Holly In OZ

Thank you and Good Night

2008-05-30T08:04:00.003+10:00

Since I'm no longer living in Australia, I've decided to close off this blog for now and start a new one about our lives "in America" (as the Aussies say!). I've loved writing about our overseas travels and time in Australia, and I sincerely hope those of you who have read this blog, have enjoyed following along with our adventures. My only regret about this blog is that I didn't start it sooner... but better late than never, right?

So, if you've enjoyed reading this blog and are craving for more, please check out my new blog, It Feels Like Home. The adventures continue!

Thanks Heaps.
xx

Until We Meet Again

2008-05-29T03:37:00.005+10:00

Our time in Australia has come to an end. After three years abroad, we decided to pack up everything and move back to the US. Unfortunately, Dad is ill and my family needs help. It's really hard to care for an ailing parent from so far away, never mind from another country. So, Paul and I have decided the right thing to do is to move home.

I know despite the illness, my parents would want us to live our lives and not worry about anything. In fact, Mom being mom has still tried to shelter her kids from the harsh reality of dad's illness. But after three years, we've had a good run in Sydney. We had fun and will always look back at our time abroad with fond memories. Although our lives were really good in Australia, it just wasn't right to being living the high life while things are not going well on the home front. At the end of the day, life isn't all good if your loved ones are struggling. Dad's illness seems to be finally confirmed by his doctor and at least now we know what we're facing. Paul and I need to be there for our family... we don't want to miss anymore time.

Luckily, Paul's work has been extremely understanding and offered him to work from the US for the same Sydney company. He's telecommuting and will hopefully be making a few trips a year back to OZ. So, in a way, it's not a final goodbye to Sydney. I'm confident we will be back... even if it's just for a few visits here and there.

We had some really amazing experiences while living abroad. We travelled heaps, experienced different cultures, learned much and have come away with a different perspective on life and our lives. I am so thankful and feel so fortunate to have had this experience and look forward to perhaps living abroad again in the future. I honestly think if one has the chance to live overseas, they should. I know it's a big change and there's a lot involved in uprooting one's life but the experience is so rewarding in so many way- too many to really communicate. You get out of it what you put in to it and I think we really gave it our all, which is why we loved it so much. Don't get me wrong, living overseas can be difficult in many ways, but you just have to keep things in perspective, give it a chance and be willing to make compromises and sacrifices. In the end, the benefits and the experience, at least for us, out way any obstacles.

We will miss Sydney and will always think of it as our second home. It's a beautiful city with just about everything you could want- beautiful beaches, scenic harbours and views, green park lands, mountains, wine valleys, culture, arts, business, fine cuisine and on and on. I know I'm a bit partial since we've called Sydney home for three years, but I really do think it's one of the best cities in the world.

I'm not going to say goodbye to Australia because I know we will be back so here's a short re-cap in pictures of some of our good times living and travelling in Australia.

South East Asia Highlights

2008-05-21T10:50:00.077+10:00

I have finally gotten around to downloading our photos from our time in South East Asia. It truly was an amazing trip and such a beautiful part of the world. Each country has its own charm, culture, history and character and we really enjoyed experiencing it all. There's just too much to go in to so I've decided to show some trip highlights through pictures. Oh, and after Cambodia, we went back to Bangkok and I must say we left with a much better impression of the city than last time. OK, enjoy the photos!

THAILAND:

Bangkok Skyline

River House

Eating a Grasshopper!

Tuk-Tuk (local taxi)

Elephant ride in Chiang Mai

Buddhist Temple

"Sleeping Buddha"

"Big Buddha"

Grand Palace

LAOS:

Ultra modern Buddhist temple

Sunset on the Mekong River

Local village along the Mekong

Village kids

Night Markets in Luang Prubang

Luang Prubang

Pigs in a tuk-tuk

Laos Theatre

Day Markets

Sunset on the Mekong River

Paul playing with the village kids during our overnight stay

VIETNAM:

Halong Bay

Hanoi

"Uncle Ho's" Mausoleum

Family of four on a motor bike

Incense maker

Monk student

Hoi An

My Son (4th Century ancient ruins)

Bad Ass biker- BEWARE!

Cyclo Paul

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

Cu Chi Tunnels

CAMBODIA:

Angkor Wat

Sunrise

Preah Khan (Jungle Temple)

Bayon Temple

Phenom Phen

The Killing Fields (warning- sensitive images)

Walking on bones (the white specs in the dirt- it's everywhere)

Mass Graves

Siem Reap

Happy Birthday Dad

2008-05-10T02:55:00.004+10:00

Today is Dad's birthday and for the first time in three years, I'm here to celebrate with him. All he wanted for his birthday was for Paul and I to come home and so, he has his wish. It makes me happy that I've made him happy. These are tough times for Dad and our family so being able to celebrate another birthday of his is such a wonderful thing. Although he's not the same old Dad he once was, he's still my dad and I'm so thankful he's still "with us" to know it's his birthday and that he's excited about his big day.

Things are changing for Dad and although I'm not too sure what the future holds for him and our family, I'm grateful for all the time we've had and continue to have together. Just like Mom, Dad has also been the backbone of our family. He's provided a loving, stable familial foundation for Sister and I. For as long as I can remember, Dad was always there for us... even when most Dads are too busy with work. He was always our soccer, basketball, and softball coach through all of our years. He was always there for every swim meet, dance recital, school concert, girl scout ceremony, and anything and everything you can think of. He always made it a point to be there for us and I remember it all. I'm not quite sure how he did it all but he did and in my book, that makes him my super hero.

But not only was he there for me for school, sports and all those crazy extracurricular activities, but he also worked hard to provide a financially sound household for his family. He was extremely good at his job and served as a strong role model to us of what hard work, brains and determination can do. He showed us that we could be anything, do anything and succeed in many things. And, every now and then there might be hurdles and failures, but that's part of the learning process and it only makes you better. Dad has been and continues to be an integral part in making me who I am today. He taught me to learn, to dream, to face challenges and how to over come them. I've learned many life lessons from him whether he knows it or not. He always made time to listen and care. He made my worries and sorrows go away. He's a kind, gentle soul who can make friends with anyone. He's quite the jokester and is always up for a good time. Everyone always loves Dad. I guess the point is, is that Dad was always there for us. Now it's time for us to be there for him.

I'm very close to Dad. I love him dearly and I know he loves mom, me and my sister more than one could ever imagine. We are his pride and joy and just as he is always proud of us, I am even more proud of the man and the father that he is. So thanks, Dad. I love you and wish you many more happy birthdays. xo

Honey, We're Home

2008-05-09T04:35:00.003+10:00

What's that...

We've arrived in the land of smog, chain restaurants, strip malls, 12 lane freeways with bumper to bumper traffic...

Oh yes, you're right. We're home. So why did we leave again?

Get ready for life back in the U S of A.

There's more to come.

Cambodia

2008-05-02T08:00:00.005+10:00

Cambodia is one of those countries that truly tugs at your heart strings. For the first time on our trip, I really feel like I've been in a third world country. Laos is one of the poorest countries in the world but yet it didn't feel as third world in comparison to Cambodia- even for the remote Laos regions we visited.

Extreme poverty is everywhere; more than half of Khmer people don't have access to sanitation or clean water. We saw many families living on streets and begging for food. Children suffer from malnutrition and inadequate immunizations against polio, measles, and diphtheria. Fifty percent of the population is 18 and under and yet there is no free education and school is not compulsory. Therefore, since ninety percent of the population is considered poor, children don't go to school and instead resort to begging and becoming street kids to make money for the family. Cambodia does a hard sell as more and more tourists start to visit the country. You're often bombarded with children running at you to buy their postcards, t-shirts, scarves... they need the money and if they don't sell, they don't eat.

Corruption is a way a life and it's unbelievably rampant in Cambodia; It's hard to believe there are Khmer people driving around in Bentleys and Lexus SUVs when there is so much poverty and devastation in their country. Money talks.

The political situation is very uncertain; Can you believe that high ranking members of Pol Pot's military and government are still in high command in today's government? And, the current royal family had strong relations with Pol Pot?!? Needless to say, while in Cambodia, I got the impression there is still a sense of fear and uncertainty. National elections are being held this year and they already know who's going to win.

