This is it!

I am going to officially close down this blog now. Thank you so much for reading! You were with me when I landed in Sydney, at Dane's on the beach, in Melbourne at the tennis, in the backseat of a van in New Zealand, seasick on the Anaconda, holding a koala in Brisbane, tanning in Hawaii, and finally home.

I'm going to be making this blog into a book so I can look back on all the memories. It was truly the most incredible, unimaginable experience of my life so far and I can't wait to look back and read about all that happened. I'm very sad it's over but I know that even though this particular adventure is done, another one is coming my way.

I want to create a new blog and will post the link to it here... it's Medieval Mel http://medievalmel.blogspot.com/ !! Check it out! or follow me on Twitter @MelanieReiff

Thank you so much to everyone I met and who was with me while I traveled, I couldn't have done it without you and you really made it the best time I ever could have had!

This is Mel, signing off... and I leave you with my favourite picture of the trip. It looks like an optical illusion and shows that not everything is as it seems. I hope that, whoever you are and whatever you do, that you are risking it out there!

Let me sum up

As Inigo Montoya says so aptly in the movie The Princess Bride "Let me explain... wait there is too much, let me sum up", well that is what I am about to do right now. I thought it would be fun to put together a few facts about all that happened on my trip now that I'm back and am in need of blog material.

In terms of being on the road, let's just say it's been one big journey with nary a place to call home. Many times my bed changed night to night, and other times I was stationary for up to 3 weeks (Melbourne). Either way, the distance and time clocked in as...


Consecutive days of travel: 92
Pictures taken: 3,052 (avg. 33 per day)
Time spent on airplanes: 59 hours
Time spent waiting in airports: 24 hours
Kilometres traveled: 49,365 km
Circumference of the earth: 40,075 km
Spot where I was farthest from home: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia at 16,280 km away
Time zones adapted to: 8 zones
Nights in a hostel: 19 (the rest I was lucky enough to have friends to stay with)
Hours spent on the road driving in a car/van: 40 hours
Hours spent on the water in ferries/ships/boats: 78 hours

I went for 12 amazing runs in 6 different towns/cities: Bondi Beach walkway, Melbourne Wattle Park, Christchurch Botanic Gardens, Rotorua hot springs, Whitianga beach, and the Brisbane riverside. My favourites were probably Bondi and the Rotorua run.

A lot of time was spent walking on trails and going for hikes in parks and through towns. The best hikes were in The Blue Mountains in Katoomba, Australia and Abel Tasman National Park in New Zealand to name a few; and I walked around all the cities I stayed in, probably walking at least 2 hours on average each time I went somewhere new.

The people I met made up 99% of my trip... in fact the number of new friends I traveled with for one night or more was around 15+ ... so that's basically 15 strangers who ended up being close traveling companions. We all agreed that fate had a hand in many if not all of those encounters.

Traveling for 92 days would require many to pack for at least one third of that. However, I was able to survive with my small pack and few belongings.


Backpack weight at time of departure: 25 pounds
Backpack weight at time of return: 30 pounds
Items sent home via mail: 1 small box sent Jan. 29 via air to Toronto
Number of times people commented on how light I traveled: I lost count
Number of times I had to repack my bag after a hostel/friend's place: easily over 50 times
Times I checked my luggage for a flight: 8
Number of times my luggage was lost: zero --- yayyy!!!

I didn't lose my backpack once although the thought did cross my mind many times when I sent it through on the black conveyor belt, hoping it would be there to meet me at the other end. The only time I was separated from it was actually on the return flight from Vancouver to Toronto. I was lucky enough to jump on an earlier flight but my pack was sent on the original 9am flight to T.O. It wasn't waiting for me when I arrived back home at Pearson and for the first time, I felt worried like a huge chunk of me was missing. It was. My bag had gone everywhere with me. The Canadian flag on the back always displayed prominently and its entire contents my world completely. Luckily Air Canada tracked it and had it delivered to my house in Toronto that night.

I also have a few miscellaneous things I tracked for fun:

Number of movies I went to see: 4
Average cost for an adult to see a movie: $17/ticket
Number of days when I made it to a beach: over 30
Bottles of sunscreen I went through: 3 (spf30, then two spf15's)

That is all!

Kihei... paradise in Hawaii

The sweet smell of pineapple and the ocean breeze greets you as you walk off the plane and into the open air airport in Kahului on the island of Maui. This is where I'd be spending the final phase of my journey, in gorgeous Hawaii with my mom and sister. The plan to meet there had slowly evolved after Mom had the idea in January. From then on, the idea was in the back of my mind before I actually sat down with a man named Stuart at a Flight Centre in Wellington to change my flight itinerary. That was on Feb. 18 and suddenly, there I was on March 15 standing in the airport in Kahului waiting for mom and Kate's plane to arrive two hours after mine did.

It was such a great reunion! I hadn't seen my mom since Christmas and she was so excited to reunite with her firstborn. We also had 10 fabulous days of sun and sand to look forward to. We made it to our condo called Maui Vista and found our place easily in the darkness of the island. It was around 11:30pm when we arrived in our rental car. The place was modest but cute. We instantly felt at home. Kate and I had to share the pull-out couch and mom was in the only bedroom. We were on the ground floor and the lanai, or the patio, overlooked the tennis courts and pool. We were a short walk to the ocean - only about 1 minute - and that's where we headed the next morning.

I wasn't quite sure how my jet lag worked at this point. I'd been tossed around time zones like sneakers in a washing machine and I was pretty sure I was still on Sydney time. It actually worked out really well to go back in time a bit and settle into the island vibe and I was over my jet lag in a few days. We spent the first few days relaxing at home. Mom said from the start she didn't want to do a lot of driving but I was just fresh off a journey devoted to exploration and was keen to explore the island. Kate and I took a few drives, one of them down to the south near Makena and the other up north and accidentally stumbled on a ranch. Both excursions reminded me so much of my New Zealand travels and hitting the road to explore new places.

We frequented the shops and market places - they have the best stuff! We stocked up on hair accessories, dresses, creams and handmade soaps as gifts for folks back home. The food in Maui is so amazing and doesn't help the bikini situations, but we still didn't hold back. We ate fish, Mahi Mahi and Walu, snacked on pupus (haha) and enjoyed wine. Mahalo!

There also isn't anything quite like a Maui sunset - they say it's one of the best in the world. Da Kine. One night we dressed up and went to the famous Marriott hotel in Wailea. Our plan was to watch the sunset and have cocktails and we did just that. I've never been to a more gorgeous hotel. The lanai overlooked the pool and then the ocean, with very strategic palm trees in view. The entire place is set like a romance novel with newlyweds everywhere. The sun sets over the ocean, something I missed being on the east coast of Australia. We witnessed nature's show and couldn't fathom our lives back home, we were so far away from it all. The sight was unbelievable and every picture we took was postcard worthy.

Kates and I were also lucky enough to partake in a whale watching excursion and it was easily the highlight of the trip. We jumped on a boat called the Alu Nui and, despite the cloudy weather, there were whales a-plenty. Even when we saw the arch of a humpback's back from 1 km away or the spout of a blowhole we were ecstatic. The whales and their calves had come to nurse in the warm waters before heading north for the summer. They are such magnificent creatures. Baby whales gain 5 pounds an hour. Male whales, or the dads, peace out after the calf is born and mama takes charge. But oftentimes there is a male escort who is not the paternal father but comes and acts as a bodyguard for the new family. It's amazing to think of. At the end of the two hour cruise we spotted a mama whale who actually rolled on her side and stuck her fin up as if to wave us goodbye. Everyone on the boat reacted on instinct and waved back and we had our connection to non-human nature.

