had fallen off the face of the Earth by now. Although there are an abundance of internet in cities like Sydney, as I make my way up the East coast of Queensland, a wireless signal has been hard to come across. I've been styaing in some pretty remote areas. After leaving the Gold Coast and venturing past Fraser Island and Airley Beach, I made my way through Northern Queensland. All of my trip has been done by bus and I've stopped off in some small towns where the main attractions are a stinger infested beach and a short row of shops including the local butcher, a gas station, and maybe a cafe.
Northern Queensland is home to some crazy creatures, and the jellyfish or "stingers" are especially bad here during the summer months. Heading into fall, stinger nets are still in place the local beaches. Lifeguards keep watch over small areas of the beach roped off my stinger nets, and are prepared with vinegar in case there is a sting. These small creatures are apparently very painful and toxic.
I finally made my way to Cairns, which wasn't originally on my list of places to visit. I was told that you could see the Great Barrier Reef from the Whitsunday Islands. While you can get out to the main reef by taking a fast boat from Airlie Beach, I was advised that it's a much better idea to go to Cairns. I found that it is also cheaper to fly on JetStar or a comparable airline from Cairns to Sydney than to take a bus or train from Airlie Beach to Sydney.
Cairns is much smaller and quieter than I expected it to be. It's definitely a tourist town, with the main attraction being the Great Barrier Reef. There are tons of boats that will take you out there, and I found that it's best to book trips in advance, although you can book trips upon arrival with relative ease if you're flexible.
Cairns is a central hub that offers great backpacker accomodations at low prices, several travel agents to help travelers with planning their next destination, and is also close to many of Queensland's biggest attractions. Port Douglas, Cape Tribulation, Cape York, and Trinity Beach are all within a few hours. Single and multiple day trips run out of Cairns with relative frequency.

Sail the Whitsunday Islands

2008-04-13T22:29:00.000-07:00

When I was looking for key places to stop on my way up the East coast of Australia, several people recommended sailing on the Whitsunday Islands, a group of islands off the coast of Airlie Beach, a few hours north of Fraser Island. I booked my trip early on and the Whitsundays proved to be as beautiful as promised, however, if you’re planning to go, you might be best served not to book boats until you arrive at Airlie Beach.
If you’re flexible with the dates, you sail and can just book yourself a few nights in Airlie Beach, travel agents and sailing companies offer last minute standby deals on several boating options. They will also be better able to help you determine the best boats to fit your personal needs.
There are several different kinds of trips that you can take while in the Whitsunday Islands. The first is a day cruise. These usually leave early in the morning, are cheaper than the popular three day/two night cruises, and take you to key snorkeling spots, as well as Whitehaven Beach. They usually arrive back to port around 5pm, and while they don’t provide accommodation, you can often get in as much sailing time in one day as you would on a three day trip where you leave late on the first day and arrive back to port early on the third.
There is also then the popular three day two night cruises, which can run you up to three hundred dollars. Meals and accommodation are included on these trips, but make sure that you’re boarding a boat that will take you to the islands and reefs that you want to go to. The Whitsundays are on the Hardy Reef, a fringe reef off of the Great Barrier Reef, and it pays to do some research as to where you’ll be headed before you book.
Yet another option is to take out a fast boat for the day. These boats generally take trips to the Great Barrier Reef, if you have your heart set on snorkeling or diving on the real thing. While there’s plenty of good snorkeling to be had on the fringe reefs, these boats are also a good option if you’re willing to pay a bit more money to see more in a single day than you would on a regular ship.
If you want to abandon the idea of going out on a motor boat altogether, there are plenty of sailboats that will take you to excellent destinations. Many also offer you the option to learn how to sail while on board. This is certainly a unique opportunity, but make sure you’re going with a boat that you’re comfortable with.
One last thing to consider is that size does matter and that price is not always a good indication of what you’re getting. Just because you booked something on a deal doesn’t mean that you’re getting on board a bad boat. Likewise, you can spend a good deal of money and wind up on an over crowded boat that visits mediocre islands and spends little time at the actual reefs. There are also several companies that offer good deals, but cater to backpackers. If you’re not careful, you could wind up on a booze cruise with an inexperienced crew set on partying.

