Blurr

So the Internet is not too reliable here at the hostel hence the delay of this post, but also these past few days have been a blur.  Every day pretty much planned with new activities and festivities with meeting new friends and saying goodbye as soon as I meet them.  So here goes nothing…

DAY 4, THU AUG 12 – After an evening of shenanigans, it was time to leave.  Showed the boys up by out dancing them and beating them in pool. Some of the boys wanted me to jump in their pockets cuz I was so tiny and they lifted me high in the air as bench press weight...it was a good night!  Some wanted to go to other bars while a few wanted to go home.  I was a bit tired from walking around the city all day and decided that I’d go ahead and walk home with my new UK buddy Mike.  In the wee hours of the morning…it was freezing and although I would have jumped at the chance of riding the metro…they close at 12am.  So we decided to walk home instead of taking a taxi.  Bad idea!  It took forever to walk home…by the time we got there we didn’t realize that both of us forgot our swipe cards to get through the gates.  Brilliant!  But wait there was a bell to ring…we rang it several times.  No answer, which was no surprise as it was past 2am in the morning.  I thought…wait, there’s a number we can call if we get stuck outside.  Well good thought…if only one of us had it. Lol.  So we waited outside for the other half of the group to arrive, pushing the button several times more every half hour or so but two hours later from arriving at the hostel, still not a soul!  I began to worry because most of the bars in Sydney closed at 2am or 3am.  After 3:30 hit we thought they probably took a taxi home and beat us to the punch.  Oh Crap!  Well we waited some more and this stranger on the street, Travis from the UK, began to have a conversation with us.  He had to deal with his good mate fighting with his girlfriend and decided he couldn’t take it anymore and left the place he was staying.  He was wandering through the streets with his luggage, hoping he’d find another hostel or hotel to stay at, but was having no luck.  After speaking with him we thought we go to another bar down the street and have another round, but Mike and I were too anxious and did not want to miss coming across one of the pack.  So we all chatted some more and Travis was kind enough to lend me his sweatshirt b/c I was so cold.  Then around 4am we thought we would never see them, but low and behold Dan the Man would come waltzing down the street a few moments later to let us in.  I gave him the biggest hug and said thank you…you’re me hero!  Come to find out the next morning, the other boys were just hanging out in the kitchen and if we shouted loud enough could have gotten in.  I tried to give Travis his sweatshirt back but he said I ought to keep it bc I looked better in it.  I laughed thinking, this thing is half the size of me, but it was comfortable so I kept it as souvenir from the crazy night.  We all said our goodbyes and good nights and went to our separate rooms.

Crazy Boys...Terry and Brad

The boys (Mike, Dan, Terry) making fun of my shoe size

DAY 5, FRI AUG 13 - Through this whole ordeal you’d think I’d just pass out and wake up late in the afternoon but no, I had to deal with loud snoring and women farting after each other.  I was like, REALLY?  Did I just hear that!?  The other nights I had put on my earplugs so I wouldn’t have to deal with any of these crazy sounds from the first night but I was too tired from the night before to even think of it.  Well I finally passed out and woke up at 9am!  If you guys couldn’t do the math that is barely 5 hours of sleep.  I tried to go back to sleep but of course once I wake up I can’t really ever go back to sleep.  I was going to go running that morning but decided that it wasn’t the greatest idea…it was cold and chilly which was not an appetizing recipe after only 5 hours of sleep.  So I made breakfast and slowly the rest of the crew walked through the kitchen to tell stories from the night before.  Crazy I tell ya, but good times for sure.