It was a gorgeous afternoon when we drove along the windy roads to the airport. The afternoon sun is my favourite and it shone on the hills and ocean, reminding me of New Zealand. I have to tell Mike and Zoe that we were right - the drive to the Pancake Rocks is very similar to Hawaii. Wow, that feels like ages ago.

The journey home was a reflective one. It was indeed all over. No more 'last phases', no more hostels and hotel rooms. I'd been gone since December 28 and it'd passed by like a flash of lightning. Funny to think of the awkward girl standing on a street corner in King's Cross, Sydney, with no idea what was before her. The whole thing was easy enough to hold onto as a giant wave at Big Beach. 'How do you keep a wave upon the sand?' well, how do you hold onto such a fantastic adventure like the one I just had?

We took a red eye from Kahului to Vancouver where I was lucky enough to jump on an earlier connection back to Toronto. My luggage was on the later flight and for the first time in 3 months I was separated from my backpack - it was like missing a chunk of my soul.

Mahalo, Hawaii! What a perfect way to end my travels and reunite with my family. It was gorgeous to be there but also bitter sweet, as I knew it was the end of it all and I'd have to go home to reality soon. Now here I am and it feels like a faraway dream in my mind. I'm not very good with endings. Beginnings are scary and endings are sad, but it's what's in between that counts. Lots of people are telling me that but it still hurts. A friend, Andrew Lackie, told me that the depression will get worse when I really settle back in. Great, can't wait! There's only one place to go now, though, and that's forward...

Discouver Vancouver

I left you off in Vancouver where I reunited with my sisto. We stayed in a hostel downtown and awoke the next day to catch a ferry to Nainamo. The next day we went to the Crow and Gate pub in Nanaimo, such a cool old English pub.

The visit was short and sweet, Kate and I headed back on the ferry the next day to check back into the hostel for one more night. But before that, I messaged my friend Brad McGoey to see where he was, as I knew he'd been traveling as well and might be in Vancouver. Sure enough, he was, so we all met for dinner, including Kate's friend Erin and her Kiwi boyfriend. It was a great impromptu reunion with them! Brad, Kate and I headed to an Irish pub downtown where a homeless man sketched our portraits and we shared a pitcher. Those were our last few hours in Vancouver before heading out to Hawaii.

Back on home soil

I'm back. I can't believe it! I'm on Canadian soil. Yikes! It's been so long... I've done so much and now I'm back where people have Canadian accents, where the money includes the lingo 'toonies' and 'loonies', and where the weather is cold and grey. The cold ocean welcomed me from the plane -- from where I spent 14 hours locked in a seated limbo.

I actually was able to entertain myself better than on the United Airlines flight I took from L.A. to Sydney... I watched a few movies. They were: Star Trek -- yes I finally watched it. I loved it. Then I watched Up in the Air, and I really enjoyed it. I love Anna Kendrick. Then I subjected myself to torture by watching New Moon - the worst movie ever but I still sat through it (I had no other choice as I was craving R.P.). Finally, after tossing and turning and unable to sleep in the upright position I watched Fantastic Mr. Fox and loved it! It was kinda weird in parts but I love Wes Anderson and love how he reuses celebrities for all his movies. I was a little weirded out by the stop-motion animation but loved the characters.

It was 7:36am in Vancouver when I landed. I was so excited to see Kates but knew I had to go through the obligatory customs and baggage claim. Also, I wasn't sure my Kates was going to be there at the time I walked out as it was an early hour. Either way, I went through customs in a flash but waited 15 minutes for my bags. Finally, I claimed my little bag (it'd been with me through so much) and it made it back to Canada just like me. I headed for the exit, with my customs form in hand. I walked around the wall and down the corridor, already spotting the eager faces awaiting their relatives through the security doors.

In an instant I noticed the gorgeous blonde girl, holding two Tim Hortons cups and a box of 10 timbits! I was elated and raced past the ever-slow people to get to my sister. It was the best reunion ever. Kates had gotten me a French Vanilla Timmy cappuccino and we had the best shrieking embrace in the middle of the Vancouver airport. AMAZING!! I immediately began to spew stories like it was my J-O-B and Kates listened with anticipation and excitement. I was still reeling at being home. Jet lag started to encompass my cerebrum but I was alerted by being home and the reality of being home was sinking in - sadly.

We took a few trains and buses to get back to her friend's place - recapping all the way. Recapping is an understatement. How do you recap 3 months and a life-changing experience? There's still so much to tell. Either way, no one could have gotten a word in edgewise between us as we made our way to our hostel and checked into a 4-bed dorm. We made it in, napped, and I awoke to Kates saying her friend Andrew Lackie was enroute to meet us for drinks. I was sooo jet lagged but knew I had to force myself. Within 20 mins I was up, dressed, and drinking vino on this Vancouver Saturday night when Lackie arrived. He's this gorgeous family friend who's traveled through Australia also, so I had much to discuss when he arrived. Slowly but surely we all polished off our booze and made our way to a bar across the street.

If you've ever been jet-lagged by 15 hours and decided to make it to a bar, I applaud you. Apparently I took a nasty spill and botched my ankle. I don't actually need to add the 'apparently' as the evidence is obvious looking at my ankle this morning. It's a bit ravaged, with some nasty cuts and an obvious limp which doesn't add to my attractiveness at all.

We stayed at the bar for a few hours and danced, drank (Lackie decided to snap the neck of my beer bottle and it hurtled towards the ground, shattering into a mess of glass and suds), and headed out by 3am. I am not sure what time this is in Sydney but decided not to convert it for psychological purposes.

What a great night back! I love Canada and of course had no trouble going out and getting back into the swing of things in this great country. I really miss my travels and I'm so sad it's over. I can't begin to describe the weirdness of it all. I've been planning it for months and now it's done. I want to go back, already, and will do so. I've caught the travel bug... cough* cough*

Brisbane, and the realization it's almost over

I`m having a bit of an episode... I`ve been traveling for 75 days and even though I still have another 14 to go, it`s really starting to hit me. I`m leaving Australia and going home - how can that be?! You get so used to a certain way of life and now, thinking about who I was when I arrived for New Years, I can`t believe all that`s happened and how I`ve changed.

I`m staring out at a beautiful urban landscape as I type this. I`m at my Canadian friend Felix`s place on the outskirts of Brisbane and his back deck overlooks a giant valley dotted with tropical houses and palm trees. It really is surreal for this Canadian girl. I`ve been staying at Felix`s for 2 days so far and leave tomorrow A.M. for Sydney. I`m happy I decided to finish the Australian part of the trip in Brisbane with friends. But it`s not over yet.

HAWAII HERE I COME! I can`t wait to see Kates in Vancouver, have a few days there with her where we`ll go visit our Papa on Vancouver Island, then fly to Hawaii with Mum and Kates for 10 days of relaxing on a beach. Can life get any better? Not that I haven`t had enough relaxing on the beach. Yesterday, armed with my Australian Open towel and a bottle of SPF15, I made my way over to Brisbane`s South Bank beach, a manmade watering hole where everyone seemed to be sun-worshiping. Perhaps this is because the weather here has been bad, save for yesterday when we all had a taste of sunshine. I spent several hours outside in the sun enjoying its strength, knowing I had to take it in before leaving Australia. I don`t think I`ll have another chance to sit on a beach before I fly out Friday morning (it`s Wednesday here right now).

Two days ago, after I left you off at the Koala Sanctuary, I went back to my hostel and got my bags, then decided to walk to Felix`s. It was only about a 15 minute walk from the hostel and, determined not to cab it, I threw my backpack on my back `Valderie, Valderahhh` and started walking. Brisbane is a very twisty-turny place. Within 5 minutes of walking I`d realized I`d taken a wrong turn. Add to this a ginormous pack, 30 degree heat, and full-on rush hour traffic and I was providing much needed entertainment for the rat race battling the afternoon roads.