Day Tripping on the World's Largest Sand Island

2008-04-07T07:12:00.000-07:00

After some convincing from people I’ve met along the day, I took a trip to Fraser Island. I originally planned on skipping what is considered to be one of the highlights of the coast in favor of heading straight for the Whitsunday Islands, but I decided to take a day trip. While most travel agencies sell backpackers on 3 day, 2 night Fraser Island self drive four wheel safaris, I flat out knew that driving around the world’s largest sand island in a four by four with an inexperienced driver, twelve strangers, and an old tent wasn’t exactly my style.
I found an inexpensive full day tour that fit my needs. Although I would have liked to have seen more of the northern end of the island, my guide on the Frasier Explorer bus was extremely knowledgeable. Myself and about ten others visited most of the island’s highlights, including the Maheno shipwreck, Lake McKenzie, Wanggoolba Creek, and Seventy Five Mile Beach.
Bouncing from side to side as we toppled large rocks on the beach, I gazed out the window of my four wheel drive bus as we cruised down Seventy Five Mile Beach, past the colored sands of the island. The pinnacles appeared to be gold, orange, and tan from the bus, but when we stopped for a look, it became clear that grains were a magnitude of colors ranging from red to brown with a mix of gold and orange.
In contrast, our next stop was the crystal clear Wanggoolba Creek. Wadding through the freshwater creek, I came across a lush rain forest and made by way back towards the ocean. It was just a short trip to the Maheno ship wreck, which washed ashore in a 1935 storm. The retired cruise ship is now a huge mass of deteriorating iron, but was a fascinating sight. Although you’re not allowed to climb inside it, you’re able to walk right up to it. It sits in the shore break of shark infested waters, so don’t go swimming, especially during breeding season.
To take a dip, I’d definitely recommend Lake McKenzie. It is actually crystal clear and you can see the bottom from anywhere in the lake. It’s filled with fresh water and refreshingly cool, and is a favorite spot for campers, backpackers, and dingoes. Tourists are not only urged not to feed 200 or so dingoes that roam the island, but will receive a $3000 fine if caught leaving food somewhere that a dingo could get to it. Signs are also posted in high frequency for parents to be mindful of the whereabouts of their children, as dingoes will give chase in you provoke them.

So cool in Coolangatta

2008-04-07T07:10:00.000-07:00

Ah the Gold Coast. I’ve finally made it. Although I made it here about six weeks after I originally planned to, the sunny center of the Australia’s east coast was definitely worth the wait. While Surfer’s Paradise is the hot spot that most backpackers head to, I chose
a quiet a strip of surf towns renowned for their coveted breaks.
About an hour north of Byron Bay by bus, sits Coolangatta, Kirra Beach, and Tweeds Head. While there’s not a lot to do if you’re not a surfer, surf watcher, or beach bum, the sun shining on the crystal clear water and waves breaking at Snapper Rocks (where the first leg on the World Pro Surfing Tour, the Quicksilver/Roxy Pro is held every February) is enough to make almost anyone want to take a break, sit beneath a palm tree, and spend the day. If you’re up for it, the walk from Kirra Beach to Point Danger is long but worth the trip. Head in north by bus or foot and you’ll reach Burleigh Heads, where there are some awesome rock formations worth climbing up on. There's also awesome surfing here.
If you’re into the surfing or beach scene, start off by climbing Kirra Hill for amazing views of the ocean and the surrounding beaches. The main shopping areas in Kirra, Coolangatta, and Tweeds head consist of mostly surf shops, board rental stores, souvenir posts, and sandwich shops, but you can visit Mick Fanning’s Rip Curl store if you’re keen on it.
In the distance you can see the illustrious Surfer’s Paradise to the north, and you can travel there by bus or car in about half an hour if you’re up for more action. I chose to only make a short trip up to Surfer’s Paradise, as it’s very similar to Miami, but without the Cuban influence. True surfers stay clear of the beaches at Surfer’s Paradise, preferring the fine breaks of Coolangatta, but may head there for the bouncing nightlife. The beaches aren’t as nice in Surfer’s Paradise, but there’s more shopping and easy access to theme parks. Although I didn’t visit any of them because I’ve been to my fair share living in Florida, I’m told that they’re quite good.
Although I was only supposed to be in Coolangatta for a day, a broken down bus left me stranded in paradise. I’m lucky to have built three extra days into my travel schedule, and wasn’t too upset to have to spend another day lazing around, photographing the surfers, and playing in the water. I absolutely loved it.