It was a sad morning bc Dan the Man, aka Aussie rugby player, was leaving to travel overseas with his UK buddy Terry, to play rugby in England.  Bye to another set of cuties.  Hehehehe.  Well no one was up so I hogged the TV in the common room and plopped down to see if I could fall asleep watching Devil Wears Prada.  No luck ☹ But after a few hours of lazing around I met a new girl Vanessa from Canada and we decided to go shoe shopping.  She wanted UGGS and I apparently needed cute flats or heels.  I was a bit surprised that Sydney or Australia as a whole are very particular about shoes when you go out to bars and clubs.  Traveling here I tried to pack as light as possible and pack the essentials, so I only brought a pair of tennis shoes for running/hiking, my converses cuz they were small, light and matched anything, my warm tan moccasin looking shoes/slippers and my favorite pair of flip flops…the black reefs with yellow and pink details.   I thought its Australia, surferville, very chill and laid back.  The girls would probably wear cute sundresses, shorts/cute tank, and a cute pair of sandals.  Wrong!  The girls get all jazzed up in snazzy short dresses (some of them slutty if you ask me, but whatever) and many in the tallest heels I’ve ever seen or at least the most painful looking ones.  The guys also get dressed to kill in collared shirts/jackets with loafers or dress shoes.  I mean these people really get all dressed up.  It’s also quite chilly here, getting down to the 40s or cooler in the evening and the women wear these small outfits like it’s 70 degrees.  I’ll be in search for a city or town that is more laid back.

DAY 6, SAT AUG 14 – It was supposed to be a warmer day here in Sydney so I thought…time to surf.  I convinced a few of my new friends to join me in a day of surf at Manly Beach.  Everyone was pretty much a beginner so I thought this should be an interesting session to say the least.  Getting there was almost a whole day ordeal…taking the metro, walking a few blocks and finally catching a half hour ride of the ferry to Manly Beach.  Man was the ferry ride amazing.  Seeing much of the coast of Australia, the little coves, sail boats docked and also sailing their own courses, seaside cliff homes, and the beautiful water…all was gorgeous and worth the ferry ride.  Although the temperatures were warmer…it certainly didn’t feel like it.  It’s crazy how it’s a little warm in the sun but soo freezing in the shadows…feels like a 10 degree difference if you ask me.  Anyway after arriving in Manly we walked for a block or so and went to rent our gear.  Pretty reasonably priced if you ask me.  $5 = suit and $10/hr, $15 for 2 or $40/day.  After everyone geared up it was time to give the beginners a quick surf lesson.  1.  Waves come in sets of 3, 3rd usually the best, 2.  Position yourself on the board so 6” of the board is at least above the surface of the water, 3.  Practice the “The Pop”, 4.  Wait until the set is over and then 5.  Get in the water and paddle your heart out!  Surf was about knee to waist high so perfect for a beginner’s day…or so for a while.  Once the wind and the tide got on it, it was pretty rough to try to paddle back out again, but by then the sun was going down, the chill of the winds creeping through the tiniest hole of our suits, and exhaustion beginning to hit.  Time to get out and go home for the day.  We all took a much needed nap and had Thai for dinner.  Surprisingly we had the energy to go out.  A whole group was going out to some bar that was supposedly “walking distance.”   Yea right!  Well with my better judgment, my new friend Stephany n I decided to head back to the hostel.   We really didn’t feel like walking to a gay club anymore or chance a $15 cover.  So the long walk home was interesting to say the least.  We saw a man dressed in a red and white bright glittery get up, two of our hostel acquaintances make out, beautiful pointillism art in a window, slutty dressed women stumbling down the street, listened to loud music blasting from all the bars, but finally we reached the hostel.  Thank God bc we were ready for bed.  Tomorrow would be another day for a group activity with my new friends and I was excited.

The Paddle out to sea

My students for the day :)

Exploring the City

After arriving I seemed fine, no terrible jet lag, just overwhelmed that I'm in AUSTRALIA!!!  I wanted to explore the city a bit but decided to relax for awhile after my long journey.  I decided to take a little nap after settling in and that turned out to be a long cat nap.  I passed out at 4ish and didn't wake up til 11:30pm...glorious nap I tell you. lol.  Passed out for the rest of the night...or tried to.  The loud trash cans that come in the wee hours of the morning, the person sleeping below me snoring obnoxiously, and the crazy birds are a few of the things that kept me from sleeping the rest of the evening.  Besides all the little things..the Blue Parrot Hostel is pretty chill.  It's like a college dorm...bunks beds, shared bathrooms, an entertainment room, a community kitchen and fridges.  Already had a culprit drink some of my coke...clearly its not yours, DON'T drink it!  You'd think these people would know better but my expectations I guess are too high.  People should know that there's 2 things you never mess with...their mom's and their food.  And those of you who know me...FOOD is def not something you mess with that's mine. lol.