Landmines and UXOs are a major issue of Cambodia; There are more than 6 million still in existence and in 2005, nearly 900 causalities. Needless to say, you're repeatedly told to, "stay on the path" when visiting temples or the countryside.

But you have to remember, Cambodia is country starting to heal. Following the years of war and genocide of Pol Pot's Khmer Rouge, and a long period of civil and political instability, Cambodia is only now starting to recover. And despite it's horrible, recent past, the Khmer people are resilient and just so warm and charming. They're happy to be alive and definitely live for the here and now. But as a country trying to rebuild, you can't escape the begging culture or the maimed victims of the war and land mines. It breaks your heart to say no as street children, families and disabled victims beg for money and follow you down the street desperately pleading for your money. It's just so hard to say, "no, I'm sorry." A few dollars to each beggar isn't going to help long term recovery. So, in Cambodia and along our entire trip, we have visited social organisation that help train street children for a good job and only shop for souvenirs at NGO's and local handicraft shops that go directly to social improvement programs. This way, the money goes back to the local economy and hopefully creates long term change for the better.

I feel very lucky to have visited Cambodia especially since the country has only recently opened its borders to tourists. I've learned the most I've ever known about its horrific past by visiting an S21 prison, the killing fields and hearing first hand history from the locals' personal stories of survival during Pol Pot's regime. And on a happier note, I got to experience the splendor of the ancient Khmer temples. Angkor Wat and Bayon (the faces) were some of our favourites. They are absolutely remarkable and so awe-inspiring.

Cambodia is slowly on its way to recovery and though the process will take many years, I hope the country finds long term stability, prosperity and peace. I also hope it continues to celebrate it's ancient culture and that many other tourists get to experience the wonders and beauty of Cambodia. The people are truly warm, kind and caring. I promise, you won't be disappointed if you visit Cambodia.

Vietnam

2008-04-21T19:57:00.003+10:00

Highlights of Vietnam so far:

2 day cruise on board a junk boat in Halong Bay
Water puppet show in Hanoi
A visit to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum
Motor bike tour of Hue and the countryside
My Son ancient ruins from the 4th century
The charming, small town of Hoi An
A Vietnamese cooking class
Hiring our own motor bike and cruising around the countryside

More to come...

Laos

2008-04-13T20:59:00.005+10:00

We have fallen in love with Laos. We just love the country to bits. The lifestyle is relaxed, the scenery is gorgeous and the people are just so warm and sweet despite the language barrier. There's just a certain charm and warmth about the country and the people. And, even though Laos is one of the poorest countries in the world, it is by far one of my favourite all-time places to travel. It really is amazing- you must see it for yourself. It hasn't been destroyed by the almighty dollar and irresponsible tourism. I really hope it doesn't change too much in the future.

We did a boat trip down the Mekong River and it was awesome. Along the way we stopped in to some tribal villages and they had never seen any westerners before... they don't even speak Laotion- just their own language. And still, despite being unable to communicate, and the fact that "strangers" were in their village, they were shy yet genuinely interested and so welcoming.

We even did an overnight stay in a remote tribal village and that was quite an amazing experience. No showers, toilets, beds, hot water, electricity, etc. Very basic and we did just like the locals did... bathed in the river, ate their food, played with the children and helped with the rice and craft making. Again, the people were just amazing and the children were so darling.

Once again, I don't have much time and there's so much to write about but I'll end this for now. I will tell you that I was: 1. attacked by leeches and had to burn them off; and 2. we went kayaking down some rapids and capsized in the river. It was fine and actually quite fun but our dry bag wasn't quite dry and our passports are a sight for sore eyes. We're hoping they'll hold out until the end of the trip... fingers crossed!

Thailand

2008-04-06T00:56:00.004+11:00

We have started our month long tour of South East Asia. This is will the first of many entries about our travels. Internet is hard to come by and when we do have it, it's rather slow so there will be no pictures and only short blurbs about our trip so far.

We started our trip in Bangkok and let's just say we were glad we saw it but happy to travel north to Chiang Mai after a few days. Bangkok is so crowded, dirty and polluted- it's just not our cup of tea. While we were there, we saw many temples, learned about Buddhism, visited the Grand Palace, rode down the river in a long tail boat, and took in the city itself. Bangkok is a very interesting place with a lively energy and tons of hustle and bustle. I could go in to lots of detail but perhaps I'll save that for another time.

After Bangkok, we took a 14-hour overnight train to Chiang Mai, Northern Thailand. This part of the country is less crowded, more relaxed and has natural beauty. We spent only one night in Chiang Mai but during the day, we did an elephant trek (where you ride the elephant) through the Thai jungle and then went bamboo rafting down the river. The raft is basically eight bamboo sticks tied together to create a raft. It was quite relaxing cruising down on our raft and we came out unscathed! After Chiang Mai, we drove to the Laos border where we crossed the border by boat in to Laos.

So for now, that's where I will leave it. Check back for more...

The Final Countdown

2008-03-29T08:38:00.006+11:00

We’re leaving on a jet plane… don’t know when we’ll be back again. That’s right… we’re departing our beloved Sydney for a move back to the US. It all happened way too fast and a lot sooner than we thought but that’s life for you. In a way, it's sort of sad yet good at the same time.

We love Sydney, we love Australia, and we will surely miss all of it dearly. The quality of life is amazing, the lifestyle is superb and really, in some aspects, life in the US just can’t compete with what Australia has going for it. Yes, Australia has its draw backs and it isn’t quite up on the latest technologies and all the modern conveniences, but in a way some of that is part of the charm. Sydney has just so much green space for being a major urban city and we have found that living in Australia, there's plenty of time to enjoy the little things and always time to travel. Life is just more relaxed and carefree and I love having four weeks of annual leave from work! I call it the no worries mentality, if you will.

Moving back to the US, Paul and I have sworn that we will not get back in to the same rat race we were in before moving overseas. We’re all about adjusting our lives to be fairly on par with how we have lived in Sydney. We pledge to use ALL of our leave time from work, try to live relatively stress-free, be more active and involved, enjoy our days and weekends, explore our surroundings, and really travel our own country. Not that we didn’t do those things before, it's just that we now have a different perspective about everything. I know there are places in the US that are similar to Australia and the US has its own beauty and a lot to offer... we just have to seek it out. It’s pretty obvious that LA isn’t going to cut it.

So yes, we’ll get back in to the American way of life, but we hope to live it up with a bit of an Aussie flare. We look forward to what's in store for us back in the US and of course we're thrilled to be reunited with our families and friends. Hopefully we'll at least return to Australia for a few trips here and there so stay tuned for more. I'll write a few more posts about our upcoming adventures. xx

Our Crazy Australian Easter Extravaganza

2008-03-27T17:23:00.026+11:00

Over the Easter break, Paul and I decided to pack in as much travelling around Australia as we possibly could in to six days. Since Good Friday and Easter Monday are public holidays in Australia, Paul and I also took Thursday and Tuesday to stretch out the break. Now, being that Australia is so massive many thought our travel itinerary was a bit of a crazy undertaking but we would not be deterred from our plans!

We left Sydney very early Thursday morning and flew to Brisbane, Queensland, where we met up with our friend, Dana. We then travelled south to Byron Bay, New South Wales, where we chilled all day at the Blues and Roots Festival, which is a five day music festival that happens every Easter in Byron. Thursday had acts such as Keb Mo’, Xavier Rudd, Keith Urban and John Butler. All of them were outstanding.

On Friday, we checked out Byron Bay seeing as though it was our first time visiting the area. We went to the beach, did some shopping and checked out the famous lighthouse. Byron is such a great cruisey, hippy-chic beach town. It was a really lovely charming little town and such a nice place to skip away to for a weekend.

Friday night we drove back to Brisbane and boarded a plane to Darwin, Northern Territory… next up: Kakadu National Park. Kakadu is a world heritage listed park for it Aboriginal culture and its environment. The park covers an area of almost 4.9 million acres of land… it’s just so massive and so unusual… I don’t think there’s anything else quite like it. The name Kakadu comes from the mispronunciation of ‘Gagudju’ which is the name of an Aboriginal language spoken in the northern part of the Park. The Aboriginal people, which are the traditional land owners, have occupied Kakadu for at least 40,000 years and the park is chockers full of Aboriginal culture, ancient drawing sites, natural wonders and of course, those beastly crocs! We went on a 2 day camping safari during the ‘wet season’ which means most of Kakadu is flooded and the usual site like Ubirr and Twin Fall and Jim Jim Falls are in accessible. I saw them all before with my sister so it was actually quite nice to see Kakdu during the wet season b/c I was able to see different areas of the park that aren’t normally the main attractions. We did visit the cultural centers, Nourlangie Rock, Gunlom falls and went for a dip in one of the swimming pools. At night we camped in a permanent tent so we weren’t exactly roughing it but it was still an adventure. We got serenaded all night by dingos in our camp. There was also a massive, vibrant thunderstorm at night which was quite cool but we also managed to get wet through our tent… all part of the fun.