Byron Bay

2008-03-30T19:22:00.000-07:00

Hey all from Byron Bay. This is my first stop from Sydney to Cape Tribulation, and I love it here. I'm staying at the Middle Beach Backpackers, and although I haven't really recommended places to stay on this blog in the past, I give this one a definite thumbs up. $30 a night gets you a cozy and spacious tripple share room. It's situated a block away from Main Beach and town, and is also very close to the Cape Byron Lighthouse. It's a pretty small place in terms of the number of rooms, which ensures quiet, yet offers a full kitchen, fresh towels, linens, and a nice tv area. The owners are very friendly and helpful, and I have to say that it's one of the best places I've stayed.
Byron Bay itself is lovely. The town has a hippie vibe and there are lots of shops around town which cater to surfers. It's a popular place to learn how to surf because the swells are generally tame and there's lovely scenery.
Yesterday I took a walk around town and went to the beach for a few house. Later in the afternoon, I walked from Main Beach on the coastal walking trail and stood at the eastern most point of Australia's mainland. The path led me to Cape Byron Lighthouse, and from there you can snap fantastic pictures of both sides of the beaches. The warm, crystal clear waves seem to stretch for miles and miles.
Although I really like Byron Bay, I'm really excited about tomorrow's trip to Coolangatta, an iconic surfing beach. The Billabong Pro is held here every February, and I'm pretty stoked to see Snapper Rocks and check out the local surf spots. I'm only there for a day, and then it's off to Rainbow Beach. I'll take a day trip to Frasier Island, which I have been told by everyone is a must see. I'll let you know!

Ringing The Bell

2008-03-28T17:52:00.000-07:00

I've made few decisions in my life that I would consider outstanding good choices. Going to American University was one. Studying abroad was another. I'd rank taking off randomly down to coast to Bell's Beach to catch the final of the Rip Curl Pro 2008 about 3rd on my list of things I'm glad I did in my life. It was amazing. There really is no other single word to describe it.
I arrived on Wednesday morning in Melbourne after changing all my plans and taking an overnight bus to the contest. I then hopped a VLine train and another bus for the hour or so ride to the start of the Great Ocean Road. What I found in Bell's Beach and Torquay was much more than I expected. While I thought I'd end up in a little beach resort, I found myself in a small town where surfing dominates everything. Even the benches are surfboards. Rip Curl and Quicksilver, among many others, have headquarters and outlet stores here, and you can rent surfboards or take surfing lessons just about anywhere.
I also realized that there are almost always waves. Whether you're headed to Bell's Beach to its two famous breaks, "Rincon" or "The Bowl", or you're looking for a little bit calmer swells in Jan Juc, you won't be disappointed with the amount of surfing you could get in during one day in the area. If riding waves doesn't suit you, but you just like watching and being near the water, there are plenty of things to do for land loving surf geeks. The outlet stores offer huge discounts, there are lots of laid back cafes with surf themed interiors, and you can make your way to Surf World, the world's largest surfing museum, which is located right by the outlet stores in the town of Torquay.
While all this was great to find, obviously the main reason and backed up and jetted out the door to Victoria's Surf Coast was for the Pro (that's what the Australians call the competition when it's on). Although I completley missed the women's competition, which Stephanie Gilmore of Australia's Gold Coast won for the second straight year, I did make it in time for the end of the mens’ events. The contest, which is held over Easter week every year and could have run through Saturday if conditions proved poor on Thursday, gave spectators the opportunity to get up close to the world's top surfers. Just meters off the beach, greats such as Kelly Slater, Andy Irons, Taj Burrows, Bede Burbridge, and Mick Fanning took to the waves in spectacular fashion.
With constantly changing conditions, however, it was not only skill that came into play, but a bit of luck and experience. Into the quarter finals, Mick Fanning and Andy Irons were eliminated without much chance to surf waves which would allow them to obtain the scores they needed to advance.
In the final, Kelly Slater matched up against Bede Durbidge, who surfed extremely well all afternoon. Although Slater was trailing Durbidge for most of the competition, he took charge in the final minutes, pulling moves that showed his experience and knowledge of the sport. When waves were lacking in “the bowl” where most of the competition was taking place, Slater made a wise move and paddled over to “Rincon”, leaving Durbidge in "the bowl". There, Slater was able to get the ride that he needed in order to secure a win for the second straight time this season. Slater also won the first event of the Pro tour, the 2008 Billabong Pro on the Gold Coast in late February.
Aside from the contest, which was exhilarating and well worth the trip itself, the Great Ocean Road is so gorgeous. Cliffs span over the ocean as far as you can see. The people who live in the area are also warm and friendly, exuding a laid back surfer attitude.
Did I mention that I met Mick Fanning? Well, I did! He was in the parking lot of Bells Beach carrying some surfboards to his car when I noticed the icon based on pictures that I’d seen EVERYWHERE in Sydney. The 2007 World Champion surfer was kind enough to let me take a picture with him.
It was definitely a great choice to go. I took over 900 pictures, and would jump at the chance to go to another pro surfing event- Highly recommended to anyone. Now I’m headed up the coast to Byron Bay, where I’ll spend two nights before getting to the Gold Coast, where I’ll visit Snapper Rocks and some more iconic surfing beaches on my way to the Whitsunday Islands. My trip is winding down now, but it’s actually really freeing to be able to experience things on my own and do what I want on my own pace. My travel companion is back in the States by now, and I’m still loving Australia!!