DAY 2 - One of the first people I met turned out to be Bostonian...apparently she has found few Americans traveling in OZ and found it comforting to have met me.  The weather was cool and raining...I wanted to turn in the towel, but alas I wanted to get out and explore Sydney.  So the Bostonian and I braved the weather and headed to the New South Wales Art Museum.  But before the museum, we made a pit stop at this small intimate coffee cafe called Toby's Cafe.  I'm not a coffee feen like so many other people I know, but the art they create with the cream would be worth a cup.  They definitely don't make coffee like this in Starbucks.  The Aussies really know how it's done.  Back to the art museum visit.  It was pretty cool...it was free and very welcoming...they took our umbrella and jackets as courtesy.  During our guided tour, we met another American, this time from Cali.  Our guide was a bit boring and I know this for a fact because we later joined another group because the tour guide was that intriguing.  I got to thinking that I could do tours for a few hours a week.  hmmm...Addie as a tour guide?  Well we left the museum after a few hours and decided we'd walk to a cathedral nearby.  WOW!  That building was unbelievable.  We thought the outside was gorgeous but inside was even better.  It's too bad they didn't allow photography inside because it was definitely a scene I would liked to have a picture.  The grandeur feel of the tall ceiling and columns, rows of pews and the colorful stained glass was unlike the catholic cathedrals back home...every inch with such intricate detail.  They even had this beautiful crypt...yes I know, crypt doesn't give the connotation of beautiful, but it was.  Its too bad it wasn't one of the scary crypts I was thinking because they were giving free tours.  darn!  Well we headed back after the church because the Bostonian was leaving town later that afternoon.  The rest of the evening consisted of going grocery shopping, cooking dinner, watching a movie and passing out.

DAY 3 - What a beautiful day!  I got up very early in the morning once more...body still getting used to the time difference and noises of the city.  I went for a run through the city and found a breathtaking view of the Sydney Opera House and Bridge, deciding later that when the clouds cleared and the sun shined that I'd enjoy the day by walking through the city...specifically along the harbor and through the botanical gardens.  Yes...this was the life...warm sun on my face and taking in every bit of my surroundings.  Highlight of the day though was the LARGE bats hanging upside down from the trees.  Crazy stuff I tell ya!  I could sit here and try to describe what I saw but it wouldn't do any justice.  Endless pictures are to come.  Soon....???  (I'm deeply sorry for the delay).  The day was coming to an end at about 9ish but someone called my bluff...they asked me "why not?" (referring to going out with the group).  I giggled to myself...knowing earlier what I had posted about this specific question.  There was no good excuse not to so I took my own advice...I went for it!  hehehe.  Let's just say the evening was unforgettable...lil bit like me going out with a bunch of aussies, canadians, and english boys.  Oh boy...trouble!!

DAY 4 - Coming to a report near you!

P.S.  I find it amazing how many people from all over the world is traveling throughout this country :)

Flight and Arrival

So leaving home was crazy!  I had to pack everything I owned and put it into storage, but after this grueling process I don’t ever want to do it again for a very long time.  Least to say…I’ll be traveling as long as I can.  But before the big day I had to fit in what I loved most…food, surf, and my great friends and family.  I devoured every favorite food…BRAVO’s required 3 course meal, yes you read that right, it’s REQUIRED (the house salad, pork chops, and the sinfully delicious bday Gelato), Rancho’s chicken quesadilla and cheese dip, Chicho’s spicy pizza, New York Deli brunch in RVA, etc, etc, last but not least was my mom’s cooking.  As many of us know…there’s nothing like mom’s cookin.  Adobo, chicken with Filipino soy sauce & vinegar, bay leaf, pepper, and of course white rice!  Oh so good, my mouth waters just thinking about it.  I also fit in an unexpected great surf session and spent a great night with the bff’s in Richmond.   I also had one last adventure with one of the sis in Wrightsville, NC and Charleston, SC…what a blast!  Dinner with the family at good ole Bangkok Garden.  It was grand!  I’m definitely going to miss the familiarity of things back home.

