It's All About The Journey

Author: LibbyVan

  • hawaii

  • UBUD

    Well, the time had come for me to do the one thing I told myself I was going to do no matter what. Head to Bali, and turns out it was by myself! Because of time constraints with school, my friends could not join me for any part of my 11 day trip around Bali. I started in Ubud, then headed off to the Gili Islands, and finished up in Uluwatu.

    First, let me tell you about Ubud. Getting here was a journey, I had a 7 am flight meaning I had to be up at 3:30 to get to the airport in time. I made it with time to spare so I waited an hour then boarded the plane and voila! 6 hours later I landed smoothly in Bali. I prearranged airport transfer to my place in Ubud because it was a 1.5-hour drive and finding them was easy enough. Sadly I started to feel ill with a large headache and a little nausea setting in as we drove through the streets. This stuck with me all day and instead of exploring I lay by the pool and soaked in the sun hoping the pounding headache would leave.

    The hostel I’m staying at feels more like a resort. Yes, I do share a room with 5 other girls but there are full on lounge chairs, a swing overlooking the rice fields, palm trees everywhere, and a nice pool that’s is very refreshing on a hot day. It also offers free breakfast and has outdoor showers!

    After laying in the sun for a few hours my headache still persisted on and off. Finally, I headed into town to look for some Advil and found the Indonesian version. After 30 minutes it helped immensely. I then wandered some shops and bought my favourite souvenir very flowy Bali style elephant pants! I then went back tot the hostel and watched the sunset while reading by the pool. Finally, I was hungry so I put my new pants on and headed off to find some food. I found this very yummy smoothie place and the smoothie was only $2.5! With a drink in hand, I headed back to the hostel to relax for the night as it had been a long day.

    Day 2- after a well needed nights sleep I woke up and enjoyed a breakfast at the hostel for free. It was very yummy fruits and some bread that I enjoyed. After this, I packed my day bag and set out in search of the market. It was only a 10-minute walk so soon I was there. I spent a few hours here wandering the hops I search of a pair of elephant pants and a cute top. I found loads of stalls with this and chose one to batter the price with. With my skills, I got it down a good amount and was set with a new outfit! I also found a few cute rings for me and family. Sadly I couldn’t find a snow globe which is the one thing I need as I collect them everywhere I go. Never less I have loads of time and shall keep looking. As it got closer to noon I headed back to the hostel to recharge and go for a quick dip as it was super hot out. Along the way, I got sidetracked by this cute looking cafe and stopped in for a very yummy pink smoothie! After my quick lunch stop, I arrived at the hostel for a nice jump in the pool while my phone and the GoPro charged up!

    As the clock struck 1 I headed out, set to find the sacred monkey forest. It was a 30-minute walk away but I eventually arrived. I paid $80000 RP or $7.68 CAD t get in and it’s worth it. There are loads of monkeys wandering around and the place is huge. Loads of tourist stop by the entrance because that’s where the first monkeys are but after a quick glance I kept going and found some secluded areas where if could observe them without huge crowds. Now as I walked this place I kept finding hidden paths that led me in a totally new direction. I probably walked the whole thing twice stopping to shoot some pics along the way. There are loads of signs saying don’t look the monkeys in the eyes so I took that advice. Well except for one moment and all that happened was that the monkey growled at me and grabbed my arm. So from now on I guess take signs seriously! But other than that nothing happened and no one got hurt from what I saw. However loads of monkeys were fighting with each other and when that happened the screeching got so loud! After spending hours getting lost in this forest I made my way back to the hostel but not without stopping for some much-needed ice cream.

    The second I got back my feet were immediately plunged into the pool. I kid you not they hurt so bad from all the walking. I stayed there as the sun set and admired the beauty around me and how peaceful everything was. Well, it was getting dark and considering the shower was outdoors and had no light I got in and rinsed all the sweat of the day away. Then I headed out in search of some dinner. I found it and it was yummy but spicy. It was a kind of cheese quesadilla with corn and loads of peppers in it, interesting and it was only $6.50 CAD! With dinner done and it being dark this meant the day was over as I settled in for the night.

    Day three came very early as I had a tour booked that was picking me up at 6 am. This meant I had to wake at 5:30 am, and it wasn’t bad other than the fact that it was drizzling with rain. I got picked up 2nd out of the 3 “groups” and because I was the only solo traveler with 2 other couples on this tour I got the front seat. This left me lots of leg room to stretch out as it was a 2-hour drive to our first designation.