Sunday night we returned to Darwin, checked out a few of the bars and restaurants, and caught our flight back to Brisbane. Monday we traveled yet again to Byron Bay to take in the musical festival. Acts such as Rodrigo Y Gabriela, KT Tunstall, the Black Crows, and John Fogerty rocked out on stage all night. It was such a great festival… good music, great new and old talent and a really chill, groovin’ atmosphere.

The next day, we drove back up to Brisbane and spent the day on Stradbroke Island. What a gorgeous place- so much natural wild life. We saw dolphins having a bit of a surf, and heaps of sea turtles and manta rays just cruising along the seas.

Tuesday night we boarded our flight to Sydney and arrived home absolutely exhausted. On our trip our sleep was very minimal, and with so much travelling and our sore, sunburned bodies we just crashed when we got home. Looking back on our trip, yes, we were crazy for squeezing in basically half of Australia in to just a few days. Even the Qantas attendants and check-in crew thought we were absolutely mad and couldn’t fathom how we thought doing all of that traveling was a good idea, but in the end, it was definitely worth it to us and we’d do it all over again in a heart beat!

Groovin' in the Park

2008-03-17T20:48:00.022+11:00

This weekend, Paul and I went to the Jack Johnson concert. It was a beautiful evening in the Centennial parklands and the perfect place to listen to some great music outdoors. Australia is Jack's first stop on his tour to promote his latest album, Sleep Through the Static. Overall, his new album is a bit mellow and simple yet quite lovely and calming.

We arrived at the park relatively early which was good because it was extremely packed with mobs of people. Luckily we were close to the left side of the stage; however, me being the shorty that I am struggled to see much of the stage as everyone was standing the entire night.

Before Jack opened, Aboriginal dancers from Nowra performed on stage. It was really good and so nice to see and hear such a warm welcome from the audience for the performers. We also heard some great tunes from the supporting lineup which included Will Connor, Matt Costa, and special guest, G Love and Special Sauce.

Overall, the concert was great fun and we were happy to see Jack down unda!

P.S. Happy St. Patty's Day to everyone!

Life After 30

2008-03-13T20:59:00.013+11:00

So turning 30 wasn't so bad... although the next day, after the first day of celebrating, I was a bit groggy, tired and sore- proof that my youth is fleeting, ha! My two-day birthday celebration turned in to a five-day extravaganza thanks to Paul. Wednesday and Thursday were local celebrations and on Friday, Paul whisked me away to the Central Coast for a weekend getaway at the beach.

My workmates celebrated my birthday with balloons and a Snickers chocolate nut cheesecake- yum! Paul was sweet and sent me this beautiful arrangement at work.

Later we went to Cafe Pacifico for some rather authentic Mexican food. We were all too excited to actually be eating "real" Mexican food that we stuffed ourselves silly and didn't leave room for dessert! Even the margaritas were delicious and quite potent which is probably why I felt a bit rough the next morning.

Thursday night we went to the outdoor Starlight Cinema and watched American Gangster while we celebrated with cake and a bottle (or two) of champers. I absolutely love the Starlight Cinema- this is one of my favourite things to do in Sydney. What's better than grabbing a rug, some wine, food, and cuddling up under the stars with your loved one to watch a movie on a warm summer's night. I love it!

Friday we hired a car and drove a little ways up the coast of NSW to Terrigal for the weekend. We went to Putty Beach and actually went for a swim for the first time this summer. We dined at our usual jaunts- the Haven for brekkie and The Letterbox, one of our favourites, for a lovely dinner! It was a great weekend.

My present from Paul (besides the weekend away) was a handmade didgeridoo, which is an Aboriginal instrument made out of wood. This particular didg is crafted from gum wood and coated in beeswax. The Aboriginal design is very subtle and natural with just a slight adornment of the trademarked black and orange dot pattern. I love that it's a little piece of Australia that will always have with us and the money spent on it goes back to the local Aboriginal village that crafted the instrument. Now trying to play it is a whole other ballgame and it going to take quite some time and practice.

3-OH!

2008-03-05T08:59:00.008+11:00

Holy crap. I'm 30.

As I'm writing this I *think* I'm hyperventilating. I'm anxious, flustered, jittery = FREAKING OUT. Why? It's just a number?!?! But seriously, after our 21st or even 25th, do we really need to count anymore? We're getting older every year- do we really need confirmation with an annual tally?

For some unknown reason it’s hard to shut the door on my beloved 20’s. After all, my twenties were some of the greatest times of my life; those crazy college days, parties that lasted all night and well in to the morning, becoming my own person, making lifelong friends, starting my career, falling in love, getting married, moving overseas, travelling… well, you get the point. There were a lot of great things that happened to me in those carefree, youthful days so is it really so bad that I might want to hold on to that a bit longer?

In reality I don't think turning 30 will change my life; however, I do believe entering a new decade will change my lifestyle. My priorities are starting to change and it does feel like it's time to take the next step in life. I’ve enjoyed living overseas, being able to travel on a whim, saving money and all the glory that comes with being young and free from care but I think the time has come to ‘settle down’ in my old age (ha!). Our adventures living abroad will soon end (for now) and life back in the US will resume. Hopefully there will be a few kids in the picture, a home and of course the ugliest three-legged dog we can rescue.

So maybe that’s why I’m freaking out a bit… in a way a chapter in my life is closing but a new one is just starting. I do know that I shouldn't be freaking out about my birthday. Today is a celebration of my life and thirty will surely bring even more happy and amazing times. Perhaps the fun is even just beginning? Life is what you make of it and everything that has happened these past thirty years have made me, me. I have learned a lot, experience much and look forward to what the future holds. I'll continue to find the simple joys that make every day special, live the best possible life that I can lead, be true to myself and my spirit, hopefully make a difference in the world, love my family and friends, and maybe even share some of my wisdom with those Gen Y-ers!

And since Australia is in the "future" from my actual birth place (thanks to the huge time difference) I’m going to celebrate my birthday twice simply because it’s my party and I can if I want to!

So, goodbye 20's and hello 30’s.

Cheers!

XO

Spiders!

2008-03-01T17:42:00.005+11:00

The lovely view from our window

Our Three Year Love Affair With a Sunburned Country

2008-02-25T17:33:00.034+11:00

Like most things in life, things don’t always go to plan. Originally, our great Australian adventure was only going to last for a year; however, one year quickly turned in to two and today we are celebrating three years living down under. It’s strange yet wonderful how life works out, and just how quickly time flies.

While living abroad has its disadvantages- for example, the huge ocean that stands in between us and our family and friends, the time difference, the expensive flights, etc., overall, I would have to say our time in Sydney has been absolutely fun-filled and amazing. Our quality of life is excellent, our lives are relatively stress-free, and we’ve been able to travel heaps. We definitely have a different perspective on life thanks to our time in Australia.

Sydney obviously keeps us coming back for more and while we do realize there will soon be a time when we have to pack it up, for now we’re very happy to continue making our home here.

To celebrate our "three year aussie anniversary" we decided to re-discover Sydney over the weekend. It was finally a gorgeous, hot and sunny weekend so we had to take advantage of it!

It was a very busy and electric weekend in Sydney. There were heaps of people out due to the fabulous weather; the Australia v. India cricket match and the Hyundai A-league finals (football) were going on; it's (gay) mardi gras party time; and there was the royal rendezvous of the Queen Victoria (on its first tour) and the QE2 (on its last tour).

Saturday we caught a ferry to Circular Quay where we dined and drank it up in Aussie fashion at the stylish, harbour-side Opera Bar. After a lovely dinner, we engaged in a bit of culture at the Opera House and enjoyed the comedic production of Shakespeare's As You Like It.