But alas, the adventure began with a pit stop to Cali.  I had to visit one of the bff‘s from high school, Mrs. Kate Saunders (aka Token White Girl).  Cali was a lot cooler than back in VA…90+ degrees w/ humidity to 70’s with a cool ocean breeze.  But it was a good transition because it’s even cooler in Sydney (guess it worked out that I didn’t fly into Melbourne because I would have been freezing my buns off!).   While in CA, I got a chance to see a real roller derby event…that’s some good stuff! made me want to try it, fire dancers during half time, and as luck with timing would have it, the US Open Surfing Competition out in Huntington Beach.  I’ve got great shots from the comp, so keep your eyes peeled for when I post those.  It might take awhile because the hostel I’m currently staying at prohibits uploading photos.  We even got to see Weezer perform…for FREE!  Gotta love that, right!?  But before commencing in what would be an 18-hour flight, I had to have the infamous In & Out Burger.  A single cheeseburger, hand cut fries and a chocolate milkshake…mmmm!  Went out with a bang in the states and now off to OZ ☺

Ohhhh the flight.  I was hoping I’d be sitting by a handsome young Aussie, but instead had to sit by an old married couple.  No worries though because they didn’t have that old funky smell some old people have.  I know that sounds horrible, but ya’ll know what I’m talking about.  The old lady was sweet and her accent seemed like Australian, but I knew better, it was English.  She was raised in England but her hubby was from Australia.  Funny enough that they are retired in Perth, a city I will be visiting in mid September.  She told me about job opportunities in the mining business just North of Perth which I appreciated, but I don’t think that’s where I’ll be working anytime soon.  The flight took forever to take off, sat in my seat for over an hour before we finally took off.  Luckily my flight took off late in the evening around midnight so sleeping was no problem…I passed out almost immediately.  I wasn’t sure what time I was woken up but our first meal arrived through the evening.  I had my choice of warm food now or cold food later.  I went with my gut and chose the warm beef dish, which was delish!  2 Roast beef slices, string beans and steamed red potatoes seasoned with a little garlic and basil.  It also came with a small roll and butter and a chocolate mouse dessert.  All was delicious except the fruit salad.  Your first impression would be…mmm sweet fresh fruit, right?  Well…I took one bite and it was sour!  Apparently they placed vinaigrette dressing on top the fruit.  After I got used to the idea that it wasn’t supposed to be sweet, it wasn’t that bad.  After eating, everything was picked up and the flight seemed to be going well.   Though not too long after, in the midst of trying to get comfortable in my seat to pass back out again, the elderly lady was leaning over her husband’s seat and wasn’t feeling well.  All of a sudden half the flight crew swarmed our seats trying to get her comfortable.  I didn’t know what was going on…they brought her an oxygen tank and asked her to breathe in slowly.  At this point I was kinda freaking out, but trying to stay calm, and also concerned about how she was doing.  They had to ask me to leave my seat so they could tend to her.  Finally after 30-40 minutes they decided to get a wheel chair and move her to the front of the aircraft.   Thankfully a stewardess informed me that she would be okay…something about low blood pressure, which occurs often for elderly people especially in high altitudes.  Phew!  So I went back to my seat and through strange circumstance, had the whole row to myself.  They told me I could sprawl out on the whole row since the old couple would not be returning.  Small win for me.   Morning approached and we were served a delicious breakfast.  Egg omelet topped with cheese and seasoning, this time a sweet fruit bowl salad and strawberry yogurt, topped off with apple juice.  As we were flying closer to Auckland, New Zealand for my transfer flight, the country was dim, a light purple haze as the sun was beginning to slowly reach the horizon.  But before we landed, the sun came out to greet us and through the clouds got a sneak peek at the country’s beautiful landscape.   It was breath taking!  The gorgeous green lush terrain and the beautiful ocean surrounding its many shores were just gorgeous!  I can’t wait to visit it in October.  After a short layover in Auckland it was off to Sydney.  During the 3-4 hour flight, we got served breakfast again!  Oh was I loving it.  The food again did not disappoint.  The young cute male stewardess was difficult to understand when he explained my choices, but I didn’t mind because it was darn sexy! Hahaha.  Finally, I arrived in Sydney and after some technical difficulties, found the Blue Parrot Backpackers Hostel I will be staying at for a week.  It was highly recommended by my friend Bernard, or what the girls in the front like to call him, Bernie.  Hehe.  I’ll be settling in for now so until the next post, I am finally here safe and sound.