    Once we finally arrived at the first stop we hopped out and our driver helped us get sarongs. I had bought one at the market so I just needed help tying it. The reason we needed sarongs was that we were at the lemphung temple also known as the gates of heaven. At any temple, you must have your shoulders and knees covered. Here we walked around and took photos while our driver started to stand in line for us at the iconic gates. We all came and took our place in line and thus started to get to know each other as little did we know this line would take 1.5 hours! Eventually, we reached the end and rushed in to get a few poses. After we all got our photos by the gates it was off to the second location.

    Next, we went to a water temple. This was beautiful it had a stepping stone path through a coy pond where you could look down and see hundreds at your feet. There were a set of bridges and all over were carvings and statues of symbols such as dragons or even a chicken. It sounded amazing as well as the sound of water flowing roared above the people’s voices. As we left this temple there was a stand where you could see a bat up close. This was not a normal Canadian/America bay though. No, it was huge and you could see every detail from it’s large claw-like toes to the leathery wings. We marveled at the size and then we’re off for lunch.

    By now the tile was 1 pm and we had not eaten anything all day. Luckily it was time to stop for lunch. Our driver took us to a buffet lunch for only $10 CAD that overlooked the rice terraces and was very peaceful. The food was very yummy as well with a good variety. And for dessert, they had tons of fruit and fried bananas!

    After the quick lunch stop, we moved on to a waterfall. Now, this was a hike to get down to as we arrived at the top and there were many stairs to get down to the bottom. Once we got to the bottom we then had to walk a bit through streams but it was very cool and cavelike. Once we arrived the waterfall wasn’t much of a swimming hike more of a stand under and shower waterfall. I did manage to go in it and then on the way back there was a boulder you could climb and it provided very pretty views both from the bottom and the top. As we hike back up the stairs from the waterfall I could feel a bit of tiredness setting in but it was my lucky day as we were heading to a coffee Plantation next!

    I was not expecting this part of the trip but it was still very interesting. We got a tour of the area where the pick the beans from and then how they make the coffee. They have a special type of coffee called a cat-poo-chino and yes it is made from an animal called a Luwak who eats the coffee beans from the plant and then poop em out, workers then gather the decided and wash it/in a shell the beans/prepare it into a coffee that people drink. So next time you hear of a cappuccino think cat-poo-chino aa that is what the locals do here in Bali. After the tour, we got to taste test all sorts of flavours. They had many different kinds of teas and coffees and for someone who does not normally partake in these beverages, I can say most of them Tatar’s very good. The coffee wasn’t bitter at all and the variety of teas were all very interesting. And yes we did try the Cat-Poo-CHino. After fuelling up we were on to our final part of the day…the swing.

    This was not the famous Bali swing but I like to think it was better as it was not busy at all and they gave you this constant beautiful cloth to flow behind you as you swung out over the forest. I was up first and got strapped in pretty securely. It felt very freeing seining our over the first and being able to let go and just look around. The workers would help so you didn’t have to kick or anything and it almost felt like you were flying. It was spectacular.

    With our last stop down it was gone to head back and drop us off. I was the second stop and got back around 7 pm to a rainy Ubud. I was out and about for 13 hours so I got back and rested the rest of the night away after packing as I was to leave Ubud the next day and move onto my next destination in Bali.

  • Cairns

    Welp the time had come and gone in Sydney and it was time for me to jet off to Cairns for 6 days. I met my friend Karley at the airport in Sydney as we were doing this leg of the mid-semester break together. We both then boarded the plane and i would say it was smooth sailing from there on out but it was not. The plane ride was actually very bumpy as it lurched up and down a couple of times throughout the 3-hour flight. Luckily we made it safe and sound to Cairns and landed only a few minutes late. It was super warm and humid here as most days it was a high of 33 degrees Celsius and sunny. We arrived pretty early on in the day so we dropped out bags off at the hostel and went out for breakfast. We went o the best waffle place ever! It was reasonably priced for the amount we got and was super delicious. After breakfast, we still had a couple of hours before we could check in so we walked around Cairns (it’s not that big of a place) and then headed to check in. Once settled we spent the rest of the day by the public pool area in Cairns and stayed there until sunset then went out for dinner afterward. All in all, we were exhausted once it got dark and had an early night as we had both been up since 4 am that morning.

    The next day we did nearly the exact same thing, it was super hot and sunny so after a yummy free breakfast at the hostel of pancakes we made our way down to the lagoon (the pool area). Here we tanned the day away with constant breaks to go into the water. It was a super huge pool with different areas for kids and water toys as well. It was so hot out every time we got out we would be covered in sweat again in at least 30 minutes. Before coming here we did not bring sunscreen because we haven’t needed any in Melbourne but trust me when i say we needed it. We ended up buying a very small tube that lasted us the rest of the trip. Again we stayed here until it got dark and we got hungry. After showering off we were on the lookout for a good dinner and found it at this very yummy burger place that had great milkshakes (or thick shakes as the Aussies call them). After dinner, we enjoyed the fresh air and walked along the boardwalk beside the ocean until we couldn’t, then headed back and called it a night.

