We left Nimbin after 3 long and restful days and headed to Byron for a day to hang out and see what all the hype was about. It was a wonderful town and we just didnt have the time to do it right. We loked around and browsed the beach and were upset that the Blues and Roots festival fell on the same weekend that we were supposed to explore. However, we ran into the Irish guys again and we booked our Fraser Island trip.
We leave on Friday and we are spending three days and two nights on the Largest sand island in the world. It is supposed to be an unreal time and we are so excited that we are going to do it with some people that we know. WE will be in a jeep with 6 other people for a total of 10, so it should be a gong show.
Anyways, Ill write more about that once we've actually gone, but right now we are at Bond University where my friend Sarah and Jordan go. IT's a sweet place to stay as there are showers and bathrooms in my friend Sarah's place and we are only a five minute drive outside of surfer's paradise and all the other beautiful beaches on the Gold Coast. Even though Surfer's is super touristy, we have been having a great time just spending the entire day on the beach and hanging out. Tomorrow we are heading off to Brisbane for the day to do a brewery tour and to stay with the Canadians that we met in Nimbin! Should be funnn!!!
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Bondi-nimbin!
We left bondi and headed up the coast in hopes of spending some quality time in byron bay. Litte did we know that one of the biggest music festivals in Australia the Blues and Roots Festival was playing over easter weekend. We tried about 10 different camping sites and they were all full. so we returned to a nice little town about 15 minutes outside called Lennox Head and spend the night in an open field. It wasnt too bad... we went out for a drink and there was live music so it was nice. The next morning we headed out to Nimbin.... a tiny town about 1.5 hours from Byron Bay that is completely stuck in the 1970s. It is pretty hilarious there are peace signs everywhere and rainbows and psychadelic painting and grafiti everywhere.
We are staying in this campsite/hostel called the rainbow retreat which is completely full of hippies, of all ages. It's pretty hilarious. there are teepee's and old VW wagons set up as double suites. IT has definately been an experience. WE have decided to stay for a third night here and are heading off to Surfer's and then to Brisbane, which should be sweet now that we have a place to stay there. WE met two canadians here last night that have a great appt in Brisbane and have offered to let us stay as one of their roomates is out of town... we will even be able to park in their basement!! Very exciting!!
We are staying in this campsite/hostel called the rainbow retreat which is completely full of hippies, of all ages. It's pretty hilarious. there are teepee's and old VW wagons set up as double suites. IT has definately been an experience. WE have decided to stay for a third night here and are heading off to Surfer's and then to Brisbane, which should be sweet now that we have a place to stay there. WE met two canadians here last night that have a great appt in Brisbane and have offered to let us stay as one of their roomates is out of town... we will even be able to park in their basement!! Very exciting!!
Monday, March 17, 2008
Bondi beach!
Tom and I have spent the last couple night in bondi beach and its been amazing. It's about 7 kms outside sydney and its this unreal strech of white sand.
We left kate's aunt and uncles place on sunday afternoon and as a parting gift adrian (kat's uncle) gave tom a surf board!! It was amazing... so tom is now trying to figure out how to surf... its very tough, but im sure he'll get it! Anyways after we left we came to bondi and met up with the peeps that we met in Melbourne. We decided that spending St. patricks day weekend with a group of Irish kids was probably a great idea... and it was!!
Anyways we havent really done much here, swim, sun and sand really... and we are heading out of here today to start heading up to the gold and sunshine coasts. should be amazing! we cant wait. love hearing from all of you!! xoxox
We left kate's aunt and uncles place on sunday afternoon and as a parting gift adrian (kat's uncle) gave tom a surf board!! It was amazing... so tom is now trying to figure out how to surf... its very tough, but im sure he'll get it! Anyways after we left we came to bondi and met up with the peeps that we met in Melbourne. We decided that spending St. patricks day weekend with a group of Irish kids was probably a great idea... and it was!!
Anyways we havent really done much here, swim, sun and sand really... and we are heading out of here today to start heading up to the gold and sunshine coasts. should be amazing! we cant wait. love hearing from all of you!! xoxox
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Sydney!
WEhave arrived safe and sound in Sydney. We are having a great time as Kate's aunt and uncle have let us stay in their house. It's great. they live in a beauuuuuuuutiful house in the north beaches of Sydney. The night we arrived we were treated to an amazing steak dinner. SOOOO nice after a week of eating pasta and rice!