Sunday we went on a walking tour of Sydney. We started in our neighbourhood, walked over the Harbour Bridge, through the Rocks and their outdoor markets, and on to Circular Quay. We had a beautiful seafood lunch and a few wines at a lovely restaurant on the harbour. After lunch, it was more walking all throughout the Botanical Gardens.

We had a wonderful weekend and as we move on in to our third year living on this giant island, we look forward to what lies ahead for us.

Viva Obama

2008-02-23T10:52:00.005+11:00

This is one of the best campaign videos ever made.

To the candidate who is Barack Obama
I sing this corrido with all my soul
He was born humble without pretension
He began in the streets of Chicago
Working to achieve a vision
To protect the working people
And bring us all together in this great nation
Viva Obama! Viva Obama!
Families united and safe and even with a health care plan
Viva Obama! Viva Obama!
A candidate fighting for our nation
It doesn't matter if you're from San Antonio
It doesn't matter if you're from Corpus Christi
From Dallas, from the Valley, from Houston or from El Paso
What matters is that we vote for Obama
Because his struggle is also our struggle, and today we urgently need a change
Let's unite with our great friend
Viva Obama! Viva Obama!
Families united and safe and even with a health care plan

Viva Obama! Viva Obama!
A candidate fighting for our nation

Happy (Belated) Valentine's Day

2008-02-16T19:46:00.016+11:00

I hope everyone had a lovely Valentine's Day! Paul was sweet and surprised me with these beautiful flowers at home. The scent is just gorgeous and makes me smile every time I step through the door.

After work, we celebrated the night with a few friends who were in town from Brisbane for a short visit. We dined on delicious Indian food and cracked opened a few bottles of wine fresh from our trip to the Hunter Valley. So, it wasn't necessarily a romantic evening but it was great fun nonetheless.

On Valentine's Day, Paul and I not only celebrate our love for each other, but we also celebrate something else... our "Engagement Anniversary." It was four years ago on February 14th that Paul popped a simple question that would change our lives forever. And even though it was not planned because of Valentine's Day- it just happened that the day fell on the weekend while we were in New York City- Valentine's Day has an extra special meaning to us.

And yes, we are big dorks and I know what you're thinking, "Who celebrates their engagement anniversary?" Well, we do. It was an important moment in our lives together and one we want to remember each year. In all honesty, we have a few special anniversary days that we like to commemorate every year. It's nice having a little something extra special to celebrate with the hubs and in my book you can never have too many anniversaries or for that matter, too much of a good thing!

XO

A Day on the Green

2008-02-11T17:37:00.001+11:00

This weekend, Paul and I left the city for a little relaxation and fun in Sydney’s wine region, the Hunter Valley. It’s just a short two hour drive away and you’ve been transported to the country.

The Hunter Valley is beautiful terrain lined with farms and rolling hills dotted with vineyards. This time of year, everything is lush and green and the grapes are just about ready for picking. We love the Hunter and surely this will be a place we will miss dearly when we eventually move back to the US. Unlike Napa, California, which can be a bit pretentious and too good for its own doing, the Hunter offers a no-fuss, relaxed environment set amongst scenic landscapes. The wines are gorgeous with the region being predominantly known for its Semillon and Shiraz; the local cuisine is simple, fresh and homegrown; and overall, it’s just country chic.

The main reason we headed to the Hunter this weekend was to enjoy ourselves at a concert on Saturday night. For Christmas, we bought tickets for A Day on the Green, which is an outdoor concert series that travels to various wineries around Australia. It combines amazing homegrown musical talent with fine wine, food and a spectacular location. This weekend, Bimbadgen Estate was featuring the The John Butler Trio, an electric roots blue grass jam band that is one of our favourites- We absolutely love these guys. Not only are they quality musicians but they use their talents to bring awareness to social, political, cultural and environmental injustices.

For Paul and I, we identify with their music and their hopes for making a better world. You’ve got to love a down-to-earth band that actually cares about our planet and each other. We had the honour of seeing John Butler play Ocean, which has got to be one of the best instrumental guitar pieces ever. He plays a 12 string guitar which is incredibly difficult to do and this song is just gorgeous. The trio played several other crowd favourites and I can safely say the vineyard was definitely rocking that night!

Mom

2008-02-04T18:23:00.000+11:00

Today is Mom's birthday. I truly wish I could be there with her to celebrate as I know, above all, the one thing she would want the most on her birthday is her family, healthy and together again. However with Sister being on the East coast, myself oceans away and the circumstances being what they are with Dad, unfortunately, it cannot be. And although I am a bit sad I cannot give her, her wish, I know she feels our love and support on this special day and every day.

My Mom is not just my Mom, but she’s my friend. Yes, a bit cliché, but we have always been extremely close to one another. Although I am married now and have my dear hubs to love and support me, knowing that I can still go to my Mom brings me great comfort... Maybe because she’s known me for nearly 30 years, or she’s a smart cookie with heaps of wisdom and love to share, or simply, because she’s my Mom and Mom always knows what’s best. Mom and I talk three times a day, every day, despite being over 7,000 miles apart. Yes, our phone bill is high but it’s a small price to pay to hear the voice of a loved one. She’s the one I love to call to help me make a decision, calm my fears, get advice or just to chit chat and gossip. Just hearing her voice makes it feel like she’s right by my side. And although we are far apart, I am grateful for all that she has given to me and continues to give me- her devotion, sacrifice, and love as well as her smarts, her energy and her beautiful spirit. She has loved me unconditionally and given me strength and security to make it on my own.

I think the hardest part of being a Mom is not the sacrifice, the dedication and love, the joy, the tears, or the energy spent, it’s letting your child grow its wings and then setting it free. I know when she set me free, she knew my move to California for uni was going to be a hard thing to get used to… but to add to it, I met a California boy, fell in love, got married and moved to Australia. She was prepared for the move to So Cal and overjoyed that I found the love of my life, but I think she wasn’t quite ready for her daughter to move half way around the world. And although it’s been tough, I know she’s happy I’m happy. It’s because of Mom that I have become the woman I am today and she has given me the greatest gifts which allow me to live my life to its fullest- no matter where it may take me.

That’s the beauty of Mom. She set me right and then she set me free.

And still, Mom continues to always be there for me, when I need comfort, encouragement, or just a good hug. Every day, she gives so much of herself. She has such a generous heart which makes her so inspiring. I love her, respect her, and admire her. For everything I am today, Mom’s love has shown me the way. I only hope that I can some day be just as good of a Mom like she is. My Mom is my hero. She doesn't know she's a hero but that's what makes her one to me.

I have always known from a young age that we are an extremely close family, and Mom is the backbone of our clan. She is a loving wife, friend and a super Mom who manages to do it all- even when times are tough. She’s been the glue that has kept us all grounded and given us so much in life that I doubt I’ll ever be able to repay her.

Mom and Dad have weathered a lot together but their love, loyalty, selflessness, and hard work has seen them through the best and the worst of times. They’ve been married for 34 years and are still going strong. In essence, they have created, together, a strong familial foundation for Sister and I. Mom and Dad raised us to be the best of friends and for this I am truly thankful. As they’ve said before, the day will come that they are no longer with us, and at the end of the day, Sister and I will always have each other. They take comfort in this just as I do. Family is a gift that lasts forever.

So on your birthday, Mom, I celebrate you and thank you for being the wonderful Mom and friend that you are. My wish for you is health, strength, patience, an enduring spirit, lots of love and more good memories to come.

Happy Birthday. XO

Aussie, Aussie, Aussie!

2008-01-26T19:05:00.001+11:00

Today is Australia day. It's the day that Australians come together and celebrate what's great about Australia and being Australian. For history's sake, January 26th commemorates the establishment of European settlement in Australia. For those not familiar, I would say the equivalent would be something similar to Independence Day in the US.

For Aboriginal Australians, January 26th often marks "survival day"- celebrating the fact that the indigenous people and their culture have not been wiped out. Australia still has a long way to go with reconciliation, however, I hope with every year, Australians will consider where they've come from, where they want to go and how they can work together, as one, to forward this great country. The Aborigines are such a vital part of this country and it would be such a tragedy if their rights, land and culture were to disappear. And for those reading thinking I'm like the kettle calling the pot black, well no, I know the US and Native American relationship is similar to Australia and the Aborigines, and yes, the US, too, has a long way to go with making things right with the Native Americans. However, this blog entry is about Australia day, so I'll keep on point... OK, getting off my soapbox now.