    The third day in Cairns was our first day we booked an activity for. This was the thing everyone talks about when coming to Australia and that is the great barrier reef! Our boat left at 8 am sharp so we had to be up bright and early to catch it. Once on board the provided a small breakfast fruit and mini muffins which we gladly took advantage of (can’t pass up free things!) as they had watermelon that was very yummy. This whole day was amazing, the boat we were on was very luxurious and had two nets at the front like a catamaran, we spent the first hour here but we kept getting wet from waves splashing through the nets so we relocated for the next hour to the top sundeck where we sat and took in the vast ocean around us. In total it was a 2 hour boat ride out to the first reef location so once we got there we were all anxious to hit the water. What can i say? The reef was amazing and pictures/videos do not do it justice. The water was so warm and blue, we didn’t even need the thin wetsuits they gave us but it was for jellyfish protection. There were so many fish swimming in and out of the coral and around us that you could just lay on top of the water forever and see a new thing every minute. I found multiple spots where i could dive down and explore the deeper waters as i held my breath. Before i knew it the time had come to leave the first spot and we boarded the boat for lunch, this consisted of mac and cheese, various salads, and rolls (it was super good!). Do you know what the saying don’t swim 30 minutes before eating or else you’ll get a cramp? Well, we abided by that and spent the next little bit digesting the food and sunning ourselves on the front nets of the boat. Before long though we heard the call of the ocean and went back out to snorkel the beautiful waters of the great barrier reef. The second site offered smaller fish and this one spot that was a coral arch and i managed to swim under and through it! There were so many fish swimming in this hidden gem, it was magnificent. Again i can’t emphasize enough how photos don’t do this place justice. The waters were pristine. After a bit of time in the water, the boat had to leave so that meant we had to leave. It was sad to leave this beautiful location but we made our way onboard and spent the next 2 hours sunning ourselves on the front deck as the waves had died down and we could lay here without all the splashing. We arrived back to the mainland at 6 pm, as we left the boat we were hungry and looking forward to dinner. After a quick shower, we set out to find a cheap place to eat and then headed back to the hostel for another earlyish night (9 pm) as we had another early morning activity booked for tomorrow.

    Our fourth day in Cairns brought something that i had always wanted to do. We booked a waterfall tour through the rainforest. This started with an 8 am pickup outside of our hostel, as we boarded the bus it was nice to see everyone on this tour was a backpacker form another hostel. We all had the same vibes and were looking for the same things. The tour brought us first to a spot in the rainforest where we could swim in a pretty lake, take a hike to a lookout and enjoy some hot chocolate and muffins for breakfast. The next stop on the tour brought us to a place called Josephine falls, this stop was my second favorite of the day as it had a natural waterslide that we took advantage of. The water was on the cooler side but with the warm day, you couldn’t even notice. I spent this stop mainly trying not to fall and hurt anything as i climbed up the side of the very slippery water slide and then had lots of fun sliding down it. The third stop of the day was by far my favorite. It was a picturesque classic waterfall that you could swim under and get behind that provided great pictures but as i swam under around and through it i was smiling the whole time. As the water splashed my face as i looked up at it I couldn’t imagine anything better to do at that exact moment. Sadly we had to leave this place and head to a spot for lunch, but it was good timing as it had started to rain and when I say rain I mean pour so suddenly it came on as quick as someone can snap their fingers. But i guess it is a rainforest after all. We huddled for warmth under a sheltered picnic area as we ate our lunch wrapped in our towels trying to contain our body heat. That was the last waterfall stop as we made our way back to Cairns we stopped at this very interesting tree. If anyone has seen avatar they may recognize it as the people who created the tree of life used this tree as its main inspiration. After thinking of how small everything seems as you stand under this tree we were back on the bus and headed back to Cairns. We got back around 6 pm and changed into some warmer clothing (long sleeve) as it was a little cooler with the rainfall. Then it was time for our normal routine of dinner and staying low for the night.

    Our last full day in Cairns had arrived and Karley and I were only missing one thing from our cairns bucket list. That was to hug a koala! We did some research and found a cheapish tour that led us out to this place called hartleys crocodile farm. Here we saw crocodile feeding shows, snake shows, something that looked like an emu was vibrant colours (and we got to feed it), we also saw lots and lots of koalas. Right as we arrived we set out to find where and when we could hold this koala and the timing worked out perfectly! We got to explore the park for a little bit and then head to an area where we got to meet the koalas and hug them and get our picture taken with them! It was awesome as they are super cuddly and soft, definitely, a must do if you are in Australia. This was a must do in Cairns for us because apparently you can see and touch koalas anywhere in Australia but only in Queensland can you hold them. So we knew that while we were here it would be one of the only times it was possible to hold one, so of course, we did it! Once back in Cairns again we did not do much as it was a Sunday night, we packed for our departure the next day and that’s about it.

