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Melbourne!
Monday, November 28th, 2011 /

Let’s imagine Australia as a family unit, focusing in on two of the major east coast cities.  If Sydney is the good looking energetic extravert than Melbourne is the funky, artsy, laid back cousin.   Melbourne, pronounced MelBIN  is an hour south west by plane, from its cousin Sydney (10 hour train if you’re a destitute backpacker).  Despite the relaxed feel, it has a very busy central business district and is an important financial center of Australia.

Amazing graffiti lane!

Melbourne is hesitant to show her hand right away, calling curious travellers to explore her back street “lanes” and cool suburban shopping strips.  There is no shortage of artwork to gaze at, whether it’s on the sides of buildings or housed in one of their world class museums.   There is also an impressive display of architectural achievement where past meets present in Federation square where folks can meet up, people watch or kick back and watch a TED talk on the giant screen. 

Flinders Station!

Just a stone’s throw away is the Yarra River, bending around the city in such a perfectly balanced arch that a stroll along the southern shore promenade requires you save space on your memory cards.  There is a subculture that looms in Melbourne, and if you look around as we did you are bound to not only find it, but love it!

Yarra River!

Another must-do is the famous Great Ocean Road Drive…although I would recommend taking a couple days to do it, rather than the 1 10-hour drive we rushed it in! Still…beautiful as ever with a pleasant drive along the coast along with some inland driving through forest! Eventually you’ll make it to the 12 Apostles, which are astounding upon first sight! With only 8 left, it’s something that could eventually disappear, so it was definitely worth the drive!

12 Apostles!

Our last day, we went back to one of our favorite spots , Brunswick Street. Similar to Fremantle in Perth, or Little 5 in Atlanta, it’s full of alternative, artsy people and weird shops :) Way more fun to walk down! We went to this awesome restaurant called “Naked for Satan”.. they brew their own beer and cider, and infuse their own vodka! Mon-Wed its 80c tapas, you pay after with your toothpick collection, and there is tons to look at with classic photos of naked men and women all over the place! Very cool vibe..just LOVED it! AND…there happened to be a Couchsurfing meeting there when we went..how cool! :)

Brunswick Street!

 A BIG THANKS to Julie and Jaq for hosting us during our stay in Melbourne! It was so great to see a familiar face and have a comfy bed to sleep in :)  

 

Category: Australia, Cities, Melbourne, Uncategorized  Tags: ,  2 Comments
Sydney!
Friday, November 25th, 2011 /

 

Olympic emblem

Sydney, once the site of Britain’s first Australian settlement is today the southern hemispheres stylish and lively hub of multiculturalism.  Approximately five million people from all around the world have made Sydney their home yet, it maintains the Aussie essence.  It is a bustling metropolis full of opportunity and wonderment with no shortage of happenings.  Whether you’re after the spectacular landmarks near Sydney and darling harbor, surfing beaches, endless shopping, a stroll through the botanical gardens, or letting hours melt away in a café – Sydney has something for everyone.  

Sydney Harbor

One first day in Sydney, we took it easy while we were overcoming the jet lag (which was affecting me unusually severely ) and took a stroll to the beach. Coogee Beach is one of the major beaches in Sydney that Sam happens to live 10 minutes walk from. It has a lot of character, with a street lined with locals cafes and smoothie shops, a park overlooking the water, and a promenade type area to sit and admire the view. The beach was already “packed” in the eyes of us WA beach bums, and it was only Tuesday!! Since it still wasn’t too hott yet, we decided to keep walking on to Bondi.

Bench for giants!

Little did we know, Bondi was really over 6 kms away, and walking around the jutted coastline took much longer than we expected. However, we were pleasantly surprised because not only was the view,of course, spectacular, but we happened to be there for “Sculptures by the Sea”!! We actually had seen this at Cottesloe in WA, and I got probably overly excited when I saw the same awkward red man in a different position!

Weird red man!