On my own

2008-03-24T13:57:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm going it solo. I wrote about a conflict between my travel partner and I about a week and a half ago. She wants to go home, and I want to stay here and travel. Both of us are financially strapped, but I still want to see the things that I came over here to see. I'm really nervous about traveling around Australia by myself, but I'm leaving today for more exploration and she's going home to America.
The good thing about this is that I can do what I want when I want and not have to compromise with anyone. Like going to the Pros for example. I decided that quickly and ran off to the bus station to pick up a ticket. Couldn't have done this with a traveling partner. Maybe I'll make friends along the way... I don't know....
I'll be heading up the Gold Coast to the Whitsunday Islands and the Great Barrier Reef directly from this trip to Bell's Beach. I hope detours are a good thing!!

Hoping spontaneity doesn't equal stupidity

2008-03-24T13:44:00.000-07:00

I was quite upset to miss the Pro Surfing Tournament held at Snapper Rocks on the Gold Coast just after I arrived in Australia in February. While in Fiji, I ran into a girl who was there and filled me in on how wonderful it was and how close the crowds got. HEART WRENCHING! She then suggested maybe I should try to catch up with the tour when it goes to Pipeline in Hawaii. That's not happening anytime soon as a trip to Hawaii is financially out of the question and the break is much farther away from the beach, which would defeat the point of going in my book because I'm quite obsessed with photography and must get those action shots.
I was online yesterday, deleting my 276 e-mails that accumulated while I was in Fiji, and decided to Google search Pro Surfer Mick Fanning, as I'm heading up to his hometown of Coolangatta soon. It seems as if the Pros are ON down in Victoria at Bells Beach and I have to go! So today, I'm off for Bells Beach! While I'm there I'll check out the Great Ocean Road. My friend and I were planning to do this early in the trip, but she axed it off of our itinerary because of the extra time and money I would have cost us.
Oh God I hope this isn't a stupid decision. I'm going totally out of my way for this but luckily a bus ticket there is super cheap and I have the time. Wish me luck! The tournament runs until Saturday!

Easter in Fiji

2008-03-24T13:38:00.000-07:00

One thing that I definitely wanted to comment on is celebrating Easter in Fiji. If you're Christian and pan on spending a major religious holiday there, make sure that you're on a bigger island that has a church on the days that you're planning to attend service. While this might seem obvious, some of the islands that you would think would likely be able to acomodate you're religious needs don't have churches. South Sea Island, which was popular on Easter, had no services.
I did witness something spectacular during Holy Week, however. Starting in the north and heading to the southern islands, some devoted Christian Fijians swim with a cross from island to island. Part of the way is made by boat, but the cross is taken from the boat when the water is shallow enough, and swam to shore where people on the islands hold small ceremonies and worship it. Quite beautiful.

