Bondi Barbie

I went to my first Aussie Barbie...ok, it wasn't hosted by an Australian...but it was a bbq on a rooftop in Bondi Beach! I'm counting it as an Aussie Barbie...

It wasn't your average Barbie-I don't know if it was the view overlooking Bondi Beach, the guest house where 20 people live, or the DJs spinning on 4 turntables and 2 faders-but for some reason, I don't think any of this will be at the next barbie I attend.

Somehow I missed out on getting a snag from the barbie...so Chris and I rounded up our own grub a little while later. Tip: Don't forget to eat the bbq at the Aussie Barbie!

Tradition!

As any good Aggie knows, once you do the same thing twice - it has become a tradition! We made it out to Scruffy Murphy's for Karaoke again this week...which means we have to go again next week.
The music sung by others was just the beginning of night filled with music and dancing...as the evening progressed, so did our dancing!
I am not sure how I missed getting Scott in a photo, but the rest of us are WELL documented...Scott (America), Drew (America), Myriam (Canada), Ryan (Canada), Chris (Canada) and I danced and sang the night away. Soon, someone has to get on stage!

3D Madness!

Mix Irish and Canadian, Malteasers and Popcorn, 3D and IMAX - and soon you have a night of U2!

Dave (Ireland), Chris (Canada), and I donned the silly glasses and ran (quite literally over other people) to the best seats in the house for a U2 concert that was unbelievable. I have never felt so close to the drum kit (and tried to reach out and touch them...haha!).

The concert experience was from an arena show in South America. Every so often, the camera would pan the crowd during the height of the music and you would get an incredible shot of people jumping up and down to the beat...which ended up looking like waves of the ocean, starting at the front of the crowd and working it's way back. I have never in my life seen so many people standing so closely together for hours on end (as they must have for this concert since I watched it for a few hours and the filming must have been edited, right?!?).

Dave insisted that we try his favorite movie snack food - Malteasers and Popcorn. For my friends in America, Malteasers are like Whoppers...well, in my opinion they are Whoppers...but don't tell Dave that!

Gliding through the Ocean

Friday evening I hoped on a bus with 24 strangers and set out for the time of my life!

Our drive seemed like forever but we went just a couple hours south of Sydney near Wollongong to a town called Gerroa where the famous Seven Mile Beach was out in the darkness just waiting for us to awaken from a good night's rest and master our first surfing lesson.

We woke up early (ok, so 7:00 am didn't use to be early...but it is these days), and learned how to put on our 'wetties,' carry our board, and find out way to Seven Mile Beach. We were divided into groups...Chris and I were put in the smallest group, which I thought would be a bad since we wouldn't meet as many people...little did I know that of the eight in our group, six would be naturals leaving all the attention from our instructor, Kristi, to the two of who needed it most - like me. Plus, I made great friends with the few people I was stuck with for the next 48 hours!

Our first lesson included jumping on a sand surfboard - do you know how silly you feel pretending to paddle on a surfboard you just drew in the sand? No, you don't, because you haven't been to surf camp...after you go, we can compare stories! At least I was having a great time doing it...do you see the crinkle in my nose from laughing so hard? The best part of the lesson was when we actually got in the water and tried catching waves (just boogie boarding in...no standing up). I have body surfed before and thought this would be the same...but I didn't expect the excitement felt when the power of the wave caught the board and floated me to the beach. I was gliding through the ocean - if you haven't tried it, you must! And this part is easy enough for anyone to do...the rest, I soon learned, takes so many muscles throughout your entire body that I could understand why someone would choose to skip it (but they'd also be skipping the rush of adrenaline that comes with success!).

Our second lesson is when most people mastered standing up. For a few of us, who shall remain nameless, it took a bit longer...But the fun came with each new attempt and being out there just you and the ocean. Just playing in the water was a blast! Before long, my muscles were understand what I was telling them to do, but were so very, very tired they just couldn't do it! After a LONG sleep, it was time to try again - and with better results.

I knew I had fun at Surf Camp. The water was gorgeous, the people were friendly, the staff was always joking around. But when I looked back at all the photos of me in the water surfing, I am smiling in almost every shot. I truly enjoyed the entire experience and can't wait to hit waves again...although I have to wait for all the soreness from the weekend to go away first!