    Our final day in cairns had arrived and we were set to depart at 9pm at night. This left a full day of nothing to do so we decided it was time to see the new Avengers: Endgame movie. We had both been avoiding spoilers since it had come out and couldn’t wait any longer. So that day we slept in a little, finished our packing and had a couple of hours to spare before the movie began. In these couple of hours, we headed to the lagoon one last time and soaked in the nice cairns sun. This gave us enough time to catch the movie and then head back grab our things and uber to the airport to catch our flight home. It was definitely a long day as we arrived back in Melbourne 30 minutes late. We finally got home and in bed by 2 am and as I set my alarm for class the next day I was wishing I was setting it for another waterfall day tour instead but I guess all good things must come to an end some time or other.

  • Sydney

    Over the past couple of weeks, we had something Australians call mid-semester break, Canadians would call this reading week, and Americans would call this spring break. It was very confusing talking about any of this as you can probably see because everyone used a different term and no one could agree on one single term. What we could agree on was my little friend group was splitting up for the break as some people were seeing family while some others needed to save some cash for other trips. I, on the other hand, jetted off to Sydney for the first half of the break by myself. I booked my flight to leave Saturday, April 20th and then booked my flight out of Sydney early on Wednesday, April 24th. This gave me three full days in Sydney to explore.

    On the first day, the weather was the nicest so I uber pooled down to Bondi beach for the day. This was a cheap way to get down to Bondi as it was a 30-minute drive. Once I arrived the sun was out and shining and instead of heading to the beach right away I walked up to a path to a place called the Bondi Icebergs. This is a swimming club where you can become a member if you swim here EVERY Sunday for 4 years! I obviously could not do that so I chose to pay the $8 entrance fee to go in and spend the morning in the iconic iceberg pool. I swam some laps but mostly enjoyed sitting on the edge where the pool meets the ocean and getting splashed by the waves hitting the pool wall. Once i got tired out i relaxed on one of the raised platforms and sunbathed until the sun moved from the pool to the beach. It was a couple of hours into the afternoon when i moved to the beach and contemplated going surfing. I chose not too one because the waves were huge and I feel i would not have been safe out there by myself, second because the water was packed with surfers and I am not good enough yet for all those eyes on me, and three because I was alone and could have left my bag o the beach but I did not want to risk it as it was a very busy day and who knows what happens to your things when you take your eyes off of them. Once it started to cool down at the beach I was off to find some dinner and found a yummy looking fish and chips shop, I grabbed that and watched the skateboarders do their thing in what looked like an abandoned pool as it was very soothing to watch. Bondi Beach reminds me very much of a Santa Monica type beach area, it has the same muscle beach area, skateboard, area, surfing area, and cute little shops that line the pathway area. Only thing Bondi is missing is a pier with a midway fair on it.

    The next day i got up early in order to take advantage of all the sunlight, as the sun sets at 6 pm and there is little to do after it is set. Today I had booked a ride with the hop on hop off bus tours that go around Sydney. There were 2 routes, one through the Bondi area and other small beaches. The second took me more downtown and by the Sydney opera house and other important areas of Sydney. I hopped on the Bondi one to start and began my day by riding through beachside suburbs and stopping in a place called rosebay to walk the beach and get some breakfast. Once i was back on the bus I rode it the rest of the loop then hopped off and got on the second route which i hopped on and off of as i was cute little places and then explored those areas. My last stop was the opera house which i got off at and walked the area. I found a cute park where i had a view of both the opera house and the bridge and stopped there for a bit. Then I wandered around until I found the Botanical gardens and stayed there until sunset. Then I was on a journey to find some dinner and back to the hostel for some downtime.

    On my third and final full day, i took the train an hour out to North Sydney where I met my friend Karley (who was in Sydney at the same time but staying with her cousin) and we went to one of the northern Sydney beaches. This beach had lots of surfers that we could watch, it had nice warm sand, and we hung out there all day soaking in the rays. It was nice to see a bit more of the side of Sydney tourists do not normally get to see as it was mostly locals here as it was not well known like Bondi beach. We headed back in the evening and I had an early night as i had to be up at 4 am to head to the airport to get a flight to Cairns which is where I stayed over the second half of my break. The airport was not busy and I got through security with ease. After a quick breakfast, i waited at the gate until it was time to head off on the second part to this adventure.