We finally made it to Bondi and were overwhelmed by how busy it actually was!! We plopped down on the sand, ate our peanut butter sandwiches, and people watched…hoping to see a famous Bondi rescue! … AND WE DID!!! It totally made the 2+ hour walk there worth it :)

Bondi!!

Sam and Ariel arrived that night and it was so so great to see a familiar face…..and a gorgeous happy as ever little Sam look-alike! We took a girls day with a stroll to some markets that sold all things i love most about markets. One purchase of this amazing broccoli/silverbeet/kale veggie juice, a gobble down of a chunk of buffalo mozzarella, and a few tastes of some local olive oils, and we were on our way to get our nails done, compliments of my love Brad :)

Nail Day!

That same night we all went to Kristy and Colins for dinner! After eating way too much cheese and crackers, we enjoyed some delicious pizza for a really nice night in playing with the girls and chatting over wine!

My little buddies :)

Brad and I took to the city the next day and fell in love with Sydney Harbour! The water with the bridge and opera house make it so picturesque…. even in the rain, we enjoyed the view. After roaming around all the little towns, we walked across the bridge for the best view of all! 

LOVED this view!

On the other side, the famous Luna Park awaited our arrival. It was actually closed…. but the gates were open and we wandered around this abandoned clown park  in foggy rainy weather. It was eerie!! I loved it!

We were lucky to get another nice day in Sydney, and took the ferry across to Manly! Although the beach was nice, it was similar to Bondi, and I actually found I enjoyed the bay more. Our favorite by far though was the 4 pines microbrewery. I recommend anyone to go…it’s got a really laid back atmosphere, a tasting plate of good sized beer for only $15 and everything else you could hope for in a microbrew! 

4 Pines!

We waited until dark to catch the ferry back, so we could see the city lit up at night! It was so beautiful, and I feel like we were SO lucky, because we saw fireworks at the Sydney Opera House and it was such a cool atmosphere!

Fireworks!!

The weekend arrived, and that meant only one thing…. STAMPEDE!! The valley stampede in Glenworth Valley to be exact. My family friend, Michelle picked us up for the road trip up there to what turned out to be one of the most unique and crazy things any of us have ever experienced. Dressed in Christmas gear, a group of 8 of us set of on a 5k obstacle course through the mud. After some log rolling, tire skipping, ice trenching, rope climbing and hay jumping….we were all wondering why everyone was finishing this thing SO dirty.

Straight Grossness!

WELL… bring on the mud. Next was running through deep wet mud, crawling through muddy tunnels, slip and sliding down into mud and straight up jumping into a sloppy mud pool! It was MAYHEM!!! The funniest obstacle of all was probably running through an electric maze…which really did electrocute you!! How they got away with that…I’ll never know!

The gang!

Anyway it was an absolute blast, and even better being able to catch up and spend time with Michelle and her friends! We finished the day off perfectly with a BBQ and drinks at a nearby hotel. Thanks Shelly for organizing everything!

Our last day in Sydney was spent exploring Darling Harbour. It’s got lots to offer, and the Chinese Garden looked very cool….BUT we mostly just walked around and took in all the crazy Santas floating around :)

It was really great to get back into the thick of it again and the busy streets of Sydney was a great launching pad.  Thanks so much to Sam, Valerio and Ariel for hosting us as we remembered how to be budget travelers again.  Much love to Kristy, Colin and the girls as well.  

We’re excited for phase two of our travels and hope we have as many amazing stories to share as the first half.  Thanks for reading!

Category: Australia, Beaches, Cities, Sydney  Tags: , ,  2 Comments
Dolly Beach
Sunday, November 20th, 2011 /

Beautiful White Sand!

If you ask any local what the best beach on Christmas Island is they’ll probably tell you, Dolly!  Standing out as one of the islands premier beaches, the white floury sand welcomes your feet after a two kilometre jungle trek.  The approximate 300 meters of beach front abuts groves of fruit bearing coconut trees that jut out and up towards the sea.  Beneath the trees are hundreds of crawling robber crabs fighting for dominance and pilfering distracted beachgoers lunches.  As the tide recedes the dazzling rock pools are revealed seducing bathers into their cool electric blue waters. 