The Teapot Bar

Mom, Dad, Those Who Care About My Safety - DON'T READ THIS POST!

Tonight we went to a dodgey part of Sydney that is known for its amazing nightlife. We were 'safe' and took a taxi there so we wouldn't run into any trouble along the way. We went to a place called World Bar which had FAN-TAST-IC music. A vodka drink in one hand and strumming an air guitar in the other...or if the drink was done, showing off my mad air drum skillz like no other. The Wombats, Plain White Tees, and many, many more...I couldn't get enough.

I even took the advice of Matt and danced with a guy that asked me...little did I know he would not get the hint that I was not interested and had to practically shove him out the bar to get him to go. What do guys not understand about: "This is a fast song...you can't dance slow to it." "Have a nice night!" "You lost your friend, oh, you better go find him." and "I'm here with my friends tonight, you have fun with yours." All in all, it was pretty funny how thick headed he was...glad I had a whole crew to keep me safe! Tina (UK), Matt (UK), Chris (UK), two other UK friends (UK), Dave (Ireland), Mossey (Ireland), Chris(tine) (Canada), Myriam (Canada), and I were out having the time of our lives.

Tina somehow convinced someone somewhere that we were cool mates that totally deserved to have 4 free jugs of beer...and who turns down free beer? Much less taking a picture with it?

At the beginning of the night, I noticed these crazy little pots hanging from the ceiling that looked a lot like the netty pot I have at home (in storage somewhere). Later when Chris(tine) ordered a drink from a teapot, I found out that World Bar uses these little white teapots to serve specialty drinks. The one Chris ordered was delicious...I wonder if I can emulate the recipe later?!? Apparently this bar is known for serving drinks in teapots because the next day, when at the Internet place, I saw that the girl next to me was posting a picture of her drinking from a teapot. I wasn't bold enough to tell her I was looking over her shoulder...but what fun that we were at the same bar the night before!

Kingpin Bowling!

Just the other day, Chris and I were wandering around the mall when we happened upon a bowling alley...she saw the bowling balls and couldn't resist picking them up and asking "What are these?" She also wanted to see which fingers you were supposed to put in the holes. I found the fascinating since I grew up knowing what bowling was (even if we didn't go all that often). Apparently, the part of Canada where Chris is from has 5-pin bowling. This type of bowling has 5 pins (hence the name), a small ball (with no holes), and is quite easy (from what I hear). I decided Chris had to experience BOWLING and we got a group together for a fun night out.

Little did we know that Ryan would get a turkey plus two more strikes! But we all had a blast and enjoyed seeing the 'new' graphics after each person bowled (we've all seen the same little cartoons after a strike or spare from our bowling places back home...the ones in Australia were 'new' for all of us). The bowling was the same...well, at least for some of us...and the neon glow the lanes was an experience in itself. Craig (UK), Drew (US), Lizzie (don't you know me), Ryan (Canada), Lucy (UK), and Chris (Canada) had a stupendous time bowling the night away...well, it was just one game...but still it seemed like the whole entire night.

I'm becoming a Canadian, eh?

I was warned before I came to Australia that it is difficult to meet Australians right away. You have to start working, find a suburb to live in, and get involved in day-to-day life that Aussie enjoy to really get to meeting Australians. Until then, you can easily meet quite a few other travelers from all of the global (but especially from the UK and Canada since Australia is one of the Commonwealth Countries).

Well, I have met and begun to hang out with heaps of Canadians. They are good people! We have tons of fun together and they are beginning to rub off on my...or at least my accent. I have begun saying about (ah-boat), quite, and many other words like my Canadian friends. If I don't watch out, I'll be saying eh before long, eh?

Peguins and Fishes and Sharks, oh my!

Chris and I hit the Sydney Aquarium. I learned all about Platypuses (or is it Platypi - maybe I didn't learn enough). I was surprised to find out that Penguins live in Australia! Ok, so they are the little penguins and they only live in the southern-most part of the continent...but still, we only have those at Seaworld in Texas!

The rest of the aquarium was your typical shark tank, fish everywhere, touch starfish stuff...good times!