  • Becoming a Melbournian

    Becoming a Melbournian

    Welp, I feel as if i have officially transitioned from a tourist exploring Melbourne to someone who is not a full-fledged citizen, but hey I’m getting there. I’ve nearly been here for two months and i can now find my way around without using google maps (for the most part). I know the market schedule by heart and am officially starting to get into the thick of things with school work.

    Over the past couple of weeks the weather has slowly started to get cooler with a couple warm days here and there. With that came the end of the summer night market, the end of the many beach days (we still make an effort to go for sunsets though), and the end of wearing shorts every day. On the one hand, this is good because the transition to fall means I get to look more like a Melbournian because they never wear shorts! But it also means leaving behind warm weather and the fact that wearing shorts in march never gets old. So you may be wondering what have I been up to the last couple of weeks? Well, school has started to pick up and i have had an essay to work on, and other smaller assignments piling up behind that. Nevertheless, we have still been able to have some fun days exploring the city and of course making it back tot he beach for the warm days and many sunsets over the water.

    Last Thursday was one of the last very warm days. It reached 27 degrees Celsius and was sunny, so of course, that meant we had to head to the beach. This time we looked for something new and headed to a beach called port Melbourne. It was not busy at all, had softer sand than St.Kilda, and the water was just as nice (maybe a little colder). It was perfect (other than the ants) but we stayed all day and watched the sunset over the docks. It was also only a short bus ride out of the city so who knows, if another nice day presents itself maybe it’ll be time to head back there.

    The other day I went to my first AFL (Aussie Football) Game! It was new and exciting and nothing like anything I’ve ever seen before. It is a mix of rugby, soccer, and football as the ball looks like a rugby ball and it is a very aggressive sport but you can also kick the ball and throw it basically like a football. Luckily I made an Aussie friend so she came with us North Americans and helped explain some of the rules. The game was very close and the team I chose to cheer for (they were the underdogs) came out on top after being down by 5 goals with 15 minutes left. Tickets were very cheap for a sports game so hopefully, I can find time to head back for another one before I leave AUS.

    A couple of days later my Birthday came and with that came warm weather as well! I turned 21 on April 2nd and celebrated it in style with friends. The day started out by going out for brunch with a friend from class because I had gotten a surprise present the day before when my Professor had canceled my only class of the day! That meant more time to sleep in and enjoy the day. After brunch, I got to rest as my friends had class then when the evening came it was time to go out for dinner. We went to the Royal Standard Hotel, a small bar/restaurant very close to our house that has cheapish food. I got chicken wings and they were very very good, other people got things such as chicken parm and pizza. They had a large menu though ranging all the way from small apps to large steaks! After dinner, I went back to our house with some friends where we hung out, had some yummy cake, and watched some horror movies (sorry Kyle and Karley). I woke up the next day to many birthday messages as back home it was officially my birthday so I can officially say this was one of the longest but best birthdays of my life.

    The past couple of days have been spent focusing on school and just hanging out with friends. We have officially passed the halfway mark for school as week 6 just passed and there may seem to be a long while to go still but i think till ass quickly. In other news the Melbourne night market comes back Wednesday, April 10th and this time is themed around European foods so that should be interesting, and in a couple of weeks reading week happens and I plan to go to Sydney and Cairns so can’t wait to get to that part of my adventure! Till next time.

  • Byron Bay

    This past weekend my friends and I took a trip Byron Bay trip organized through our housing company Semester in Australia. The trip started with flying to Brisbane Thursday, March 14th, the flight was in the evening so we took an uber from our house to the airport. We got there in good time (after having an Uber driver who took the long route through the suburbs) and went through security with ease. It was one of the laxest securities at the airport, we didn’t need to have to take our shoes off and there were barely any security people there. Once through we waited a little bit then boarded the plane, it was set to be a 2 and a half hour flight but it got delayed and we sat on the tarmac for 40 mins before departing because of storms in Brisbane…not even in Melbourne! Once we were off the ground all was smooth sailing (or flying) until halfway through when I noticed out the window a couple of thunderstorm cells. These were pretty cool as there were lightning flashes every second or so (I find thunderstorms interesting). A little later through the flight, we were flying through a thunderstorm as it was right over the Brisbane airport. This was one of my weird crazy bucket list things so that was nice to check off but there was a little turbulence and lots of flashes outside the window as we flew straight threw. Once we made it to the ground alive it was a short Uber ride to the place we were staying for the night and as we settled in there was much to look forward to in the next couple of days.