No frills Fiji

2008-03-24T13:27:00.000-07:00

No, I haven't fallen off the face of the Earth. I've just been on the Yasawa Islands of Fiji. No phone. No internet. This being said, if you're thinking of a beach vacation and want to head somewhere tropical, Fiji is beautiful but don't expect ANY of the amenities that you'd find if say, you headed off to a resort in the Bahamas. This includes being able to go to a grocery store. This is especially true if you're going to do it backpacker style.
My friend and I headed off to Fiji and loved it for the beautiful hillygreen islands, clear water, friendly people, and utter clam. However, we did see 5 out of 8 days full of rain. Down pouring rain. That left us utterly bored out of our minds. There is nothing to do on the islands if it rains and you're not keen on snorkeling in the pouring rain.
When it was sunny, Fiji offers some amazing diving and snorkeling. I spent my sunny days at Waya Lailai resort and South Sea Island. Waya Lailai resort was so laid back and offers beach front bures and dinner overlooking the ocean for about $60 Fiji dollars a night. This roughly comes out to be about $40 American. Meals were included: breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, and dinner.
South Sea Island, a small island close to Nadi (mainland), offered the best backpacker resort in the Yasawas in my opinion. Although you pay a bit more, all activities, including reef snorkeling, rides in a submarine, and kayaking.
Fiji is definitely worth the trip, but the next time I go to an island like this, I'll make sure that I save enough money to stay at the luxury resorts located on most of the islands. The backpacker style was a little bit too rustic for my tastes, especially when it rains and everything you own is damp for days.

BULA!!!!

2008-03-16T01:46:00.001-07:00

I made it to Fiji. It's my first day here and I've already been taken aback by how friendly and welcoming everyone on the island is. Even the native children smile and you and say "bula!" (the Fiji greeting meaning "hello") I'm staying at the Smuggler's Cover on Nadi, which is the main island, with my friend. I made it to the beach for a few hours. Although it was a bit overcast, the water was so warm you could mistake it for bath water. We ventured into town to get bottled water but found that most of the shops were closed on Sunday. Tomorrow is St. Patrick's Day, which is a national holiday.
We start our bull pass tomorrow, which means we'll be picked up in the morning and board a boat which will allow us to island hop for the next week. I'm not sure what island we'll pick to venture to tomorrow.
I've had alot of things to think about, so a break on the beach was just what I needed. My friend misses home and wants to save the rest of her money, so she is 95% sure that she's bailing out on me after this trip. Once we get back to Sydney on March 25th, she's leaving for the U.S. I still have some things I was really looking forward to seeing, and she's seen everything she wants to see so I'm basically forced to choose to stay and travel by myself or go home.
I'm nervous about traveling alone for a full month, but I made plans to take a sailing trip in the Whitsunday Islands and wanted to go to the Gold Coast along the way. I also planned on taking surfing lessons in Byron Bay. This won't take a full month, but will take atleast 2 weeks. It seems crazy to leave without doing everything I want to do, but also to stay by myself for a full month.
I haven't met anyone who wants to venture up the East Coast at the time I need to go, and like I said, I'm really not happy about going by myself. I'm independent, but not really a "travel by yourself/spend excessive amounts of time alone" type of person. Although maybe spending some time alone is what I need to really get my head sorted out. I still miss my dad so much and still feel anger about alot of things. Atleast I have a week in Fiji to think it out. Things could be much worse... after all... I'm in FIJI!!!

Wellington, New Zealand

2008-03-14T14:30:00.000-07:00

As expected, going out in Wellington was awesome. We're off to Fiji tomorrow! I'm excited to be going to a St. Patrick's Day parade in Auckland today. We spend the day in Taupo yesterday and got to see some awesome mud pools. I'm really excited about setting off for Fiji mainly because my dad always wanted to go there. I think I'll really love it. I've heard such great things. I'm sad to leave New Zealand though. There are so many opportunities for people to work and travel here on a small budget. I wish I had more time to spend here. Off to FIJI!!