At one point some older guy in his car noticed I`d taken a wrong turn onto a sidewalk that was ending and shouted out from his window `You`re a long way from Canada, eh?` He either saw the Canadian flag on my pack or just assumed I was Canadian thanks to my lack of direction. That set me off laughing pretty hard. From then on I was getting friendly, supportive honks, waves and shouts from other drivers as I tried to make my way back in the right direction.

45 minutes later I arrived at Felix`s and we had some much needed beer as we recapped what`s been going on. Felix is a close friend of Nina`s, the amazing Nina who helped me book my trip, and she`d put me in touch with him. He`s currently on a school exchange here from Montreal and is studying Business at a local uni in town. He`s only 20 but the age gap barely shows - maybe it`s because I`ve become more laid back since leaving Canada - haha. It`s so great to know people where you go and I`ve said this before but I`m really lucky to have had so many friends to stay with while on this voyage.

So here we are. Today I`m chilling and catching up on my internet time before heading out to meet my cousin, Teresa`s, friend Angela - another great connection! Then it`s Uber bar later on tonight and I`m debating whether to go, since I have to wake up tomorrow at 6am to catch my Sydney flight. Think of me at 8pm on Thursday night (that`s Toronto time) where I`ll be sitting on my plane to Vancouver. No, seriously, think of me. All the customs, security checks, and ground travel to and from the airport will be done! It will be so weird to leave and let the realization sink in that it`s all over. I`ll have 14 hours on a plane to think about it - yikes. So this may be my last blog from Australia. If I can get to a computer tomorrow or in the airport on Friday morning I will write again. Thanks for being a regular reader and I`ll be coming at you next live from Maui.

Thanks, Australia, for such a great time. I'll undoubtedly be back, maybe next year, maybe in a few years, but I'll be returning soon because I love it there and can't imagine a better place.

Avatar and Serenity

Dr. Reiffenstein figured out her issue - the snorkeling 'done me in'! It was definitely the snorkeling and scuba dive that made my legs go all freaky on me. I guess I'd never used those muscles before and that's why they decided to complain later on. This morning I awoke feeling normal, thank goodness!

Yesterday was a typical day spent mooching around an unknown city. I have a pretty good sense of direction so I set off without a map, leaving my hostel and heading for Starbucks. Then I wandered the streets of Brisbane, popping into shops and bookstores. I didn't feel like a tourist at all, which is a good goal for someone traveling on their own.

What would you do with an entire day to spend doing anything you want? I'd been wanting to see AVATAR since it came out, but hadn't anyone to go with during my trip. I'd seen Sherlock twice, and Shutter Island, and decided to buy myself a ticket into the much-hyped flick. I also treated myself to M&M's, the peanut ones please! and some popcorn. It was my lunch. Armed with a pair of 3D glasses, I made it into the theatre alone. If this sounds sad, well, it is a bit haha. The last movie I saw alone was Casablanca which was playing at Princess Theatre in Waterloo. It was relatively empty and I got settled in for the epic-length movie.

I really enjoyed it, but it was predictable and so similar to Fern Gully! Despite there being no 'Batty Rap', the general theme of FG reverberated throughout Avatar. They did a really good job with the effects and you get so used to the 3D after about 9 mins (very aptly put, KT).

Afterwards, I headed back to the hostel and met up with Leigh, Mary (a German girl in my hostel), and John, and we all went to RG's for $5 steak/fish and chips. It was so good! So much for my night of avoiding beer. I only had two, then we went to Pig 'n Whistle for a glass of vino. Mary and I headed back to the hostel around 11pm as we had a big day ahead of us. That's right, I just returned from the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary. Mary joined me for the first bit, but had to catch a bus to Rainbow Beach.

I actually got to hold a Koala! Her name is Serenity and she's just so cute and cuddly. She kept licking my hair and gripping my tank top strap - she was light but like a little ball of cuddly somethin', I love her! I have a picture taken and it's posted online here: http://i.koala.net/0803219495.htm but for some reason the link isn't working yet. I hope it starts to work, or I'll attempt to figure it out and post it in the next blog posting.

I'm back in downtown Brisbane right now and am meeting up with a fellow Canadian named Felix who has so kindly opened up his house to me for 2 nights! He's got 5 roommates but says the couch and/or hammock are free, so I have my choice. It will beat staying at Base again - and do you know what this officially means? It means I will not have another Australian hostel experience for the foreseeable future, as I'll be with friends in Sydney then off to Vancouver! WOW!

Vancouver and Hawaii are coming up fast and with only 3 full days left in Australia, I'm starting to get into the mind frame of leaving. It's really hard! I wish it was all starting over again. BOOO! I can't complain, though, it's time for life to go on but that doesn't mean it's not hard. I'll leave it at that for now.

PS, The internet cafe is for sure playing Big Shiny Tunes 2 - I still remember the song order of that CD and with Blur 'Song 2' having just completed, White Town 'Your Woman' just came on. Hmmm, must download that one when I'm back!
PPS, I'm now heading to Scotch and Soda, a clothing store from Europe with only 1 location in the Southern Hemisphere here in Brizzy!

Flight to Brisbane

Hello from Brisbane, or Brizzy as it's called. Brizzle also rhymes with drizzle, and that's what they've been putting up with for the past month! The skies are overcast but the air is warm and humid. It's a nice treat for my skin to avoid the frying sun for a few days, me thinks. (Left: pic of me downtown Brisbane).

I left off at Airlie beach, where I chilled by the water for a few hours before catching the airport taxi. A few girls from the Anaconda were also traveling to Brisbane that afternoon, so we chatted during the ride. We also saw kangaroos hopping along the side of the highway - neat!

The airport in Proserpine is adorable. It's tiny, with only 2 gates, and you get to walk out onto the tarmac to board. I bought a sandwich and sat waiting for my plane, which I thought would be a typical hour-long flight where I could zone out and listen to my music. Boy was I wrong! During my check in, the woman at the desk gave me the chance to select my seat, so I opted for something at the front of the plane. This facilitates the disembarking process and I also requested a window.

So I board the plane, get to my seat, 3A, and sit quietly waiting for the plane to leave the 'gate'. A few minutes later, a guy comes and sits in my row, but on the aisle, leaving the middle seat free. He's got a few friends with him who sit across the aisle as well. The guys look to be in their late-twenties and they immediately start planning what drinks they're going to order during the flight. They're all Aussie and the guy in my row introduces himself as Mick, as in Mick Dundee, I immediately thought, but didn't bring it up. I wondered what this flight would have in store.

Just then, a fourth guy comes onboard and makes it to his seat, which happens to be in between me and Mick. His name is Andrew and he's also just as eager to break open the booze for the flight. Turns out they're all friends and heading to the Gold Coast for the weekend. Oh boy! So being the independent female traveler I am, I was prepared for some interesting banter. Sure enough, we all got chatting. The guys all work in construction on the rigs and had each decided to shave mullets and grow some dirty moustaches for their four days off. That explained a lot about them.

The plane takes off and they are already ordering some rum and cokes for all of us - including me! I gladly took a free drink and suddenly row 3 turned into a bar.

I was looking slightly 'Einalem-ish', wearing glasses and feeling sweaty from being at Airlie. Somehow, my glasses ended up getting passed around to each of the guys as they tried them on and witnessed just how blind I am. They each got pictures wearing my glasses - it was hilarious!! Pretty much each looked awful in them and I was dying laughing. Then they discovered the trick that I learned when I was four, that it's so hilarious to hold the glasses about 5 inches from your face to make your eyes look like Bubbles from Trailer Park Boys. Each got pics like that as well!!

With this entertainment, the flight went by really fast and I'd met some true Aussies who love Canada and think Canadians are the bomb. I'm glad I was able to uphold this opinion, Einalem and ALL!