Most Aussies celebrate the day by gathering with friends and family to partake in a summer barbie while drinking heaps of beer and wine. Of course, there's the usual jaunt to either a park or the beach, and, there is always cricket- either on the tele or playing in the backyard.

For Paul and I, we decided to spend the day taking in some of Australia's natural beauty with a hike. We did the famed Manly walk which is a four hour trek through gorgeous scenery and tropical bushland along the the coastal cliffs of Sydney Harbour.

We saw lots of these guys:

While on our hike, I saw the greatest thing ever... no, not an ice cream truck, but an ice cream boat! The Aussies are genius! The ice cream boat putts along the shoreline ringing its bell as kids wade out and swim out to meet the ice cream boat. How cool is that- you can swim and eat ice cream at the same time!

After a short rest at home, Paul and I headed down to the point to watch some fireworks and enjoy a bottle of bubbly- one of my favourite things to do in the summer!

On another related note, something funny I find is Australia's Meat and Livestock industry's lamb campaign. For the past few years, there has been a big ad campaign for eating lamb, particularly on Australia Day, because apparently they want you to believe that eating lamb is the Australian thing to do. Yes, it's tongue-in-cheek and often these ads come under criticism, however, they seem to work as there has been a rise in the consumption of lamb and the week leading up to Australia Day is the highest lamb trading week. Kind of interesting, huh?

So, I leave you with this year's and last year's ad. If you're unfamiliar with Aussie culture you might not understand it or find it funny- I just find them peculiar.

2007 Ad:

2008 ad:

And one more thing, for anyone interested in Aboriginal culture, there is this great Australian film, Ten Canoes which is a mix of anthropology and entertainment. I highly recommend checking it out as you won't be disappointed.

Home

2008-01-23T17:26:00.000+11:00

I am happy to report that I am back in Sydney and happily reunited with the hubs. We're a good team and so it's nice to be back in action together.

It's weird, whenever I'm gearing up to leave the US, I get this achy homesick feeling before I even leave US soil. I think to myself, "I love the US and Australia is this horrible, far away place with nothing going for it. Why am I leaving?" Then, the tide changes and once I land in Sydney I'm absolutely in love with OZ all over again and start thinking, "Who would want to live in the US when you can live in Sydney! This place is amazing." Why the flip flop? I don't know, could it be because our trips to the US aren't very often so leaving is always hard especially when you don't know when you'll return? Maybe it's just a case of the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence, (or in my case, ...other side of the world!) or, maybe it's just my mind playing tricks on me? My guess... I'm torn between our two "homes." Although the US will always be our main home, we've made a life and a home together in Sydney and so it's true what they say, "home is where the heart is," and I guess for me, my heart is in two places at once.

As expected, leaving the US was unfortunately terribly hard. You would think after going back and forth for three years, now, that saying goodbye would get easier, but it doesn't. It just doesn't. It didn't help that Dad was doing poorly so that made leaving even that much harder and stressful. If I could have changed all my flights without paying heaps of money, I would have and now with Dad back in the hospital today... I wish I had. I feel so bad for my mom having to go it alone. It's been extremely tough lately and she is so strong and brave for dealing with everything that has happened, but one person can only deal with so much before needing a shoulder to cry on, a loving embrace or just knowing that there's someone else there to help. I know she could do with having immediate support and love around her to get through all of this... and I wish that person was me and that I wasn't half way around the world. It's really difficult to have a sick family member when you're so far away- you feel so helpless and a bit guilty for not being there to help. So, anyone reading this, please say a little prayer for my family or keep us in your thoughts.

On top of leaving at such a crappy time, my flight back to Sydney was a disaster. After a whirlwind of emotions and trying to stay strong while I said goodbye to the family, I soon ran out of time. My mom was no longer able to take me to the airport and I quickly scrambled to hire a car and drove myself an hour and a half to the airport. I ended up missing my first of three flights. Luckily there was another flight an hour later and I made it to Oakland on standby where I ran as fast as I could through two different terminals to catch my connecting flight to Hawaii. Finally, I arrived safely in Honolulu, however, I cannot say the same for my luggage. Turns out, it was still in Oakland and it wouldn't be able to make it to Hawaii in time for me to catch my morning flight to Sydney. So, sans luggage, I boarded my flight to Sydney, after having a 6 hour layover, and finally made it home. Now I have the pleasure of trying to get my luggage to Sydney when the airline who initially lost it only flies domestically in the US... fun times.

Nature (again)

2008-01-14T14:43:00.000+11:00

Another nature post... yep, you bet. You must be thinking I'm a, "tree hugging, let's be one with the Earth" type of person. Well, maybe I am. I love our planet- it's absolutely amazing. Mother Nature has been good to us so in return I aspire to be good to her by living a "green" life and appreciating her beauty.

Anyway, since my last post was nature related, I decided to carry on in the spirit of it and post about something that happened today.

My Dad was having a decent day so we decided to have brunch at the club. The weather here has been about 75 degrees so we enjoyed our meal on the outdoor patio overlooking the mountains and the golf course. Towards the end of our meal, a coyote appeared running across the greens, relatively close to the dinning area, and started to stalk a family of jack rabbits. It would walk cautiously closer and closer to its prey taking cover behind a bush and blending in to the desert landscape when needed. When the rabbits would get wind of the coyote, they'd break out in to a full sprint running every direction while the coyote chased after them. Eventually, the coyote would back off and the rabbits would resume their usual routine unsuspecting that a coyote was still amongst them.

While some people were rooting for the jack rabbits, I was actually rooting for the coyote. It's the food chain, people. It's life. It has to happen. (I'm not cruel, I swear!) I don't know if the coyote ever caught anything because it eventually ran over the hill and and I couldn't see it any longer, but it was still great to get a birds eye view of the food chain in progress.

Mother Nature

2008-01-10T16:42:00.000+11:00

I love the desert in the winter. The snow capped mountains framing the valley where my parents live are just breathe taking- especially when the snow has just fallen. Not to mention that the mild weather, the lush, green lawns, the fresh, crisp morning air, the road runners scurrying along and the cotton tail rabbits bouncing all around just add to the appeal of a desert winter. It's beautiful and I love that nature makes me stop and smell the roses. I love walking puppy in the morning and seeing the sun shine down on the valley while the mountain tops gleam with snow. These pictures don't really do it justice, but you get the idea.

The gorgeous views from my parent's home:

Puppy posing for her close up

Thank you, Mother Nature.

Hello 2008

2008-01-08T08:44:00.000+11:00

Another year has come and gone and as I get older, I feel like time is literally flying by. The years keep getting shorter and shorter yet when I was small, it was like time couldn't go by fast enough! I guess that's a good thing because it means life is good and I'm enjoying every moment but at the same time I can't believe that it's 2008... doesn't the 90's seems so long ago, now?

2007 had its ups and downs. Paul and I celebrated our one year wedding anniversary, spent another year in Sydney, travelled around Australia and to Japan, and turned one more year closer to 30 but we also had some bad news and trying times with my Dad and hopefully 2008 will bring with it better news and a healthy recovery for him.

As I look forward to 2008, I think this will be a pivotal year in our lives together. Lots of change and major decisions are to be made this year. It's exciting yet nerve wracking and a bit scary. But, at the same time, change is good. So, what decisions are we pondering, you ask.... well, you'll just have to follow along with our adventures and keep reading throughout the year... ha, ha!

Happy New Year to everyone and all the best for 2008. Make it a good year and live each moment to its fullest. P E A C E

Merry (Belated) Christmas

2008-01-07T17:34:00.001+11:00

Again, sorry on the late posting but as expected, the holidays were crazy and busy with all of our running around for last minute Christmas shopping, travelling, and visiting with our families. Needless to say, hubby and I ended up getting sick. Actually, my entire family ended up getting deathly sick thanks to my infectious sister who arrived from NYC with the "plague." Luckily, hubby & I weren't as bad off as the rest of my family who should probably be checked in to the hospital. My poor Mum is still awfully sick even with all the antibiotics and over the counter medicine one can have. So despite all that, it was still nice to be home for the holidays. There's nothing like being back home with the ones you love for Christmas. Mum, knowing how much I have missed turkey dinner since we can't really get it in Sydney, fixed a delicious Christmas Eve turkey complete with all the fixings.