View from the top

2008-03-12T01:23:00.000-07:00

I just arrived in Wellington, New Zealand’s capitol, after spending a few days doing rigorous adventure activities. To catch up, my friend and I have been traveling around the South Pacific, staying primarily in Australia, and have now ventured to New Zealand. New Zealand is significantly different than Australia. The landscape is much more mountainous than Australia, and it is a bit chillier because of the altitude change. While Australia is mainly dry and flat, the lush green landscape of New Zealand reminds me of the Irish countryside. Rolling green hills meet the ocean, and volcanoes stretch past the clouds.
On Monday, I set off to hike the Tongariro Crossing, one of the best and most challenging one day hikes in New Zealand, if not the world. Seven hours of walking took us over mountains and through valleys, through clouds of volcanic smoke and under lofty green trees. At one point we climbed for about an hour over what is knows as “The Devil’s Staircase”, a steep climb that leads to Mount Ngauruhoe (better known as “Mount Doom” from the movie, Lord of the Rings.
With aching legs and the smell of sulfur lingering around me, I stopped to look around at what was the most beautiful sight I’d ever seen. Huge mountains stood all around me, and below were three turquoise lakes that were so blue they seemed to be endlessly deep. The Emerald Lakes are one the crossing’s best features, and pictures just don’t do them justice.
After the walk, my friend and I ventured back to Taupo, about an hour away from the crossing, for a well deserved dinner along the bay. If you’re going to New Zealand, Taupo is also somewhere that you don’t want to miss. Aside from being close to the Tongariro Crossing, it is also one of the best places in New Zealand to sky dive and bungy jump. Although I’m not adventurous enough to jump from a plane, many of the people at the lodge highly recommended the experience.
Now we’re about three and a half week into our journey and we’re getting pretty tight on our budget. Although the currency exchange rate is favorable to Americans, we still have trips to Fiji and Australia’s east coast, including the Whitsunday Islands, Great Barrier Reef, and Gold Coast to budget for.
Although my friend and I came to Australia with working visas, expecting to find jobs and travel on the weekends, we found that in our limited time we wouldn’t be able to see most of the things that we wanted to see if we took jobs in Sydney. We decided to travel around on a limited budget and see as much as we could before running out of money. We’ve given up luxuries including going out to dinner often and frequenting the local pubs nightly. Although, we may venture from that tonight, as we’re in Wellington’s center and the nightlife seems to be hopping. I’ll update again tomorrow, as I’ll likely be able to get onto the internet again when we head back to Taupo.

Glow worm caves

2008-03-08T11:24:00.001-08:00

Yesterday I rafted through the glow worm caves of New Zealand. Along the eastern coast there a a number of lime stone underground caves that were discovered int he late 1800s. Inside these caves there are little glow worms, which are tiny creatures which actually glow in the dark. As we wound our way around the caves on a raft in the dark, looking up, there seemed to be a sky full of stars. The glow worms were absolutely amazing. Today I'm off to Talpo, New Zealand to see some waterfalls and do some trail walking. I'll update again later. It's been difficult to get on the internet because I'm in rural New Zealand. I'm looking forward to being in Fiji in a week!

New Zealand

2008-03-06T20:13:00.000-08:00

We arrived in New Zealand yesterday for a week long trip around the north island. I was completely taken aback by the lush green forests that seemed to spread endlessly to the shore along the coast. We visited Hot Water Beach, 3 hours north of Auckland and dug our feet into the sand, exposing water heated by hot rocks below the surface. Tomorrow, I plan to go black water rafting. I'll update again just after the trip.

Kangaroo Island

2008-03-02T18:03:00.001-08:00

I'm finally able to get back on the internet after tramping off into the wilderness for a few days. My friend and I decided to start seeing as much as Australia as possible asap. We ventured to Adelaide, about 20 hours south of Sydney via overnight Greyhound coach. We then booked a tour with Groovy Grape Adventures and were off. After taking a ferry to the island, we were wisked off into one of the few places on Earth where animals are not at all afraid of people. They have no reason to be, as the island has remained untouched by humans for centuries. We stayed at a small farm house, and had close encounters with kangaroos, koalas, and penguins.
We feasted on roast kangaroo for dinner, which actually tasted like steak. The next day our guide took us sand-boarding. We were brought to a hill which resembled a ski slope in steepness , but there was no snow... just sand everywhere! We were given boards, which looked just like snowboards, and were instructed to start sliding down the hills on them. After falling several times, I actually was able to stand on the board and make it down the entire hill. However, making it to the top was almost harder than staying on the board the entire was down. Many of my groupmates resolved to crawling up the hill because it was easier than walking.