Yesterday we went into Sydney to do the whole touristy thing. WE took the Ferry from Manly beack into downtown and enjoyed the amazing views of the opera house and the harbour bridge. After we arrived in the city, we saw the Opera House and walked around the rocks, the oldest area of Sydney dating all the way back to the early 1800s (SO OLD.... haha). After we headed over to the botanical gardens and toured around the govenours house... not too shabby of a pad. Last night we went out to a Retired Services Club (RSL) this weird member only club that they have over here with good food and super cheap drinks! It was so much fun, and we got to watch some rugby too! After dinner and the game we came back to Kate's aunts and uncles for a little after party with some of their freinds, it was great!
Today we got up bright and early and went over to a national park that has some super old aborigonal rock carving and an unbelievable view of all of the north beaches. just gorgeous! After we headed out to body board and surf at palm beach, one of the nicest beaches in North Sydney, were average house prices are about 3 million, and where elle macpherson took her holidays over Christmas time, were swish!! Tonight we are cooking up some Kangaroo!! (very fitting as we saw our first one today... ) should be good!!
Yesterday we went into Sydney to do the whole touristy thing. WE took the Ferry from Manly beack into downtown and enjoyed the amazing views of the opera house and the harbour bridge. After we arrived in the city, we saw the Opera House and walked around the rocks, the oldest area of Sydney dating all the way back to the early 1800s (SO OLD.... haha). After we headed over to the botanical gardens and toured around the govenours house... not too shabby of a pad. Last night we went out to a Retired Services Club (RSL) this weird member only club that they have over here with good food and super cheap drinks! It was so much fun, and we got to watch some rugby too! After dinner and the game we came back to Kate's aunts and uncles for a little after party with some of their freinds, it was great!
Today we got up bright and early and went over to a national park that has some super old aborigonal rock carving and an unbelievable view of all of the north beaches. just gorgeous! After we headed out to body board and surf at palm beach, one of the nicest beaches in North Sydney, were average house prices are about 3 million, and where elle macpherson took her holidays over Christmas time, were swish!! Tonight we are cooking up some Kangaroo!! (very fitting as we saw our first one today... ) should be good!!
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
The wonderful world of OZ!
Helllooo there,
Tom and I have made it to Australia. We are having a great time and their autumn weather is keeping us nice and warm at a cool 37 degrees C.
We Arrived on the 6th of March and stayed in a hostel for two nights right in the centre of Melbourne. We had a great time and saw lots of the city, and people are right when they say it is a lot like MOntreal. Tons of restaurants and galleries and all that are everywhere... the cultural centre of Oz.
On our second night in town we met this wonderful couple from ireland and we went out on the town with them after finishing a 6 pack in the hostel. Moral of the story... NEVER try and keep up drinking with the Irish!!!
The very next morning we got up at 9am still shitfaced off our arse (aussie talk) from the night before and took the train out to the middle of nowhere (with the help of a Melbourne resident crackhead) to find our campervan. After a 4 km. hike in herione town... we arrived at the Wicked Rentals place and my hangover hit full force... it was awful I thought I was going to die! After many failed attempts at paying with various credits cards, we finally got one to work and were off in our van.
They drive on the left side of the road here and tom struggled with it at first... but quickly caught on as our standard van is all backwards... the windshield wipers are where the clicker should be and the sitck is on the left side!! VERY CONFUSING. and its a good thing tom taught me to drive standard or he would be doing all 4000 km. of driving!
After we picked up the van we went back to Melbourne and stayed over night in St. Kilda, a really cute park of Melbourne and the next morning bright and early we headed off to the great Ocean Road. and it was just that... GREAT. SOOOO nice, some of the most beautiful scenery I have ever seen in my life.
WE spent 2 nights in a little town called Port Campbell and met these two crazy Swiss guys and drank beers on the pier! It was wonderful. We saw all there was to see on the road, from the 12 apostles to the Loch Ard Gorge. We set off yeasterday on our way to Sydney and we are not in Canberra (in Australia capital Terretory) with about 300 kms. more to go until Sydney where we are going to spend St. Patrick's day with our Irish Friends Naill and Michelle and see Tom's good friend Kate Makarow. That's all for now!!! We miss everyone terribly and cant wait to hear from all of you xoxoxoxoxo
LOVE
Tom and I have made it to Australia. We are having a great time and their autumn weather is keeping us nice and warm at a cool 37 degrees C.
We Arrived on the 6th of March and stayed in a hostel for two nights right in the centre of Melbourne. We had a great time and saw lots of the city, and people are right when they say it is a lot like MOntreal. Tons of restaurants and galleries and all that are everywhere... the cultural centre of Oz.