The Adventurer

Where to begin?  For those of you who don’t know me…a little intro.  My name is Addie, a 25 year old, previously employed as a Design Coordinator/Production Coordinator.  I recently graduated with my BA in Art Studio.  What does that mean…well in simple terms I enjoy art and was already deep in the program to switch into PR. Lol. I’m the type of person that is easily adaptable to any situation.  I love and thrive in such environments.  I excel when I’m challenged, tested, and pushed to the limit.  Least to say I crave adventure.

I’m sure my friends and family have wondered why, why now, why across the world, why for so long with no set return ticket home and probably high at the list is how are you even affording all this!?  I’ve always dreamed of traveling the world, but to do such traveling, it does cost ALOT of money.   I guess with the help of my savings, remaining school loans, tax return, and most importantly God’s faithful provisions, I am able to do this. 

How many chances do you get, to have the opportunity to travel somewhere amazing!?  Not many, so I jumped at the chance.  Many think that what I’m doing is irresponsible and reckless, to quit my job when the economy and job market is terrible and to travel to some place with ZERO job offers, plus I barely know a soul.   Yes to some degree I do agree.  I’ve always been the responsible person…do well in school, get a job, pay my own bills, be a good person and live my life as a “normal and responsible” 25 year old.  Well…I’m tired of that part of me. I think to myself I am young, single, no children, and finally finished college.   Yes it was a long road to finish school but I got here.  I think its time to move onto the next journey in my life.  I want to explore the other half of me…the adventurer.  So while the other half is concerned about the responsible side of me, the other half is excited that I’m going to be doing this.  They’ve even asked, can I come too!?  My reply, SURE!...I always say the more the merrier.  They know that I love meeting new people, seeing new places, experiencing new things, and absorbing different cultures.

So here I am about to embark this adventure around the world.  Many of us have wondered and day dreamed to pack everything up, leave all our worldly possessions behind and travel somewhere to start all over.  It may be because of the job, the family, the stress of everything around you or simply just because you feel like it.   You may have thought to travel to another city, another state, and perhaps even another country.  In this case I’ve chosen to go the daring route and travel to other countries…AUSTRALIA and NEW ZEALAND ☺  (And these are just a few of the countries on my list to travel).  And its easy to make excuses to do things we’d like to do such as, it’s not the right time, I don’t have the money, I have too much going on, etc., etc.  What ever reason it is, it’s easy to let our passions and dreams be set aside because the real world has idealizations of what we all should be doing in our lives.  But I challenge you to set your eye on the prize, your dream, your goal; whatever how big or small and just make it happen.  Don’t let anything stop you!  I’m an optimist (if you couldn’t already tell), so if you want something bad enough you’ll make it happen.  I also urge you when presented with a situation, to ask yourself “why not?” and if you don’t have one good reason not to, DO IT! 

I don’t know where this road will lead me and I don’t know what I’ll find.  Perhaps I’ll find new friends, amazing secret spots, an unbelievable surf sesh or that one perfect wave, lots of craziness and maybe even love.  Nothing is certain, how long I’ll be here or where I’ll be headed.  All this is done intentionally of course because I’d like this road to lead me where it may. If anything is certain, I will find one of the biggest adventures of my life.  I have hope and faith that whatever happens, whomever I come across it will be for a reason. It will be God’s will.

Lastly, I leave you with this.  Sometimes you have to dream big to win big!  And as surfer lingo goes…Go Big or Go Home!

I hope you’ll follow me along on this journey, live vicariously through me, and perhaps I hope to inspire you to do what you want, what you crave.