When the plane landed, we diverged, with me hopping into a cab to get to Base. That's when another ordeal began. I checked in and was put in room 301, and after climbing the stairs with my luggage (the elevator sketched me out), I discovered that 301 was already full. I left my bag in the room and went back to the reception. They apologized and reassigned me to 321. I headed back upstairs, got my bag, made it to my new room, and then ran back downstairs to return 301's key. In 321 I instantly hit it off with three other girls staying there. One of them, Leigh, was heading down to the bar with her friend John and I joined them. Not before attempting to shower in a stall that had no hot water handle, or figuring out how to work my room key in the bathroom door. Phew! We finally made it down to the 'Down Under' bar at Base. All Base bars are the same and it was ladies night so we had a few drinks for cheap. I was so tired and called it a night around 1am.

This morning was where it was freaky - I awoke in excruciating pain. My leg was completely cramping! Has anyone ever had a leg cramp where your muscle spazzes for 20 horrible seconds? The weird thing is I had the exact same thing the morning before, but decided not to blog about it because I thought it was a one-time thing. I also didn't want to blog about my body problems haha but now I'm really hoping this doesn't become a daily occurrence. At the risk of self-diagnosing myself with something awful, I Googled my issue and was relieved to hear it's common and often happens in the morning after sleeping. I'll keep you all posted, to your undeniable delight! ;)

Today I'm going to figure out my plans and see a lot of Brisbane. I'm looking forward to taking it easy and walking around. As if I haven't been taking it easy, eh? Stay tuned!

After the boat is the after-party

I love Bruce Springsteen. If one of his songs is playing, then I'm finding out where it's coming from, which is why I'm now sitting in this internet cafe where the Tunnel of Love album is on. I thought I'd post a quick blog before taking off, literally, to Brisbane. I'm also charging my pink mp3 player so I can listen to some MIA on the plane. In other words, I'm killing 5 hours before I head to Proserpine airport and leave the 33 degree humidity for maybe cooler and wetter weather.

Last night was a blast! Airlie Beach is a huge party town - and by huge I mean intense, like camping (inside joke) haha. In-tense, aka in tents, like camping, ohhh Dane. So I took a much needed shower and it was heaven. After 3 days of being sticky and salty in the humid ocean air, and being cramped onboard a boat, I had a bathroom larger than 2 feet and a cold shower that wasn't also occupied by a toilet. I clean up nice, and once I was done, I was ready for a night on the town. Somehow I've managed to make due with my amount of clothes and I put together a somewhat original outfit for the big Anaconda after party. (Left: Nadia, Bo and I at Phoenix).

I was ready early and went for a walk down to the beach, then went to Magnum's to have a pint as I waited for Nadia to join me. She arrived when my glass was half full and slowly others met us at the outside patio. I met two awesome Canadians, Mandy and Heath, traveling on the Anaconda, and they also happen to live close to Toronto. We are already planning a Canadian reunion. They arrived at Magnum's and so did Bo, and we all had a pre-after party before heading to Phoenix for 7. The bonus was we all got free pizza. The downside was the pizza was extraordinarily late in being delivered, thank you Domino's.

By 8:30, nearly everyone from the cruise was at Phoenix. I tried, and loved snake bite, a pitcher of beer with a shot of some sweet syrup. It's amazing! I downed a few of those and once the crew arrived, I was informed that 'Stompa', one of the crew (see pic to the left), had a treat for me at the bar. I made my way over and the jagger bombs started flowing! I personally really actually sort of dislike jagger bombs, but I had two.... maybe that's why the world is slightly swaying right now (that and the post-boat rocking).

I got to meet the owner of the Anaconda, a really nice millionaire who invited me to join him and a few others on his boat today and tonight. Unfortunately I had to decline as my flight for this afternoon was booked. That would've been amazing, though! Apparently his yacht is pure luxury - he owns a few of the sailing businesses here and rakes it in, assuming he charges similar fees for all his shipping cruises.

We danced and drank and partied it up at Phoenix before heading to Paddy's. At Paddy's, we basically did the same thing, but it was a bit more laid back with better music, in m.o. From there we headed to a third bar called Mama Africa's, which was way more clubby. By this time it's 2am and I'm exhausted. Me, Nadia, and Steff, an awesome German girl who worked on the Anaconda left and headed back to the hostels (see pic to the right).

This morning I got to sleep in til 8:11am. I've already managed to spend a bit too much money today, purchasing a gorgeous dress for Hawaii, and a few tops! I was just in a store called 'Amazing Place', yes, original, but it is indeed amazing. It's full of neat trinkets, oils, jewelry - it's kinda like 'Sharon's Place' on Bayview in T.O. Anyhoo, I found a really funny coffee table book I had to buy and now I'm ceasing my shopping spree to chill out by a computer (even though the ocean IS just right outside). I am hiding inside for a bit, though, as I'm sunscreen-less and the UV is 15 today... that's like a solar flare for Canada, and I'm already a bit roasted, so I'll wait it out until 2 or so. Then hit the beach, catch my plane, and arrive in Brizzy for a few nights. That's where I'll pick up again - I can't wait for Friday and Vancouver and to see Kates... it's been SOOO LONG since I've seen SISTO!!! Can't wait!

Aboard the Anaconda

For 3 days and 3 nights I've been tossed around on the gorgeous, turquoise ocean somewhere in between Airlie Beach and The Great Barrier Reef, which I'll refer to as the GBR from here on in. What an amazing time! I left with good expectations and a little weary about what I'd signed up for. Several hundred dollars had come out of my bank to pay for my last days in Australia and I wanted it to be amazing and worth every penny. It was the best experience and what a change from these past two months.

I arrived in Proserpine from Brisbane, which is not on daylight savings, so I was thrown back an hour, and took a shared cab to Airlie. I made it to Magnums hostel, the name of which probably is drawn from the wild town that is Airlie, and checked in for the Anaconda III, a 100 foot sailing yacht departing that evening. I left my big packpack at the Magnum's luggage storage as we weren't allowed any zipped luggage on board. I later found out this was because of bed bugs which can nest in zipper crevices - gross.

I went for a culturally-challenged dinner at Subway before walking over to the harbour. It was a gorgeous night, but the week had suffered much rain, and more was predicted to come. I didn't let the weather get me down when the sunset cracked through the clouds - I had a good feeling. I looked out over the harbour, having arrived early at the meeting spot for Anaconda, and took some pics and reflected on life - I'm good at that.

While I was sitting on the boardwalk chilling, I heard a high-pitched British voice behind me. I turned to see a girl, wearing a bikini under her tank top and shorts, her hair tied up and she was carrying a cloth bag with no zippers. She was definitely Anaconda material, I thought. She asked if I was also about to board the ship and we hit it off right away. Her name is Nadia and she's from the real Stratford in England. She's the funniest person with awesome stories. We immediately met another girl named Bo and as more people showed up, I soon realized what a good idea it was to book the Tuesday to Friday trip.

Soon, Carrie, one of our crew, showed up and ushered us to the dock where we went over a couple of things. Sporty and energetic, Carrie informed us of the groundrules, like no bringing booze or bananas on board. Booze I can understand, but the bananas come from them being a bad omen and making food rot faster at sea. We then picked up our wet suits, or stinger suits, and headed to the ship. Champagne was immediately thrust in our hand. The boat looks smaller than you imagine, and once all 32 of us are on board, it's kinda cramped. You really get to know people fast and the motto, 'dirty is sexy' becomes a daily statement with only 1-minute shower time and salty air.

The temp outside didn't change once we hit the open water. The waves were so rough heading out to Whitsunday, I actually thought I'd puke, but was able to overcome it on deck. A few people did yack over the side, a common occurrence for many first-timers. Actually, as I type this, I still feel like I'm rocking back and forth ever so slightly.