On our second night in town we met this wonderful couple from ireland and we went out on the town with them after finishing a 6 pack in the hostel. Moral of the story... NEVER try and keep up drinking with the Irish!!!
The very next morning we got up at 9am still shitfaced off our arse (aussie talk) from the night before and took the train out to the middle of nowhere (with the help of a Melbourne resident crackhead) to find our campervan. After a 4 km. hike in herione town... we arrived at the Wicked Rentals place and my hangover hit full force... it was awful I thought I was going to die! After many failed attempts at paying with various credits cards, we finally got one to work and were off in our van.
They drive on the left side of the road here and tom struggled with it at first... but quickly caught on as our standard van is all backwards... the windshield wipers are where the clicker should be and the sitck is on the left side!! VERY CONFUSING. and its a good thing tom taught me to drive standard or he would be doing all 4000 km. of driving!
After we picked up the van we went back to Melbourne and stayed over night in St. Kilda, a really cute park of Melbourne and the next morning bright and early we headed off to the great Ocean Road. and it was just that... GREAT. SOOOO nice, some of the most beautiful scenery I have ever seen in my life.
WE spent 2 nights in a little town called Port Campbell and met these two crazy Swiss guys and drank beers on the pier! It was wonderful. We saw all there was to see on the road, from the 12 apostles to the Loch Ard Gorge. We set off yeasterday on our way to Sydney and we are not in Canberra (in Australia capital Terretory) with about 300 kms. more to go until Sydney where we are going to spend St. Patrick's day with our Irish Friends Naill and Michelle and see Tom's good friend Kate Makarow. That's all for now!!! We miss everyone terribly and cant wait to hear from all of you xoxoxoxoxo
LOVE
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Hong Kong Cont...
Today was unreal!!! so we were sooo jetlagged last night and went to bed at 7pm, however it meant that be 7am we were up and ready to go for a full day today. we got up, ate and went to the peak of the city. that was amazing... basically a mountain in the middle of hong kong city and it provides the most amazing views of the city. It was great but somehow I got scammed into paying 40$ HK for sitting in a rick-shaw and having my picture taken... SO MAD!!! IT made for a laugh though and I know that I will think that everyone is trying to rip mee off for the rest of the trip!! After the peak we went to the zoological and botanical gardens in the middle of the city... there were tons and tons of birds, animals and stuff and it was all free!! we saw orangatangs and some amazing birds among other things... it was great.
One thing that we noticed around the city was the fact that the translation of cantonese to english is quite poor, epecially when you are talking about dog shit. The sign for please clean up after your dog is "allow your dog fouling in public place will risk prosecution" or "Don't let your dog deposit its faeces in public place." pretty hilarious...
We also ate in a traditional chinese/hong kong diner... and ordered with difficulty as not a word was in english! Crazy amazing food t hough... After lunch we went back to the hotel and then headed straight out to the night market on the Kowloon side of the island. it was great out there and we also loved the dinner we ate (chili and garlic prawns and rice.. yum!) We watched the lights show and then took the star ferry... i whole $25 cents back to hong kong island central... where are hotel is. we are going to head back to the hotel considering we have to get up early in the morning to cathc our 9 hour plane to Melbourne!! SO EXCITING!!!
One thing that we noticed around the city was the fact that the translation of cantonese to english is quite poor, epecially when you are talking about dog shit. The sign for please clean up after your dog is "allow your dog fouling in public place will risk prosecution" or "Don't let your dog deposit its faeces in public place." pretty hilarious...
We also ate in a traditional chinese/hong kong diner... and ordered with difficulty as not a word was in english! Crazy amazing food t hough... After lunch we went back to the hotel and then headed straight out to the night market on the Kowloon side of the island. it was great out there and we also loved the dinner we ate (chili and garlic prawns and rice.. yum!) We watched the lights show and then took the star ferry... i whole $25 cents back to hong kong island central... where are hotel is. we are going to head back to the hotel considering we have to get up early in the morning to cathc our 9 hour plane to Melbourne!! SO EXCITING!!!
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Hong Kong!
So after 16 excruciating hours on a plane we finally have arrived in hong kong. We got here at about 2pm and have been exploring the city for the past four hours. our hotl is great, very central and close to all the sights. However, we are living in the space the size of a closet... I guess we should get used to this though!! We have also discovered that everything you want to see in hong kong is uphill, so at least the WW should work over here for me too!!! Ok well we are going to grab a bite to eat and a couple brews and head off to bed... big day of sightseeing tomorrow!!!
love you all oxoxox
love you all oxoxox
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