    Once we woke up in Brisbane we had to meet the bus at 8 am sharp (as they say)…the meeting spot was not far so we walked there and got there for 8 aaaand the bus wasn’t there for another 20 minutes. Once we were picked up it was a 2-hour drive to Byron Bay where we checked into the hotel dropped our bags and had an hour to explore before our surfing lesson began. We took this time to explore the beach in the sun. It was much different than the Melbourne beaches! We then went back, got changed, and then we were off to our surfing lesson. I had surfed before but none of my friends had so it was very exciting. I got more information about different ways to pop up on the board and learned how to catch a wave all by myself. Before I knew it I was catching a wave and standing up all by myself! After that, I was able to catch waves and stand up about half the time. After surfing we were headed back to the hostel to get changed for dinner and a night out.

    Dinner was interesting, it was at a bar/club where they served us an option of fish and chips, curry, or a burger. There were also small games on the tables we could play, we enjoyed playing multiple games of connect 4 (1 in which I won!) and after dinner the theme of the night was paint. There was an option to get splattered with paint, which of course we partook in. And then enjoyed hanging out with friends for the rest of the night.

    The next morning we woke up at 5:30 am in order to catch the sunrise at the most easterly part of Australia. It was supposed to be beautiful and spectacular but sadly it was a rainy morning and all we saw was the sky turn from dark blue to light blue through the rain. After the not so nice sunrise we walked an hour back to Byron bay and saw a couple of lizards along the way. We also walked beside a surf beach that looked amazing and if I could go back I would explore that beach more. Once back at the hostel it was a breakfast of toast, yogurt, and fruit and then nap time as lots of us headed back to bed. I hung out in the hostel lobby where they played music, had free wifi, and comfy couches.

    Fast forward a few hours and my friends and I were venturing out into the raining day to rent some surfboards and enjoy the water, cause rain cannot affect you if you are already wet from the ocean! There were 4 of us and we got 3 boards as one person was in charge of playing with the GoPro (it was also cheaper this way). We got some good footage but sadly none of us standing up (even though it DID happen). This day of surfing resulted in tired sore arms and we attempted to stand up and catch the waves. This proved harder than yesterday because we had smaller boards. Usually, a beginner surfer will get an 8-foot board, this would have been ideal but the shop only had one. The rest of us had 6/7 foot boards and even though it may seem not that big of a difference the size actually does make a huge difference on the waves. So we didn’t stand up as much as we would have liked but it was still a fun day and my first time renting a surfboard and standing up without lessons! After surfing we were back to the hostel where we rested before dinner.

    Dinner tonight was unknown until 5 minutes before it was time to eat. We walked into the meeting spot at the hostel to find at least a hundred small dominoes pizzas set up on a table and plenty of salad and fruit. There were about 35 of us so this much food was a little bit of overboard but we devoured it. I was starving so I ended up eating 9 slices of pizza and at least two bowls full of fruit, it was delicious. One of my friends ended up eating 16 slices! (but the slices were smaller than normal). After dinner, we noticed it had stopped raining so we ran (yes we actually ran) to the beach to see the sunset over the water/mountains and it was beautiful. We then took a nice stroll along the beach until not even 10 minutes later it started to downpour, back to the hostel we went for free wifi and comfy couches. That night was quieter and we strolled along the town at night listening to the buskers along the street and got some ice cream. Then it was back to the hostel for the night and off to bed as we were leaving the next morning.

    That morning breakfast was at 9 am and we had to check out by 10 so we quickly ate some toast and fruit. We then packed the last of our bags and left them in the lobby (with everyone else’s) as we took one last stroll through town and down to the lovely beach. It wasn’t raining today so we enjoyed the last few minutes we had with sunny Byron Bay. Then it was off to a small town about an hour out from Byron Bay called Nimbin. This very small town is known for being Australia’s hippie capital and had lots of marijuana advertising and lots of tie-dye colours. Here we got lunch (I got garlic bread) and we also stopped for milkshakes before boarding the bus and heading to the Brisbane airport.

    We made it to the airport with a couple of hours to spare so we spent that time charging our phones near the gate because they were very low and we needed them charged for the flight. Of course, there was another delay but at least this time we had not already boarded the plane and were able to stay in the couches for an extra 30 minutes before it was time to board the plane and fly back to Melbourne. The flight back was smoother and when we left it was raining but no crazy thunderstorm this time! We got into Melbourne late (or very early) and I got back home around 1 am Monday morning. Luckily I did not have class the next day so I was free to sleep as late as I wanted and rest from an exciting weekend away.