Rahhh Robber crabs!

Relaxing by the palms!

Not only does Dolly Beach make for a great day trip, but the soft sand and remote location beckons the adventurous campers.  Receding tide is the best time to visit Dolly, so be sure to check for the times in the Islander.

Jungle Hike home!

Category: Australia, Beaches, Christmas Island, Dolly Beach  Tags: , , ,  Leave a Comment
Daniel Roux Caves!
Sunday, November 13th, 2011 /

Of all the wonderful places to explore on Christmas Island, there are none quite as exciting as Daniel Roux Cave.  From the outside, it looks ordinary.  You could almost miss the entrance if you didn’t know it was there, but lying beneath the jungle covered surface are grand stalactite caverns and bottomless trenches filled with gem colored waters; a marvelous natural phenomenon caused by a combination of geological events and thousands of years.

Danger ahh!

There is a fence with posted warning signs blocking the mouth of the cave.  The signs are a reminder of the dangers that lay beneath, but as far as I know, no one has ever died here.  As long as you take your time, observe the apparent risks and bring the right equipment, you have only claustrophobia to worry about.

Scary Ladders!

The climb down the skinny ladders into the belly of the cave takes both patience and concentration because at certain points, losing your footing and falling to your death is a very real possibility.   Once you reach the bottom the air is thick and the choice of which direction to go, is yours.   We decided to go left through a tiny crack that you had to squeeze past.  We reached the water right away and followed the “trail” into big open caverns and through thin openings ducking and climbing when necessary.

It was exhilarating, pushing forward not knowing where the next turn would lead.  A sensory overload that affected  the speech portion of my brain, so I could only mutter a “cool” or “sweet” as we shined light on an area which has never known any.  Even on the way back it was just as exciting because even though we were on the same path, there is so much that we missed coming from the other direction.

Fun with the glowsticks!

Climbing through the trenches!

As we climbed back up the dodgy ladders I saw the sunlight peeking through; and even though exploring the cave was incredible, it’s always great to see the light of day again.  It is an absolute must do on Christmas Island.  My excitement actually grew during and continued for days after.  It is amazing the power of time and pressure, which is what we have to thank for providing us with yet another great experience here!

The way back from the caves!

Category: Australia, Caves, Christmas Island  Tags: ,  One Comment
The Lagoon!
Wednesday, November 09th, 2011 /

Another new area for myself to visit, The Lagoon is a beached area tucked away behind the resort (which was always closed down when I visited late 90’s-early 00’s)

Coconut man!

After walking down a gravel street, you’ll see some small steps carved from the ground that lead you to the sand. It’s surrounded by palm trees and rocks, and apparently there used to be a waterfall there…..maybe there’s a trickle during wet season. The resort has plugged it up for their own use .

Picturesque

It was pretty and fun to play in the sand, but the water wasn’t right for swimming. The tide was coming in and it was rough. The snorkeling is supposed to be really nice over there though….hopefully next time!

Woo!

Category: Australia, Beaches, Christmas Island, Lagoon  Tags: , ,  Leave a Comment
Ethel Beach!
Tuesday, November 08th, 2011 /

Brad's masterpiece painting!

One place that you should take some time and get to know while on the island is Ethel Beach.  Given its proximity to Lily one might expect a similar layout, but it is actually very different.  From the parking lot there is a boardwalk that will lead you down to a set of steps bringing you out onto Ethel OR you can walk down the (unused) boat ramp and climb through some rocks to a private beach.

Rock Pools at Ethel

Once you touch down on the pebbly sand you have a choice to either set up in front of the shimmering indigo rock pools that are just deep enough to lounge in or stroll to the left where space is plentiful until you find a spot that suits you.  This is also a great place to view the casino, but even better for sunrise if you’re keen for a 5am wake up call. 

Yea

Probably the most important thing to take into consideration before planning a trip here is the tide.  Always choose low or going out over high/coming in because at its highest point the waves will be crashing into the steps leading down to the beach and the chill space becomes nil.  