On Christmas Eve, we also had a lot of fun puzzling, making our gingerbread houses and opening up our NYC presents. We have this traditions of opening up the presents from my Dad's side of the family on Christmas Eve- yay for early presents!

Our completed Rockefeller Center at Christmas puzzle:

Hard at work on the gingerbread houses:

The finished product:

Presents!

Christmas morning started early with the opening up of our stockings and getting our presents from under the tree delivered by "Santa" one by one all while in our PJs. We got some nice loot and Santa was very generous to everyone. I guess we were good this year.

Oh Christmas Tree:

Puppy opening her stocking with a little help from Sister:

Dad giving Mom his big present to her:

Sister opening up her big present from Paul & I (The iPod Classic):

Paul and I opening up a great present from mum and dad- a wine fridge:

Sister taking her new bike for a spin:

After all that work of unwrapping presents, we naturally had to fill our bellies with some yummy Christmas brekkie complete with Christmas crackers.

I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas just as we did.

Mele Kalikimaka

2008-01-07T16:56:00.000+11:00

I know, I'm extremely late on posting "Merry Christmas" from Hawaii, but even though it's now 2008, I still have that cheery Hawaiian Christmas song, Mele Kalikimaka, stuck in my head. I guess it's a good thing b/c it will remind me of the fun times we had in Hawaii... even if it was rather short.

We had a lovely time and despite some windy weather and rain, we made it to the beach three times, hiked Diamond Head, snorkeled Hanauma Bay, paid our respects to Pearl Harbour and checked out the North Shore with a cruisey drive around the island.

The view from the top of Diamond Head:

Hanauma Bay:

Pearl Harbour:

My Patriotic take at the USS Arizona Memorial:

Sunset over Waikiki Beach:

I probably drank half my weight in fruity, tropical drinks but hey, it's vacation, and it was Hawaii... what else should I be doing, ha!

My favourite libation was the drunken pineapple... yum.

Or perhaps the tropical itch complete with a souvenir wooden back scratcher would tickle your fancy (I know, horrible pun)

I think from now on, when flying back to the US, we should stop over in Hawaii again... why this is the first time in three years we've done it this way, I'll never know!

Aloha!

2007-12-14T13:46:00.000+11:00

We're off to Hawaii today. I'll be sure to post when we're in California!

Mahalo~

I Almost Died

2007-12-08T19:53:00.000+11:00

Being that we reside in the land which is home to more deadly snakes than anywhere else and of the world's ten most venomous snakes all are Australian, plus, it houses the world's two most venomous spiders, the paralysis tick, the world’s most venomous octopus, the lethal stonefish, the deadliest jellyfish, and of course the innumerable sharks and saltwater crocs (just to name a few), it's only natural that anything that swims, slithers or crawls is considered DEADLY in my book. A bit dramatic or extreme... perhaps, but do you really want to find out what could happen? I think not.

That being said, last night, I almost died. The creepy crawlers are out in full effect since it's summer and they almost got me. In particular, I'm talking about the Huntsman Spider, otherwise known as the Australian tarantula.

Now the locales tell me that these speedy buggers are harmless, but they are just massive and hairy and if you are unaccustomed to them, like I am, you would think the huntsman is the scariest and deadliest creature on the planet. HELLO- they can still bite you and leave you wincing in pain for days. Not to mention that a female can lay up to 200 eggs... um, NOT IN MY HOUSE, BIATCH! Oh, and their name is: HUNTS MAN- need I say more.

Anyway, back to my story... So last night I almost put my hand on a freaking HUGE huntsman. I was just a few centimeters away from touching the nasty beast as I went to grab the rim of the plate where it was residing. Luckily I saw something brown and hairy on the edge of my clean white dish and needless to say, I quickly jumped backed and went running in to the living room to get my knight in shining armour to rescue me. Fortunately, I keep several cans of spider spray locked and loaded for occasions such as these (you can never have too much) and the poor spider never had a chance as we took it down, tag-team style. Phew, that was close... too close for comfort.

Last Christmas we had the invasion of the Redback Spiders...

courtesy of wikipedia

Who must have been living in our Christmas tree and decided to have their babies in our living room. Now these suckers are one of the two spiders (the funnel web being the other) that are venomous and potentially deadly to humans. So you can imagine my hysteria when I woke up one morning to the redbacks running around our floor and hanging from the bottom of our tree. I doused the house in spider spray, wrapped up the tree and tossed it in the rubbish.

So, it looks like this Christmas we get the huntsman... Merry Christmas to us.

Not that I'm keep count or anything, but after last night, that makes four huntsmans killed this week. It's official, the spiders have declared war and I must defend my home. Now, most Australians will probably frown upon me killing the huntsman but I'm sorry, we're under attack and I just can't sleep at night knowing there are tarantulas crawling all over my walls. Can you blame me?

Ah, the joys of living in the "most dangerous" place in the world.

Bend it Like Beckham

2007-11-28T18:54:00.000+11:00

David Beckham and the La Galaxy were in town to play a friendly again Sydney FC on Tuesday night and Beckham did not disappoint the 80,000 fans, including myself, who came out to get a glimpse of him. The golden boy of football (aka soccer) gave the people what they wanted- his trademark free kick goal that yes, bent in to the top corner of the net. The crowd went wild... after all, this is what we came to see.

In the end, Becks delivered but Sydney won, 5-3.

So now I can say I saw David bend it like Beckham... even if he looked like a little ant from our nose bleed seats.

The Silly Season is Well Under Way

2007-11-21T20:07:00.000+11:00

It's that time of year again, and no, I'm not talking about Thanksgiving. I'm talking about Christmas- yes, I know, Christmas... in November? But wait, November is for Thanksgiving. You can't even think about Christmas until Thanksgiving has come and gone. I know, I know... it's upsetting to me too, but when you don't celebrate Thanksgiving (being that we're in Australia), Christmas starts getting shoved down your throat November 1st. Don't get me wrong, I love Christmas, but it's been ingrained in me to not even think about Christmas until after Thanksgiving. However, every year, it seems like Christmas is popping up earlier and earlier - even before Thanksgiving *gasp* -thanks to our lovely over-commercialised society. Now, we all have our moments of weakness and I admit, two weeks ago I fell prey to the Christmas shopping gods and caught myself looking at Christmas cards. Who looks at Christmas cards before Thanksgiving? Needless to say, I gave myself a quick reality check slap and went on my merry way. But, everywhere I turn, Christmas is in my face. I went to the post office last week to buy a birthday card (yes, the post sells greeting cards) and surprise!- Christmas cards, Christmas crackers, Christmas wrapping and Christmas boxes everywhere. My work has had Christmas trees out on every floor for the past few weeks. On my way to the gym, I pass Christmas banners and the city centre's picture perfect Christmas tree, and, at lunch time they even have carolers singing. Besides it being November and Christmas (otherwise known here as the silly season) is in full effect, it's just HOT and it doesn't feel like Christmas at all. Summer and Christmas are not a good combination for a girl who grew up in Boston.

And since we're on the topic of Christmas, we've just booked our tickets to the US for the holidays! We're flying through Hawaii and spending 5 days in Honolulu just relaxing on the beach- Merry Christmas to us! Then, we're heading on to the mainland where we'll spend Christmas with our families. After missing Christmas stateside last year, it will be good to go home for the holidays. As anyone living away from home or abroad knows, going home to your families for the holidays is a cherished event. And, after everything my Dad has been through this year with his brain tumour and continues to go through, it makes going home and spending the holidays together that much more special. PEACE.

In honour of my post and Thanksgiving, I leave you with this:

I'm it

2007-11-07T18:50:00.000+11:00

So there's this game of tag going around in the blogging world and I've been tagged by Christina... another So-Cal gal who's living it up in Italy.

Here are the rules:
A. The rules of the game are posted at the beginning.
B. Each player lists 6 facts/habits about themselves.
C. At the end of the post, the player then tags 6 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know that they have been tagged and asking them to read your blog.

1. I have been in a magic show in Las Vegas. Yes, this may surprise those of you who know me, but it's true. I forget exactly how old I was- maybe 13? Anyway, we were at the Excalibur in Vegas and they had this magic show going on. For some unknown reason, the magician decides to pick me for his levitating body trick. Now mind you, I'm not exactly a skinny minnie so at the time I'm thinking to myself, why in the world wouldn't he pick my sister who weighs nothing! (Lucky girl got the skinny genes ;)) So I'm up on stage and I have to lay down on this board. The next thing I know I floating high in the air. To this day, I don't know how he did it. I truly felt like I was floating. I didn't see any strings, ropes, or pillars. He even swiped the hoops over me, under me, and sent me through them and I just don't know how he did it. I guess that's why they call it magic.