One interesting factor was the room. I was randomly assigned a two-person room and my roommate was this british guy who we'd all met while waiting for the crew to get us. Chris is his name, so Chris and I were shown the tiny cabin room and dropped off our bags before heading back on deck to overcome the seasickness. It's like walking in a fun house all the time.

Mornings start at 7am onboard the Anaconda. The food is amazing, there's always a breakfast spread of toast, cereal, fruit and all the tea you can drink. But because we start so early, I always felt hungry by 10am. We'd start the day off right after breakfast. The first morning we went out to a smaller reef by the islands, not the GBR itself, but still really pretty. I snorkelled and then had a scuba lesson. It's awesome! When you snorkel, you feel like you're flying over an underwater civilization. The reef just drops into the depths and fish are all swimming around the coral. I saw many sea turtles and many references to Nemo were made. I couldn't help but get the Jaws music in my head while snorkelling - the famous 'dah dah' Jaws music, but also the eerie harp music that plays during the opening credits of the movies.

I then made the mistake of tanning on the bow of the ship after lunch, using sunscreen but neglecting my thighs which turned red later that day. Almost everyone was suffering from some sort of burn on some part of their body but a few jokes were made at my expense by the crew. They are all so fun! I can't believe their lives - they sail around the islands for a living, tanning, meeting new people, and being in the water. It sure beats a desk job. The guys who teach diving absolutely LOVE what they do. Simon, one of the divers, reminds me of a pirate scallywag in appearance, but is the nicest guy. Max is the heart breaker of the group and he's from New Zealand! At one point my scuba belt wasn't closing so he had to help - haha it was actually good he helped or I could have drowned, well maybe not ;)

We made it to the GBR the next and snorkelled all day. It's fabulous! Our skipper, Baz, a 50-something weathered and extremely intelligent sailor, and I had a long chat the second night, all about his adventures sailing around the world and diving at the reef. I felt like I was in Pirates of the Caribbean, chatting with this rough around the edges captain on the bow of a ship in the complete moonlight. He explained the GBR perfectly - its the biggest city in the world. It is! It's so full of life and growth, it's amazing to watch. I followed a sea turtle, who is named Crush, as he floated serenely through the warm water (it was 26 degrees in the water). What a life.

Today we made it to Whitehaven beach. It's truly paradise! The sand is so fine, it's 98% silica. Amazing! We walked all around, swam and had to go back to the ship by 10am. Just as the dinghys were coming to pick us up, a guy not from our cruise calls me over and asks me to take a picture of him on the cliffside above the water. He specifially asked for 8 or 9 pics, and proceeded to climb up the cliff, pausing to pose in various spots and in questionable positions. At one point, he started doing pushups on the rock and I'm down on the beach taking pictures of this guy like a creeper. When he made it to the top of the cliff he assumes the gladiator position - outstretched right arm and left arm arced above his head. It was quite the interesting situation. Turns out, the guy is Canadian from Toronto - I'm always meeting people in the most random places! First the LOTR gang, now this body builder from T.O.

The cruise back was great and we all departed this afternoon, only to go back to our hostels. What amazing weather we had - we didn't have to fret about any rain. It was sunny every day and so warm.

Tonight is the goodbye party at Phoenix bar in Airlie, where we get free food and beer and party with the crew. I can't wait! I gotta go, my internet time is almost up. One week left - I can't believe it!

At the airport - final phase in motion

I'm at the Sydney airport, about to catch a flight to Proserpine via Brisbane. My one concern is the weather - heard its kinda rainy en route and maybe even at the destinash.

I booked a travel cruise through the Whitsundays, going to the barrier reef!!! It's 3 days and 3 nights, I can't wait but have no idea what to expect. Apparently I need a sting-ray suit, which is a tight-as-heck black wetsuit, so I'll be sure to get a pic of me looking like I work at Sea World.

The sailboat I'm on is 100 feet long, and quite luxurious, if the price is any sign. I've heard amazing things so far! Then Airlie beach for a few nights before heading back down south, last destination: Sydney, to fly out on March 12. This trip is going by so fast now :(

More stories from the sailing cruise to come...

Weekend party at Sheaf

It's my last official day in Sydney before heading up the coast... at least I expect it is. I'm sitting in Tribal Travel, an awesome agency in King's Cross. They have free internet and it's raining out, so I expect I'll be here for a while, at least until I can meet with my travel guy to discuss plans.

While it's hard to top dinner with Donny-T, Saturday night was a close second here in Sydney. I bought the hottest dress - black with a gold design on it, and was planning on wearing it to Alana's house warming at Sheaf, a super-cool bar a short cab ride from Bondi. But first, we headed back to Dane's old place on Bronte and pre-drank with everyone. Trish and I (see pic on the left) cabbed it over to the beach. It was gorgeous outside! Nearly full moon, Bondi was packed with people, and we were all dressed up and ready for a sweet night out. Trish looked gorge in a coral dress and we both agreed my outfit choice was a winner (wow, don't worry my life isn't just about dressing up!)

About 12 of us packed onto Dane's old veranda overlooking the ocean. The guys had coincidentally (or not, perhaps it was planned) all worn white tee's and jeans, so they all resembled the days of boy bands. We drank beer and left around 11 for the bar. We accidentally left Aaron, Dane's friend, behind - or he just didn't clue into the fact we'd all left, because we got a text from him saying 'where are you guys, how am I gonna get to the bar now'. If you knew Ikin, you'd big time appreciate the humour.

Sheaf is AMAZING! It's all outside, and split into about four different courtyards on two storeys. We drank beer and met up with Alana and her friends on the second floor. The night was perfect! I'm so glad I stuck around for the weekend. (Right: pic of me and Mitch, Dane`s old roomie).

The next morning consisted of McDonald's and a long run along the coast from Bondi to Bronte to make up for it. This was my usual route whilst staying at Dane's in January and it felt surreal to be back there again, doing the same run I'd done in the start of my trip, but now able to think about all that's happened. What a humbling experience. The guys were all at Dane's old place and I stayed to watch a bit of Superbad and pick up my sandals I'd left there the night before in place of my heels.

It was also tsunami watch 2010 for Bondi. The earthquake in Chile had apparently set off tsunamis worldwide and Sydney was on the lookout. We did notice a lower tide than normal but nothing hit. I ran back to Bondi in the rain and stopped to lookout at the water for a few minutes, drenched in the rain but completely content. I don't know when I'll be back there, so I wanted to take it in. I did.

Last night we all went to see Shutter Island with Leo Dicaps. It's nuts! It's definitely a psychological thriller with an unpredictable ending. Leo's performance is awesome and I didn't predict the twist, save for one thing that I won't giveaway here. Today I've been hanging out in Sydney and am sorting out my life - what a task!

Canada won gold!! Can't forget to mention that here, although everyone knows by now. I watched it this morning and it was amazing. I'm sad I wasn't at McMullen's with the guys, although I did see pics - it's sooo snowy there.

So here I am. I'll keep you posted on the next move, although it will probably be straight up to the islands to soak in the sun. I don't have much time left. I fly out of Sydney on March 12 to go to Vancouver to reunite with Kates and I can't wait! It's been so long since I've seen sisto, or even talked on the phone... crazy in sisto-time. But now, I've got to focus on the next 24 hours and get my act together or I'll waste the last 2 weeks.

Dinner with Don in Sydney

Friday nights in downtown Sydney are known for many things, and swanky restaurants with pools by the bar are fashionable post-work destinations for the elite. This type of place happened to be my destination yesterday. For a girl backpacking alone through Australia, who is not so used to the haute life a city brings and moreso used to hostels and condiment-less sandwiches for lunch and dinner, this would be a big change of scenery.