  • Seeing the Sights

    These last couple of weeks have been a mess of school and exploring. With school just starting we had to go to class but in our many hours of free time we took in the sights. The first event we thought would be major was this Holi festival being thrown in St.Kilda, only a 30-minute tram ride from my house. None of us really knew what to expect other than there would be colour everywhere, we threw on some clothes we were okay with getting messy and off we went. When we arrived it was dead. There were maybe 15 other people there and that was pushing it, not what we expected at all! But we went in anyway and took in the sights, mostly having fun with the colour they provided us as we took turns spraying it at each other and having colour fights. Once this ended we were allowed to leave and return as many times as we wanted so some went to the beach. I did not partake in washing off the colours as it added some pizazz but others washed their war paint off and then headed home only after an hour of being there. A few of us stayed behind, went back and, and enjoyed the festival. As a couple of hours passed it started to fill up and before we knew it we were having colour wars with random festival goers. It was a very energetic and overall happy environment as that is what Holi is all about!

    Another sight I saw was the Royal botanical gardens where we saw lots of green plants but not many flowers. The experience was fun though as we also saw the war memorial that sits right outside the gardens and got to experience a ceremony that would usually happen on remembrance day. A beam of light passes over a block on the middle of this large marble floor and it was very interesting. Anyways back to the gardens, some took a lot of photos but i just opted to view the plant and wildlife therefor not much was captured on actual photo evidence. But we did get lost once or twice and saw a spider catch, kill, and then wrap up his dinner for later in one of his webs. Don’t worry though it wasn’t one of those huge spiders you hear about when people warn you about Australia. Just a normal sized one.

    Wednesday rolled around and of course, we had to hit the night market, a couple of us got dinner and I had this huge bowl of noodles that were miraculously floating with a pair of chopsticks in them. Who knew chopsticks could float? Anyhow, we ate some of the cool food that is very hard to find back home, got a drink, then cruised around watching the various live artists and experiencing the culture of Melbourne at night. Also side note, there is this food stall called Canadian Hotdogs…who knew that was the one special food Canada had to share? Not like we have poutine, beavertails, or anything else

    Finally, over this past weekend, the weather spiked to an all-time high. Friday, March 1st, Saturday the 2nd, and Sunday the 3rd were all 35 plus with the 2nd reaching 40 degrees Celsius. Of course, we had to spend the whole day at the beach because our house does NOT have air conditioning. So, we spent most of the day on Friday and Saturday lounging in the water at the beach as there is a shallow area perfect for sitting. I can also proudly say I managed not to get burned this weekend which is very impressive as I rarely use sunscreen back home but here even the most tanned people need it as the sun is STRONG! On Friday we spent the WHOLE day there as we got there around noon and left once the sun went down. The sunset was beautiful over the water though and it was breathtaking. While the next day we basically went there to cool off then came home a few hours later and watched a movie at a friends place who has air conditioning. Honestly, this past weekend has been great but I’ll take the 25 celsius weather back, please.

  • Phillips Island: Penguin Parade

    At first, I was wary about booking this trip because recently in New Zealand I partook in penguin viewing and let me tell you for the penguin part the New Zealand experience was better. Although this all day trip included so much more. We started by bussing out of Melbourne to Moonlit Wildlife sanctuary. Here we were given an Aussie lunch of sausages and then had an hour to explore. I got to experience Kangaroos up close and feed them, I even got to hold one’s hand. We also got to pet a dingo, saw some koalas, and many other animals.

    Next, we boarded the bus and drove to Churchill island where we wandered around a little farm area, some of the girls got to try using a huge horsewhip (not on an actual horse). After that, we experienced a sheepdog round up a few sheep and learned it gather around 500 sheep! After this, we experienced sheep shearing which is a lot more aggressive than you would think. The sheep shearer basically wrestles the sheep as it sheers it and even though it looks painful the sheep must feel better at the end as it loses its heavy stinky wool coat.

    With that stop done we were off to a koala sanctuary where we walked among the treetops and saw koalas hanging about in the trees. Here we spent 30 minutes walking around and experiencing the cuteness then we were off to find some dinner.

    We spent an hour in a little town called Cowes here we were supposed to get dinner but after lunch and a snack on the bus, I was not feeling that hungry so I hit this little Gelato place in town and got Tim Tam/Cookies and Cream gelato which was delicious. I took my gelato down to the pier walked around a bit and lounged on the grass watching the seagulls devour someone’s leftovers on the beach until it was time to head back on the bus to go see some penguins.

    We drove to a spot called the Nobbies, here we could walk and look at the waves crashing against the rocks along the coast, the sun was slowly setting and with the views along the ocean, it was a spectacular spot to hang out for a while. One plus we got while here is we got to see some penguins with the sun still out only a few feet away from us. Apparently, this does not always happen and we were very lucky. Next, it was on to the penguin viewing area. Now as I previously mentioned this was not the best part of the day there were huge crowds and not a lot of information verbally given on the penguins. Although we still did get to see them waddle up out of the water and across the beach as they went home to sleep for the night. This all happened around 8:30-9pm at night so after we finished this up it was a 2-hour ride back home where we arrived back a little after midnight. Overall the experience was very fun and I am glad I participated in it as there was so much more to do than just see the penguins.