2. I'm a TONY Award winner. ah hum... as in a Ten Outstanding Norwood Youth (TONY). Every year, my hometown awarded 10 seniors this award and I was one of them. Go Me!

3. I am a horrible nail bitter. It's mostly out of stress that I do it as well as the perfectionist in me. I hate it when a nail is uneven or gets a little chip so then I just end up ripping it off. However, I'm really working to stop this disgusting habit and now I actually have some nails! FINALLY... I haven't had decent nails since I was probably 5 years old.

4. I'm a great-aunt (as in generational, not as in awesome, although I am!) My niece had a baby boy, Connor, last year. So, I became a great aunt at the tender age of 28. Doesn't great-aunt make me sound so old?

5. I learned to ballroom dance from one of the choreographers/dancers from the movie Dirty Dancing. At uni, I took 2 semesters of ballroom dance (I know what you're thinking- "you went to college to learn ballroom dance?!" Yes, I did and it was well worth the $$$$) and low and behold, our professor was this famous movie choreographer- he was really good. I think his name was Jay? It was so much fun and being the natural born dancer that I am (ha!), I got A's both semesters. We even had a recital at the end of the semester where we did two dance numbers- Swing and Salsa. It was one of the best classes I took at 'SC- loved every minute!

6. I used to dig for my dinner. It sounds gross, but really, it's not. My parents have a cottage down the Cape (Cape Cod for those of you unfamiliar with the Bostonian lingo). I have several fond memories of going down to the beach from our cottage and digging in the sand for clams and quahogs. We'd have our pails with our little shovels and we would be digging away looking for bubbles in the black sand. We'd gather up a bunch of shellfish and then head home for some steamed claims with drawn butter- yum! Although, I think I probably ate too many as a kid and now clams just make me want to gag. People think it's weird that we used to dig for our dinner, but really, there's nothing like getting your own dinner from the earth- or at least, there's nothing fresher than that!

I'm tagging Jacqui, Brianna, Sarita, Lorry, Meg and Laura.

Our Weekend Getaway

2007-10-30T19:53:00.000+11:00

We're back from our anniversary/Paul's birthday getaway to the Blue Mountains. We had a nice, relaxing time in the country. We did some sight seeing and a little hiking. For those of you who aren't familiar with the Blue Mountains, the Australian's call it the "Grand Canyon downunder." It's a world heritage listed national park that's over one million hectacres of canyons, sandstone cliffs, caves, waterfalls, and rainforests- It's a nature lovers paradise. The main attraction to the region is Echo Point and the Three Sisters rock formation.

We have been to the Blue Mountains before, so, this time we decided to go off the beaten path and check out some other areas of the region. Our favourite part of the trip was this scenic drive we did through the Megalong Valley. We drove down from the top of the cliffs in to this amazing valley that I think is quintessential rural Australia. It was beautiful and peaceful. If we go back there again to stay, we'd love to stay in this valley- there's hardly anything around you!

We also managed to find a local pub that would turn on the world series so we could watch what we hoped would be the last game... and as you all know, it was- the Red Sox won! Woo hoo! Go Sox.

Three Sisters

Blue Moutains

View of the Megalong Valley from above

Down in the Megalong Valley

Watching the game

Happy Birthday, Paul

2007-10-27T22:02:00.001+10:00

**Singing** Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Paul, happy birthday to you!

It's been a busy and fun weekend between celebrating our first wedding anniversary and Paul's birthday. Yes, I know, our anniversary and Paul's birthday are just one day apart. It's just the way it worked out, what can I say. It's happy times all around.

Happy One Year Anniversary To Us!

2007-10-27T12:54:00.000+10:00

This weekend we're celebrating our anniversary. On October 28th it will be one year of wedded bliss. So, we're heading off to the Blue Mountains for a country getaway. I'll be sure to take some pictures and post later. We're staying at a pretty flash place so it should be a nice little holiday.

In honor of celebrating our one year wedding anniversary, here are some thoughts on marriage:

A good marriage is a partnership. It's trusting, laughing and knowing when to compromise. It's remembering what matters and forgetting what doesn't. It's filling life with what you love and loving who you're with. It's a love that's nurtured by every day moments. Quick, little kisses, doing things together, quiet talks at the end of a busy day. It's the little things like these that make love great.

And for a little reminiscing, here are some photos from that wonderful day:

*Photos by Michael Graham

Que Bonita Guatemala!

2007-10-14T08:47:00.000+10:00

My sister Heather went to Guatemala this summer by herself for some volunteer work and a little travelling. Since I'm downloading her pictures on my computer, I thought I'd put up some of her photos. It looks like she had an amazing time and got to do a lot of cool stuff. She's already planning on going back- who wants to go with her.... ME!

Hiking the volcano:

Fight On!

2007-09-24T11:51:00.000+10:00

S-O-U-T-H-E-R-N *CLAP, CLAP* C-A-L-I-F-O-R-N-I-A... SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA!

That's right folks, it's the So Cal spell out... and that means it's college football season- Go Trojans! Yes, USC is ranked number one- yet again. Ah, if only USC was this good when I was there!

Anyway, since I'm here in sunny So Cal along with my sister, Heather, I decided we should go to the season opener of my alma mater. Heather had never been to an 'SC game so we definitely had to check it out while she was in town. We ended up going with my friend Claudia (also an alum) and meeting up George and some other fellow classmates. We tailgated a bit and then headed over to the lovely LA Colesium. I showed Heather the good ol' tradition of kicking the flag post on our way to game. It was cool being back at 'SC again and running in to old, familiar faces and friends. Oh, and we won... like there was ever any doubt ;)

Here's some pictures from the day.

During the tailgate:

At the game:

7-7-07

2007-07-06T22:15:00.000+10:00

The countdown to Live Earth is on. OZ will be kick starting the world-wide concert event in Sydney, and, Paul and I will be there. I hope to have a few pictures from the concert and I'll post those when I get back.

Here's the Sydney line up:

10.30am - gates open
11.15am - Aboriginal welcome to country performance
11.30am - 11.55am - Blue King Brown
12.10pm to 12.35pm - Toni Collette And The Finish
12.50pm to 1.15pm - Sneaky Sound System
1.35pm to 2pm - Ghostwriters
2.20pm to 2.45pm - Paul Kelly
3.05pm to 3.40pm - Eskimo Joe
4pm to 4.35pm - Missy Higgins
4.55pm to 5.30pm - John Butler Trio
5.50pm to 6.25pm - Wolfmother
6.45pm to 7.20pm - Jack Johnson
7.50pm to 8.25pm - Crowded House

Judging by the schedule, the concert appears to get over kind of early, but, I guess that's b/c of the TV broadcasting, the timing of the other concerts, and, the different time zones. I can't wait for Jack Johnson- one of my faves! Wolfmother should be cool, too. I'll let you all know how it goes.

*************************************************
UPDATE:

Despite being a bit chilly (since it's winter here), Live Earth rocked! Our favourite acts of the day were The John Butler Trio and Jack Johnson. The John Butler Trio totally got the crowd in to it and played a great set- they were awesome. Jack Johnson played a more mellow set and sang mostly songs that pertained to the environment, mankind's impact on the earth and each other, etc- very cool! We also enjoyed seeing Missy Higgins, Wolfmother and Sneaky Sound System. Even Toni Collete was pretty good although it's a bit weird seeing a serious, "older" actress rocking out on stage? Hmmm... There was also Paul Kelly who is sort of like the Australian version of James Taylor- he was pretty good. Overall, it was a great day. Here are some pictures and movie clips I took during the concert.

Toni Collette and the Finish:

Sneaky Sound System:

Me during Missy Higgins:

The John Butler Trio:

Obligatory shot of Paul & I:

Some clips from the concert (our seats sucked):

Wolfmother:

Jack Johnson:

Sayonara Japan

2007-06-20T19:38:00.000+10:00

Konichiwa peps- We're back from Japan and we're exhausted! We had quite an adventure travelling around Japan and packed in as much as we could. I think we need another holiday to recover from our hectic travelling pace!