My dinner date was Don Tapscott, entrepreneur, international best-selling author, and close friend, who happened to be traveling through Australia to attend and speak at a few conferences. We'd arranged to meet on the 26th of February in Sydney at 6:30pm, in the lobby of the Westin hotel right outside Martin Place metro stop. Needless to say, I started preparations for this evening 3 hours earlier - showering (thank God, as UJ would say), primping, carefully choosing my outfit and enjoying a solo beer just before heading out. (Left: me excited in the bathroom at the Westin).

I was also very lucky to have stumbled upon an accidental, 7-day, free gym membership only 1 block from Dane and Trish's. I saw a sign saying you could get a free trial workout if you bought a guest pass and went in to investigate. Luckily, the guy seemed to be partial to Canadians and when he found out I hadn't been to a gym in 2 months, he handed me the free pass at no expense. I don't know exactly how to interpret this gesture... ha.

I had a great workout on an actual elliptical!! - my first since 2009, and watched the Canadian Hockey Girls win their gold medals and sing as our flag rose up high in the Vancouver arena... woooo, go girls!

So, after my workout and after a few hours of primping, I was on the subway making my way through town like a real Sydneysider. I'm very familiar with the city now and knew exactly where to go. What a change from when I arrived here Dec. 30. I arrived a bit earlier at the Westin and wandered through the swanky lobby. It's a gorgeous hotel with 3 restaurants/bars, all packed with happy-hour celebrators.

Don came downstairs and met me in the lobby a few minutes past half-six and we went for a glass of wine in the hotel before heading to our restaurant. It was so great to see Don! We chatted non-stop, I found out all about his tour to Sydney and 'MEL'-bourne (the city name was a hit with Don), and he heard all about my travels.

We then walked a short block to the restaurant with the bar-side pool. It's called Ucchello's, and typically requires a 2-month-in-advance reservation. Let's just say, Don pulled some strings. We both had margaritas by the pool. What a place! It was full of highfallutin people, all keen to spend their paycheques on $25 drinks and some of the best cuisine in Sydney. We were ushered to the front when it came time to sit down for dinner and our table was in the centre of the place. Service was impeccable, complete with a sommelier and at least four waiters/hostesses checking in on us. I've never been treated like that at a restaurant before... ever! (Left: Don and I at Ucchello`s).

Dinner consisted of a few appetizers, tuna and calamari, although they were called something much more elegant, and a delicious pasta dish we split. Dessert was decadent, a mousse-y, creamy, spongey thing that I'm not doing any justice to by explaining it this way. Don and I went for more margaritas by the pool afterwards and then headed out. I caught a cab home and by this time it was really late!

What a time. Thanks so much, Don, if you're reading this! You definitely made up for most of my living conditions these past few months. Although, I must say, I wouldn't trade in any of my hostel experiences for more places like Ucchello's. Don had a great point - that it's often more fun to live the way I've been living, instead of being waited on and taken care of everywhere you go. It's a treat for special occasions that keeps it special.

This morning I woke up late to a Saturday on Bondi. The weather is amazing. Not a cloud. My destination is the beach, then the gym, then home to get ready. Tonight, Dane's old roomie, Alana is having a house-warming party and EVERYONE is going. Can't wait! I bought a new dress to wear and am sooo excited to see my Sydneysiders again. Tomorrow I think I'll lie low and start my travels again on Monday. Well, gotta run catch the sun.

Last days in New Zealand

Location: McDonalds, McCafe, Bondi Beach, Sydney
Day and time: Feb. 26 at 11:28am

Mood: Ecstatic!!!!

Let me just say how amazing New Zealand was!! I left with a heavy heart, but with memories that will last forever. My a-team/posse/new amazing friends from all around the world were slowly dispersing and it was time to move on with the rest of our trip plans. But first, let me backtrack....

I picked up my adorably sexy, hot little Toyota Camry rental car - baby blue, and an upgrade from the small car I'd requested - and at no extra charge. WOW! the Freedom!!!! I could taste it. Binnie gave me an escort on the highway out of Wellington to my freeway exit and I waved bye to Binnie and Joshie in their car as I coasted north on highway 1. While leaving Wellington, I was able to drive through the 'beep beep' tunnel, as Joshie calls it. It's sort of an unspoken rule for Wellingtonians, to beep like crazy as they drive through this tunnel beneath the mountain. Joshie just loves it! I beeped like mad also, it was a declaration to the world of my imminent freedom in my rental car.

The drive to Rotorua was FABULOUS! More than a feeling!!!! haha sorry that song just came on here at McDonalds. I drove for 6 hours on the wrong side of the car, on the wrong side of the road, stopping every now and then for breaks. I arrived in Rotorua, checked into my hostel at around 7:30pm, and felt like something was missing. DUH, it was my 6 amazing peeps I'd been traveling with in NZ for the past week. They were elsewhere on the north island accomplishing more than is humanly possible to accomplish and I knew I needed to get to them.

One night in Rotorua later, I decided to check out the Waiotapu hotsprings 20 mins out of the city. They are incredible!! Just watching the activity of the hot springs, the bubbling sulpherous goop lurking below the surface, was spectacular. The volcanic activity on the North Island is unbelievable. The whole area is active volcano, something eerie to think about. I wandered in and around Waiotapu before heading back to the hostel. I checked my Facebook when I got back and saw a few messages from my peeps -- they were nearby! Bent on seeing them again, I checked out of the hostel and hopped into my car, without much knowledge of where I was driving to.

Let me just say, this is one of the best decisions I made on the trip. The 4 hour drive up north to Whitianga from Rotorua was the best drive I've ever been on. It was just me, my hot car, my music, and the gorgeous weather and views. The road wound like crazy up mountains and then would go flat again on the long countryside. Farms are everywhere, so are sheep. At this time it was around 4pm in the afternoon. This is my favourite time of day. The sun is setting and it hits the landscape at a perfect angle. It makes everything look so angelic and peaceful. I was so far away from home and away from everyone I knew, but I was so happy knowing I was on my own in such a gorgeous place.

I stopped in Waihi, a little town near my destination. I wanted to ask for directions so I hopped into a travel place 1 minute before it closed. It happened to be right across the street from an old mill building, with giant stone ruins. I had to check it out. With time to spare I crossed the street and went to look at this old building foundation. What a find! It was absolutely unique and breathtaking. I spent a few minutes taking photos of it and then hopped back in my car to continue on the route.

At one point I was driving on a windy road, with golden leaves that had fallen from a stretch of trees alongside, and I pulled over to change into my new dress. I was stopped in front of the cutest farm, it could have been a hobbit's place. I was in awe. If I could do this drive again, I would in an instant.

I stopped to take many pictures and arrived in Whitianga around 7pm. My group hadn't arrived yet so I had time to check out the beach. I brought my camera and was taking my usual self-pictures when a guy walked nearby and I asked him to take my pic. He asked me what I wanted in the background, but I thought he asked what WAS my background. So I replied 'Canada' completely straight-faced and he was like, uhhhh, ok. Then I clued in and we had a good laugh.

My friends arrived 20 mins later and it was such a great reunion!! It was the best day/night ever - great hostel, we went for dinner at a place called Smitty's then walked along the amazing beach -sooo great! I was so happy to see them again. It's great to be in these small towns with good people. I prefer them to the bigger cities by far.

The next day we went to Cathedral Cove, named so for the giant rock formation that forms a cathedral archway, separating two pristine beaches. The waves were vicious, the sun was hot, and we lounged for 4 hours. I'm sooo glad I did this. It was the best way ever to end my NZ phase.

We then had to drive to Auckland that day (February 23), so we left at 4-ish and drove along the coast, up around Coromandel and along the seaside. Linda came with me in my car and we had major mp3 issues - the music wasn't working. So we tuned into the Coromandel radio station and the first song that comes on is Fireflies!! We DIED!!! That is our song, it's the epitomy of the trip. We BLASTED it and coasted along the oceanside - what an amazing drive.