Bondi Beach Fiasco

We've been having absolutely gorgeous weather in Sydney. So when Chris(tine) (Canada)-the girl I met at IEP Orientation and have been pal-ing around with ever since-suggested we hit Bondi Beach, I couldn't wait.

We basked in the sun as we walked down to Woolworth's (yes, they still have them here) to buy beach towels, sunblock, and beach snacks. As we headed to meet up with Myriam (Canada), grey clouds began to roll in. The three of us made our way over the bus stop that would take us out to Bondi Beach and told the ominous clouds to go away! They didn't listen and as we boarded the bus it began to sprinkle. Within 5 minutes, it was a full scale rainstorm - and I was shivering on the bus hoping it was warmer at the beach.

We arrived just as the rain stopped...luckily we could take shelter with some friends while the next storm rolled through. They have a tiny room in a house with 40 other people...but you walk up to the roof and have an out-of-this world view of the beach, ocean, hillside, and beyond! I wish I had I picture...but somehow my camera did not make it in the bag of beach stuff.

We decided to make the most of the break in the clouds and walked across the street (that's right, they live right across the street from the gorgeousness known as Bondi Beach). It was still chilly, but we couldn't let that get in the way of swimming/body surfing in the ocean. The water was so warm, that once you got it - it was wonderful. It was completely obvious that we weren't from Australia being the pale white girls who were NOT swimming between the flags. Thankfully none of the surfers took us out.

The trip only solidified that I MUST go back when the weather is nice.

Pete Will Be Proud!

What do you get when you take rugby and make it FIERCE?

That's right...Aussie Rules. This game, supposedly, predates American football and rugby. It's kind of like football, in that they run around a field trying to get a ball through the uprights and hit each other along the way...but it's more like Rugby, in that they don't wear pads, the field is bigger and oval shaped...Too much to explain.

I got a ticket through IEP (International Exchange Program)-the non-profit group that I came through-and could not believe my luck when my ticket found me on the FRONT row. I wish I could have gotten a better picture...because these don't do justice for how close we actually were!

Four of us that were sitting together got along famously (four rounds of Toohey's may have helped). Mark (Canada), Ryan (Canada), Me, and (an)Drew (America) chatted throughout the entire game...I didn't realize how quickly the time went by until the score was suddenly WAY, WAY more for us (and I suddenly needed to hit the restroom quite badly!).

Oh, did I mention the game was played at Olympic Park?!? It was amazing in itself!

Either way, the Sydney Swans beat the pants off the Western Australia Eagles!!!

The Tourist Photo

This picture is being posted many days after it was actually taken...which leads to into a story about internet.

It is pretty easy to get on the internet here (at least while I am in the city). The IEP office has free internet, as part of my package coming over I got 20 hours of free internet at one of the Youth Hostels, there are cheap internet cafes every other block on the walk to the harbor, and then there are 'expensive' places. You might think that opening internet explorer takes you the a webpage that allows you to send/receive email-so fabulous that there is tons of internet no matter where you go.

But in my brief time here, I have found that there is a direct correlation in the amount you pay for internet and the experience you have. Now free internet is the most frustrating, often leading to one email per hour...usually does not offer any sort of ports for plugging in camera cards or USB storage. Moving onto cheap internet, you may or may not be able to plug in a camera card/storage device but you will surely not be able to use it - however, the sending/receiving/surfing of the internet is heaps easier! Finally, just a day ago, I broke down and went to the 'expensive' place (the place I am now as I type this blog) and was overjoyed to find my camera card actually worked! No need to reformat and lose the pictures I've already taken...no need to buy a new card...no need to retake my TOURIST PHOTO outside the Sydney Opera House! Thanks to the random dude that didn't look like he would steal my camera, I have this shot from the first day I was in town...trying desperately to keep myself awake after a 20 hour plane ride!

The Plane Made It!

Howdy!

I have made it to AUSTRALIA! No pictures to prove I'm here, but I wanted to let you know I am safe and exploring!

It was definitely an adventure getting here...four gate changes, two hour delay, one missed plane, minus one bag...My suitcase is coming to my hostel whatever continent it is on right now!

During the fire drill (why are we having a fire drill?!?) this afternoon, I met a Scottish girl who gave me some tips about travel in and around Oz...I'm getting excited!!! But first, I have some job hunting to do.