We spent 4 nights in Kyoto, then moved on to Hiroshima and the island of Miay-jima where we spent one night at a Japanese Ryokan, and, finally on to Tokyo for 4 nights. Kyoto had a lot of shrines, palaces, and temples- all were spectacular and wonderful to see. We also did a day trip from Kyoto to Himeji to see Himeji Castle- very cool.

After Kyoto, we moved on to Hiroshima. This was a very moving experience, and, I believe, a place everyone should see when visiting Japan. The city itself is lively and modern. The entire A-dome and peace park area is beautiful and really does have a sense of peacefulness about it. The peace memorial museum had very graphic images and was a bit upsetting. Overall, the experience and feeling is hard to describe.

We then travelled to the island of Miya-jima. This was one of my favourite parts of the trip. This was a charming, little island riddled with wild deer and home of the famous floating Torii gate of the Itsukushima Shrine. We stayed at a traditional Japanese inn- a ryokan- where we wrapped ourselves in our kimonos and slept on tatami mats. At first, the experience was a bit intimidating because there is a lot of etiquette involved while staying at a ryokan, but once we settled in, it was a piece of cake! We had the sweetest host "Grandma" who prepared for us an amazing 12 course Japanese dinner and we ate some "interesting" food. The next morning we took the ropeway up to Mt. Misen to check out the wild monkeys and climbed Mt. Misen- spectacular views!

Finally, we moved on to Tokyo. What a cool city! It's chaotic, overpopulated, electric, fun, a contradiction of old and new- really, it defies a description! Tokyo isn't necessarily about sightseeing, but more of just being in the middle of the action and taking it all in. We did partake in some of the traditional culture by attending a Kabuki performance- it lasted 5 hours, but was very interesting to see in person! We also took a day trip from Tokyo to Hakone to visit the Mt. Fuji area which was cool. It was a bit hazy so visibility was low, but we were lucky enough to still see it!

Some of our memorable food experiences:
1. Paul eating raw prawns that were still jumping around on his plate
2. Eating tons of Eel and giant fish eggs
3. Eating a fish head- eyes and all- at the ryokan
4. Eating an Owakudani Black Egg- boiled egg in the sulfuric geysers which turns it black
5. Visiting the Tokyo fish markets and then eating a sushi breakfast- I couldn't bring myself to eat the huge sea urchin- orange goo- but I did well eating everything else. The sashimi and sushi were HUGE pieces of fish- really like 3 pieces in one and hard to swallow in one go- yikes!

And here are some photos from our trip:

Kyoto Golden Pavillion:

Kyoto Street Shrine:

Himeji Castle:

Hiroshima A-Dome- the A-bomb exploded directly above this building (the only building in the city left in its post A-bomb state):

Floating Torii gate of the Itsukushima Shrine:

Pagoda on Miya-jima:

At the ryokan on Miya-jima:

Wild deer on Miya-jima:

Wild monkeys on Mt. Misen (ouch!):

Mt. Fuji:

Eating an Owakudani Black Egg:

Geyser sulfuric springs:

Tokyo Fish Markets (Octopus anyone?):

Tokyo sunset:

Tokyo at night:

Japan, Here We Come!

2007-05-07T18:13:00.000+10:00

Paul and I have booked a holiday to Japan! We're going for 10 days in June! (June 8th to be exact) I'll have to start reviewing my Japanese again. Surprisingly enough, I still remember some basic phrases from my two years of Japanese over 10 years ago! I hope I can remember enough to communicate. Woo Hoo- the countdown is on.

Winetastic

2007-05-03T20:00:00.000+10:00

Paul and I have returned from our holiday in Adelaide, South Australia. We spent the majority of our time hitting the wine trails of four different wine valleys- McLaren Vale, Adelaide Hills, Barossa and Clare. Overall, the regions are known for Shiraz- (often times) a full bodied, spicy, red wine. Probably some of the best Shiraz comes out of the Barossa Valley.

It rained practically the entire trip, but it was gladly welcomed to the area as SA has been in a drought for the past two years. Besides, what's better than drinking fantastic wine on a rainy, cold, autumn day. We indulged in some pretty fancy food as well- squab, guinea fowl, and, pheasant- very yum!

Here are some photos from our trip:

The 150 year old vines:

One of our favourite wineries:

Look at all the wine we tasted:

The Country Comes to the City

2007-04-15T11:07:00.000+10:00

The Sydney Royal Easter show is in town and we decided to check it out. It's like a state fair comprising of carnival rides, livestock competitions and all sorts of shows. It's one of Australia's largest annual events and attracts over one million people each year to Sydney's Olympic Park.

My favorite parts of the day were: 1. Seeing all of the livestock- cattle, pigs, sheep, horses, etc.; 2. The lumberjack competition- yes, chopping wood!; and, 3. The freak sideshow.

Look at the little piglets feeding.

The rodeo calf round up

The lumberjack relay- serious skill and muscle! This was so much fun to watch.

This picture is a little dark, but this is the sword swallower from the side show.

On the Road Again

2007-04-10T18:55:00.000+10:00

This past weekend was Easter and in Australia we get Good Friday and Easter Monday off as public holidays. (Yay for a 4 day long weekend!) So, Paul and I decided to take advantage of the time off and hit the open road. We drove from Sydney up the coast of NSW to Coffs Harbour- about a 7 hour drive. Coffs Harbour is a coastal resort town known for its banana plantations and is home to the best known Australian, man-made tourist attraction, The Big Banana. It's a total tourist trap and a bit ridiculous, but their banana smoothies are delish!

Probably the most fun we had on our trip was checking out the small country towns of Bellingen and Dorrigo. They have that charming, "main street" village feel. The streets are lined with general stores, cafes, and, quaint coffee shops. On the outskirt of the town of Dorrigo are the Dorrigo National Park's World Heritage rainforests. We hiked for two hours through the rainforest to some of these amazing waterfalls and outlooks.

Here are some pictures of us checking out the Coffs coast.

Calling All Footy Fans!

2007-04-01T21:04:00.000+10:00

It's autumn and that means it's footy time! Australian Football, better known as the AFL, kicked off its season last night in Sydney at Olympic Stadium. In a rematch of last season's grand finals (the league playoffs) the Sydney Swans went head to head against the West Coast Tigers, but once again, came up one point short of a win.

This was our first AFL game so we weren't sure what to expect. We had awesome seats... or so we thought. We were in the very front row behind the goal posts, however, unlike the NFL where they hoist nets behind the posts to catch the balls, the Aussies are net free! From warm up to the end of the game, we had to watch and take cover from incoming balls. Paul even caught one of them, but, he had to throw it back. Two of the nearby fans got nailed pretty hard. One of the blokes practically got knocked out from the hit. It was almost like a scene from the movie, Fever Pitch, where Drew Barrymore gets hit in the head! Needless to say the net free goals made for an interesting night! Here are some pictures from the game:

Girls Just Want to Have Fun

2007-03-25T09:23:00.000+10:00

Last night, a girlfriend and I saw the musical, Priscilla Queen of the Desert at the Lyric Theatre. For those of you who aren't familiar with Priscilla, here's the synopsis... two drag queens and a transsexual drive across the Australian outback from Sydney to the Alice in a bus they named, Priscilla. It's a journey of self discovery, fun, and show-stopping cabarets for the locals along the way. It was originally one of the most successful Australian made films and now it's a musical. So, what did I think? The musical is full of fun, disco dance tunes and amazing, vibrant costumes. The audience was laughing and clapping along the entire time and I found myself doing the same. I wasn't quite sure what to expect going in to it, but I was really, pleasantly surprised. I think if I saw Priscilla and didn't live in Australia, I would have missed all of the Aussie references. I definitely have a greater understanding for it having now lived in Australia for a while. Priscilla probably isn't every one's cup of tea, but the crazy, colorful costumes and the sing-a-long tunes such as I will Survive, Shake Your Groove Thing, and the like, make for a fun and interesting experience!

First Time Blogger

2007-03-24T14:59:00.000+11:00

I've decided to jump on the blogging bandwagon and and give it a go. I figure it might be a good way to stay in touch with family and friends since we're thousands of miles apart. I hope it will allow all of you to see and hear about our adventures down under. Plus, I like the idea of keeping a journal of our time in Sydney.

Cheers!