We arrived in Auckland late, after I took the wrong exit but made a quick recovery, with Linda laughing hysterically in the car as colourful language flew out of my mouth when we lost sight of the other's van. We shared a 6-bed dorm and went to the bar, unimpressed with it but staying for a few pints nevertheless.

The next morning, there was a strange feeling. Dave and I both were flying out that day and the others had plans to go visit more of the beautiful north. I was envious but knew the time had come to say goodbye. After a breakfast of muesli and a soggy peach muffin, we all made it to the cars and Dave and I said our tearful goodbyes, all of us promising to keep in touch and have a reunion in a few year's time. Then, the van drove off as Dave and I stood, quietly waving our arms off. Thank God I had Dave. I'd have been so depressed without him. We chilled in town for a few hours before I caught my plane to Sydney. I said goodbye to the bloke from Darlinghurst and watched as Dave walked off down the street in Auckland, armed with his giant backpack and knowing he had 83 hours of travel ahead of him to get home. I know how it feels and we're all the same.

I flew back to Sydney, jumped on a subway and was welcomed with open arms into Dane and Trish's apartment, which is RIGHT ON THE BEACH! We went to Bondi and tanned all day yesterday. Last night's dinner consisted of Bondi Pizza, the best pizza joint I've ever been to, and I treated my two hosts.

Tonight is going to be amazing. Don Tapscott is taking me out for dinner in Sydney!! And that will be where my next blog starts....

But quickly, here's another acceptance speech. I love New Zealand. Traveling is all about saying goodbye and it's been quite painful at times. I've never felt so sad to leave people I've just met and I've never wished so much to rewind time and relive all that we've done. It's so bitter sweet but I just know the memories are all that matter and there will be way more good times to come. So I just wanted to say, THANK YOU... Thanks for taking a chance on a nerdy girl on the Lord of the Rings tour....

In the words of Dave Hatton, "what the *#&# is wrong with New Zealand?"

I concur, Dave, it's perfect.

In the words of the ginger boy "THIS IS THE BEST VACATION EVER!!!!"

Beachside with Binnie

Ahhh, the beach, the sun, the waves and the hills - life has been exceedingly normal the past few days compared to the week I just came from, but they contained all these wonderful things Kiwis often take for granted. I left off, standing in the rain, waving goodbye to my friends as they drove off down the street in Wellington, gung-ho for more fun, while I wasn't sure what to expect. I'd been living out of a van for many days and the thought of an actual house, with my own room and bathroom sounded like a funny joke too good to be true. When traveling, you often have to shift your frame of mind, so I immediately began to think of this weekend as my 'down time' at home. So far, it's been amazing!

I wandered the streets of Welly-wood for a few hours before meeting Binnie, mom's family friend from Branksome. She picked me up and we drove to her place, and I could tell instantly that we'd get along really well. Binnie is from Toronto but moved to New Zealand many years ago, so it was cool hearing her Canadian/Kiwi accent but also nice to be with someone from home.

Binnie has an adorable 3 year old son named Josh who we picked up from daycare then went home. It was Thursday night and we kept it low key, with wine and chicken for dinner, followed by an early bed time. While this doesn't sound too exciting, it was for me - I have my own room, my own bathroom, and an internet I can use without having to deposit $2 every half hour. Luxury!

Friday was a day that will go down in history as one of those surreal yet totally comfortable experiences. I slept in til 11 at Binnie's insistence and then we went for a drive to the Kapiti coast, near her house but right on the beach. We walked along the beach, ate fish and chips, and paused for photo ops whenever possible. The day finished off with a ride up to the Mt. Victoria lookout that overlooks the entire city, and a stop at the park where Josh played by the beach.

Today, I awoke earlier to go watch Josh's super spectacular soccer game. Every Saturday morning here in the summer kids 1-7 play soccer (wow, alliteration!), which is more like describing little ones in oversized Beckham jerseys kick the ball a distance of two feet (and this is with all their might) and miss the goal when they are only inches away. It's adorable! It's like watching someone really inexperienced play Wii or Xbox - you just want to help but you also know you can't. Josh is a super energetic kid and he actually ran around more practicing soccer with me before the game started.

Afterwards, Binnie and I headed to the local fair, where at least 6 blocks of a main street in Petone were blocked off for various shops and rides. We were both sucked into one particular booth selling gorgeous and unique wrap dresses and I bought two - yikes! One for Kates, of course, but we can both share. Kate you will LOVE THESE. I tried one on and a few people gasped, they were so nice. Or, maybe they gasped in horror, either way, I bought some. I then sampled a hot dog, followed by a quesadilla, then it was time to head out.

I'm very excited. Firstly, tonight I'm going to a real live Rugby match downtown. Wellington is playing Perth and I'll be cheering for Wellington. Second, tomorrow I have successfully rented a car and am driving myself to Rotorua and then to Auckland. Binnie is so amazing and has already let me practice left-hand-side-of-the-road driving here, and we'll do some more tomorrow. Luckily, the highways are very straight forward, literally, so she thinks I'll have no trouble, but I'm going to be texting her every now and then just in case to check in. I can't wait! One of my biggest to-do's has been to rent my own car and sail down the road with the window down and good music, so if all goes to plan, that's my life for the next 3 days. I'm still unsure if it will happen, since there is a shortage of rental cars in New Zealand and I was already turned down by another car rental place because of availability. If I'm turned down again, then I have to take a bus and it'll delay me a day. Everyone cross your fingers!

So, I'll let you know how things go when I get to Rotorua. I can't believe my NZ trip is almost over and I'll be so sad to think about that, so I won't do so yet. Can't wait to meet up with my a-team in Auckland.

If 10 million fireflies...

For anyone checking my blog often, I apologize that it's been a week since my last post. For those just checking in, here is a recap of all the excitement of the past week! I had just left Christchurch when I last wrote, with little idea of all that was going to happen in just 7 days. I jumped on an 8-hour bus to Queenstown and booked a room at Base for one night. Feeling a little lonely for the first time in 6 weeks, I quickly made friends with a British girl in my dorm named Sadie (pic to the right). Fun and bubbly, Sadie reminded me much of Alicia Miller (family friend) in a really crazy way! We got dinner and hung out at the bar that night, but I was exhausted and I went to bed early, knowing I had to plan my next day carefully.

Now this is where I have to pinch myself every time I think about it. Do you remember the tour I took to go to the Lord of the Rings site? Well, do you also remember that I bumped into a group of 6 young people also traveling through New Zealand in a van and that I made friends but then said goodbye to them to return to the LOTR group? Do you also remember Ben's 'yes you can, no you can't' messages to me about whether I could join then in the van? Well I heard from Ben, one of the peeps in the group, and they needed an extra person for their van to travel around New Zealand. I was a bit apprehensive as I didn't know them, but after coordinating for several days, the plans were in motion. The only downside was that I couldn't take full advantage of Queenstown. This was ok, since I'm not the jump-out-of-a-plane type, or the swing-from-a-bungy-cord-over-a-river person, and this is the essence of Queenstown. So, I caught a bus to Wanaka the next morning (February 12, Friday) to meet up with the group. (Group pic from left: Monika, Dave, Ben, Josie, Coralie and Linda).

Within 24 hours, I went from CHCH to the back backseat of a camper van next to the most adorable German girl I've ever seen named Linda (see pic to the right). Linda and I hit it off right away. The group consisted of 1 Belgian, Josie, 2 Germans, Linda and Monika, 1 American, Ben, 1 English guy, Dave, and 1 French girl, who we all called Frenchy, or Coralie (her real name). There I was, sitting in the back of a van winding its way along the beautiful and remote roads of the South Island of New Zealand. The music was on, the weather was fair, and the 7 of us were off on a big adventure.