Crazy Scary

2008-02-21T19:33:00.000-08:00

It's funny how an amazing adventure can turn out to be extremely scary when you get down to it. I've been in Sydney for 3 days and just moved out of our pre-paid accomodations and are now looking for a permanent residence for the next two months. The promised jobs haven't been available, and I'm waiting on word about work. It's getting to be tremendously difficult to be in a country where I'm a complete outsider, yet someone who wants to see everything. I traveled to Bondi beach yesterday and spent the day marveling at what seemed to be 1,000 shades of blue in the vast ocean. The large swells crashed onto the beach as brave surfers took to the giants and rode them to the beach. It began to lightly rain and the drops fell softly into the powerful tide. Feelings of being terrified and overjoyed hit you at the same time, and you wonder where you fit in all of this. Is this escaping or putting yourself somewhere in the thick of something that doesn't make sense? Or maybe it all makes sense in some divine way that it too large for me to completely understand.

First day in Sydney

2008-02-20T00:23:00.000-08:00

After taking off last night at 10:30 PST, my friend and I arrived at Sydney International Airport early this morning. I slept for most of the 13 hour flight, but was extremely tired upon landing. We checked into the Youth Travel Hostel in the heart of Sydney, where our program, Inter-exchange Work and Travel, set us up for two days. We'll stay here until we attend an orientation on Friday. From there we'll decide where we want to spend our time working and living, and set up a semi-permanent arrangement.
In the afternoon, we set off for some sight seeing and made our way down to Sydney Harbor. Our first stop was the Sydney Opera House, which was as gorgeous as expected. We then made our way through the botanical gardens, filled with massive trees and acres of lush green.
The city itself if friendly and inviting. It reminds me of London, but with more modern architecture and an Asian flair. As you walk down the street, you're greeted by the smell of Asian cuisine. Local shops souvenirs are stocked with Ugg boots, which to the disappointment of some of my friends from NJ, don't prove to be any less expensive than they are in the US.
Now back at the hostel for some rest, we look forward to some more exploring tomorrow.

San Francisco stop over

2008-02-19T16:36:00.000-08:00

After an early morning breakfast on Friday, I left my home and started my adventure. My mom and I picked up my friend and travel companion, and headed to Newark Airport. For the last few days, I have been in San Francisco. We stopped over en route to Australia to break up the long flight and to see a city that neither of us had visited before. As expected, San Francisco is wonderful. I heard so many good things about the city before I came, but found the city both beautiful and easy to navigate.
We arrived late Friday afternoon, grabbed a quick dinner, and walked from our hotel on Van Ness Street to Fisherman's Wharf, which is about a mile away. We were greeted by the sounds of street performers playing guitar and the smell of fish cooking at the local eateries. After exploring for a little while, we retreated to our hotel room for a good night sleep.
We set out on Saturday morning for the bay, and decided that we would walk to the Golden Gate Bridge. Signs on the bike path that runs along the bay indicated that the bridge was four miles away. Both runners, we decided that we could walk the distance and took off on what turned out to be approximately fifteen miles on our feet. Walking to the bridge, we came across several spots ideal for taking pictures. The grassy fields of Chrissy Park attract sports enthusiasts and offer magnificent views of the Golden Gate Bridge.
We made it to the bridge in about an hour and walked over it. From the bridge we took pictures of the bay and say surfers under the bridge riding waves towards the shore. On our way back we stopped to grab snacks at Cafe Chrissy and continued on. We made it back from our starting point and walked to Fisherman's Wharf and Pier 39.
When we got to the pier, we walked around and went into the many shops located there. A blue and white carousel depicting San Francisco scenes spun around as people walked by with fresh seafood, cotton candy, and freshly made donuts.
Sunday involved less walking, but was an equally busy day. We walked two blocks to the nearest street car stop and boarded the number forty-seven towards Haight-Ashbury. The section of San Francisco was home to Grateful Dead during the 1960’s and still embraces the hippy culture. On Ashbury Street, off of Haight, you can find the Dead House, where members of the band lived with other artists such as Janis Joplin. Nearby, shops catered to lovers on the San Francisco sound.
One such shop, Positively Haight Street offers t-shirts and clever bumper stickers, as well as San Francisco souvenirs. Bound Together, an anarchist book store on Haight Street near Ashbury sells books from all perspectives. Music lovers should also check out Amoeba Recors, near Golden Gate Park on Haight Street, which sells vintage records as well as a large selection of CDs. It is one of the few true record stores around today, and is definitely worth checking out if you’re in search of that elusive live album or the CD that you just haven’t found at your local music shop.
We ventured into Golden Gate Park and wandered around for a while. There we found people playing music and sports or just hanging out in the grass. The spirit of the park is much like you’d find in Haight-Ashbury, and the park offers several beautiful natural spots for picture taking. We then walked to Steiner Avenue where we found the famous Painted Ladies. This colorful row of houses is bordered by the Alamo field, and was seen for nine years in the opening credits of the popular 1990s TV show, Full House. An enthusiast of the show for many years, I took several pictures of the houses and secretly hoped to see Uncle Jesse walk out the front door of one of them. (Yes, I know the show was filmed in Burbank and that the Tanners didn’t actually live there… of that the Tanners are not a real family for that matter.)
Afterwards we headed to the Lombard Street, which is known for its crookedness. The walk up to the top of the long hill was extremely tiring, but worth the view.
Overall, the trip to San Francisco was amazing. If you plan to visit, bring your walking shoes. The hills are long and steep, but definitely worth climbing for great view. San Francisco is semi-expensive, but not unaffordable. Expect to pay an extra two to four dollars for a single dinner. Sales tax is 8.5%.
We’re off to Sydney, Australia now. I’ll update as soon as I land.