Category: Australia, Beaches, Christmas Island, Ethel Beach  Tags: , ,  Leave a Comment
Fake Frames!!
Monday, November 07th, 2011 /

We were on Christmas Island when I celebrated my 24th birthday, and since Julie’s 23rd was just a few weeks before, we decided to have a joint birthday party. We of course wanted a dress-up theme, but realistically, there is nowhere to shop on Christmas Island. Unless you go to Perth or KL before the party, you’re very limited. So we decided on a “Fake Frames” party inspired by LMFAO.

Cousins!

We went all out, cleaning Julie’s house and yard up the whole week before, setting up dance lights, making the ultimate playlist, shopping for food and booze, acquiring tables and esky’s! Finally the night came and it was a blast! EVERYONE showed up wearing their sunnies with the lens popped out, and some of Julez friends even dressed outrageously for the occasion!

The girlies!

The boys stole the cam!

My favorite party favor was brought out… jello shots…and plenty of them! Beer pong was a success, but Flip Cup even more so! Upside Down Margaritas came out around midnight and after that…I think everyone was feeling good! Thanks to Oma and Aunty Suhaima, we had plenty of dips, snacks and even Sushi to munch on and keep everyone on their feet!

Upside down margaritas! :)

My Love!
Category: Australia, Christmas Island, Family  Tags: , ,  One Comment
Greta Beach!
Friday, November 04th, 2011 /

Also known as  the “Thong Beach”, Greta is unfortunately in the line of Indonesia’s outdoor rubbish bin! Although… it does make for some great community projects and art work!

View from the top!

Greta is yet again another beach only accessible by 4 wheel drive. The walk through the jungle is only short before you come to a staircase leading down to the sand!   It’s actually so beautiful and could be one of the nicest beaches on the island if it weren’t for all the trash!

Crazy Staircase!

At low tide and calm waters, you can wander around the cliffs to come to a giant rock pool that you can fully swim in.

Loved this twisted branch!

Category: Australia, Beaches, Christmas Island, Greta Beach  Tags: , ,  Leave a Comment
The Grotto!
Thursday, November 03rd, 2011 /

The Grotto is one of the few caves on the island that is relatively safe and very easy to access. However, just because it’s not hidden… doesn’t take away from it’s charm! After a short walk through the jungle, you walk up to a big rock formation that opens up into the ground.

DANGER!

Look down to see a crystal clear blue pool of cool freshwater. The experience is still a bit scary, because it leads out to the ocean and you can hear the growling waves as they crash into the rock and seep their way into the grotto.
Going in!
The tide will rise and suck out again, and I was scared I would get sucked out! Apparently divers can enter the ocean through here, but it can be pretty dangerous! If you look around the cave, you’ll see melted wax everywhere from candles set up to have a romantic dip at night!
COLD!

 

Category: Australia, Caves, Christmas Island, Grotto, Jungle  Tags: , , ,  Leave a Comment
Golfing on Christmas Island!~
Thursday, November 03rd, 2011 /

Although small, Christmas Island offers its locals plenty to do, one of which is to play a round of golf! 

What the golf course SHOULD look like :)

Journey along Gaze road through the cemeteries, passed the grotto and soon after the landscape opens up; to your right wide open green space dotted with coconut trees and a backdrop of steep limestone cliffs.  And on your left, the bright blue ocean crashing against the rocks.  Unfortunately for us, the island is so dry at the moment, that it wasn’t as lush and green as we had hoped. Nevertheless, it was still a beautiful sight, and I even got Chelsea to come out to play a couple times with me!

Brad on the green!

The Christmas Island Golf Course  is nestled so nicely in between natures eye candy that you almost feel guilty paying only $10 for nine holes.  

Famous twin palms!

At any point during your round you can look up to the cliffs and see the booby or frigate birds gliding overhead and if you’re lucky, a red crab will come out of hiding to congratulate you on a good shot.  

Golfing with the grandparents :)

Category: Australia, Christmas Island, Family, Golf  Tags: , ,  Leave a Comment
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