The whole group had met in Christchurch after Ben put up an ad looking for travel companions. Turns out, Linda and Monika had been on my Melbourne flight to Christchurch! They welcomed me into the group with open arms and my dream of traveling around New Zealand with a group in a car became reality. (Left: me in front of cairns at Lindis Pass, along west coast in NZ).

Our first night we ended up in Fox Glacier with one catch - there were no hostels. Luckily, the 7 of us clever travelers knew how to blend in and look like we were paying guests, when in reality we all just picked a spot on the floor of the hostel lounge once everyone had turned in and we slept there. Ahhh the joys of traveling!

It wasn't until the end of Day 1 when we realized that the locking mechanism on the trunk of the van was broken. It was locked shut, unopenable, and all of our bags were buried inside. Have you ever imagined what it would be like to load a van from the middle seat? Well, we became quite good at it, establishing an assembly line of sorts, with Dave tasked with positioning the luggage. It turns out we managed to pack more efficiently with the trunk door welded shut, than opened, and Monika, the driver of us all, could finally see out the back.

The following day it was miserable and rainy. You couldn't see any scenery and we spent our time inside the hostel where we weren't technically guests and played games. I started to excel at Trivial Pursuit, stumping Ben, the Harvard graduate a few times. We then curled up and watched Empire Records before leaving the hostel around 5pm.

We lived night by night, calling hostels and motels the day of to ask if they had accomodation, and often we were turned away but kept on persevering.

At the end of Day 2 we hopped in the van (no easy task with 12 bags and 7 folks) and drove to Franz Josef glacier (Nina, it IS AMAZING!). We got a motel with lots of beds and couches to make up for our previous night, but first decided to check out the hike to the glacier. It was a bit nicer out so we walked for 40 minutes to investigate what our route for the following day should be. Then we went for dinner in the cute little town of FJ and found an Indian place. We were never short on conversation or laughs.

Day 3 we did the Franz Josef glacier and hiked all the way to the bottom. However, with time constraints and money constraints, we decided to forego the $100 inside-the-glacier hike and just admire it from its base. It was a good idea, as the weather wasn't the best and we had to hit the road and drive up to Nelson that night! Funnily enough, though, at the glacier I bump into Sadie, my Queenstown hostel mate! I love meeting people in random spots.

So, after the glacier we all climbed into the camper van and hit the road, but stopped at the pancake rocks for everyone to see. I was so happy to go back there and felt kinda cool as the others called me their tour guide for knowing where to go. Oh, Canadians, we know so much! I also decided that the pancake rocks undeniably needed a restaurant where they serve pancakes. It's the perfect niche market. I also decided to name this restaurant 'Pancakes Rock' and announced this brainchild idea to Ben who, although concurred, probably thought I was nuts. It really was hilarious.

Stopping for dinner in a cute little town, we cracked open the beers. Did you know that in New Zealand you are allowed to have open beers consumed in a moving vehicle, provided the driver himself isn't drinking? So we took the party on the road on the way to the next destination. Drinking also leads to needing to pee, so twice we had to pull over in the pitch blackness of the New Zealand open road and pee in the bush. Laughing hysterically and screeching at what we thought might be the odd spider, the drive took a little bit longer than planned.

We arrived in Nelson, once again hostel-less, but we knew we could probably pull off another lounge-sleep so we did that but as it was late, we only got about 5 hours of sleep before heading off again.

So that brings us into Day 4 - Abel Tasman National Park!! I'm so glad we spent more time there because it was certainly the most beautiful part. It was finally sunny, and after a quick stop over at the mechanics to fix the trunk mechanism (which earned Collin, our mechanic, a round of applause), we carried on up the mountains and down to the coast. What a beautiful day! The sun was shining, the air was warm, and we did a 3-hour beach walk along the water.

The walk consisted of many obstacles, including beaches full of rock that required extreme walking precision, but we all did it successfully and reaped the benefits of a private beach in the end. We went for a swim, too, and it was just surreal to be in the water in a private cove with my new friends and on the bottom of the planet.

Linda's favourite expression is "Ohhhhh Nooooo", spoken in her high-pitched, adorable German accent, and throughout the trip we'd frequently imitate her to everyone's amusement. Ben is a soon-to-be stand up comic and was able to practise many a joke on us, so we were never short of entertainment. He's also got a great knack for voice impressions, Smeagol is one of them and so is the Nazgul, a demonic dragon/snakelike creature that the Ringwraiths fly around on in Lord of the Rings. We'd frequently ask for his impressions and they'd send us into hysterics.

Dave is the soft spoken British bloke from Darlington with adorable feet and hair. He's also the human sand fly, as was typically the first person to get bitten by the little annoying creatures. Think mosquito, but smaller. These things come at you whenever you get out of the car. By the end, Dave was covered in bites, and after counting them, he could find 73 individual attacks on his body. Josie has a song we all like to break out and sing and it goes like "we love you Josie, we do, we love you Josie, we do, ohhhh Josie we love you!" and Dave was typically the first to initiate a sing a long. Josie also knows a lot of my music and we frequently broke out into song while waiting for the crew to get organized. Monika, mother Monika, our driver, is so fabulous, as she was in charge of transporting all of us around and she did so flawlessly along the winding, sharp corners of the New Zealand bush. Frenchy would often wander off, so we developed a game and counted how many times during the day we'd ask, "Where's Coralie?" Sometimes it would get up to 11 times.

Our theme song is.... Fireflies by OWL CITY!!!! Kate, I know, how crazy is that? "You would not believe your eyes, if 10 million fireflies..." haha. The story is that the guys love that song and sing it exactly like that band. But my story is the day I flew to Sydney from Toronto, Kate and I heard it on the radio and we both commented on how funny and stupid yet catchy it is - but also it themed my trip just by coming on the radio at that moment. Funny how it's now themed our trip.











The next day we hiked Abel Tasman through the forest and to another secluded beach. The sun was out again and the bugs weren't so bad. When we made it to the beach, it was definitely worth it. Although too cold to swim, we walked in the water, did cartwheels, took photos and had a great time.
It was 10km round trip and we were all pretty exhausted by the time we got back to the car. The next stop was the Picton ferry to Wellington, so we drove for 3 hours to make it to the 10:30pm departure time. The ferry was amazing! Although you couldn't see many sites, we had 3 hours to relax and have a glass of wine before driving to our hostel. We booked into Nomads hostel, a 6-bed dorm so we could all actually have a good sleep.

Yesterday we did Wellington but the weather wasn't so nice. It rained a bit but we walked around, discovered the greatest breakfast spot called Mr. Bun, and tried to see all we could. That night was our last night in Wellington together and we all went out, first to a really swanky place called Matterhorn and then to a bar right next door called Mighty Mighty. It was so great! I ended up dancing like a mo fo at MM before we all left to head back to the hostel around 2am.

The gang had plans to drive up the North Island, but I said I'd stay in Wellington to visit with my mom's friend Binnie. I talked to Binnie yesterday and we said we'd meet today at 1:30pm for lunch downtown. So that is where I am right now. I said goodbye to my little gang of companions, who I've known for only 7 days, but it was 7 intense and fun days of traveling together. Someone should come up with a formula for how long you can say you've known someone compared to how long you've traveled with them. Traveling with people is the easiest and fastest way to get to know someone and it already feels like I've been friends with them for years.

This morning (Thursday at 11:30am right now as I type this) I said bye to everyone and it was a little sad, but I'm meeting up with them in Auckland the day before I fly out to Sydney. It's raining out and I'm still drenched from standing in the rain and saying my goodbyes. What a whirlwind time, I can't believe still how much has happened and how far I've gone. This group of people are the best bunch I could have ever wanted to meet and it's honestly crazy to think about the series of events that have brought me here. I'm off to meet Binnie, who I'm staying with for a few days. She's taking me to a rugby game this weekend and promised to show me around - I'm so fortunate to know such great people.

New Zealand isn't over yet... stay tuned!