Escape Act

2008-02-18T17:58:00.000-08:00

At one time or another, everyone dreams of escaping. But what does it mean to escape? Leaving behind familiarity, relationships, and possessions in order to take off to a tropical island, a quaint European villa, or a mountain retreat is something many people dream of, but few do. Vacations offer a temporary solution to the human condition of wanderlust, providing the security of knowing that friends, family, and career are waiting for you to return to your everyday life.
But what happens when you find yourself needing to escape? More than a want, you find yourself lost, dissatisfied with merely existing, and yearning to feel that something greater than yourself is out there. While not unhappy with your everyday life or your relationships, you feel isolated within yourself, searching for something to make you want to take in every breath and savor it for knowing that the world is truly something beautiful and boundless.
My name is Kaitlyn Lavender and I needed to escape. I’m twenty-four year old writer, photographer, beach lover, academic, runner, over-achiever, art enthusiast, Jersey Girl, daughter, friend, and world traveler, with a generally happy disposition. My high school teammate and friend, Bridget, and I hatched a far-fetched plan to take off to Australia after my graduation from graduate school at the University of Miami, in December of 2007. Sitting at a New Jersey diner late one Thursday night, we both confirmed that we were serious about the idea. We looked into our options and found a company that would secure our visas for us, and help us find housing and jobs once we arrived.
We are now embarking on our journey, leaving February 15, 2008 from Newark International Airport, traveling to San Francisco, California, where we will spend three days exploring the city before departing for Sydney, Australia on February 18, 2008. We will spend the next two months exploring Australia, working to pay for our travel expenses. Upon arrival in Australia, we will secure jobs and housing, using savings from post-graduation employment.
While in Australia, I plan to explore the Great Barrier Reef, the Outback, Sydney, the Gold Coast, Melbourne, and several others. In my travel blog, I will share my experiences with you and provide photographs of all the wonderful sites. I’ll tell you what to do and what to skip, where to stay and where not to eat. I’ll also include stories about my interactions with locals and the experience of working in Oceania.
I’m also going on this trip in memory of my dad, trying to get back the enthusiasm and love for life that I had before he passed away from cancer in May, 2007. Some of my entrees may reference things associated with his passing and my keeping his memory alive by doing some of the things he always wanted to do. While a trip will not bring him back, I hope that the adventure will make me stronger in spirit and more apt to handle the challenges that life will bring me in the future as I strive to become someone who he would have been proud of. I look forward to sharing my journey with you.