  • My First Week Alone

    Hi there as I am now alone with no one else to write my adventures for me I am now taking over the blog. For those of you who do not know I am Libby 20 years old studying in Australia, I am the daughter of Brenda who has been writing the posts so far. Hopefully, I can keep up with my adventures and keep you all informed.

    Let the Journey begin,

    I said goodbye to my travel companion also know as my mother on Sunday, February 10th as she had an early flight to catch the next morning. She walked me to the alley which separated my area from the rest of the market. We said goodbye and I walked alone into the alley, a sort of right of passage if you think about it enough. Although what neither of us knew is that this was not the right alley and I realized this as I walked through and hit a wall instead of an opening. Thus I backtracked to the entrance, looked left and saw her walking away, I then looked right and there was the correct alley one building down. Now I was on the right path as I made my way home alone for the first time.

    Now began the practice of getting to know and becoming friends with those around me while not feeling homesick. Luckily Melbourne is a big city with many things to do so this first week I was pretty busy. Within the next couple of days, I was hitting St.Kilda beach (more than once), where there are no big waves but it does have a nice sandy area to lay down with a very gradual entrance in the water (as you walk in it does not get deep fast.) We got to experience St.Kilda as we walked around a little and took in the sights. There is this theme park which is very expensive ($15.00 per ride) so I do not think that is a priority but the entrance was very interesting to see. After this, we trammed back (only about $4.00 round trip) and rested at home as the beach takes a lot out of you.

    In the middle of the week we had ACU orientation this consisted of two days with an information session on day 1 and an activity on day 2. At orientation, we got to meet all the other exchange students and there are about 40 of us in total. We Got a tour of the campus and a pizza lunch which was very yummy. Orientation spanned two days and the second day they organized an amazing race game for us. We were given clues and tasks to complete in groups of 5 or 6 around the city with the idea to get to know people and have fun. An added bonus was the winning team was given medals as a reward. On this day I made some new friends and got to see the sights while figuring out what lays where within the city, although I am still getting pretty lost as my sense of direction is horrible. In the end, our team came 2nd only losing by 11 points we put in a good effort and went for milkshakes and fries afterward (the cheapest thing on the menu).

    In Melbourne, during the summer they put on a night market within the queen victoria market. It is open 6-10pm and a big group of us went to see what it was like. I was expecting one street filled with food vendors and such but no this was much bigger. There were hundreds of people milling about nearly 20 food tents and little vendors selling homemade crafts and little items dotting the market. There was seating to eat at or have a drink while listening to live music or you could wander around and catch a couple of street performers entertaining a bunch of people. The atmosphere was great and we easily spent a few hours exploring and trying some very good food. The night market is only open for 3 more weeks so I’m hoping to go as much as possible while I have the chance.

    Friday night came and some of us went out for dinner and drinks. I was not super hungry but the little food I did get was amazing. After we explored Melbourne in the dark. Shops close at 9pm everywhere so if you want to do some late night shopping you either have to go earlier or get it done quickly. Some of the girls picked up an ice cream that looked very good and we got home late that night but it was fun after doing nothing all day.

    Finally, the week came to a close with a trip to Brighton beach, this one was farther away and we had to figure out the underground network. Once we got through that the train took us to the beach and what drew us here were the Brighton bathing boxes. Upon seeing these the journey was worth it as some of them had very cool designs although if you want to own one you have to give up $300,000. It made sense though as all the houses around here were large with gates to keep people out. Brighton beach was a lot rockier than St.Kilda and getting out to enjoy the water meant you had to step over multiple little rocks. Luckily no one cut their feet and we were able to enjoy the water. This beach was much more crowded because of the popularity of these bathing boxes but we still managed to enjoy it and appreciate where we were considering back home for a lot of us is very cold right now. After an exciting day at the beach, we took the underground back, this was a little more difficult as announcements made on the trains are not very loud and we were tired. We missed one and proceeded to sit on an unmoving train for 15 minutes before realizing it was the last stop and we had to get off. Luckily we made it off and not even a minute later the train started to move the opposite direction in which we needed to go. We then boarded the right one and made it home for dinner.

    That concluded my first week being alone, the next day would have been Monday, February 18th and marked the official one-week anniversary of me living in a strange city by myself. There were definitely spurts of homesickness mostly while sitting alone late at night but being busy and making some good friends definitely helped. As I get accustomed to life in a new city I hope to keep the blog updated with new adventures and as school starts we will see how well this goes.

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